Library of teambuilding games & icebreakers

Pipeline doesn’t just foster trust between colleagues. It’s also an awesome way to cultivate collaboration, communication, and listening skills.

How to play Pipeline

Here’s the basic idea:

Each team member has a small half-pipe with which they have to transport a small ball/marble between point A and point B, without letting it hit the floor.

Each person rolls the ball along their pipe and onto the next person’s, before running to the end of the line so they can take the ball again when it arrives there! This continues until they deposit the ball into a basket at the end of the course.

If they drop it, though, they start over.

Of course, the more people on each team, the easier it becomes, and vice versa. Try to spice things up by adding a time limit and offering prizes to the victor. You could also put obstacles in the way to make the task harder!

Another advantage of Pipeline is that you can play it anywhere. Indoors or outdoors, confined to one room or spread across many, it’s your choice. However, the bigger the space, the trickier the task.

What you need:

• Small sections of half-pipe
• Small balls (marbles or ping pong balls)

How to play Pin the tail on…

Return to your childhood birthday with a “pin the tail on” game. You can buy a set from a party store or online, or you can make up your own game with your own visuals. Some people print a large photo of a coworker and have that as the game piece. For example, if your boss always drinks Diet Coke, maybe you have a life-size image of her and participants should try to pin the beverage into her hand. As a refresher, the game involves having participants approach the game, one at a time, to be blindfolded and spun around. Then, they attempt to pin an accessory to the larger picture. It’s usually good for some laughs to see where everyone’s pins ended up.

This one probably doesn’t need too much introduction, you’ll probably remember it from school.

How to play show and tell

Show and Tell is a fun way to start the team building session. Before the meeting starts, ask each person to bring a mascot with them. At the beginning of the meeting, each team member will have a turn at introducing their mascot and explaining why they brought that item with them.

In speed stack showdown, teams race to stack cups into pyramids and then break them down as quickly as possible. It’s a fast-paced, high-energy competition that tests agility, coordination, and the ability to keep cool under pressure!

This game is perfect for bringing some excitement into the office and getting everyone moving. Plus, it’s a great way to build team spirit with a little bit of chaos.

How to play:

• Split into teams and give each team a set of cups.
• Teams stack the cups into pyramids and then break them down as fast as possible.
• The fastest team to complete the challenge wins!

Discover more team-building activities for adults to energize your team and spark some friendly competition.

How to play Online (useless) talent show

Here’s a game that aims to draw out hidden talents among your teams. Ask each person in the next virtual meeting to showcase a talent they have. The only thing is, a lot of people might feel they have no hidden talents to show, so by calling it a ‘useless’ talent show, you might help reduce any pressure that is felt.

Allow them to be as random and creative as they wish. Older talent videos from the 2000s had some creative gems, like the famous Daft Hands. Simplicity is key for a talent show, as well as an atmosphere of zero pressure, so give a (useless) talent show a shot in your next virtual happy hour.

There’s nothing like a spot of mischief to bring colleagues closer together. With office makeovers, different teams within the company have the chance to “redecorate” another team’s space. From unraveling rolls of toilet paper to putting up posters of people’s favorite boy bands, the options are endless.

Set some ground rules beforehand to stop the pranks from going overboard though. The atmosphere should be light and full of laughter – not frustration at the state of your redecorated space!

How to play Pop explosion

Another game that’s best for outside! If you have ever seen YouTube videos of dropping a mint into a soda bottle, then you know that a large explosion happens. This is a fun little experiment that you can make into a game by seeing who can reach the explosion first. You may also want to name a winner for the highest-reaching eruption too.

Ever heard of the drinking game 'Categories'? Ever thought it could be adapted to a game that helps with active listening? Well, take a seat, my sober friend, and let's get into this! This version of the game will help promote better communication and listening skills among colleagues.

How to play

1. Find a conference room or suitable meeting space to bring your team together.
2. Designate one person to kick off the game as the "Category Caller." This role will rotate as the game progresses.
3. Compile a list of work-related categories. These could range from types of project management software to company department names—whatever suits your workplace.
4. The Category Caller selects a category from the list and announces it to the group. Make sure the chosen category relates to your office environment.
5. Using a timer or smartphone, set a specific time limit (e.g., 15 seconds).
6. The Category Caller begins by naming an item from the chosen category. For instance, if the category is "Types of project management software," they might say "Trello."
7. The person to the right of the Category Caller takes the next turn. They must listen carefully to the previous response and provide another item from the category within the time limit.
8. The game proceeds clockwise. Each participant must actively listen to the previous response and contribute a new item to the category before the timer runs out. If someone repeats an item or fails to provide an appropriate one, they are temporarily out of the round.

Prepare your taste buds for a tantalizing adventure in the Culinary Exploration Challenge. Your team will explore diverse cuisines, test their culinary skills, and learn the art of teamwork in the kitchen. From preparing exotic dishes to mastering cooking techniques, this challenge is a feast for the senses. As you whip up delectable creations, you'll not only bond over food but also discover the recipe for effective collaboration.

Instructions

• Form cooking teams, ensuring a mix of culinary levels.
• Assign each team a unique cuisine to explore.
• Create challenges that involve cooking specific dishes or techniques.
• Teams gather ingredients, cook, and present their creations.
• Judge based on taste, presentation, and teamwork.

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:

Divide the team into small groups and provide each group with art supplies. Assign a theme or topic and ask the groups to create a collaborative artwork together.

Materials needed: Art supplies (paper, paints, brushes, etc.)

Benefits:

• Masterpieces fueled by teamwork: Prepare to be dazzled by the artistic symphony that unfolds before your eyes. Each stroke of the brush and every imaginative idea blends together like a symphony, resulting in a collaborative artwork that's a testament to the creative genius lurking within your team.

How to play Which cartoon character would you be?

What silly character (or creature) are you most like? Have everyone go around the room, and in addition to the basics like name and role, ask them to share which cartoon character they would play and why. For example, a rugged outdoorsman might say he is like Sven from the Disney classic Frozen, while a particularly studious young woman might say she is like Lisa Simpson from the old Simpsons show.

Routine coffee breaks in brick and mortar offices provide the foundation for the development of employee relationships. Without this frequent interaction, remote teams can struggle to discuss topics outside of work.

How to play Virtual coffee breaks

That’s where virtual coffee breaks come in. Now, you can establish routine online coffee breaks for your employees, allowing them to unwind and socialise with their colleagues while sipping on their favourite hot beverage. You can use any kind of video chat software to do this such as Zoom, Google Hangouts, or Microsoft Teams.

In sketch & guess, one person draws a word or phrase on a whiteboard, while their teammates try to guess it within a time limit. The quicker the guesses, the better! It’s like Pictionary, but perfect for office shenanigans.

This game is great for getting the creative juices flowing and injecting some energy into the workday.

How to play:

• One player draws a word or phrase on a whiteboard.
• Teammates guess the word within a set time limit.
• The team with the most correct guesses in the fastest time wins!

Find more team building activities for small groups to bring creativity and collaboration into your office.

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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Explanation:

‍Teams are given a random office scenario—like a virtual meeting gone wrong—and have to respond using only GIFs. The most creative and funny response wins the round.

Whether you’re in the office or working remotely, everyone can join in on GIF Wars. Teams are given a relatable scenario (like dealing with a tech glitch during a big meeting), and each person responds with their best GIF via chat or on a video call. Remote workers and in-office folks can jump in together, and everyone votes on the funniest or most fitting GIF. It’s a quick, entertaining way to add some humor to the day!

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.

Our next game involves drinking, so make adjustments according to the workday! There are a lot of videos for this game involving beer, but water and soda work just as well. The game works best with two teams facing each other on opposite sides of the table. The first member needs to successfully flip before the second member can go. It’s a race to the finish line!

Set-up:

1. Get your teams ready: Organize teams on either side of the table. In front of each player place a cup filled with any liquid (beer is optional!). Tell them the first player needs to down the liquid, then successfully flip their empty cup from the edge of the table, so that it lands upside-down.

2. Get flipping crazy!: Let the two players face-off. Once a team member lands a perfect flip, the next teammate downs their drink and races to do the same. Continue with each team member until the last player flips their cup at the finish line.

You’ll likely be creating a bit of a chaotic mess with this one, so whatever you choose as your drink, make sure it’s easy to clean up, and it doesn’t affect your work performance!

How to play Suddenly” story

This is a fun game that brings out lots of creativity and improves communication. Have your team sit in a circle and instruct everyone that they will get to share 3 sentences only. Choose a person to start, and they’ll share their 3 sentences. Once finished, they should say “suddenly!” and then the next person in the circle takes their turn.

This cycle continues until you reach the last person in the group, who should conclude the story. For a twist, you can have people make up a completely fictional story, or include real-world information to form a realistic narrative. This makes it amusing but also helps with overall story-telling, which is a key part of effective marketing

Bingo blitz turns your workday into a game by creating Bingo cards filled with everyday office tasks or events—like “send an email,” “have a meeting,” or “drink a coffee.” As these things happen, players mark off their Bingo cards. First person to get a full row or column wins!

It’s a simple, fun way to make the office day a little more engaging and adds a bit of light competition to the regular routine.

How to play:

• Create Bingo cards with common office tasks or events.
• Players mark off tasks as they happen during the workday.
• The first person to get a full row or column shouts "Bingo!" and wins!

Explore more team building activities for work to make your office days more interactive and fun.

Ready, set, puzzle! In puzzle dash, teams race against the clock to complete a jigsaw puzzle or brain teaser. The fastest team to finish wins, promoting problem-solving, quick thinking, and a bit of healthy competition.

This group teambuilding game is perfect for sharpening your team’s focus, collaboration, and time management skills. Whether it’s a jigsaw or a tricky brain teaser, puzzle dash brings out the best in quick thinking under pressure—all while having some fun.

How to play:

• Divide into teams and give each team a puzzle or brain teaser (e.g., a 100-piece jigsaw or a Sudoku challenge).
• Set a time limit and race to complete it as quickly as possible.
• The team that finishes first (or makes the most progress) wins!

How to play Coat of arms creation

This creative drawing exercise helps everyone get to know each other better. Have each participant draw their own “coat of arms” that is unique to them, representing the characteristics or important accomplishments that make them who they are. When everyone is finished drawing, they should share with the group. For very large groups, it’s more effective to break people into smaller teams for sharing. For added camaraderie, create a coat of arms gallery in your office where everyone can display their creations.

How to host Finding commonalities

This is a fun and simple activity that is easy to execute no matter where you are. It does require a larger group since part of the activity is breaking people into groups. We suggest starting with groups of 3 - 5. Have each small group sit down together with the goal of finding something they all have in common. Set a time limit for doing so, such as five minutes. They will have to ask each other a lot of questions to dig into possible commonalities.

They may find anything from all having a tattoo to all hoping to visit Scotland someday. If you want to add a fun twist, try combining this activity with the classic “two truths and a lie” game. In that case, groups would present their findings to the rest of the attendees. They would share three options of what they discovered, with one of them being false. Then the larger group would try to determine which thing they truly had in common.

How to play Photo Scavenger Hunt

Instructions: Create a list of specific photos or scenes that teams need to capture using their smartphones or cameras. The team that captures all the items on the list in the shortest time wins.

Materials needed: List of photo items, smartphones or cameras.

The Photo Scavenger Hunt combines the fun of a scavenger hunt with creativity and photography. It encourages teamwork, problem-solving, and allows team members to explore the surrounding area while creating lasting memories.