Highly productive teams tend to work extremely well together. This isn’t something that just happens when you put a group of people together. It takes a proactive approach and strong leadership to cultivate a positive team culture that leads to more collaboration and cooperation. 

That’s where team building activities come into play. Whether you want to add a few short activities into your daily team work, or plan an entire offsite retreat, choose a few exercises that will not only bring your team together, but get their creative juices flowing, encourage teamwork, and support critical thinking skills. Not sure where to start? Here are several of our favorite team building exercises, and you can follow our blog to find more team building examples and team building methods. 

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Team building exercises to help break the ice

1. One-word icebreaker

This is a perfect exercise for kicking off a specific event or meeting. You need a group of 4 or 5 people, or to break larger groups into teams of that size. The goal is to have everyone describe their feelings on the event that is about to take place using only one word. Give them a few minutes and then go around the room having everyone state their word, like “excited”, “nervous”, or “curious”. 

2. Office trivia

This is a particularly helpful exercise if you are bringing together a hybrid group or if you have new hires. The goal is to learn more about each other through trivia questions. Pick some questions that pertain to the office, the company culture, or things they might have observed in colleagues. For example, “Which brand of coffee does the break room have?” or “Who eats Lucky Charms for cereal each morning?” Develop these questions in advance and then run through them when everyone is together. 

3. Penny for your thoughts

For this icebreaker, you need a few pennies or other coins that have a year on them. You need to make sure you have as many coins as there are people in the room. Place them all in a bowl, and have everyone go around the room choosing one. As they draw the coin, they should observe the year inscribed on the item. If they were alive during that time, they can share a personal story or something that happened in that year. Or, if the coin was from a year before they were born, they should share any facts that they might know about that year. If they can’t come up with anything, they should share another date that’s important to them. This exercise is a good way to ensure that everyone gets a chance to speak, and it offers opportunities for people to learn about each other. 

4. Who did it?

This game is helpful for learning about what your colleagues do outside of work. To begin with, everyone should get a piece of paper and pen, and write down one interesting thing they’ve done. Then, all the notes are placed in a container, and a facilitator pulls them out one at a time and reads them alive. Everyone else in the room should guess who the individual was who completed that activity. For example, if one prompt is “skydiving”, then everyone would guess who among them was most likely to have done that. The more creative people get, the better! 

5. Desert island exercise

For a quick and easy icebreaker that doesn’t require any materials, try this simple question and answer exercise. Simply ask what each person would bring if they were stranded on a desert island. Then go around the room and have everyone introduce themselves, along with the one item that they would choose. They should pick one thing and then offer a brief explanation of why they chose it. 

6. Birth map

There’s a lot of value in knowing where people come from. This is especially true if your organization has several offices or a hybrid workforce that is scattered. For this exercise, have a facilitator place a large map in front of the room. Have plenty of pins available and have each person come up one at a time to place a pin on the city where they were born. If you want to expand the exercise into a dialogue, try asking some follow up questions like “Whose birthplace surprised you most?”. You can also leave the map up during the rest of the day as an interesting conversation starter. 

7. Time capsule sharing

This one requires some preparation, but it pays off when everyone executes it. Prior to your meeting, or whichever event you have organized, ask people to create a small time capsule that would help a stranger understand what their life was like. The capsule should be no bigger than a shoebox (good options are small boxes, gallon size freezer bags, or brown paper bags). Have them fill it with about 5 things that are representative of them and the life they live. Have them get creative and have fun with it! Then, use the first hour of the event to have everyone share their time capsule and explain their choices. You can also take things a step further. If this event is an annual one, keep all the time capsules and put them in storage, with a reminder to get them out after 10 years. In the future, it will be fun for employees - both new ones and any who still remain from the original event - to go through the time capsules and learn about what was going on a decade ago. 

Look for more opportunities for team-building without materials on our blog. 

Team building exercises to improve collaboration

8. Frostbite

This exercise needs a team leader and other members. You’ll also need several post-it books, toothpicks, thick cardboard boxes, and a fan. Have everyone imagine they are in the arctic, and they need to build a shelter out of the supplies provided. However, there’s a twist. Each group should elect one person that is going to guide them all - but blindfolded. This is the person who has “frostbite” and cannot see. But, they should guide the team using verbal instructions. This will help communication, supervisory skills, and problem-solving. Plus, it tends to lead to some humorous situations and is a good exercise for adding physical movement to the day. 

9. Gutterball

This fun exercise is great for improving teamwork and only requires a ball. Simply put, the team needs to stand spread across the room, and plan to move a ball from one end of the room to the other. The key is that they can’t throw or kick the ball - it needs to exchange hands. This gets particularly tricky if you’re dealing with a small group of people and a large room. You can make things more challenging by adding obstacles during setup. 

10. Scavenger hunt

A scavenger hunt is a great opportunity for both new and current employees to get to know each other as well as your company or office space. There are any number of scavenger hunts you can put together, so you might want to do some research on which one will be best. Is your goal to help people explore the city of your headquarters? Or do you want people to learn more details about what’s happening in the office? Or maybe they want to get to know each other better? Regardless, with some effort, you can put together the perfect scavenger hunt for your team that’s both fun and educational. 

11. Simple board games

Bring out everyone’s competitive spirit by setting up some traditional board games. Everything from Monopoly to Sorry and all the games people enjoy playing can help to have fun while getting in the competitive spirit. As your event kicks off, simply have some games set up around the room, and allow everyone to break into small groups to play. Even if you reserve only 30 minutes, it provides a laid-back way for people to form teams with others and strategize in a low-risk environment. Even if people aren’t able to finish their game, it will have set the right tone for a productive and collaborative event. 

12. Group puzzle

Similarly to board games, a puzzle is something you can bring into your event to encourage teamwork and collaboration. Have a table easily accessible in the room, with a large jigsaw puzzle laid out. Encourage everyone to take a few moments and work on the puzzle together. They can also come back to it throughout the day when they have breaks if they want. See if they can complete it before your event is over. 

For more connection-building activities and general team bonding activities, make sure to follow our blog. 

Team building exercises to boost creativity

13. Classification exercise

For this one, you’ll need to gather about 20 supplies from around the office. Grab a variety like water bottles, coffee filters, paper clips, etc. Then have your team find common denominators and group the items according to those qualities. Encourage them to come up with 4 or 5 different groupings, each with a few items in them. This forces creative thinking about everyday objects, which is a good way to get creative juices flowing. Communication is also important in getting people to agree to the classification. 

14. Salt and pepper pairs

In this activity, you’ll break everyone into pairs of 2. Each group is labeled with one side of a pairing - salt and pepper, macaroni and cheese, Batman and Robin, etc. Each team member should have their item name taped to their back. Have everyone scatter, and then start asking questions of their colleagues to figure out what each one is. Only then can they figure out what they might be and who they belong with. When everyone is properly grouped into their pairs, the exercise is over. 

15. Sales pitch

This exercise not only gets the creative juices flowing, but can also help with sales skills. Have everyone grab one item from around them - like a pen from their desk - and craft a brief sales pitch to present to the larger group. People should spend about 15 minutes coming up with a logo, a slogan, some talking points, etc. Then they give the sales pitch of their item to the larger group. If you want to make it competitive, you can announce a winner and even grant a prize as part of this sales game.

16. Compliment circle

If you want to get creative as well as boost morale, try this exercise. Strong teams regularly recognize and appreciate each other, and this activity helps them to do that. Simply have everyone stand in a random circle, and then give a compliment to someone in the circle. Then, that person gives out a compliment to someone else, and so on until everyone in the circle has received some praise about something they do well or a great characteristic they have. This is a simple, free activity with no preparation required so you can include it as a last-minute addition to any other activities you have planned. 

17. Memory wall

To help recall positive memories or special occasions, work with your team to set up a board full of post-its. You’ll need a large bulletin or white board, along with sticky notes and pens for everyone. Have each person write down a memory of the team or something pertaining to them, and then place it on the board. For example, it can be something funny that happened at a team retreat, or the success of an important project from last year. Critical deadlines, big milestones, process improvements, and more personal notes like inside jokes are all good options. 

18. Collaborative karaoke

This is more of a silly and fun activity, and requires team members who aren’t too shy. If you have highly introverted colleagues, this might not be a fit. You’ll need a karaoke machine and microphone. Then, have people break into small groups of 4 or 5 and choose a song. The goal is for them to perform the song as karaoke, one line at a time. Someone should start the song singing the first line, then the second person chimes in, and so on. This can become quite humorous as people have different knowledge of songs and it can be hard to pick up where someone else left off. 

19. Around-the-office craft challenge

This is perfect if you don’t plan to leave the office for your meeting or event. Have people break into pairs and then create a craft from materials they find around the office. They should try to be really innovative and come up with the best creation that they can - having a prize can help with this. You might be surprised at the great items they come up with, like a suncatcher made from coffee filters and highlighters. If you want to combine an icebreaker with this exercise, assign pairs randomly so that people will work alongside someone they don’t see very often. It provides the perfect opportunity for getting to know someone better. 

Team building exercises to enhance problem-solving

20. Organization concentration

This exercise requires a good bit of preparation, but it’ll be worth it. If you remember the game “Concentration”, then you know how to play this. You’ll need to start by creating cards that have the names and images of colleagues on them. You could also include more company information like the mission statement,  the charities the organization aligns with, or this year’s annual goals. Each player then selects two cards, looking for a match. Everyone will take turns flipping cards and trying to get a match, and the person who has collected the most matches at the end wins. Because of the turn-taking, it’s a good idea to do this with a smaller group of no more than 10 people. 

21. Minefield

The goal of this exercise is to improve trust and partnership between colleagues. To prepare, you’ll need to set up an obstacle course of sorts in the space that you are gathered in (whether a conference room or larger space). Use about 20 random objects or things that you brought to create several hurdles for your team. Have everyone break into pairs and then have one person blindfolded. The job of the non-blindfolded partner is to guide the blindfolded person through or around the obstacles. If you want to make it a competition, you can use a timer and see which team completes this the fastest. 

22. Spread the news

This activity helps with goal setting as well as manifesting success. Have everyone think about what the coming quarter or year holds for them. What big projects or clients are on the horizon, and what would success look like? Have them write down 3 or 4 “headlines'' that discuss these achievements, and then place them all in a common space like a white board at the front of the room. For example, “Innovative Team Wins Top Government Contract '' or “Growing Company Retains 25 Top Clients in 2024”. Then give everyone time to read them and move into a discussion about just how all of these things will come to fruition. 

23. Group slideshow

It’s always smart to encourage teamwork when exploring new ideas. This exercise can help to cultivate those skills. Organize people into small groups and give them each a topic. Then, have them debate and analyze what they want to share pertaining to that topic, and have them put together a brief slideshow or PowerPoint presentation on their information. 

24. Sinking ship

This is a fun, physical game for people who aren’t afraid to get close. It works best for about 10 - 20 people. Create a boundary on the floor with tape, and have everyone step inside it. Make sure they are standing close, but not totally on top of each other. Then, each minute, pick up one side of the tape and move it further inside the boundary. The idea is that it gets smaller and smaller, just like a ship that is gradually filling with water. The group will likely get into funnier and more creative configurations as the space gets smaller. Again, please be aware of the comfort of your team in close physical proximity before executing. 

25. Guess who?

This exercise requires a moderator and splitting your team into groups. The moderator will read clues about who is “knocking at the door”. These will be things that point to one person in the group, like “This person went to vacation in Thailand last year.” Then the teams will each decide who it is that’s “at the door” based on the clues the moderator reads. Note: for this to work, the moderator must have a lot of knowledge about the team. That’s why it’s best for people who have worked together for a long time. 

26. Murder mystery

If you’re looking for a fun outing that also prompts strategic thinking, try finding a murder mystery-style event in your town. Many venues host dinners or even train car-themed events meant to mirror the Orient Express. For these, you don’t need to do anything except sign your team up, pay, and attend the event! It will get everyone’s brains working to figure out the culprit while also socializing and enjoying a night out. 

27. Bridge building

For an exercise in effective communication, set up this challenge for your group. Provide a set of simple materials that people can use to build a small bridge. The key is that the team will work together to build this bridge without speaking words. They’ll have to get creative and use non-verbal cues to help each other determine a strategy and start setting the bridge up. 

28. Pick the plot

This is an easy activity that doesn’t require much, so it makes a nice addition to any team event. Start with a moderator that will narrate the plot of a movie. Players that are grouped into teams will listen and then try to guess which movie is being described. Just try to keep it a movie that’s safe for work!

Team building exercises for virtual groups

29. What do we have in common?

In large organizations, it can be hard to encourage interaction. Use this exercise to improve relations whether in person or in virtual meetings. The moderator should simply ask the group to come up with 5 or 10 things they all have in common. This could be a favorite pizza flavor or Starbucks order, or the ability to speak another language. Colleagues will have to have an extensive dialog to learn about each other and come up with these commonalities, which can be really beneficial for relationship-building. 

30. Pick an accomplishment

For most people, it feels really awkward to share their successes. For your next meeting, break the ice by having everyone on the call share their latest accomplishment. Whether that’s a work related achievement or a personal goal like their best time in a 10k, you can create a safe space for people to brag and learn more about what their co-workers care about. 

31. Bring a baby pic

Sharing childhood pictures is a lighthearted way to learn more about the people you work with. You can either treat this as a game or just a fun addition to a virtual meeting. If you want to make a game of it, then have everyone submit baby pictures in advance. Then show them one by one, and get attendees to guess who is in the picture. Otherwise, just ask everyone to have a photo prepared and set it as their profile picture on the virtual conferencing system to make everyone smile. 

32. Desktop photo share

This is another lighthearted idea for virtual teams. In an office, you can get a feel for what matters to your coworkers by seeing what’s on their desk - pictures of pets or family, for instance. At home, it’s a different story, and you can learn a lot by viewing peoples’ work environments. Give them notice so that they can tidy up or remove anything unwanted, and then kick off your next meeting by having people pan out over their desk space. You can also have everyone take a picture and submit it. 

33. Pantry pop quiz

A piggyback off of the desktop exercise, learn about your colleagues favorite foods with this challenge. Have each person send a photo of the inside of their fridge or pantry and then show them during the meeting and have everyone guess who each picture belongs to. For example, many people will think it’s obvious that the bachelor in the group has only ketchup and beer in the fridge. This is a fun peek into the lifestyle of the people you work with. 

34. Emoji mood board

Instead of simply asking “how are you?” and getting the standard answers of “good” or “fine”, try having people provide 4 or 5 emojis that communicate how they’re feeling that day. Have everyone start your next virtual meeting by entering a few emojis in the chat function. 

35. 6 word memoir

This is a challenging exercise that is good for creativity as well as getting more personal. To complete it, have each person use six words to describe their life up until this point, then share it with the group. They can pick six random words that describe their life, or they can create a sort of title based on experiences. It will be interesting to see the different approaches people take to this. 

36. Bucket list sharing

Don’t let daily drudgery drain your big dreams. As a leader, you can help encourage your entire team to keep sight of those bigger life goals. Start your next event or meeting by asking everyone to share one of the items from their bucket list, with a brief explanation of why. You can encourage dialogue by asking if they think they’ll ever accomplish that goal, or how they might go about it. This is a great way to learn about what the people you work with really value and what matters to them outside of work. 

37. GIF challenge

This exercise is particularly fun for people who use communication tools like Slack. Provide the group with prompts, and ask them to find a GIF that demonstrates their reaction to it. Examples of prompts could be “How you feel when someone schedules a meeting at 4pm on Friday” or “When you figured out you stayed up too late binging Netflix before your big presentation.” The more creative, the better!

38. Top ten things

In this quick and easy exercise, you simply go around the (virtual) room and have everyone list the first ten words that come to mind based on a prompt. You can pick really straightforward subjects or get more creative. For example, if the topic is “Top vacation destinations”, have each person list their top ten places they’d like to visit. Or, maybe you ask for top ten names for a new puppy, or the ten worst date night destinations. 

Build a strong team with the ultimate team-building retreat

Any of these exercises make a great addition to a team-building retreat. No matter the size of your team or where it’s located, there is tremendous value in planning to get your team together at least a few times a year for some corporate team building activities. Sprinkle in a variety of these activities to educate, challenge, and support your team. After all, the best teams are those where people respect and value each other, and want to cooperate.

If you need more suggestions about planning an effective team retreat, reach out to Surf Office. We can plan a team-building retreat that’s engaging from start to finish.