Library of teambuilding games & icebreakers

Bring your team outside for a day of friendly competition with ultimate field frenzy! This is a mix of classic outdoor games like tug-of-war, sack races, and team challenges that will get everyone moving and working together.

It’s the perfect way to boost team spirit and break up the office routine. With a variety of games to suit everyone’s skills, it encourages teamwork, healthy competition, and plenty of laughs. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to get the entire team involved, no matter how large!

How to play:

• Organize outdoor games like tug-of-war, sack races, and obstacle courses.
• Split the group into teams and have them compete in various challenges.
• The team with the most wins at the end of the day is the champion!

Teams will navigate a web-like course blindfolded, guided only by verbal instructions from their teammates. This task sheds light on the importance of clear communication, active listening, and trust. As participants navigate the course, they'll realize that effective communication is the cornerstone of successful collaboration.

Instructions

• Set up a course with obstacles, twists, and turns.
• Divide participants into pairs – one blindfolded and one giving instructions.
• Teams take turns guiding their blindfolded partner through the course using only verbal cues.
• Encourage descriptive language, patience, and adaptability.
• Evaluate based on successful navigation and the quality of communication.

Ready to turn setbacks into stepping stones? Welcome to the Failure Analysis Workshop, where we don't just talk about success – we dissect failure, pull it apart, and find the golden nuggets within. Participants gather around the metaphorical "lessons learned" table, discussing past hiccups, pitfalls, and fiascos.

Make people understand that learning from failures isn't just a skill; it's an art. This exercise transforms the not-so-great moments into valuable insights, fostering a positive attitude toward setbacks. It’s also the perfect chance to learn from past mistakes in order to prevent future mishaps, a perfect aim for goal-setting!

Top Tip for Facilitator:

• Be the guide, not the judge.
• Encourage participants to share openly and guide the discussion towards extracting lessons rather than dwelling on the negatives.
• The goal here is not just to analyze failure but to turn it into a powerful tool for future success.

Frostbite’s an effective trust-building exercise that encourages strong communication and listening skills – not to mention teamwork as a whole. Like the other activities in this section, it works best if you’re in an open space, so head on down to the local park (or clear an area in the office!).

How to play Frostbite

When you get there, break your employees into smaller teams of 5 to 6 people and ask each group to choose a leader (or do this for them if there are certain people you think would benefit from this role). Their objective?

To build a makeshift “tent” using newspaper, string, tape, and other office supplies*! But there’s a catch...

The leader of each group has “frostbite” and can’t move. And, to make matters worse, the other members have “snow blindness” and can’t see. In reality, this involves asking the leader not to do anything practical and putting blindfolds on the others. The only way to pitch the “tent” is to listen to the leader’s directions.

Spice things up even more by setting a time limit. The team with the best tent at the end wins a prize.

*Of course, this same principle can apply to any task, which is good news if you’re short on time and/or want an easier activity!

What you need:

• Blindfolds
• Office supplies to build the “tent”
• Stopwatch

How to play The five-minute pitch

This exercise helps with marketing skills as well as presentation and communication capabilities. It’s a risk-free and comfortable way for even your shy team members to practice talking in front of others. Start by dividing your team into small groups or pairs, and then give each group a random object from around the office (such as a notebook or coffee cup).

Set a timer and give each group or pair 5 minutes to pitch the product to the room. If you want to add a competitive element, you can have a judge or panel of judges that will ultimately choose a winner. Otherwise, just let each team pitch with their allotted time and see how creative everyone can be.

How to Cup toppers

For this game you’ll need some cups or tumblers and some old compact discs. Place the cup a reasonable amount of space away from the player (such as a few feet, across a table). Have them take a stack of CDs and toss them, one by one, onto the cup. Their goal is to land as many as they can flat onto the top of the cup. Whoever strikes the most landings wins.

Throwing the discus was one of the first Olympic sports introduced in ancient Greece, so it’s a must-add to your Office Olympics roster. Frisbee is also an easy game to play in and out of the office, should you decide to use a sunny day and have access to outdoor space.

How to play Paper plate frisbee

If you’re stuck inside, there’s no reason to give up the game; instead, get creative, and instead of buying a frisbee, use a paper plate from the office kitchen. There will be less risk of breaking anything in the office, and it’s using materials used, hence being true to the event's purpose.  

Mark off where each team member’s frisbee lands and the team that threw the furthest distance is the winner.

How to play Don’t laugh

This activity is great if you have some especially funny team members. Start by having all attendees stand in a circle, and then have a volunteer stand in the middle and make some jokes. The attendees should not laugh, no matter how funny the person inside the circle is being. This is a great way to lighten the mood during heavier topics or serious meetings. One caveat: make sure that the “joker” is based purely on volunteers only. It’s not easy to stand in front of a group, particularly when it comes to trying to be funny. Not everyone will be up for this, so you need to know your team before you proceed.

How to play Lucky Charms

Give all players a large bowl of Lucky Charms cereal. Have everyone sort the charm marshmallows into categories as fast as they can (for example, all hearts together and all clovers together). Whoever sorts through the most cereal in a minute wins.

Ever seen superheroes team up? That's what collaboration feels like—bringing unique skills to the table, solving problems faster and having each other's backs. Another fantastic way to build relationships within the team.

Collaboration activity - Puzzle challenge:

• Provide each team with a jigsaw puzzle of similar complexity.
• Divide colleagues into small groups and give each group a puzzle.
• Instruct teams to work together to solve their puzzle within a specified time frame.
• After completion, have teams present their finished puzzles and share their collaborative strategies.
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This hands-on activity emphasizes the value of teamwork, communication and problem-solving in achieving shared goals.

Team-building doesn’t only need to be about silly games. Sometimes, you strengthen your team while contributing something valuable to your local community.

Great for: Company culture, company perception, job satisfaction

Duration: 2–3 hours

You’ll need: N/A

How to start:

• Consult your team about the type of community service they’d like to get involved with. It could be anything from a beach cleanup to helping out at an animal shelter.
• Once you’ve settled on an activity, reach out to your chosen organisation and inform them you’d like to offer a helping hand.
• Don’t forget to document the event by taking photos or making a video—these images will make additions to your employee breakroom!

Explanation:

‍Teams are presented with rapid-fire problems to solve, ranging from everyday office issues to totally wacky scenarios (like planning for a zombie apocalypse!). The goal is to come up with creative solutions as fast as possible.

In this hybrid version, teams—both in the office and remote—can get hit with rapid-fire challenges through video calls or chat. Each team works together to brainstorm and present their solutions as quickly as possible. In-office workers might tackle more physical challenges, like figuring out how to fix something in the room, while remote teammates might handle tech or creative scenarios. It’s a fun, fast-paced way to get everyone involved, thinking on their feet, and laughing at the wild scenarios they come up with!

Here’s an ice-breaking, energizing, and entertaining game that’s great for small teams of people who know each other already. Expect it to open up funny conversations and help everyone learn more about their colleagues in the process.

How to play Most likely to

Super simple, you play in a circle and take turns asking “who is most likely to”, followed by a specific trait or activity. For instance, Sally might ask the group:

• “Who’s most likely to bungee jump off a bridge?” Or
• “Who’s most likely to play a prank on the boss?” Or
• “Who’s most likely to be a night owl?”

Each team member then votes for whoever they think is most likely to do that activity or possess the trait. To spice things up, you could say that the participant with the most votes must perform a light-hearted punishment, such as making everyone a cup of coffee or handling the next tricky customer!

You’ll need quick reactions if you want to stand a chance at winning this game! Ninja is a quick, light-hearted activity that’s great for energising your team.

Great for: Energising your team

Duration: 5-10 minutes

Players: 3-8

You’ll need: Nothing

How to play Ninja

Setup: Arrange your group in a circle, facing inwards, with about a metre distance between each player.

To play: The game starts when the players scream “ULTIMATE NINJAAA!” in unison. Upon hearing this, all players strike a dramatic, ninja-like pose. The first player then has two options: try to strike the hand of the player next to them, or make a movement (e.g. move their arm above their head). If a player attempts to strike your hand, you are allowed to evade the attack. If your dodge is successful, you must remain in the position you landed in until your next turn. If you are struck, you are eliminated from the game. The last person remaining is the winner and is awarded the coveted title of “Ultimate Ninja.”

How to play Paper boat race

If you are able to visit a location by water, you can try this really fun activity. In this fun and creative exercise, participants build a small boat with paper (and other supplies) and then race them in a small body of water like a pond or stream. The boats are usually made by folding paper into a boat shape, but you can also try offering cardboard, balloons, popsicle sticks, or other crafty materials.

You’ll also want to supply materials for decorating so that everyone can really have their creation stand out. Obviously the person who reaches the finish line first is the winner, but you can offer a few other prizes just for fun, like most beautiful boat or best effort. Make sure to check out our article on other creativity and innovation games, too.

How to play Cooperative yoga or stretching

A collaborative set of movements is always a nice idea for a group. We suggest focusing on yoga moves and having each person picking the next move in your flow. A participant will pick a yoga move that everyone completes, and then the next person selects a different one, and so on.

It’s best to complete these exercises quietly and without speaking, focusing  instead on breathing and movement.

How to play Boggle

The letter game Boggle has been around since the early 70s. It was designed by Hasbro and uses letters printed onto multiple dies. There are 3x3, 4x4, and 5x5 boards that make a game more or less challenging. This one works great for 4+ players.

All of the letter dice are placed into the square-ish grid, with a clear dome over the top. Every player gets a pen and pencil. The letters on the grid get scrambled, and each player gets three minutes to write as many words as they can. The key is, each letter must be touching vertically, horizontally, or diagonally in a chain. You can't skip or "jump" across letters. Try this one out with your teams today!

Few team-building games create equal parts laughter and confusion, but the Human Knot certainly does!

This classic team-building game looks simple on the surface, but it quickly turns into an exercise in communication and patience.

The premise is simple: Teams must untangle themselves from a knot of interlocked arms without letting go, using nothing but cooperation and a bit of flexibility (both physical and mental).

It’s quick to set up, completely equipment-free, and perfect for breaking down barriers in any group, from new hires to long-time teammates.

What you’ll need

The Human Knot is refreshingly low-tech. All you need is people, space, and a sense of humour.

• Open space: An area big enough for everyone to move around safely without bumping into desks or walls. Spaces with a softer floor may be a bit kinder on the knees, too!

• A large group of participants: You’ll be breaking the whole team down into smaller groups. Smaller circles untangle faster, while larger ones create real puzzles (and more laughs).

• Comfortable clothing: You’ll be stretching, twisting, and possibly spinning in quite a few circles. Best leave the tight jeans at home.

• A timer (optional): Consider adding a big timer that everyone can see for a little competitive energy between teams.

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That’s it; no props, no setup, no mess. The only challenge is convincing everyone that it’s not a crazy trust fall or an elaborate escape room.

How you can do it (step-by-step instructions)

Getting started is simple. Follow these steps to form your knot, untangle it, and hopefully come out stronger (and still friends).

1. Split the group into teams

If you’ve got a large group, divide everyone into smaller circles of around six to eight people. Smaller teams make for faster, more focused gameplay, and fewer elbow-related accidents.

2. Form the circle

Each team stands shoulder to shoulder in its own circle. Everyone extends their right hand into the centre and grabs someone else’s hand. However, you have to tell your teams that they cannot hold the hand of the person standing directly next to them.

3. Complete the knot

Now teams need to do the same with their left hand, grabbing a different person’s hand this time. When every hand is connected, you’ve officially formed the “human knot,” a super-tangled web of arms that needs teamwork to be solved.

4. Start untangling

Without letting go of anyone’s hands, teams must work together to unravel back into a circle. Participants can twist, step over, duck under, or rotate carefully. Whatever it takes to break free, they can use it, as long as they never let go of a person’s hand, as this would break the chain.

5. Add a timer (optional)

If you wanted to make this a bit more challenging, or if you’ve got a team who have done this before, you could add a countdown timer to see which team untangles itself first. Just make sure everyone’s focused on synchronized movements; otherwise, you might see a few accidental wrestling moves come out.

6. Celebrate your victors

If your group forms one perfect circle, give them a round of applause. If you end up with two smaller circles instead, that still counts as success (because taking part is as important as winning, right?). The aim is communication and cooperation; you don’t always need perfect results to learn from an exercise.

Facilitator tip:

Encourage teams to talk through their ideas and move slowly. Rushing only tightens the knot (both literally and figuratively). If teams get stuck, let them pause, communicate, and rethink their approach. The real “win” will be found in how they solve the problem as a group.

Variations and twists

Once everyone’s mastered the basic Human Knot, you could get a bit devilish by adding a few creative twists:

• Silent knot: No talking allowed. Teams must rely entirely on gestures, eye contact and intuition to untangle, which usually leads to equal parts frustration and laughter.

• Double knot: Two smaller circles join hands and intertwine to form one giant mega-knot. The goal here is to separate back into two circles, still without letting go.

• Reverse knot: Start untangled in a perfect circle and challenge teams to intentionally tie themselves into a knot as quickly as possible, then untangle again. You might find some interesting reverse engineering at play with this one.

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Debrief: What teams picked up in the activity

Sure, The Human Know is a tangle of limbs and a barrel of laughter, but inside the activity are some powerful lessons about teamwork in motion. Once the knots are undone (and everyone’s regained feeling in their arms), gather the group to reflect on what just happened:

• Patience and flexibility: The fastest way out isn’t always the most direct. Sometimes you need to pause, breathe, and rethink your next move.

• Communication under pressure: Success rests on the back of clear communication, listening actively, and making sure everyone’s voice is heard.

• Collaborative problem-solving: There’s no single leader in the knot; progress comes from coordination and relying on the others in your group.

• Humour and resilience: Laughter keeps frustration at bay, and it’s often what brings people closer together in the face of real challenges.

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Use the wind-down moment to link back to the teamwork they use every day. The same qualities of communication, adaptability and persistence are needed as much in untangling as they are in the office!

FAQs:

How many people do you need for the Human Knot?

Ideally, each team should have around six to eight members. Smaller groups can untangle faster, while larger ones make the challenge more complex, but also more entertaining.

What does the Human Knot teach teams?

It’s a simple, low-pressure way to practise teamwork, communication, patience, and creative problem-solving. It’s a great way to break the ice for unfamiliar team members, and it encourages focus, while not taking oneself too seriously!

What are the rules of the Human Knot?

Each person must hold hands with two different people who aren’t standing next to them. Once the knot is formed, the group must untangle, without ever letting go of a hand (breaking the chain).

Think you know your coworkers' texting habits? In emoji detective, you’ll have to guess which team member’s recently used emoji board is being shown. It's a fun, lighthearted way to test your knowledge of your teammates’ messaging style.

It’s an easy, amusing game to throw into a virtual meeting, and it’s always fun to see who’s been overusing the laughing-crying face.

How to play:

• One team member’s recently used emoji board is shown.
• The group guesses which team member it belongs to.
• Whoever guesses correctly wins the round!

How to play Blind sketching

This is a great communication exercise and is simple to play at work. The goal of the game is for a player to draw an object that was described correctly. It’s similar to charades, with a player sketches something based on gestures instead of words. You don’t need any special drawing skills, but you do need a pen and paper. It’s also helpful to have a larger open space where people can spread out and draw. Start by pairing off two players as a team. One player will make gestures describing an item and the other participant will draw. If the pair comes up with an accurate drawing of the described item, they win!

How to play Jenga Questions

Ideal for small groups, this simple game involves taking Jenga blocks, writing a question on each one, and then setting up the Jenga tower as usual. You then take turns pulling out a block and answering whatever question’s on it.

The questions themselves can be totally random, work-related, or tailored to your interests. For larger teams, consider splitting up into smaller groups first and assigning a Jenga tower to each one.

Do you have anyone in the office who is an absolute pro on a bowling alley? Maybe you do, but you haven’t realized it yet. 10-pin bowling with cups demands precision and a little strategy. It works well in small teams too, with each teammate helping the bowler plan out their attempt.

You’ll need 10 cups per team, with each team member taking turns to bowl. Cups placed the right-way-up make knockdowns a lot easier! Here’s how to get it started:

Set-up:

1. Prepare an “alley” for bowling: Set up your cup formation, 10-pin style, at the end of a flat, smooth table (the longer the better!). To replace a 10lb bowling ball, just use a tennis or ping-pong ball.

2. Roll to your heart’s content!: Each player has 2 attempts to roll the ball along the narrow table and knock over as many “pins” as possible. Not everyone is going to bowl a “spare” or “strike,” so you might need someone keeping careful tabs on the scoreboards. Play over 10-frames to find and crown your winner.

It doesn’t take much to set up this cup and ping-pong ball game, so bring the excitement of a bowling alley to the workplace for teambuilding fun! Serve some popcorn and play the sound of pins being hit with each roll too, to get the atmosphere right!

How to play Bananagrams

A fast-paced board game, this is one you’ll need to purchase in advance. When you have the game in hand, distribute the letter tiles among the players. Every player will flip their tiles and start forming a crossword grid of intersecting words.

Players can rearrange their grid at any time to make new words. Once a player uses all their tiles, they can shout "Peel!" and everyone has to draw an additional tile. The game goes on until there are fewer tiles than players, and the first player to use all their tiles - shouting  "Bananas!" - wins the game.

Here’s a game that demands timing and cat-like reflexes. It’s a rework of musical chairs, something that we’ve all played in childhood at least once. The game is fast-paced and competitive, making it a perfect team energizer. You’ll need a group of 4 to 10 people, a table and an amount of cups that is one less than the number of players you have. Basically, one person is going to be eliminated each round!

Set-up:

1. Get the music started! Get your Bluetooth speaker and an upbeat playlist ready. On the table place a number of cups that is one less than the amount of people playing. Most people will recognize the rules instinctively; you play the music and each player walks around the table clockwise. When the music stops, each person needs to grab one cup with lightning-fast speed. Whoever is without a cup at the end of this round is eliminated. Remove one cup and move to the next round.

2. Whittle down the competition: Continue eliminating one player per round. Make the music more intense and crazy as each round passes by. Eventually, only one person will be left standing (and sipping!), so crown this person as the winner of Musical Cups!

Cups can be full or empty as people play, and as with our other drinking games, choose a beverage that’s easy to clean up and applies to your work setting. Organize it during a work happy hour to get the party started. We’ll say cheers to that!