When you start planning your next team building event, you probably won’t immediately think “better grab some ping pong balls!” However, in many cases, they’re all the supplies you need to create some fun and engaging games that will lighten the mood while bringing everyone together. 

Games with ping pong balls and other silly skill games are quick, fun, and easy to plan and execute. You only really need a few colored ping pong balls, some cups, and perhaps a few other cheap supplies. And, you can’t really hurt your colleague by accidentally hitting them with a ping pong ball (unless you have superhuman strength). If you want to ramp up the fun at your next work event, try some of these games with ping pong balls. 

PS: for more indoor team-building activities, minute to win it, or work social event ideas, follow our blog! 

10 Games with ping pong balls for your next work event

1. (Ping pong) junk in the trunk

This is a really fun game for teams who aren’t shy about hitting the dance floor. Here are the supplies you’ll need: some text

1. Empty tissue boxes (enough for each team member)
2. Enough ping pong balls for each person to have 8 apiece 
3. Strong tape 
4. A belt for each person
5. A device for playing music

Start by attaching the empty tissue boxes to each person with a belt or tape. It’s best to attach them to the backside of everyone, so the box is behind them and they can’t really see it. Fill each box with the balls, and then turn on some tunes. The goal is for everyone to “lose” their balls by dancing, jumping, or otherwise cajoling the balls out of their box. The first person to have all 8 balls pop out of their box wins! This is harder than it looks and many people resort to a sort of twerking motion to get enough momentum, so it’s not an activity for the shy or faint of heart. This game leads to tons of laughs, but make sure your team is up for such silliness before planning. This can be really fun during a happy hour with music, and for more work happy hour ideas, make sure to follow our blog. 

2. Ponginator

If you’ve played games where you bounce ping pong balls, then you’re familiar with the motion and how fun it can be. Try this variation at your next work event.

Here’s what you need:

• A large, open space like an empty conference room
• Lots of ping pong balls, ideally a different color for each player
• Empty egg boxes (again, enough for every player to have one)
• Several stools or small tables. You’ll need one for each player plus an extra (for bouncing).

Here are the steps: 

1. Place an empty egg box on a table in the center of the room. Then, place a stool or other flat surface in front of each player but a few feet away. The placement should be about half-way between the player and the surface holding the carton.
2. Each player should try to bounce their ping pong ball off of the middle surface and into the egg box. 
3. Remember that players have all different colors, so you can see at the end of the game who has achieved the most.
4. Set a timer and let everyone take their best shot! At the end of the timer, the person who got the most of their colored balls into the egg carton wins.

3. Ping pong bounce

This team-building game is similar to the one above and builds on the bouncing aspect of ping pong balls. It has shorter distances so that people have more control and can apply more skill and technique. This is also a good option if you don’t have a lot of space to work with. You’ll need several ping pong balls for each person (in any color) and four glasses for each player. Each player should stand facing the edge of a table. In front of each person, about 40cm from the table’s edge, line up the four glasses parallel to that edge of the table. Next, give each player a bag, box or bowl of ping pong balls. Players need to bounce their ping pong balls off of the table’s surface and into the glasses in front of them. The balls must be bounced off the table before they go into the cup: absolutely no throwing directly into the cup. The first player to fill all of their cups wins the event. 

4. Whipper snapper

If you’ve ever been flicked with a towel, you know how bad it can hurt - but how satisfying it can be. This game puts a bath towel to good use, along with a few other simple supplies. You’ll need one towel per player, a weight that can hold each of the towels down, lots of ping pong balls, and a box or container for each player. These boxes or buckets are the “goals”. Start by laying down the towels on one end of the room. Make sure one end of each player’s towel is held down with the weight (or a heavy book, or whatever you have around). Put a ping pong ball on the other end of the towel, ready to be flung. Have the boxes or bins on the other end of the room opposite each towel. Then, players should stand or kneel at the end of the towel with the ball, and ​​fling the towels upwards and forwards to launch the ball towards the boxes.

5. Puddle jumper

Another thing that makes ping pong balls so fun is that they’re also versatile. They float, which means you can play even more games with them. To start, you need 6 glasses per player and at least 3 ping pong balls per player, and ideally a couple spare.

Follow these steps to set up: 

1. Fill each of the six glasses with water all the way to the top.
2. Then set the glasses up in pairs: one where the ping pong ball starts, and another where it should end. The pairs should get harder as the player goes on, so make sure to place them further apart. The distance between the leftmost glasses should be about 10cm apart, the middle glasses should be 17.5cm apart, and the rightmost glasses should be 25cm as some general guidelines. 
3. The three “starting glasses” should be in line with each other. Put a ping pong ball in these glasses.
4. This will leave you with six glasses, in three increasingly difficult pairs, in front of each player, with a ping pong ball in each of the three glasses closest to the player.

Using only the power of their breath, each player must push the ping pong balls from the starting glasses into the target glasses. If you have spare ping pong balls, use them if a player’s ball misses the target glass (they can take a spare ball and put it in the relevant starting glasses). Otherwise they will have to chase after the ping pong ball they just blew and keep using that. The first person to get ping pong balls in all of the target glasses wins. 

6. Blow ball

Here’s another game that uses a few simple props and something free - your own breath! It requires blowing some balls off of a dinner plate, while trying not to blow other balls. It also requires a gentle touch and a little strategy about how and where you’re blowing. You’ll need a dinner plate for each player, ping pong balls of one color, with enough to fill an entire dinner plate per player. Then, grab a bunch of balls in a second color (but only enough for 3 per player). Those special colored balls are the ones you want to keep on the plate when the others are blown off. Now, place the plates on a table, chair or stool. You need to be able to move to get to all sides of the plate. If you have to use a large table, put the plates in the corners of the table to make it easier to maneuver around them. Fill the plates with ping pong balls, including the three balls that are a different color from the rest. The goal is to blow all ping pong balls off the plate, except for the three different-colored balls. If one of the unique  colored balls comes off the plate, it must be placed back on the plate before the player can continue blowing the other balls. The first player to have only the three different-colored balls on their plate wins!

7. Round the world

This exercise is a fun test of accuracy and consistency. To play, set up various spots around a table, like the corners and the center, and then take turns hitting the ball to these locations. The player who manages to cover all of the designated spots without missing a shot wins. This is a great  game for improving both control and precision. It can be a fun addition to wellness challenges or exercise-focused outings since it involves training as well as being silly. 

8. Double table tennis

Most people are familiar with this game, and this is a fun take on the traditional game. Pairs stand on the same side of the table, working together to return the ball while communicating and coordinating their shots. It's not only a test of non-essential ping pong skills but also a great way to build teamwork and camaraderie. Doubles is much harder than it sounds and demands quick thinking while creating trust with a partner. Make sure you have plenty of  room to the side and behind the table for lots of motion. 

9. Pong obstacle course

Quick thinking on your feet is always a good skill to cultivate.  For this game, add various obstacles to a table, and the players must navigate the ball around these objects while keeping it in play. You can use cups, books, or any items that challenge your creativity that you can find around the office. This is a fun game that keeps you on your toes and encourages strategic thinking. The truth is it can be incredibly frustrating but very rewarding when individuals succeed.  

10. Ping pong 21-Up

If you have a ping pong table, this is a great way to get employees to actually use it and build camaraderie. In this variation of the traditional game, scoring points can be trickier than usual. Players can only score when they serve the ball, and if you lose a point on your opponent's serve, your score resets to zero. This adds an extra layer of strategy to every game as you must focus on your serving skills and tactics. This game mode puts most emphasis on the serve and is great for helping to build patience and resilience amongst your team. 

For more creative ideas for bringing out the best in your team, reach out to our experts. We have lots of office party ideas and team bonding activities for every type of team. 

Enhance your team retreat with table tennis (and other games)

More business leaders are realizing the value of planning activities where people can play, collaborate, and let their hair down. Consider adding in a few of these games (like junk in the trunk) to your next team-building event. The best team events involve multiple opportunities for cooperation, learning, and fun group activities.

If you’re not sure how to build an agenda with the right balance, reach out to Surf Office. We help companies to plan memorable team-building retreats that enhance team spirit, motivation, and morale.