Finding and employing strategies that promote team cohesion is vital to the success of your business. Unfortunately, it isn’t always easy – especially when it’s raining, snowing, or blowing a gale outside! Seriously, inclement weather can throw a spanner in the works of any team-building plans, forcing any thoughts of outdoor games and corporate sports days out the window.
But don’t despair! There are plenty of effective indoor team building activities and games to try instead. In this article, we’ve picked 37 of the best, all of which are perfect for team bonding in the office after work hours, during rainy days on your company offsite, or in other indoor environments, such as bowling, or wine tasting in the local wine cellar. Sounds good? Let’s get started.
What are indoor team building activities and games?
As the name suggests, indoor team building is the process of using fun indoor activities as a vehicle for cultivating closer bonds between teammates.
We’re going through 37 awesome examples in the coming post, but a full list of indoor team building games and activities would be endless! From board games and quizzes to improv games and organized days out, there are countless ways to bring colleagues into a tighter, more effective unit (without having to set foot outside).
For the purposes of this post, though, we’re drawing a distinction between activities and games. We’re defining the latter as anything you’d need instructions to play, whereas activities are simply fun events, days out, or things you can do as a team.
20 Indoor team activities to have fun and boost teamwork
Indoor activities are prime examples of how spending quality time together in novel and relaxed settings is often enough to improve team cohesion. That’s not to say you don’t need more structured or “official” team-building activities as well! It’s just that there’s huge value in meeting up and having fun outside work.
As an aside, that’s exactly why we do what we do at Surf Office.
Similar to indoor activities, our team-building retreats are powerful opportunities for teams (whether you operate remotely or have a traditional office space) to change their environment, break up their usual routine, and get to know each other better in person. The only significant difference is that you’re doing it in a villa near the sea rather than the busy town or location you always work from!
With all that said, let’s dive into 20 effective activities to try indoors with your team.
Our favorite indoor team building activities
We’ll begin with the best indoor team building activities we’ve come across in our time organizing retreats for companies around the world. These ones always go down a treat. They’re unique, engaging, and memorable events that never fail to bring workmates closer together.
1. Try an escape room
Escape rooms are immersive, adrenaline-fuelled, challenging, social, and goal-oriented experiences that demand high levels of cooperation. In other words, they’re epic indoor team building activities! Here’s how they work:
You and the team get locked in a room and have to solve puzzles and decipher clues to escape. But that’s not all. You’re up against the clock! Fail to find the key or achieve the goal in the allotted time (usually 60 minutes) and you lose.
Escape rooms usually follow a theme as well. Depending on the venue, you could be trying to get out of prison with your fellow inmates, channeling your inner Sherlock Holmes to solve a mystery, or readying your spaceship to take off from Mars.
2. Go beer or wine tasting
Do you and the team have a shared love of craft beers and quality wines? Well, why not book some transportation and go beer/wine tasting at a local brewery/vineyard? There’s nothing like a tipple or two to spark conversation and unite workmates!
For a slight twist on this indoor activity, consider inviting a local brewer or vintner to your office instead. Mingling, chatting, and sampling drinks together like this is a brilliant way to unwind after work. Or, if you’re on a budget, you could simply buy various beverages from the local store for a “DIY tasting” experience.
3. Host a games night
Fact: Games nights are one of the best indoor activities for rainy days. You shut the door, forget about both work and the weather, grab some snacks, and spend the evening playing board games, card games, video games, table tennis, and anything else that takes your fancy. What isn’t there to like?! Want our advice though?
Pick the games ahead of time to avoid hold-ups on the night. Likewise, you’re more likely to get the team’s buy-in if you ask them for their game suggestions (instead of picking them all yourself).
4. Go bowling together
Bowling isn’t just for kids’ birthday parties. It’s another fantastic way to step back, ditch the usual routine, and have fun together in a laid-back setting. However, one of bowling’s biggest boons is that it’s super accessible…
While there’s always someone on the team who plays like Pete Weber (if you know, you know), anybody can go bowling, regardless of skill level, and have a good time. Divide yourself into two teams and you can add a nice level of friendly competition as well – a bonus as far as team bonding goes.
5. Do a group cooking class
Group cooking classes are popular indoor activities too. Whether you attend a local class or hire your own kitchen and professional chef, you and the team learn how to craft delicious new dishes together. Ultimately, it’s a novel experience that involves creativity, collaboration, and buckets of banter around people’s culinary capabilities!
Want to add some extra spice to proceedings? You could hire a commercial kitchen to host a bake-off-style event instead. Split into pairs, pick a popular dish/snack (e.g. mac-and-cheese or cookies), and start cooking! You’d then reconvene at an agreed-upon time to take turns tasting and rating each pair’s finished product. The team with the most votes wins.
Easy-to-organize team building activities to do indoors
In this section, we’ll turn our focus to 5 activities that require less effort to arrange. If you’re short on time and/or resources but still want to help your team forge tighter bonds, check out the following options.
6. Enjoy post-work drinks
Whether they’re planned or impromptu, post-work drinks allow colleagues to let off steam and get to know each other better over a beer or two…or five. They talk, vent, gossip, laugh, and – depending on where the night leads – boogie the night away. More often than not, they’ll transition from colleagues to friends in the process.
So why not book a table at a popular bar each Friday night? Use the company credit card to treat the team and thank them for their hard work. They’ll appreciate the gesture (a bonus as far as employee satisfaction goes) and grow closer too.
7. Organize a team meal
Similar to post-work drinks, team meals are easy to coordinate and always tend to go down well. After all, the promise of a delicious meal in a relaxed setting is hard to resist – especially when you’re not the one picking up the check!
Furthermore, food is a fantastic unifying force and the nature of sharing a meal together encourages both conversation and camaraderie. So, whether you make a reservation at a nice restaurant, arrange catering at the office, or buy takeout for the team one evening, it’s sure to have the desired effect.
8. Host a darts tournament
Organizing this indoor team-building activity is as simple as buying a dartboard (don’t forget the darts!) and hanging it somewhere in the office. When the working day’s over, you can split into teams, hand out a cold beer or glass of wine to everyone present, and play some fun dartboard games – taking turns to see who can hit each number in order from 1 to 20 first, for instance.
We like this idea because it’s a cheap, accessible, and easy way to help people unwind. You’ll laugh, joke, relax as a team, and work together to try and win! If you’re worried about safety, consider buying a magnetic dartboard instead.
9. Host a movie night
Do you work in an office full of film buffs? Does somebody on the team have a big TV and a subscription to Netflix or Amazon Prime at home? And, more importantly, would they be willing to invite their colleagues over for the evening?!
If so, you have everything you need for a first-class movie night. Similar to the games night idea we discussed earlier, though, we recommend choosing the movies you want to watch before the event itself. Send out some emails or raise the topic in a morning meeting to ask for everyone’s ideas.
10. Host a tea party
You don’t have to be the Mad Hatter to enjoy a tea party! Super relaxed and conducive to communication, these casual get-togethers are surprisingly effective for team bonding.
For best results, consider hosting a potluck party, asking each employee to contribute tea, cake, some cookies, or any other tasty treat. Not only is this approach less time-consuming for the organizer, but it also has a greater team-building component, where each person brings something for the team’s benefit.
Be conscious of potential allergies, intolerances, and dietary preferences though. Run a quick survey and circulate the results in advance to ensure everyone knows to avoid certain ingredients or clearly label what’s inside their baked goods.
Creative indoor activities for team-building
Creative indoor activities always tend to go down well. Whether they’re creative in an artistic sense or a “this is a little different” kind of way, they grab your attention, encourage participation, and inevitably put smiles on peoples’ faces. Here are 5 such ideas that fall into this category:
11. Throw an arts and crafts party
Crafts activities are amazing for team-building for 3 reasons. First, you don’t need much space to do them. Second, you can easily get your hands on the materials. And third, said materials are usually budget-friendly to acquire!
That’s a winning trifecta if you ask us, and it’s topped off by the fact they’re entertaining, versatile, and inherently creative. We could write a whole article on specific arts and crafts activities to try, but here are a few of our favorites:
- Doing origami
- Making tie-dye t-shirts
- Making an art mural
- Making paper flowers
- Individual art projects (i.e. make whatever you want!)
12. Organize a murder mystery event
Immersive and entertaining from the outset, murder mystery activities are highly engaging and help create awesome team memories. Part problem-solving, part role play, each participant adopts a role (e.g. detective or victim), dons a costume to complete their character, and is taken through a storyline in which they must solve clues to identify the murderer.
You can organize your own DIY murder mysteries if you wish! Yet we definitely recommend hiring an organization that specializes in them if you have the budget. It’ll save you lots of time and ensure everything runs smoothly.
13. Create a memory wall
A memory wall is a classic indoor team-building activity that asks participants to reminisce about shared work experiences and to write those memories down on a big sheet of paper. Common topics to reflect on include:
- Their first day on the job
- Their greatest success at work to date
- The biggest challenge they’ve had to overcome
- The funniest time in the office they can remember
Many organizations also break this activity into 2 parts. First, the team works together to create their memory wall around the given topics. Second, they take turns sharing with the group why they included a certain memory and what made it such a special/noteworthy moment.
14. Do an indoor scavenger hunt
On the subject of classic team-building activities, let’s not forget about indoor scavenger hunts! Fast-paced, entertaining, and involving a good dose of friendly competition, they’re fantastic ways to make people smile and unify the team.
Prepare for the hunt by 1) sourcing a bunch of random items (e.g. toys, candy bars, umbrellas…) and 2) hiding them around the office! You then divide everyone into 2 groups and give each team a list of items they have to find. The first team to find each object on their list within a given time limit wins. Repeat the process as many times as you like, mixing up the teams as you go.
15. Play indoor mini golf
Mini golf’s another example of an activity that anyone can enjoy, regardless of skill level. Furthermore, whether you play as individuals or in teams, you’re spending quality time together and working toward a goal (hit the ball into the hole in the fewest possible attempts) – encouraging and teasing each other as you go!
There’s probably an actual indoor mini-golf venue in your local area. But it’s also fun to create your own “DIY golf course” in the office! Use old tennis balls for golf balls, hiking poles for putters, and empty tins or milk bottles you’ve cut in half for holes. Heck, designing and building the course together could be part of the activity itself.
Active team-building activities to do indoors
Colleagues don’t have to move their bodies and/or work up a sweat to become a stronger team. But it can definitely help! Read on for 5 ideas for indoor activities that involve an active element:
16. Go indoor rock climbing together
Rock climbing’s a fantastic thing to do as a team. Intense, different, and physically and mentally tough, workmates will grow closer as they push themselves, overcome their fears, and help each other to ascend each route.
There are 2 types of indoor climbing to try: bouldering and top-roping. The former is an individual pursuit – ascending lower-level routes without ropes; the latter is where you wear a harness and rely on a partner to belay you while climbing higher walls. Both are great, but the nature of trusting someone to hold the rope that’s stopping you from falling arguably makes top-roping a better team-building activity!
17. Go nuts at a rage rooms event
Has there been some tension in the office recently? Have certain clients been causing trouble? Has the team been working to tight deadlines and pushing themselves to hit targets?
Consider booking a session at the local “rage rooms”. A perfect way to let off steam, these awesome venues let customers channel their inner Hulk. A memorable indoor team-building activity if ever there was one, you enter a room in full PPE with one goal: obliterate a range of objects (think crockery, TVs, and old computer monitors) using baseball bats and sledgehammers. Talk about stress relief.
18. Do an office workout
The thought of doing a workout after office hours might sound more like team torture than team-building. But hear us out…
Picking a workout that’s challenging yet doable for everyone on the team is an effective way to unwind and come together after a stressful day. You encourage each other with exclamations of “keep going” and “don’t give up”, and enjoy a deep sense of achievement when the workout’s over. You get a burst of endorphins as well, which is sure to raise the mood in the room!
Is fitness not your forte? Don’t worry. You could hire a personal trainer to come in and run the session for you.
19. Book laser tag
Laser tag is basically the indoor equivalent of paintball – just without the pain! You run around with infrared laser guns and wear special target devices across your torso that ping when someone “shoots” you.
By teaming up against other groups at the laser tag venue or splitting into separate groups to play against each other, it can be an epic bonding activity. You have to work together toward a common goal, communicate constantly to coordinate attacks and solve problems, and channel your competitive sides in a bid to win.
20. Go axe throwing together
If you’ve ever wanted to know how it feels to hurl a tomahawk at a target, then axe throwing’s probably the best indoor team-building activity for you on this list!
Unique, accessible, and hugely stress-relieving, it’s an amazing way to spend an evening after work. Not only that, but you and the team will grow closer too. You’ll be cheering each other on as you learn a new skill, reveling in the relaxed atmosphere, and teaming up to see who can get the highest score.
17 Indoor games for work teams to enjoy together
As an adult with a life full of stress and responsibility, it’s easy to forget the joy that comes from playing. But, trust us, games aren’t just for kids! Not only are good games great fun, but they can also be highly effective when it comes to improving teamwork.
In the second half of this post, we’re going to highlight 17 indoor games of this nature, explain why each one is worth your time, and provide the instructions you’ll need to play them. Let’s get started.
The best indoor games for work
As we did above, we’ll begin with 4 of the best indoor games we’ve encountered for boosting teamwork. There’s a real mixture here! Some are simple and quick; others take longer and require more preparation. However, all of them are fun, effective, engaging, and can be enjoyed without having to leave the office.
1. Paper tower
Paper Tower is an effective game for improving communication, co-operation, creative problem-solving, and other key aspects of teamwork. It’s also as straightforward as indoor team building games get!
To play, split your employees into small groups of 2 to 3 people, giving each team 20 sheets of A4 paper. Their goal? To build the tallest paper tower possible in 10 minutes, without using anything like staples, tape, or glue to help. Whoever constructs the tallest tower wins.
2. The floor is lava
Light-hearted and more than a little bit silly, The Floor is Lava is another excellent indoor game that’s sure to get people giggling! More importantly, they’ll be working together, listening, demonstrating leadership skills, and solving problems.
The idea’s simple: break your team into 2 groups and challenge them to take turns crossing the room together without touching the floor (…because it’s lava). While one group attempts the crossing, the other can try to sabotage their efforts – moving items they’d otherwise use as stepping stones and/or placing obstacles in their way.
3. Office pen pal
Office Pen Pal takes a less direct approach to team-building. Rather than asking employees to play something or tackle a certain challenge, you get them to write letters to each other! Here’s how to do it:
Start by randomly assigning a pen pal to everyone in the office. Next, ask them to send short handwritten letters to their partner on a semi-regular basis. It doesn’t have to be anything too intense or revealing. A simple note detailing work-related concerns and/or what they’re doing at the weekend will suffice.
It might sound strange, but this is an effective way to help teammates connect. Expert relationships to improve and any isolation people might feel to reduce.
4. Question tag
Looking for a team-building game that never has to end? Try Question Tag. It’s simple, accessible, and unites the team without having to take time off work or arrange an actual event.
To play, team members “tag” each other by asking one of their colleagues a question. The recipient answers it, repeats the same question and answer to another colleague, and then asks them a new question. You can play by passing notes, but we think it’s best as an ongoing email exchange. Just make sure everyone gets involved, rather than a few individuals who keep asking themselves questions!
Short games to play indoors at work
If it’s already been a long day, you don’t have much time on your hands, and/or you’re searching for easy indoor games that pack a punch, then this section’s for you. In it, we’ll reveal a few quick games that require a negligible investment of resources or preparation, while still bringing teams together.
5. Show and tell
Although most people associate Show and Tell with elementary school, it actually transfers really well to team-building settings.
As you may recall, people take turns bringing something into the office from home (a framed photo, a toy, a gadget – it can be anything) that’s significant to them. Then, with everyone sitting in a circle, they spend a few minutes presenting their item to the group, explaining the story behind it and/or why they chose it.
Ultimately, Show and Tell should help the team connect, get to know each other better, and feel more confident about public speaking, among many other benefits.
6. All aboard
Otherwise referred to as “Life Raft”, this is a superb indoor team-building game that, at first glance, seems like nothing but a bit of fun. However, look closer and you realize everybody’s working together, laughing, encouraging one another, and using strong communication skills to complete the task.
Want to give it a shot? Start by making a square on the floor with strips of tape. That’s your life raft! When you call “All Aboard”, participants have to squeeze themselves inside the square as quickly as possible. To spice things up a bit, why not split the team into 2 groups to see who can do it first?
7. One line at a time/consequences
This indoor team-building game involves together to write a story on a sheet of paper. The catch? You do it one line at a time, taking turns to contribute a sentence before folding over the sheet (just enough to cover the line) so the next person can’t see what you wrote.
You continue in this fashion until everyone has added a sentence! Whoever goes last then unfolds the paper and reads the story aloud. Not only is the game fun to play, but the random (and often amusing!) nature of the story demonstrates how valuable clear communication is in a team environment.
8. What are you doing?
Fast-paced and creative, What Are You Doing is an improv game that leverages miming to enhance team collaboration.
With the whole team standing in a circle, someone begins by miming an action (e.g. washing the dishes or cleaning their teeth). A few seconds later, someone else steps forward and asks, “What are you doing?”
And that’s when the fun starts! The person miming has to answer the question with a different action to what they’re doing. Whoever stepped forward then has to mime that new action. Continue this process until everyone’s had a turn.
Light-hearted indoor team-building games
Some games tick all the right boxes in terms of teamwork but aren’t exactly laid-back, fun-filled affairs. Thankfully, the ideas in this section fall into both categories! Here are 4 indoor games for work teams that are simple, relaxed, and genuinely fun to play – without skimping on impact.
9. Remember when
Remember When is a storytelling game where you reflect on a team event that never really happened! Here’s how it works:
The team sits in a circle and someone gets the ball rolling by introducing a fake memory about something you did together. For example, “Remember when we went for a drink and saw Morgan Freeman at the bar?” You then take turns adding more details, working together to make up a story on the spot. Bonus points for details that are ridiculous, outrageous, or way out of left field!
10. Descriptive artist
Searching for another indoor team-building game that demonstrates the virtue of clear communication? Try this one. To play Descriptive Artist, start by pairing teammates up and giving each duo some paper, a pencil, and a picture (making sure only one of them sees the picture).
Sitting back-to-back, one person describes the image while the other tries to draw it based on that description! After 5 to 10 minutes, the activity ends and the artist has to guess what they’ve drawn. You’d then tell everyone to swap roles, hand out new pictures, and repeat the process.
11. Trivia night
Trivia nights offer a fun and straightforward way to boost camaraderie within your team. Here’s how to host one:
- Compile a list of questions in different categories (sports, music, work…)
- Divide employees into teams
- Read out the questions and ask each team to write down their answers
- Tally the scores at the end to find the winner
While we prefer a “DIY-style” trivia night, the quizzes held at your local bar are a close second. Signing up for one might also take the stress off organizing the event yourself without detracting from the team-building benefits.
12. Office makeovers
There’s nothing like a spot of mischief to bring colleagues closer together. With office makeovers, different teams within the company have the chance to “redecorate” another team’s space. From unraveling rolls of toilet paper to putting up posters of people’s favorite boy bands, the options are endless.
Set some ground rules beforehand to stop the pranks from going overboard though. The atmosphere should be light and full of laughter – not frustration at the state of your redecorated space!
Active games to play indoors as a team
Last but not least, here are 5 indoor games with a physical component. Don’t worry, they don’t involve getting your heart pumping out of your chest! They should, however, get you moving your bodies, having a good time, and working closely as a team to achieve certain goals. Enjoy!
13. Indoor fort building
Building forts inside the office might sound juvenile. And it is! But that’s the point. Fort building is fun, silly, and creative – a perfect antidote to the usual stress and responsibility associated with work.
For this game, get everyone to bring things like bed sheets, cardboard boxes, and string to the office. Then divide the group into teams and give them a 30-minute time limit to construct the best possible fort! Each group then presents what they’ve built for you – the judge – to decide who won.
14. Don’t drop the balloons
Want to raise the energy levels in the room? Lift people’s spirits? Encourage colleagues to work together to achieve a common goal?
Don’t Drop the Balloons involves inflating masses of balloons in the office and making a rule that they can’t touch the ground! However, you can add a competitive element by splitting employees into 3+ teams and assigning balloons of a particular color to each one. If any of their balloons touches the floor, that team’s out!
15. Ring toss
This indoor game is super simple yet strangely addictive. Played in small teams, you stand at a distance and take turns tossing rings at a pole on the ground. If the ring slots successfully over the top, then your team gets a point! Whoever has the most points after a certain number of attempts, wins.
Want to make things more interesting? You could have multiple targets spread across the office, with some that are closer/easier and others that are further away. You can purchase actual ring toss equipment, but it isn’t essential! Frisbees (or anything else you have that’s ring-like) and empty water bottles work just as well.
16. The Human knot
Here’s another classic indoor game that’s guaranteed to bring your team closer together…literally. The Human Knot doesn’t take long, but it’s entertaining, engaging, and great at generating both conversation and good vibes!
You need at least 6 people to play (the more people you have, the harder it gets). Start by standing in a circle, putting your right hand into the center, and holding the hand of someone opposite. Then repeat the process with your left hands, making sure you hold hands with a new partner.
Now the fun starts! Your goal is to unravel yourselves from the “knot” without releasing anyone’s hand. Throw in a time limit to make the task even trickier.
17. Minefield
Short, sweet, and timeless as far as team building games go, Minefield’s a definite crowd-pleaser that teaches the value of trust, listening and clear communication.
Start by clearing a space of actual hazards (e.g. wires to trip over) and creating a “minefield” by placing random objects at different points on the floor. Next, split the team into pairs and give one member of each duo a blindfold to wear. Whoever isn’t blindfolded then guides their partner around the room, ensuring they avoid the “mines” as they go. The catch? They can only use verbal instructions!
After 5 minutes or so, ask the team to stop moving and swap roles. When everyone’s had a turn being blindfolded, stop the game, and de-brief as a team. How did they find the experience? What did they learn?
Try these indoor team building activities Today
Outdoor team-building activities are fantastic on warm, sunny days. Unfortunately, Mother Nature often has other ideas – unleashing wind and rain that dampen your spirits along with everything else.
Thankfully, inclement conditions don’t have to ruin your plans. With these indoor team building activities and games up your sleeve, you can bolster employee relationships and boost collaboration without ever leaving the office!
Do you want to get the utmost value from these activities, though? Consider doing them in a totally different environment. Entrust Surf Office to organize a retreat for your team and you could be honing the group dynamic anywhere from Florence, Italy to Ottawa, Ontario! Think about it…
How good would it be to go wine tasting at a bar in France? Or to host a movie night at your hotel on a snowy evening in Austria? With 110 company retreat locations around the world to choose from, you’re sure to find the perfect getaway for you and the team. Contact us today if you’d like to learn more or get a quote.
