Library of teambuilding games & icebreakers

If your team is on the creative side - or you want to encourage them to be - this is a smart activity for you. You’ll need plenty of recycled materials like paper, cardboard, or plastic items.

Here is what to do:

1. Split up your group into smaller teams.
2. Give each group a set of recycled materials. Try to give a good mix of whatever you’ve come up with.
3. The goal of each team is to come up with a unique and creative piece of art in the time allotted. The other objective is to use as many of the recycled materials as possible.
4. Once the time you set is up, each group will present their creation to the larger team.
5. Either one judge or a panel of judges will assess each art piece based on factors like creativity, teamwork, and the best use of the materials provided. The team with the highest score is the winner.

How to host a video contest

Short-form videos have become extremely popular - just look at the success of platforms like TikTok. Let everyone bring their inner influencer out by creating their own video to share with everyone. This can be a really exciting competition and great for team-building. It works best with smaller teams. Break people into groups and give them one hour to script, produce, and polish their video content.

You can either let their imaginations run wild or choose a theme for everyone to work with. Make sure everyone has access to necessary video editing software or other tools so that they can make their video even if they’re beginners. Have a great prize ready for the winner - bonus points for a movie-themed gift like theater tickets or “movie night basket” with an Amazon card, popcorn, and snacks.

How to play Custom Word Search

Word searches are common fun for people of all ages, but they can really help with word-play. A word search is perfect if you want to use a handout with a group. You can also play via teleconference using a whiteboard feature. Research some options online to come up with a personalized word search with words that apply to your business or industry.

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 March madness

Take advantage of a competition that’s already going on! Build off of the energy of March Madness and encourage staff to participate. Have people create brackets and keep track throughout the series. You can take things to a new level by adding in a few other themed challenges like a desk decorating contest or make your own jersey day. If you go this route, you can assign points for each challenge to go along with bracket performance.

Time to test your team's agility with relay rampage! Teams compete in an obstacle course, with each member racing to complete a section before passing the baton. It’s part speed, part strategy, and all fun.

Expect a lot of cheering, and probably a few stumbles, but that’s what makes it hilarious. This is perfect for building energy and teamwork with a side of competition.

How to play:

• Set up an obstacle course with different sections.
• Each team member completes their section before tagging the next.
• First team to finish the entire course wins!

Explanation:

‍It’s just like Giant Jenga, but with each block having a fun little challenge written on it—like balancing the piece on your head or doing a dance before placing it.

For the hybrid version, the in-office team plays with the physical Jenga set, while remote workers jump in by picking the challenges for their in-office teammates. For example, as the in-office group pulls a block, a remote teammate gives them a challenge to complete before placing the block back on the tower. Remote players can also participate by tracking the game and offering ideas for wacky tasks. It’s a great way to include everyone and keep the laughs going, no matter where people are.

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.
  ‍

This brainstorming activity enhances adaptability skills, encourages innovative thinking and promotes a proactive approach to change management.

How to play Office “Great race”

Have you watched The Great Race? It’s a competition show where teams race around the world competing various tasks, finding out what their next task is when they complete one. You can create your own version in your office and have teams go on a quest before ending at a finish line. You can make a day of it, or break things up over a few weeks.

A memory wall is a space for spreading good vibes and positivity in the workplace. Here, you’ll create a collage of good memories that your team can appreciate every time they pass by.

Great for: Company culture, job satisfaction

Duration: N/A

You’ll need: Paper, various coloured pens

How to organise:

• Give each employee a pen and piece of paper and ask them to write down some of their favourite memories from previous experiences like Christmas parties and offsite retreats. These can be personal memories or experiences they shared with colleagues.
• Then, ask your employees to create colourful drawings of these memories. If the memory is shared with a colleague, they can pair up and make the drawing together.
• Collect the drawings and use them to make a colourful collage somewhere in the office. It should be in a shared space where it can be appreciated throughout the day.

A really simple activity, this game teaches people how to proactively engage new people. Everyone will need a pen and paper.

Start with these instructions:

1. Have everyone imagine a scenario where they are traveling for a work trip.
2. Have people in pairs and have one person pretend that they have reading materials or other items to prepare for a big meeting.
3. At that point, the other person should find a way to ask “what do you do?” or “where do you work?”
4. The other player should find a way to lead to a successful sales pitch.

The basic idea is to get people more comfortable starting conversations with strangers and incorporating work information.

Bull Ring is a popular game that demands teams work together on a shared goal. You will need to purchase some materials, but this is considered one of the best games to encourage cooperation and teamwork, so it’s likely worth it! Bull Ring is more involved than some previous games, which require little more than a blindfold or some markers.

How to play:  

‍Teams must transport a small ball from one post to another using a string system with a circle in the center. The ball rests in the center, and teams must ensure it doesn’t roll off during transport from one area.

Team members must communicate consistently throughout the process, as each body movement significantly impacts the ball moving, so each individual must listen carefully and be aware at all times.  

Materials you’ll need: Strings, a small ball, and two stands to mark the start and finish.

How many people: Small to large teams (8-25+ people)

As well as being a good energizing activity for large groups, Your North is a great exercise for sparking conversation about the importance of team alignment and direction. Even better, it’s also simple and fun to play.

Here’s how it works:

1. Ask the group to stand up, leaving plenty of space between them (everyone should be able to put their arms out to the side without touching anyone or anything)
2. Show the team where north is (this could really be north if you have a compass on your phone, but feel free to make it up otherwise!)
3. Tell everyone to cover their eyes with their left hand and spin around 10 times, keeping their eyes covered the whole time
4. When they’re done, ask everyone to stretch out their arm and point toward where they believe north is now (their eyes should still be shut)
5. The team can then open their eyes to see the many different directions in which people are pointing

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.

Do you have a keen eye for detail? Are you a spot-the-difference wizard? Then Sneak a Peek could be the game for you. In this game, your employee’s observation and communication skills will be put to the test as they attempt to recreate a structure with their team.

Great for: Observation, communication

Duration: 10 minutes

Players: 6+

You’ll need: A few sets of building blocks i.e. Lego Duplo

How to play Sneak a Peek

Setup: Using your building blocks, start by constructing a complex structure. The structure should be hidden from the players and positioned at an equal distance from each team. Then, divide your group into even teams and provide them with the necessary building blocks to recreate your structure.

To play: When the game starts, one player from each group will approach the hidden structure and observe it for 10 seconds. Then, upon returning to their teams, the observer has 25 seconds to explain how to recreate the structure. After one minute of attempting to recreate the structure, another observer gets up and looks at the hidden structure for a further 10 seconds. The game continues in this pattern until one of the teams successfully replicates the structure.

Want an easy exercise that only takes a few minutes to complete? Well, running free could be perfect. Quick yet effective, it’s a surprisingly powerful way to bring employees closer together, evoke feelings of excitement and elation, and get them to trust each other better in the process.

How to play Running free

To do it, you should go somewhere spacious and outside – like a park, large garden, or playing field. Then divide everyone into pairs, asking one member of each to wear a blindfold. Next comes the fun bit:

Instruct each pair to hold hands and start walking, then jogging, then running, and finally sprinting, with the sighted person leading the way each time! When that’s done, they swap the blindfold and repeat the process.

It’s surprising how much trust you have to put in the person leading you. Expect giggles, squeals, and nervous delight from the get-go!

However, you should always make sure people are fit, healthy, physically able, and willing to do this activity first. The last thing you want is for someone to get injured or feel excluded because they have mobility issues.

What you need:

• Blindfolds

How to play:

‍Encourage employees to create catchy safety slogans that promote workplace safety. Have a panel of judges select the best slogans and award prizes to the winners. Display the winning slogans around the workplace.

This activity taps into employees' creativity and gives them a sense of ownership over the safety culture. Seeing their own slogans around the workplace can be a source of pride and motivation. The next "Safety First!" slogan might just be around the corner.

This activity is a hands-on, engaging, and safe way for employees to develop crucial conflict resolution skills that they can use effectively in their professional roles.

Instructions

1. Set a conflict scenario or topic for discussion.
2. Participants can only communicate nonverbally (no words).
3. Designate one as the communicator and the other as the recipient.
4. Set time limits for interactions.
5. Discuss experiences and challenges after each round.

Why it's awesome for learning conflict resolution

• Practical Skill Development: Conflict resolution often involves understanding emotions and unspoken cues. This game offers practical experience in interpreting nonverbal signals, a crucial aspect of resolving conflicts effectively.

• Enhanced Communication: The game hones participants' ability to communicate without words, which is essential when dealing with emotionally charged conflicts where verbal communication may be challenging.

• Active Listening: Conflict resolution relies heavily on active listening. This activity encourages participants to pay close attention to nonverbal cues, which is a key component of effective listening.

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.

Next up is the lesser-known, but fun guessing game "Password". It's known for keeping your employees on their toes in an amusing and challenging way.

How to play:

1. Choose a password and write it down.
2. Players take turns giving one-word clues to help others guess the password.
3. Clues cannot contain any part of the password.
4. If someone guesses the password correctly, they get a point.
5. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.

So why is this game perfect for the office? For starters, it's a great way to get people thinking creatively and working together. Plus, it's an easy way to inject some energy into meetings or downtime without spending a lot of time or money.

How to play:

Organize a debate on various safety topics (e.g., the importance of PPE, the best ways to handle emergencies). Divide employees into teams and assign them different positions to argue. Judges score the debates and the winning team receives a prize.

Debates of any kind encourage critical thinking and effective communication in your workplace, so why not have a debate about important safety issues? They provide a platform for employees to express their views on safety and learn from each other. Plus, it’s a lively and engaging way to discuss safety.

How to play Who did it?

This game is helpful for learning about what your colleagues do outside of work. To begin with, everyone should get a piece of paper and pen, and write down one interesting thing they’ve done. Then, all the notes are placed in a container, and a facilitator pulls them out one at a time and reads them alive. Everyone else in the room should guess who the individual was who completed that activity. For example, if one prompt is “skydiving”, then everyone would guess who among them was most likely to have done that. The more creative people get, the better!

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.

Explanation:

‍Employees submit “impossible” tasks, like opening a door without touching the handle or moving an object without picking it up. Teams brainstorm creative ways to solve these challenges together.

For the hybrid setup, remote workers can submit their impossible tasks via text, video, or even a live challenge. The in-office team will brainstorm ideas together, while remote workers can jump in via video call or chat to contribute their own solutions. Whether you’re using random office supplies or thinking way outside the box, the goal is to come up with the most creative and doable solution. Afterward, everyone shares their quirky solutions to see which team cracked the “impossible” the best. It’s a light-hearted way to get everyone thinking and working together, wherever they are.