Library of teambuilding games & icebreakers

In virtual argument arena, two team members go head-to-head, debating a fun or totally ridiculous topic. One argues for, and the other argues against—whether it’s the superiority of pineapple on pizza or why dogs are better than cats. The rest of the team can sit back, watch, and vote for the winner.

This is a lighthearted way to get people talking, thinking on their feet, and maybe even learning how to argue without it getting personal!

How to play:

• Choose two participants and assign them opposing sides of a fun topic.
• They take turns debating while the rest of the team watches.
• The team votes on the most convincing argument to decide the winner.

Want more fun team-building activities to spark lively conversations? Take a look at our full guide for more ideas.

Put strategic thinking to the test with the Strategy Showdown: Board Game Bonanza challenge. Teams will face off in a series of classic board games that require cunning tactics and clever maneuvers. From chess to Uno, participants will showcase their ability to strategize and outwit opponents. This challenge highlights the importance of strategic collaboration in achieving collective goals.

Instructions

• Select a variety of strategic board games.
• Divide participants into teams and assign each team to a different board game.
• Teams compete in rounds of board games, earning points based on their performance.
• Declare the team with the most points the ‘Board Game Bonanza’ champions.

Ready for some outdoor action? In flag rush, teams compete to capture the opposing team’s flag without getting tagged. It’s all about strategy, speed, and staying out of sight—until it’s time for that final dash to the flag!

It’s a great team-building activity to get everyone moving, thinking on their feet, and diving into some friendly competition. Plus, who doesn’t love a good old-fashioned game of capture the flag?

How to play:

• Split into two teams, each with a flag to protect.
• Try to capture the other team’s flag while avoiding getting tagged.
• First team to grab the flag and return it to base wins!

Effective collaboration is all about working together to achieve a common goal. It involves putting your ego to one side for the good of the team, listening to what others have to say, and responding positively instead of dismissing their ideas.

We love the Ad game because it hones in on each of these aspects of collaboration – as well as many others!

Here’s how it works:

After dividing your team into groups of at least 3 people, you give each group a particular item, such as a chair, plant pot, or cup. Feel free to tell them what they have, rather than literally giving something to them!

Each group then takes turns to provide extra information about their item, adding more and more details until they’ve turned it into a revolutionary new product.

Let’s say you gave a coffee cup to someone in Group 1. Someone in the group will start by making a statement about it, such as, “This mug has a giant handle”. Everyone in the room then yells “YES!” as if it’s the best idea they’ve ever heard.

Someone else in Group 1 then says “and”, before adding another detail (“And it has a special lid on it that functions as a coffee plunger”).

This process continues, with each group member adding further details and the entire team agreeing with their idea, until they’ve fleshed out their product and decided on a name for it. You can even take it a step further by getting them to create a tagline and identify a celebrity to endorse it.

Do this for each group until everyone’s had a turn. By the end of the game, you’ll have giggled, groaned, exercised your creative sides, and worked together in a wholly positive fashion.

How to play:

‍Set up a Jeopardy-style game board with categories related to workplace safety (e.g., "Fire Safety," "PPE," "First Aid"). Create questions of varying difficulty and assign point values. Divide employees into teams and let them choose questions to answer for points.

Safety jeopardy extravaganza transforms safety training into an exciting game show experience. It’s an effective way to review safety policies and procedures while fostering a competitive spirit. Channeling their inner Alex Trebek, participants can both learn and have fun.

A challenge that appears simple on the surface, which involves food and is great for teambuilding? Sign us up for that!

The spaghetti and marshmallow challenge uses common items for an experiment in creativity and communication.

Whether used for a team offsite, workshop warm-up, or an onboarding icebreaker, this game reveals how your group thinks, collaborates, and adapts under pressure, one spaghetti strand at a time.

What you’ll need:

The setup for this teambuilding activity is simple. You won’t need a full-on kitchen, but you will need some level tables. Each team should have:

• 20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti
• 1 yard (or meter) of masking tape
• 1 yard (or meter) of string
• 1 marshmallow (full-sized, not mini!)
• Scissors
• Measuring tape or ruler
• An adjustable timer on display

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Divide participants into teams of 4–5 people and give each group the same set of supplies. Clear a flat workspace for each team, as the towers must end up freestanding (no walls, chairs, or extra support) and hold the marshmallow at its peak for at least five seconds.

Before starting, check that every team understands that the materials are limited. Once the spaghetti breaks or the tape runs out, that’s it (sorry, no refunds or exchanges!).

How to play (step-by-step instructions)

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how to start this teambuilding challenge:

Step 1: Brief your teams

Invite your teams into the construction site (aka the office or cafeteria) and explain the challenge clearly. Their task is to build the tallest freestanding tower possible that can hold a marshmallow on top. They’ll also be working against the clock, and the amount of time is up to you. We find that 18 minutes works best, as 15 feels too short, and 20 is a bit too long. In those 18 minutes, teams need to plan, build and test their structure. The marshmallow must be placed at the top of the tower and remain intact at the end of the countdown.

Step 2: Give out your materials

Hand out the same materials to every team (no favoritism and no extras) once they start. Encourage groups to check their supplies carefully and to delegate their roles in the group. They might get the best results if one person cuts, tapes, or tests. The key to this is collaboration right from the start, so make sure each person has a role before the building begins.

Step 3: Start the clock

Give them the countdown, then let’s get to building! The moment the countdown begins, you’ll see some teams get stuck straight into building, while others will plan more carefully. Both are fascinating to watch. Remind everyone that the marshmallow is a bit heavier than it looks, so they might want to test their structure as they go, instead of going into panic mode at the final minute.

Step 4: Check stability

When time runs out, tell each team to keep their hands off, and have them all step back. Each tower must stand on its own for at least five seconds while supporting the marshmallow. Any tower that collapses or leans on outside support is disqualified (no exceptions!).

Step 5: Measure and celebrate your noodle champions

Use your measuring tape to see whose tower stands tallest. Take a moment to consider your chosen winner, and once you’ve decided, start saying what you like about the non-winning towers. Every team should get a little shoutout for their designs, even if they are super wonky! This is a light-hearted teambuilding challenge, so keep it light with cheers for losers and team photos. Those crooked towers are often the most memorable.

Facilitator tip:

Encourage participants to iterate quickly and test early. The most successful teams usually build, break, and rebuild rather than overanalyzing. As the facilitator, resist giving design advice, as the discovery process is where the real teamwork happens.

Debrief: What did teams learn?

The challenge is playful on the surface, but there’s a whole lot of teambuilding happening in a short amount of time. Watching towers rise and collapse in real time sets the gears in motion for communication and being able to adapt when faced with uncertainty.

• Prototype beats perfection: The most successful teams are the ones that try new ideas and test them early, not those who spend 15 minutes planning and 3 minutes building. Early prototypes bring flaws to the surface and teach teams that feedback and iteration matter more than rigid plans.

• Communication makes or breaks the build: With the clock ticking, good communication becomes a team’s strongest tool. Actively listening to each other and sharing decision-making can turn chaos into collaboration. Those who communicate most often have the greatest output.

• Leadership and flexibility: Strong leaders will emerge naturally, but the best leaders are able to delegate, encourage and adapt, without trying to control everything. Every failed tower is a reminder that shared ownership leads to better outcomes than one-person command.

• Embracing and iterating on failure: Try as we might to stop it, every first attempt is likely to tumble. That’s the whole point. Your teams will learn quickly that recovery and rebuilding are as valuable in games as they are in your office projects. 

FAQs

How long does the challenge take?

The session usually lasts around 25 to 30 minutes, including the setup, build and short debrief at the end. It’s perfect as a warm-up activity or energizer during a workshop or offsite.

Can the challenge be done virtually?

With the right preparation, yes, the challenge can be done remotely. Each member can build their own mini tower at home while joining a shared video call. Materials can be mailed in advance or substituted with what people have on hand.

‍What’s the ideal team size?

Generally, groups of four to five work best. Smaller teams communicate faster, while larger ones can quickly become tangled in too many ideas.

Ready for another improv activity that’s a) great for beginners and b) brings colleagues together in a fun, light-hearted way? It’s time for one of our favorites: the 3-Headed Expert. We like this game because it forces people to think creatively and enter the same mindset as their peers, without singling anyone out.

All the game involves is a trio of teammates working together to answer certain questions. Let’s dive into the details…

How to play the 3-headed expert

To play this improv game, start by dividing your team into groups of 3. Each trio is known as a 3-headed expert! The audience (i.e. everyone else in the room) then takes turns to ask this expert random questions, such as:

• “How do I make the perfect sandwich?”
• “Why don’t I sleep well at night?”
• “What’s the best book ever written?”
• “What’s it like to live in space?”
• “How do I sell my house for the most possible money?”

The expert’s job is to answer these questions. However, each “head” can only say one word at a time. When the trio’s satisfied that they’ve answered the question, each member of it has to wave their hands to signal it’s finished. The audience offers rapturous applause, before asking something else.

Each trio should answer around 2 to 3 questions, at which point you move on to the next 3-headed expert. FYI, it’s totally normal for people to struggle in the beginning!

To get them into the swing of talking word by word, tell each “expert” to repeat the question back to the audience first. For example, “The – way – to – make – the – perfect – sandwich – is…” It should help get the ball rolling.

This or That questions force your employees to choose between two equally appealing or unappealing scenarios. As each player explains their choice, you’ll gain insight into their values, moral code and priorities.

Great for: Communication, decision-making

Duration: 10 minutes

Players: 6+

You’ll need: Nothing

How to play This or That

Setup: Start by compiling a list of This or That questions that you can ask your employees.

To play: Playing the game is very simple. After hearing the question, players must vote for which option they would prefer. The questions could be serious, funny, thought-provoking or silly—it doesn’t matter, as long as they force the players to think. The best questions split the crowd and cause a debate.

A vital part of effective team collaboration is communication. Yet to be a strong communicator you also have to master the art of listening.

That’s one reason Group Counting’s such a popular improv game. Aside from being fun and strangely addictive to play, it requires participants to pay close attention to each other; to get on the same page by listening intently from the outset.

How to play Group counting

The game itself couldn’t be more straightforward. The team stands in a circle, closes their eyes, and works together to count to 21. However, there’s a catch: only one person can speak at once. Not only that, but if more than one person says a number at the same time, the group starts again from 1.

It might sound easy enough, but you’d be surprised how long it can take to get to 21! And remember that everyone has their eyes shut, which stops them from using hand signals and other gestures to pick who’ll speak next.

Instead, they’re forced to listen – to try and pick up on verbal cues to see if someone’s about to yell out the next number.

Expect light-hearted frustration mixed with laughs as the team proceeds from 1 to 21, followed by shouts of glee when they finally finish the game. By then, they’ll have bolstered their sense of group mind and become a closer team in the process.

How to play:

Organize a mock emergency drill where employees must respond to a simulated emergency scenario (e.g., fire, chemical spill, medical emergency). Debrief after the drill to discuss what went well and areas for improvement.

Simulations provide hands-on practice in a controlled environment, helping employees feel more confident in real emergencies. It’s a practical way to test and improve response procedures while highlighting the importance of being prepared. While this isn’t really classed as a ‘game’, it’s certainly a safety activity that could be beneficial to everyone in the event of an emergency.

5-minute energizers don’t get much better than this one. Got Your Finger is fun, fast-paced, suitable for groups of all sizes, and sure to lift the mood. Oh, and it requires no prior planning or preparation either.

Here’s how to play:

Ask the team to stand in a circle, close together, and face inward. Next, tell each participant to stick their right hand out with their palms facing the ceiling. They then have to put their left index finger on the open palm of whoever’s standing to their left.

Now the fun can start! When you shout “Go”, each participant must try to close their hand around their partner’s finger before they escape. It’s multi-tasking at its finest – trying to stop the colleague to your left from catching your finger, while simultaneously trying to grab whoever’s on the right.

‍How to play:

Ask team members to individually envision and design their ideal workspace. Provide art supplies and encourage them to create visual representations of their dream work environment, including furniture and decoration.

Materials needed: Art supplies (paper, markers, colored pencils, etc.)

Benefits:

• Visualization for inspiration: Let imagination take the lead as your team members sketch out their dream workspaces. This activity transforms ordinary offices into extraordinary spaces, all while inspiring a culture of creative thinking.

• Alignment of values: Take a tour through the team's creative designs and uncover the common threads that weave their visions together. This activity fosters a sense of shared purpose, creating an environment where everyone's design dreams harmonize, resulting in an inspiring and collaborative workspace.

This game is great for better understanding how your coworkers' minds work. What better way to bond than to create something together - in this case, a story. You can do this with any number in your group. Plus, you can play this game as many times as you want, and the outcome will be different each time.

Here’s how it works.

1. Have everyone stand in a circle or semicircle where the entire group can get a good look at each other.
2. The person who is running the event should decide on a story topic. You can pick anything, but be sure to use your imagination. Something like the middle ages to underwater adventures adds an element of fun (vs. a typical day at work or something more mundane). The more creative you can be, the better it will be for the group.
3. Choose a person to kick things off with a few sentences. Then, they “pass” to the next person to continue the story.
4. The passing continues until everyone has had an opportunity to add to the story. A few lines are sufficient, but encourage people to be creative.
5. The last person to go should wrap up the overall story. It’s a good idea to let them know in advance that this will be their responsibility so they can think of a clever ending.

This game is all about mental energy. Easy to play and can be done anywhere from a break room, to the office common space, mental gymnastics can be any type of quick trivia game, even including Pictionary if you have a lot of artists on your team.

Perfect for teams, trivia encourages employees to work together, relying on their smarts and pop culture knowledge. You can even make the game workplace specific and test how much your team knows about one another, ultimately bringing them closer together.

How to play Penguins and flamingos

This activity captures the magic of youth and gives everyone a chance to stretch their legs. One player acts as a flamingo and then everyone else is a penguin. Their goal is to “peck” one person on the head and make them a flamingo. The last person to remain a penguin wins!

If you want to kick off your virtual team building event with some light-hearted fun, try this!

How to play the ‘Ruined paradise’ game

After splitting the group into two teams, each team will be assigned a role. A member of team 1 will start by describing ‘paradise’ in one sentence, using only positive descriptions. Then, a member of team 2 will attempt to ‘ruin paradise’ with a negative sentence.

Play continues like this until everybody has added a sentence. A judge then determines which team has won by deciding whether ‘paradise’ has been ‘ruined’ or not.

How to play Compiling mission statement

A group mission statement is a hands-on way to get people working together toward a common goal. If your group is more than 10, break it into even smaller groups of 3-4 for this work. Then, have everyone work together to come up with a mission statement for either the company as a whole, an important initiative being worked on, or for the immediate retreat or working session. Teams can start by brainstorming and then narrowing down statements into a single written paragraph that they present out loud to the larger group. It’s a great way to kick off the session with high energy and cooperation.

This activity tests the strength of every link in the chain. In paperclip chain relay, teams compete to craft the longest paperclip chain within a time limit.

‍Set up:

1. Split everyone into teams of 4 to 6. Enough brains to brainstorm, but not too many cooks to spoil the broth.
2. Hand out equal piles of paper clips to each team. Ready, set, clip!
3. Decide on a time limit. 5 to 10 minutes should do the trick. Start your timer and keep it viewable.
4. Roam the room and cheer teams on as they make the longest chain possible. When time’s up, measure each chain to find the longest.

How to play Baamboozle!

In this online game, everything is already set up for you. Baamboozle is a great website with thousands of topics ready to go, all you need is one host to screen-share. 2 to 4 teams can compete, with topics from videogame trivia to icebreaker games.

Allocate more than 3 teams for a more tactical game, as 2 teams can decide to gang up on 1 unfortunate team. Remember to make use of the ‘power up’ function for point-stealing mischief and leader-swapping bonus cards.

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How to play 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”.

How to play Question mix and mingle

For this game, every participant creates 3 thoughtful questions that will help them get to know the other people better. Write each question down on a separate post-it note. Have everyone start to mingle and ask and answer questions in pairs. After asking a question and hearing the answer, the person should hand over the question they just asked. This means that in each meeting, participants will swap one question each. This event is great for groups up to 50 or 60 people.

How to play My favorite gift to give…

You can learn a lot about people from what they say about presents. What do they like to give, or receive? Ask people to share their favorites, and you’re sure to gain insight into their personality (plus learn some cool new gift ideas in the process). This is an especially fun one for around the holidays. An alternative for following the holidays would be “What is the most exciting gift you got?”

If you’re trying to amp up the entrepreneurial spirit of your department, this game is perfect. It’s a great tie-in to more professional elements, so team leaders can evaluate business acumen, and public speaking skills.

How to play Business pitch

To start, you’ll want to split people into teams or small groups of 3 or 4, so it’s great for creating cooperation between people who don’t normally work together.  You also need to select a “board” who will judge the ideas presented.

Bonus: you can adjust this game and use some creative materials if you want to ramp up the visual fun. This game is very flexible and you can keep things simple or make it more complex. You can also browse more communication-focused games on our blog. To play this one:  

1. Once you’ve divided everyone into their pair or small team, have the board members (3 maximum) move to the front of the room where they can watch presentations.
2. Give everyone a set amount of time - say 20 minutes - to come up with their best business idea and pitch. If you want to keep the game materials-free, then people shouldn’t use props or anything else - just their own speech. However, as mentioned,  you could also have items on hand so people can create some visual elements like a storyboard or poster.
3. The groups should take turns presenting to the board and sharing their best idea and business plan.
4. The pair or group who comes up with the most compelling or intriguing business idea wins.

How to play Coffee run

For this game it’s ideal to play on a surface that’s easy to clean or outside. Each team splits in two groups and races against each other relay style, tagging in the next team member to run to the finish line. Sounds easy enough, but where the challenge comes in is each team has a full cup of coffee that they need to run with.

The coffee run is a perfect combination of physical exercise and coordination skills, just make sure you don’t play where you’re not ready to spill some coffee.