Library of teambuilding games & icebreakers

Silent signals is a fun, in-office game where players pass a series of mime gestures down a line, trying to keep the message intact. Think of it like a game of telephone but without speaking—just silent, exaggerated gestures that often get hilariously misunderstood along the way.

It’s a great way to get everyone laughing and focusing on non-verbal communication. Plus, the confusion at the end is always worth the effort!

How to play:

• The first person mimes a gesture to the next person.
• The mime gets passed down the line.
• The last person tries to guess what the original gesture was!

Some of the best improv games for team collaboration are also the simplest. Here’s one that falls into this category, while still helping to a) lighten the mood and b) build the connections that are so fundamental to successful teamwork.

How to play Near and far

Near and Far asks participants to do 3 things:

1. Stay as close as possible to one person of their choice
2. Stay as far as possible from someone else of their choice
3. Stay silent throughout the game

They decide in secret who they’ll be sticking close to and who they’ll be avoiding, then set to work! What follows is a fun and fascinating process of trying to accomplish these 2 competing tasks.

The office becomes an ant’s nest, with employees in constant motion, weaving around the room in a bid to dodge some people and stay next to others.

For example, what happens if Person A has picked Person B to stay close to, but Person B chose them as the employee they have to stay away from? A chase ensues! The fact nobody can talk adds another fun element to proceedings.

Near and Far doesn’t just force teammates to adopt creative systems and behaviors to achieve their goals, but it also opens up interesting conversations about group dynamics. Consider debriefing at the end of the task to see how everyone felt about it. What was it like to have to do both things at once? What were their takeaways?

How to play:

Provide teams with a variety of puzzles, such as jigsaw puzzles, riddles, or brain teasers. Once they finish one puzzle, they progress to the next. The team who can finish the quickest is the winner.

Materials needed: Assorted puzzles

Benefits:

• Stimulated out-of-the-box thinking: Say goodbye to ordinary solutions! This game pushes your team members to think outside the puzzle box and explore unconventional approaches. Witness a creativity explosion as they discover innovative perspectives and solutions.
• Fostered collaborative triumphs: Witness the power of teamwork as your employees join forces to conquer challenging puzzles. It's like a symphony of puzzle-solving brilliance, with each team member adding their unique piece to complete the magnificent masterpiece. Collaboration never felt so victorious!

Expressing gratitude to employees by offering them continuing education through online training courses can be a great way to foster a positive work culture and boost employee morale. By offering to fund workshops and classes, employees can refine their skills and be better equipped to do their work.

• Communication and de-escalation course
• Emotional Intelligence Training
• Team building methods
• Diversity and Inclusion Training
• Leadership Development
• Mindfulness and stress reduction

Many of these courses are found on popular online learning platforms like Coursera, edX, and Udemy. If your team prefers an in-person learning session, contact professional development and HR organizations for tailored training programs. Tailoring your training to your organization's specific needs and culture is essential for practical gratitude expression.

How to play Water pong

If you have ever played the popular college drinking game “beer pong”, then this will look familiar to you. Fill plastic cups with water and place six of them on the opposite ends of a table. Take turns throwing ping pong balls with the goal of landing in the cups. Whoever sinks the most shots in a minute is the winner.

In acts of kindness quest, teams race against the clock to complete as many random acts of kindness in the community as possible. Whether it’s helping a stranger, picking up litter, or donating items, the goal is to spread positivity and do good.

This activity brings the team together for a feel-good mission while making a difference in the community.

How to play:

• Create a list of random acts of kindness for teams to complete.
• Set a time limit, and send teams out to perform as many acts as they can.
• The team that completes the most acts of kindness wins, but everyone feels great!

How to play Ring Toss

Remember the ring toss idea we talked about in the Hula Hoop Games section above? Well, another option for your Field Day would be to forget the hula hoops and do it the old-fashioned way, with actual rings or loops of rope.

You can buy ready-made ring toss sets online. But if you want to save money without sacrificing fun, why not create a DIY version? Things like bottles with rice inside make great targets. And Frisbees, self-tied loops of rope, or paper plates with the middle cut out can work as rings.

Whatever setup you choose, ring toss is always an engaging and accessible activity. Lay out the targets, assign point values, split into teams, and then see who can “ring up” the biggest score. We recommend making it a tournament. Give everyone a chance to play each other before moving into knock-out rounds and an eventual final! Award prizes to the winners.

Want to do something totally different? Play rounds of Human Ring Toss. In this version, one member of the team becomes the target, and their teammates attempt to throw inflatable pool/swimming rings over their heads! Whoever’s the target needs to be slim for it to work, but it’s definitely a novel twist on a classic game.

How to play Work haiku

Haiku is a type of short form poetry that originated in Japan. Traditional Japanese haiku consist of three phrases composed of 17 phonetic units in a 5, 7, 5 pattern. For this exercise, have everyone come up with their own work-related haiku. They can be funny, observational, or even emotional - but they should all fit the haiku pattern. This is especially important because without materials like pen or paper, you want the poems to be short and easy to memorize and recite. Have everyone tell their poem to the group.

This is another activity that is fun as an icebreaker activity, but can also be turned into a competition. You can always give a prize to the most creative entry. Another bonus for this activity is that it can be done in a virtual environment - for example, everyone can play on Zoom.

How to play Ghost

Ghost is a quirky little letter-building game, where the whole objective is to not be the person who finishes a word. 2 to 4 players work best. Let’s say you have a team of 3. Each person takes a turn saying a letter to begin spelling out a longer word, (e.g. F-L-O-U-). If the next person adds a letter that creates a full word, like R to create FLOUR, that person loses.

If you lose a round, you are given one letter of the word GHOST (just like the basketball game HORSE). The first person to get all 5 letters G-H-O-S-T loses the game!

If you have a big team of employees that you’re trying to turn into a more cohesive unit, then Snakes could be an ideal trust-building activity. It’s another exercise that involves a large space, but you can do it either indoors or outdoors.

How to play Snakes

Wherever you choose to go, start by splitting everyone into groups of 6 to 7 people and asking them to stand in a line.

Next, spread items around the room/area that can be picked up with relative ease. These objects can be anything you like – from staplers and coffee cups to chocolate bars and clothes!). Finally, place blindfolds on all but the last person in each line and ask everyone to put their hands on the shoulders of the individual in front.

The sighted person then has to direct the “snake” to each object, without talking.

They give directions by tapping whoever’s in front of them on the shoulder, who then taps the person ahead of them in the same way, and so on until the front of the line. Tapping the left shoulder means “turn left”; the right means “turn right”. Pulling backward (gently!) means “stop”.

When the guy or girl at the front manages to pick up an item, they go to the back of the line and give their blindfold to the sighted person. It’s now their turn to direct the snake! The activity’s over when whoever started at the back (as the sighted person) ends up at the front.

What you need:

• Blindfolds
• Items to pick up

How to play Virtual gratitude wall

Utilize the power of digital whiteboards that allow you to save your groupwork, creating a mural of positivity through a virtual gratitude wall. This simple idea brings a stronger sense of unity in teams and solidifies team morale.

Look for a digital whiteboard, or go a step further and get on a collaboration platform like Padlet, letting users add sticky notes and share videos. The emphasis is on positive reinforcement and morale-boosting through remembering what we’re grateful for. Try this one out to get a positive atmosphere flowing.

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Get ready to sweat, strategize, and laugh together. The Obstacle Course Challenge throws your team into a physical adventure filled with ropes, walls, and adrenaline. But it's not just about conquering obstacles; it's about conquering them together. You'll shout encouragement, lend a hand, and celebrate each victory as a united front. Through the sweat and cheers, you'll find yourselves communicating better, trusting more, and learning that each member's strength boosts the whole team. It's teamwork, it's a workout, and it's a whole lot of unforgettable fun.

Instructions

• Nominate a team leader for organized coordination.
• Familiarize teams with the course layout and safety rules.
• Teammates support each other to conquer physical challenges.
• Offer encouraging words and provide guidance during tough spots.
• End the challenge with a triumphant team cheer to boost morale.

How to play Count to 20

Truly one of the simplest and fastest team-building games to play. This exercise doesn’t require any planning and can be done completely spur of the moment. Have everyone sit or stand in a circle together. Start the game by saying “one”. Next, another player will say “two” and so on. The goal is to make it to 20 without two people saying the same number at once. This requires observing your colleagues and predicting when they will speak up. If two people say the same number, the game starts over. Make sure to review our list of minute to win it games, too.

How to play Competitive Human knots

Human knot is a popular team-building activity that requires at least 6 people. To play, everyone stands in a circle, puts their hands into the center, and grabs somebody else’s hands with their own (ensuring they’re holding 1 hand from 2 different people).

The group then attempts to untangle themselves without letting go – ducking, twisting, and climbing over each other as they go. It’s fun, chaotic, difficult, and great for uniting teams, having fun, improving communication, and honing leadership skills.

In Competitive Human Knots, we take things to a new level.

This time, you separate your large group into separate teams of 6+ people and pit them against each other! The first team to untangle themselves wins. Alternatively, you could set a time limit to stop the activity from taking too long. The team that’s made the most progress by the end, wins.

How to play Concentration

In the 1960s, there was a really popular game show of this name, and this is a clever variation. There are also various children’s games with the same concept, since it’s essentially a matching game. It offers a fun way to review things like products, taglines, advertising concepts, etc. To begin, create 30 tiles (or papers), and on the back of each write or have an image of a certain thing. The trick is that two of the tiles have the same thing on them - they’re a matching pair. Unlike a memory game where there are several matching pairs, this game has just one pair, while all the other tiles are unique. Have each team member take a turn flipping two tiles. Everyone should pay attention so that they can try to remember what’s underneath.

The person who flips two of the same tiles and uncovers the pair wins. This game is also a really good memory-jogger, and you can up the educational ante by having people describe something about what’s on the tile. For example, if a consumer goods company wants to have employees review a new product line, they can show pictures of products only and each person must state what the product is and one selling point about it. Remember, you’ll need a fairly big space, a board or floor to place the tiles, and big enough tiles that everyone can see.

Anyone with experience in the active world may have encountered this exercise before. A classic improv game that revolves around cooperation, communication, and creative thinking, it’s fast-paced, funny, and full of opportunities to become a tighter-knit team!

How to play “Yes, and?”

You can play “Yes, and” in pairs, but we prefer it in a larger group. Standing in a circle, the basic idea is to work together to create a silly story, one statement at a time, using the words “yes and” to drive the plot forward. The goal is to make each new statement more exaggerated.

One person starts with a simple statement, then makes clear eye contact with whoever they want to continue the tale. For example:

• “The house is built on rock.”
• “Yes, and the rock is starting to crumble.”
• “Yes, and it’s falling down the hillside.”
• “Yes, and the house is tumbling with it.”
• “Yes, and superman is coming to save us.”
• “Yes, and he looks like he got dressed in a hurry.”

The goal is to cultivate a fun and carefree atmosphere and to keep the story moving as quickly as possible. Rather than pausing to think of the “right thing” to say, each person should relate the first “yes, and” phrase that comes to mind.

It doesn’t have to make sense – the sillier, the better!

This game can be a tad daunting at the start. But that’s almost the point. By talking without thinking, each team member opens themselves up to being vulnerable.

Far from being mocked, though, they’re celebrated. They discover they can be themselves around their colleagues, which is a huge boost to morale and levels of trust within the team.

What you need:

• Nothing more than a positive attitude! However, having a few simple statements up your sleeve to get the ball rolling may help.

How to play Heads up, heads down

This one is ideal for small or medium size groups. The goal of the game is to eliminate players who make eye contact. First, choose a person who will shout out the directions. Then players should gather in a large circle with their heads down. When the leader calls “up”, the players must raise their heads simultaneously, look towards another player, and pause. Then the supervisor will say “down” and players put their heads down. These actions go back and forth and if two players happen to look at each other directly, they are out of the game. This continues until there is a winner.

How to play Solo pyramid

Have players stack red Solo cups in a pyramid shape without it collapsing. You can kick things up a notch by having them dismantle the stack without knocking any over, all within a minute. A one-hand requirement makes things extra tricky.

How to play Figure it out

This activity is a combination of 20 questions and various TV game shows. It involves guessing a “secret” phrase that someone has drawn. To play, choose an initial contestant. That person draws an item based on slips of paper that you previously created. They begin by drawing a number of blanks to signal the number of words in the phrase they picked. From there, the other people present can ask yes or no questions. If someone guesses a word that appears in the secret phrase, the player writes the word in the blank. At any time, the other participants can guess the phrase. This game requires a bit of preparation. You’ll need to come up with as many “secret phrases” as there are people present, and also have large pieces of paper and a marker to keep track of the number of words for each round.

Office Apples to Apples is a hilarious twist on the classic word game, perfect for bringing some shenanigans to a corporate event. Here's how to get the party started.

Set up:

1. Get your cards ready. A spin on the traditional Apples to Apples card game, you need to create cards with office-themed words or phrases, like “coffee break” or “Monday meeting madness”.
2. Lay Down the Law: Explain that one lucky soul plays judge in each round while the others throw down their wackiest associations to the green apple card played.
3. The judge picks their favorite, and that team scores a point. Set a point limit for winners.
4. Keep the laughs rolling by rotating judges each round.

Nine times out of 10, asking your team “How are you guys doing?” returns this answer: “Good, thanks.” If you’re looking for an alternative way of checking in with your team, Draw Your Mood is a great solution.

Great for: Expressing moods

Duration: 10 minutes

Players: 6+

You’ll need: Paper, pens

How to play Draw Your Mood

Setup: Draw your mood is another game that can be played in person or online. If you’re playing in person, hand each player a piece of paper and a pen. If you’re playing online, players can use the integrated whiteboard feature on their video conferencing software such as Zoom Whiteboard.

To play: Ask each player to draw a visual representation of their mood. They can use words, images and symbols—you name it! After 5 minutes or so, ask your employees to present their drawings one by one.

Skill swap workshops are all about sharing talents. Team members vote on what skills they’d like to learn—from cooking to dancing—and then someone hosts an online workshop. It’s a fun way to mix up the workday and learn something new together.

Whether it's mastering a new recipe or trying out salsa moves, it’s a great way to bond, have a laugh, and pick up a fresh skill along the way.

How to play:

• Team votes on a skill they'd like to learn.
• A team member (or outside expert) hosts an online workshop.
• Everyone joins in and tries out the new skill together!

How to play Wikirace

The Wikirace is a simple game, loved by college students bored in class. In the chat, send one Wikipedia article hyperlink and call it ‘start page’, then another hyperlink titled ‘target page.’ The rules are that the player must get from the start page to the target page in a limited number of mouse clicks. It might be as random as going from ‘pizza’ to ‘Apollo 13.’

Try it out in teams to have everyone strategizing frantically. Try making it even more difficult by decreasing the amount of allowed clicks between pages. There’s no going back once a new hyperlink is clicked. Share your screen and try this one out for a laugh in a virtual meeting.

How to play Penny stack

Players should try to stack 25 pennies in under one minute using only one hand. This game works best for small groups and is ideal for groups of three players competing in rounds of play. You’ll need to make sure you have a few rolls of pennies to start the game.