Library of teambuilding games & icebreakers

Imagine a team that rolls with the punches. That's adaptability—being cool with change and helping colleagues navigate the twists and turns of work life.

Adaptability activity - "Change challenge" brainstorm:

• Present a hypothetical or real work-related change that the team might face in the future.
• Divide participants into groups and provide them with markers, flip charts, or whiteboards.
• Instruct each group to brainstorm creative ways to embrace and adapt to the change, focusing on positive outcomes.
• Encourage groups to discuss their ideas and strategies for effectively navigating the proposed change.
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This brainstorming activity enhances adaptability skills, encourages innovative thinking and promotes a proactive approach to change management.

How to play:

Divide the team into pairs. One person in each pair chooses an object or concept and mimes it without using any words or sound. The other person tries to guess what the mime represents.

Materials needed: None

Benefits:

• Enhanced nonverbal communication: Encourage your team to sharpen their ability to communicate effectively without relying on words. This activity fosters creativity in finding innovative ways to convey messages through facial expressions and body language.
• Boosted team spirit: Experience moments of laughter and joy as you witness your team members' hilarious and creative interpretations of various mimes. It's like a comedy show where your employees become silent performers, fostering camaraderie and a positive team atmosphere.

Gossip? Nah, we're all about good vibes. Avoiding gossip keeps the workplace drama-free and the focus on what truly matters.

Avoid gossip activity - Positive news sharing:

• Set up a designated time, such as a weekly meeting or a designated chat channel, for sharing positive news and uplifting stories.
• Encourage colleagues to bring forward news articles, personal accomplishments, or inspiring anecdotes to share with the group.
• Facilitate discussions around the shared news, allowing participants to express their thoughts and reflections.
• Emphasize the importance of maintaining a positive and supportive atmosphere by focusing on constructive conversations.
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This activity shifts the focus away from gossip and fosters a culture of optimism, inspiration and meaningful interactions.

Time to network, fast! In speed connections, team members pair up and exchange quick introductions within a time limit. Once time’s up, they move to the next person and repeat. It’s fast-paced, fun, and perfect for breaking the ice.

This fun team-building activity is ideal for fostering connections in the workplace, especially when there are new faces around. It helps people practice communication skills and learn interesting things about each other—all in a short time. Plus, it’s a great way to add a burst of energy to the day.

How to play:

• Pair up and introduce yourselves to each other.
• Set a time limit (e.g., 1-2 minutes per conversation).
• When time’s up, switch partners and repeat.

How to play Giant Jenga Tournament

Instructions: Build a tower using giant Jenga blocks. Each player takes turns removing one block at a time from the tower and placing it on top without causing the tower to collapse. The player who causes the tower to collapse is eliminated, and the game continues until only one player remains.

Materials needed: Giant Jenga blocks.

Giant Jenga encourages focus, strategy, and problem-solving skills. It promotes friendly competition and creates a sense of anticipation and excitement as the tower becomes more unstable.

How to play Compliment train

This simple no-prep activity keeps the aim of positive reinforcement and maximizes a productive atmosphere. It is so simple it can be run during a virtual water cooler chat. Each person in the group simply chooses one other attendee, and then that person chooses someone who hasn’t been complimented yet and tells them something positive they’ve done.

The effectiveness of this simple activity comes from the fact the complimenting is done at a peer-to-peer level, rather than from management.

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In this speedy activity, the team carry out a rapid pulse-check on recent work, honing in on the focus of continuous improvement, even when time is short. Here’s how to set this one up quickly:

Set up:

Hand every employee three sticky notes, and set a timer for one minute. Have them think about their last project or sprint period, and jot down one thing they think went well, one area for improvement, and one quick idea for moving forward. At the end of one minute, they stick their notes to your board, and you reflect on common themes or action items. Quick, simple, and to the point.

Going back to the schoolyard days. This exercise is playful and gets people moving and communicating non-verbally.

How to play:

‍People start walking slowly around the yard or where the game takes place. A person in the crowd is designated to start moving, and the rest must follow suit. They let people meander for a while and then shout “freeze” randomly. A designated person in the group starts walking again, and other players follow suit; players that are last to move to leave the game.

The last person standing is the winner.

Materials you’ll need: Just your team and enough space

How many people: Small to mid-sized teams (8-16 people)

Looking for a virtual trust-building activity that’s a little simpler than the one above?

Try the “One-question icebreaker”. A versatile game that you can use for any occasion, you can boost the bond between teammates in just a few minutes.

There isn’t a lot to this one! You simply open up a group video call with a single, thought-provoking ice-breaker.

The question itself could be silly or serious, work-related or totally random. Whatever the case, you give everyone on the call a chance to answer it and let those responses spark further discussion.

Here are a few proven ice-breaker questions you could use:

• What’s the worst fashion decision you’ve ever made?
• What’s your biggest irrational fear and why?
• Who was your first celebrity crush?
• If you could go on any game show, which one would you choose?
• Which emoji do you use more than any other?
• What’s the first bill you’d pass if you became president today? Why?
• If you won one million dollars, what’s the first thing you’d buy? Why?
• Which 3 celebrities would you want with you in a survival situation? Why?

What you need:

• If you’re good at thinking on your feet, then you don’t need anything for this trust-building exercise. However, it never hurts to prepare a few killer ice-breaker questions in advance.

Ah, the classic game of Never have I ever. A staple at college parties and now...the office? Yes, that's right. This game can actually be a great team-building activity in the workplace.

How to play:

1. Gather a group of players and sit in a circle.
2. Each player takes turns stating something they have never done.
3. Anyone who has done that thing must take a forefit or lose a point.
4. The game continues with each player taking turns sharing something they’ve never done.
5. The winner is the last player left with points.
   

Now, you may be thinking, Why would we play a drinking game at work? Fear not, my friend. You can swap the drinks for something a bit more appropriate, like standing on one leg or raising both arms. It's a fun way to get to know your colleagues better and find out about their interesting experiences. Plus, it can help break down barriers and foster a more relaxed work environment. Just make sure you keep it professional and stick to appropriate topics. Cheers to that!

How to play DIY Disc Golf

Disc golf is a sport where you sling flying discs (AKA Frisbees) at special targets made of metal chains and buckets. Like golf, the idea is to get your disc in the target in the fewest possible throws.

When it comes to Field Day games for adults, disc golf is awesome. But unless you have an actual disc golf course on-site, you’ll want to do things the “DIY way.” Create your own course by making targets out of big buckets of water (washing baskets also work) and placing them at different points around a playing field. You can then proceed around it, taking turns throwing Frisbees at the targets.

The goal? Get your Frisbee in the bucket with as few throws as possible! Each throw represents a “stroke.” Keep track of how many strokes it takes to hit each target, and then add them up at the end. The lowest score wins.

Regardless of how cohesive your team is, at some point, you’re going to encounter disagreements. Online office debates are a playful way of developing public speaking, communication and listening skills that will come in useful during real-life debates.

How to play Online office debates

To organise an online office debate, select two people to go head-to-head in a meaningless debate. The topic could be silly, such as “No one should ever tell a lie” or “Pineapple belongs on pizza.” One person argues “for” the topic while the other argues “against.”

The two presenters can argue their case using any means necessary, they might want to create a PowerPoint presentation and share their screen or back up their points with YouTube videos. After the presentations have been delivered, it’s time for the audience to decide the winner.

Rock, Paper, Scissors is a classic game you’ve probably played since childhood to pass the time and make group decisions. But have you ever done it using your bodies to make the shapes as opposed to your hands?

How to play Human rock, paper, scissors

That’s exactly what happens in the “human version” of the game. Fun, quick, and ideal for getting people giggling and moving, you start by deciding a full body pose for each item (e.g. rock could be curling up into the fetal position) and then dividing the team into 2 groups.

From there, you face off against each other, taking a few seconds before each round to decide which pose your group will make. When that’s done, you count down from 3 and move as one to do your pose. As always, rock beats scissors, paper beats rock, and scissors beat paper.

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.

In this activity, individuals become the authors of their own success stories. The game plan? Keep a goal journal, a personal chronicle where you jot down the highs, the lows, and everything in between on your journey to crushing those goals. Why? Because journaling isn't just putting pen to paper; it's a map of progress, a mirror reflecting challenges, and a compass to keep you on course.

Get ready to unleash the power of the written word – your goals are waiting to be documented and conquered!

Top Tip for Facilitator:

• Let everyone know this isn't a sprint; it's a marathon of self-reflection and growth. Remind them that every scribble in their goal journal is a step toward victory.
• Foster an atmosphere where sharing the journey, bumps and all, is not just okay but celebrated.
• Create a safe space where the power of putting pen to paper becomes a transformative experience.

How to play Top Five

In this game, you’ll ask players to come up with their five favorites across several categories. Each player can make a list and then share with the larger group. The options for categories are nearly limitless and you should try to cater them to your audience. Try creating “best-of” lists for these categories:

• Movies
• TV shows
• Books
• Songs
• Vacations
• Desserts
• Websites
• Celebrities
• Blogs
• Animals
• Brands
• Apps

How to play Human Hungry Hippos

Do you remember the game Hungry Hungry Hippos from childhood? Bring the game to life with this super physical challenge. You’re guaranteed to get some laughs after even the longest meetings. The concept is simple: you recreate the classic game using your own bodies, skateboards, laundry baskets, and plastic balls. You can have 3 or 4 people go against each other every round.

To start, one person lays on their stomach on a skateboard, and another participant holds their feet in order to steer. The laying-down player should hold a laundry basket upside down, ready to snatch the balls. The leader should dump a basket of small plastic balls onto the floor to start the game. From there, each pair of players scrambles to grab as many balls as they can with their basket. The pair with the most balls at the end wins. This game is best suited for people who don’t mind getting physical and aren’t afraid of looking silly.

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How to host Book exchange

Make everyone a bit smarter while they quench their thirst. Request that at your next happy hour, you bring a book to share. Ask people to bring their favorite book, or to choose the professional development book that’s been most helpful. Everyone should share a bit about what makes that particular book so special. At the end of the event, people can borrow the books available or just remember the title so they can find it on their own later on. This is a great way to learn more about your colleagues and learn some new things at the same time.

Think of this game like the classic six degrees of Kevin Bacon exercise. In each game, you need to figure out a way to connect two seemingly distant ideas. While six degrees of Kevin Bacon uses celebrities, Invisible Bridge uses words.

To play:

1. One player suggests two unrelated words.
2. The first player should give a number of planks. That’s how many steps other players have to use to relate the two words.
3. Other players come up with words that share similar traits, synonyms, or other connector words to get from one term to the next.

Here’s an example:

1. Lion, Ship; three planks
2. Lion - Carnivore - Meteor - Astronaut - Ship

This is also a great game to encourage creativity since there are endless options of correct answers. It also encourages players to think about the nature of words and the relationship between phrases.

There’s something to be said about being kind and spreading positive vibes. While it may seem like “good vibes” is just tossed around flippantly, there is compelling evidence that being excellent and complementary is good for your health.

How to play:

‍One person, likely the team leader, gets the ball rolling and asks team members to go around the circle and give a compliment to someone on their team. It can be as simple as thanking someone for being so knowledgeable and helping you figure out a computer malfunction, or more specifically, to a project the whole team is working on together.

Materials you’ll need: Just your team and, ideally, outdoor space

How many people: Small to mid-sized teams (8-16 people)

How to play Gift wrap

Gift wrapping is a true talent! See who on your team has this skill by tasking everyone with wrapping gifts in under a minute. You can either have several packages ready and see who gets the most wrapped, or pick containers that will be especially difficult to wrap and see how far each player gets in one minute. You might be surprised how difficult this can be. Remember that for this one everyone will need their own scissors, tape, wrapping paper, and area to spread out.

How to play Name game

For this 5-minute energizing activity, have each person add an adjective to their name as they introduce themselves to the group. For example, “Amazing Anita” or “Resourceful Ron”. Make sure each person present gets the chance to share their enhanced name. Then, go around in a circle and have each person try to recall 3 of the names they heard, along with their adjective. This is a fun memory-jogging activity and it also forces people to pay more attention as others are introduced. It’s an easy first icebreaker for teams who don’t work together too often.

How to play Limbo Contest

Instructions: Set up a limbo pole using a long stick or pole. Participants take turns attempting to pass under the pole by leaning backward without touching it. Gradually lower the pole after each round. The person who can go the lowest without touching the pole wins.

Materials needed: Limbo pole or stick.

Limbo Contest adds a fun and interactive element to the picnic. It encourages flexibility, balance, and friendly competition. It creates an atmosphere of excitement and laughter, bringing joy to both participants and spectators.

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.