Library of teambuilding games & icebreakers

How to play Don’t answer that

Fun and laughter are guaranteed with Don’t Answer That. A verbal exercise this time, all participants have to do is stand in a circle asking each other questions! As you’d expect, though, there’s a caveat…

You don’t answer the questions directed at you.

The person standing to your left does it instead. For example, imagine that James asks you, “What’s the most embarrassing moment of your life so far?” You’d have to stay silent while Jeanette – the person to your left – claims it was when you got drunk at the last Christmas party and told the CEO you loved her.

The idea isn’t necessarily to be truthful (although it isn’t a rule that you can’t be!). The goal is simply to have a good time, make people laugh, and lift the mood.

Ah, Pictionary, the timeless guessing game that has brought joy and frustration to households for decades. But have you ever thought about playing it in the office? Trust me, it's not just a game for family game night.

How to play:

1. Split into teams.
2. One player draws a word or phrase from a container.
3. That player must draw the word or phrase, while their team guesses.
4. The team has a limited amount of time to guess correctly.
5. If they guess correctly, they earn points; repeat until all players have had a turn.

Not only does it encourage teamwork and communication skills, but it also allows for a fun and creative break from the typical daily routine. Plus, it's a refreshing change from staring at screens all day.

Discover more team building activities for work to bring energy and collaboration into your workplace.

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 play Office Price is right

Now is your chance to play game show host. Someone who is familiar with the items in the office should be the facilitator, since understanding prices is necessary for the game. Have them choose an item and then a panel of 3 individuals should guess the price without going over. Whoever is closest wins! You can organize this into a tournament where people go against each other for prizes, or just run the game impromptu and see who wants to participate.

Imagine having someone genuinely tuned in when you talk—how cool is that? Active listening is like giving colleagues a comforting nod, making them feel heard and understood. It stops mix-ups and keeps conversations smooth.

Pay close attention to what your colleagues are saying, show genuine interest and ask follow-up questions. Active listening demonstrates that you value their input and perspective.

Active listening activity - Story swap:

• Divide participants into pairs.
• One person shares a personal story or experience for a set time while the other listens attentively, without interrupting.
• After the first person finishes, switch roles.
• Each pair discusses what they learned about their partner's story, highlighting key details.
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Story Swap enhances active listening skills, encourages empathy and strengthens understanding between colleagues

How to play Business card collection

To introduce people who haven’t met before, you can try this game. Set a timer and have everyone try to collect at least 3 new business cards in the room. Through the conversations they have with others, they should write down at least 3 details about the person on their business card. So, once the timer goes off, you can go around the room having each person name the people that they met and the information they found interesting (from their notes on the card). If people want to collect more than 3 cards, that’s fine, as long as they are taking the time to also get to know some details about each individual. Remember, the goal is to get to know others, have real conversations, and recall both names and other facts about each person.

How to play:

‍Set up a relay race course with different safety-related tasks at each station (e.g., putting on personal protective equipment, bandaging a wound, fire extinguisher drill). Divide employees into teams and have them race to complete each task as quickly as possible.

The safety relay race combines physical activity with safety training, making it a fun and dynamic way to learn. It encourages teamwork and quick thinking, all while reinforcing essential safety skills. A great way to get the blood pumping and learn.

Note: Make sure this is in an outdoor setting! We don’t want accidents whilst playing a safety-based game… Facepalm…

How to play Role reversal

This game is all about understanding conflicts from different perspectives. We're going to act out conflict scenarios and then swap roles to see how the other side feels. It's like stepping into someone else's shoes, but without the actual shoe-swapping part! It's a great way to build empathy and gain fresh insights on how to overcome teamwork challenges in the workplace. Get ready to embrace different perspectives!

How to play Story cubes

Another worldwide classic game that has stood the test of time is “Story Cubes.” There are hundreds of variations of stories available, from simple daily scenarios to extravagant and epic fantasies.

The game is open-ended and revolves around a collection of cubes. Each side of a cube has an idea that continues a story, in a chain of events. Scour online resources for some templates, or create your own. Sometimes, the more random, the better!

Oh, Scattergories - that hilarious game that always leaves you scratching your head and laughing until your sides hurt. But did you know that this party favorite can be used in the office setting too?

How to play:

1. Choose a category and a letter.
2. Set a time limit for players to come up with answers.
3. Each player writes down as many answers as possible starting with the chosen letter.
4. Compare answers and eliminate any duplicates or invalid answers.
5. Award points for unique and valid answers. Repeat with a new category and letter.

Not only is Scattergories great for building team chemistry and boosting morale, but it's also a sneaky way to get everyone thinking outside the box and flexing their problem-solving muscles. So the next time you're stuck in a meeting that feels like a snooze-fest, bring out the Scattergories and watch the magic happen!

How to play Live “Price is right”

If you’re familiar with the classic show, you know how into it people can get! Try hosting a variation of the show at work. Split everyone into two teams and have everyone guess prices on things from around the office. You can use items ranging from an executive desk to snacks in the kitchen.

Make sure you know the real prices so that you can fairly determine the winners each round. Bonus points for having fun props like large cards to write guesses on, or nameplates to display team names. You’ll have to give some consideration to just where to host this game - the space needs to fit everyone and also have room for bringing in the items.

How to play Red ball game

A group of people pass around an imaginary red ball and must come up with a story about where it has been. You can change the color of the ball or even the imaginary object, the point is to mix up the start and stop of the story and get creative.

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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.

In this engaging game, sales reps work as detectives and try to uncover customer needs.

Here’s how it works:

1. Have everyone in the group divide into pairs with one detective and one customer.
2. Give every pair about ten minutes to get as much information as possible. The detective should try to understand as much as they can about the customer's needs.
3. At the end of the session, have each detective present what they’ve learned, with the person who acquired the most knowledge the winner.

This is a great activity for learning more about probing questions, uncovering the things that aren’t being said, and building rapport with prospects - all valuable skills in the sales process!  

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How to play First Letter, Last Letter

For this game, have everyone form a circle and sit down. Choose one person to start first. That person writes or says a word and the person next to them has to come up with another word using the last letter or the last few letters of that word. This is a verbal game that doesn’t require any materials or special preparation, which makes it a great activity if you have some spontaneous time to fill and want it to be productive.

Unleash creativity and teamwork by having each team create a story together, one sentence or paragraph at a time.

Materials needed:

• A whiteboard or flipchart
• Markers or a digital platform for recording the story

Instructions on how to play:

1. Start the story with a sentence or paragraph and have the first team member contribute.
2. Continue around the circle, with each team member adding to the story.
3. Aim for a fun and collaborative narrative, encouraging everyone to build on each other's ideas.
4. Once the story is complete, read it aloud and revel in the team's collective storytelling prowess.

Why it's a great team building game:

• Creative synergy: Fosters creativity and cooperation as the team weaves a tale together.
• Communication boost: Enhances communication skills by requiring active listening and contribution.
• Laughs guaranteed: Often results in a hilarious and memorable story that bonds the team.

Top tip to help the game run smoothly: Keep it lighthearted and encourage a "yes, and..." mentality, where each contribution builds on the previous one. The goal is to create a collaborative masterpiece, no matter how silly or unexpected it becomes!

How to play the floor is lava

Light-hearted and more than a little bit silly, The Floor is Lava is another excellent indoor game that’s sure to get people giggling! More importantly, they’ll be working together, listening, demonstrating leadership skills, and solving problems.

The idea’s simple: break your team into 2 groups and challenge them to take turns crossing the room together without touching the floor (…because it’s lava). While one group attempts the crossing, the other can try to sabotage their efforts – moving items they’d otherwise use as stepping stones and/or placing obstacles in their way.

Buckle up for a tech-infused journey through time in the Time-Traveling Tech Expedition. From ancient civilizations to futuristic landscapes, your team will delve into history's greatest technological milestones. But here's the twist: you'll also tackle hands-on tech challenges inspired by each era. As you leap through time and grapple with inventions past and future, your team's adaptability and innovative spirit will shine. It's a quest that transforms history into a playground for the tech-savvy.

Instructions

• Divide participants into tech-savvy teams.
• Assign different historical eras, each with corresponding tech challenges.
• Research and create puzzles inspired by technology of the past and future.
• Solve tech-related tasks and move on to the next era.
• Celebrate accomplishments and discuss how technology has evolved.

Who’s the office detective? In whodunit: office edition, your team plays out a murder mystery, with each member taking on a character to help solve the case. The goal? Work together, piece by piece, to find the culprit.

This interactive, large-group teambuilding activity is great for boosting communication, creativity, and collaboration. It encourages employees to engage and think critically while embracing their roles. Plus, it’s a hilarious way to break up the day and get everyone involved in some playful, investigative fun!

How to play:

• Assign characters and a murder scenario to each participant.
• Everyone plays their role and works together to solve the mystery.
• The team that figures out “whodunit” first wins!

How to play Relay Sack Race

Instructions: Divide participants into teams. Each team stands in a line, and the first player in each team gets inside a sack. On "go," they hop to a designated point and back, then pass the sack to the next teammate. The team that finishes first wins.

Materials needed: Sacks or large bags.

Relay Sack Race encourages teamwork, coordination, and builds camaraderie among team members. It adds an element of fun and nostalgia to the picnic while providing an opportunity for participants to cheer on their teammates.

Can your team protect an egg from a high drop using only a few materials? In the egg armor challenge, small teams work together to design a structure that keeps an egg intact when dropped from a height. Limited resources mean creativity is key!

This challenge brings out everyone's engineering skills, teamwork, and a bit of friendly competition. Plus, it’s always entertaining to see the wild contraptions people come up with. A little messy, but a lot of fun—and a great way to boost problem-solving skills in the office.

How to play:

• Split into teams and provide each with limited materials (e.g., paper, tape, straws).
• Teams design a structure to protect an egg.
• Drop the egg from a height and see whose egg survives!

How to play Movie elevator pitch

You may have heard of an “elevator pitch”, where people have a brief summary prepared in advance about what they do, or what their company does. This is an important skill for everyone to have for networking and connecting with other professionals. This game helps workers to practice these skills and get a little creative in the process.

Start by choosing a movie and then asking employees to create a short elevator pitch regarding something present in the movie. For example, they might want to create a pitch based on Batman’s mask or an engagement ring from your favorite rom-com. See how everyone incorporates innovative marketing strategies and descriptions into their elevator pitches.

How to play Failing success

Sometimes the best way to learn how to be successful is to fully understand what not to do. For this game, have everyone right down their goals, and then write several ways they could not reach them. For instance, you might have people list their goals for this particular training. Then have them write down a few things that would ensure they don’t meet those objectives, like not paying attention or skipping note-taking.

Think of this as your team's time-traveling adventure. The Historical Timeline Quest takes you to historical sites, but there's a twist. You'll decipher clues that unlock stories from the past. It's like solving history's riddles together. By working as a team, you'll connect the dots, piece together the timeline, and unveil the bigger picture. Through shared "aha" moments and collaborative detective work, you'll appreciate each other's unique knowledge and skills. It's not just history; it's a journey that brings your team closer, one clue at a time.

Instructions

• Assign roles to team members for efficient operation.
• Distribute clues that reveal historical landmarks.
• Visit sites, solve clues, and document significant events.
• Collaborate to accurately piece together the historical timeline.
• Keep historical references handy to aid in solving challenging clues.