Library of teambuilding games & icebreakers

The Creative Puzzle Mural challenge is a fusion of artistry and collaboration. Each team is tasked with creating a section of a larger mural, aligning colors, shapes, and themes. As you assemble the puzzle pieces, you'll uncover the beauty of unity in diversity. This activity celebrates the power of collective creativity while highlighting the importance of communication and harmonious teamwork.

Instructions

• Divide participants into teams, ensuring a mix of artistic abilities.
• Assign sections of a mural to each team, providing basic guidelines.
• Teams work collaboratively to design and paint their sections.
• Combine the pieces to reveal the complete mural artwork.
• Reflect on how the different sections symbolize teamwork and collaboration.

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!

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 Bin Basketball

Grab two trash bins in the office and play ball! You can purchase a ball for this game but also just as easily use a tightly crumpled up piece of paper. Split into teams of two and play for around 10 minutes so each team member gets a chance to take a shot. Winner is determined by the team that makes the most baskets.

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.

Everybody knows how to build a paper plane, but who can do it the best? In this creative team game, employees go head to head to build the best paper plane!

Great for: Teamwork, creative thinking

Duration: 10 minutes

Players: 4+

You’ll need: Various stationery supplies including paper, sticky tape and scissors

How to play Paper Plane Parade

Setup: Divide your group into even teams and hand each team a matching set of stationery supplies. Each set should include paper, sticky tape and scissors, but feel free to add other items such as glitter, googly eyes, etc.

To play: When the timer starts, the teams have five minutes to construct a paper plane using the supplies they were given. When the time is up, position the teams behind a line and ask them to throw their creations, one by one. The planes will be judged on three criteria: the plane that travelled the furthest, the plane that flew for the longest and the plane that looked the best. It’s up to you whether you inform your group of these criteria before or after the creation process.

Kicking off our list is a competitive bout of stacking. This cup game is the most popular on the list, and also the most professionally competitive! Side note, did you know that professionals call this “sport stacking,” and the world-record holder finished a stack in 1.33 seconds?

This one works best individually, and is fun to use a timer with, for extra competition! Give each player 10 cups and a table to do their stacking.

Set-up:

1. Build a pyramid of cups: Each player needs to stack 10 cups to make a pyramid shape. The base will have 4 cups, then 3 on top of those, 2 cups for the next level, finished with 1 cup at the top.
2. Collapse the pyramid down into one stack of cups: Players then need to take the top cup and collapse the other cups down, until only one stack of 10 cups remains Remember to smash that timer as soon as they’re finished! Create a leaderboard and find the fastest stacker!

Can you imagine a scenario where the TV is on mute and you lose the remote? Well, as horrific as this may sound, there may be some fun in this. Welcome to TV On Sound Off - an engaging activity that sharpens your active observation and interpretation skills.

How to play

1. Assemble your colleagues in a comfortable space with a TV or projector where you can watch a show or movie of your choice.
2. Turn off the sound completely, no subtitles allowed. You're going to rely solely on visual cues.
3. Start with a scene from the show or movie. Make sure it has a mix of dialogue and action.
4. Each participant takes turns guessing what the characters are saying and what's happening in the plot. Keep it concise and imaginative.
5. After everyone has had a turn, unmute the sound and compare your guesses with what actually transpired in the scene.
6. Discuss what you've learned about active observation, interpretation, and the value of non-verbal cues.

How to play Name that tune (whistle edition)

You know how to play Name that Tune - but can you identify songs from someone whistling? Take turns having people whistle a song of their choice and everyone else will need to guess what the song is. Give everyone a pen and paper so they can keep track of their correct answers. The person with the most correct answers wins!

How to play Alphabet game

This game involves going through the alphabet and finding words that fit a specific category. For example, you could choose animals as a category. You would start with the letter “A” and the circle would be responsible for coming up with different animals that begin with A, then B, and so on (so relevant answers could be ant, beaver, etc).

‍How to play:

Provide necessary materials. Encourage team members to create vision boards by cutting out images, words, and phrases that represent their aspirations and goals.

Materials needed: Magazines, scissors, glue, boards or poster paper

Benefits:

• Encouragement and imagination: Encouraging your team members to create vision boards allows them to tap into their imagination and express their aspirations visually. By curating the materials that represent their creative visions, team members gain focus and inspiration for their work.

How to play Around the horn

About as simple and traditional as it gets, this icebreaker involves a facilitator simply asking everyone to introduce themselves to the group. Keep things concise by asking everyone to share their name, role, region, and maybe one fun fact or otherwise light-hearted bit of information. Some people have people state what they are excited to learn in the session or what is most on their minds, work-wise.

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 Desk decorating

Have staff transform their desks into works of art! Choose a theme, set a budget, and encourage everyone to get creative! Need some ideas? Try under the sea, Hollywood, outer space, haunted house, steampunk, eighties or nineties, or college dorm. Depending on the size of your office, the competition can be individual or team-based.

Make sure to set a time limit for decorating and then have a panel of judges who will walk around, view everyone’s set up, and pick a winner. You can get virtual employees in on the action by having them decorate their home office and take photos, or have everyone create new Zoom backgrounds.

Fun, fast, and easy trust-building exercises don’t get much better than this one. A true classic, “Three Truths and a Lie” helps teams learn more about one another, show off their individual personalities, and become closer friends in the process.

How to play Three truths and a lie

With 3 or more people sitting together in a circle, you ask each person to come up with 4 facts about themselves. But there’s a catch! As the name of the game suggests, only 3 of those facts should be true.

The other should be a lie that’s framed in such a way that it sounds true. The more feasible it seems, the better.

From there, each participant takes turns revealing their facts – keeping their best poker face on at all times. The group has to decide which statement’s the lie, using what they know of the individual to determine their answer. When they’ve finished guessing, the person reveals the truth!

We like this exercise for a host of reasons, but its accessibility is one of its biggest benefits. You can do it anywhere and at any time, with no tools required.

How to play:

Create a set of cards with safety-related images or terms and their corresponding definitions or explanations. Lay the cards face down and have employees take turns flipping two cards to find matches. The player with the most matches wins.

A safety memory match game is a fun and engaging way to reinforce safety concepts and terminology. It improves memory and recall while adding a playful element to learning. A simple game that can be enjoyed by everyone, making it a great addition to training sessions.

How to play Web navigation

This is another outdoor-appropriate game that many people enjoy - especially during beautiful weather. You’ll need two ropes, some strong poles or trees, and a supervisor for each team participating. Begin by tying ropes from one pole or tree to another to form a rectangle. Use the other rope to connect the rectangle from the top to the bottom, to form holes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Once the “web” is formed, have everyone take turns trying to make it through the ropes without touching it. The game is a success when all members of the team make it through - with their teammates help!

How to play Budget balance

For all the math geeks out there! Give each participant a word problem describing an individual’s income and spending habits, such as regular bills and discretionary spending. Does the imaginary individual have a balanced budget? Or perhaps they have a serious spending problem. Who can figure it out first? This is a fun little math competition that can be done independently. Make sure to provide calculators.

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.

Here’s a game that demands timing and cat-like reflexes. It’s a rework of musical chairs, something that we’ve all played in childhood at least once. The game is fast-paced and competitive, making it a perfect team energizer. You’ll need a group of 4 to 10 people, a table and an amount of cups that is one less than the number of players you have. Basically, one person is going to be eliminated each round!

Set-up:

1. Get the music started! Get your Bluetooth speaker and an upbeat playlist ready. On the table place a number of cups that is one less than the amount of people playing. Most people will recognize the rules instinctively; you play the music and each player walks around the table clockwise. When the music stops, each person needs to grab one cup with lightning-fast speed. Whoever is without a cup at the end of this round is eliminated. Remove one cup and move to the next round.

2. Whittle down the competition: Continue eliminating one player per round. Make the music more intense and crazy as each round passes by. Eventually, only one person will be left standing (and sipping!), so crown this person as the winner of Musical Cups!

Cups can be full or empty as people play, and as with our other drinking games, choose a beverage that’s easy to clean up and applies to your work setting. Organize it during a work happy hour to get the party started. We’ll say cheers to that!

Your team is transforming into urban explorers armed with cameras, ready to capture the essence of the city. The Urban Photography Expedition is a creative challenge that combines sightseeing with storytelling. As you traverse the streets, squares, and alleys, you'll not only snap stunning shots but also collaborate to craft a visual narrative of the city's soul. It's an opportunity to flex your artistic muscles, enhance your communication skills, and develop a keen eye for detail—all while fostering camaraderie within your team.

Instructions

• Form teams, ensuring a mix of photography skills.
• Provide a list of themes or subjects for the photos.
• Teams interpret themes creatively and capture captivating images.
• Collaborate to curate a photo collection that tells a compelling story.
• Share your insights and learnings from the photography experience.

How to play Zip, Zap, Zop

This game is sort of like hot potato without a ball. Start with everyone in a circle. The first player should clap their hands, point to another player in the circle, and say “zip”. The pointed-to player must immediately clap, point to another person, and say “zap”. The third player says “zop” and continues the pattern. The process should repeat with everyone saying “zip, zap, zop” until each person has had a turn. For a little extra challenge, try to increase your speed as you go through second or third rounds of the game.

How to play Rolling the dice

You can’t beat this one for simplicity. Have players break into groups of two and provide a set of dice to each pair. The goal is simple: roll the die and try to get the highest total possible in one minute. So, one person should roll and the other can document the number they get. This should go on as many times as they can in one minute. Whoever has the highest number wins.

Picture your team exploring global cultures in a hands-on way. The Cultural Traditions Race isn't your typical history lesson; it's an immersive experience. You'll cook, dance, and dive into traditions from various corners of the world. The catch? You're in it together. As you step into unfamiliar shoes and embrace new customs, you'll learn to communicate across differences, adapt on the fly, and appreciate the beauty of diversity. It's like a crash course in teamwork that leaves you with a deeper connection and a broader perspective.

Instructions

• Form teams to represent a range of cultures.
• Dive deep into the assigned cultural traditions to truly understand them.
• Engage in activities like cooking, dancing, or crafting as indicated.
• Reflect on the experience and share insights as a team.
• Approach each tradition with respect and an open-minded spirit.