Library of teambuilding games & icebreakers

How to play Name that tune

This classic never gets old. Play five-second snippets of 12 songs - this will total one minute. Have players write down each song they think they heard. Whoever has the most correct answers wins! You can streamline this process by creating your one-minute compilation in advance, so you don’t have to keep stopping and starting music.

How to play Travel back in time…

In this creative exercise, ask everyone to imagine that they are able to travel back in time to a singular event. Where would they go, and why? Most important: what would they change? What would they make sure was done differently? And, with those differences, what would the outcomes be? Would our lives be different today if their version of events had happened?

In business, an important part of strategy is thinking multiple steps ahead, and understanding “if this/then that”. This exercise asks everyone to think ahead about various repercussions of certain events. It’s a great game to play if you want to flex those strategic muscles, and also leads to some really interesting conversations.

How to play Rock-paper-scissors challenge

Who didn’t play this game as a kid? Give this energizing grown-up version a try. People should play against each other in pairs until the first win. For added fun, have the people who become eliminated in each round stand in a cheering section for their favorite in the next round. Repeat the process until there are only two players, each with a large fan base. Since this game will get loud, it’s best to play outside in a large, open space. It’s a favorite because it requires no supplies and very little preparation, and gets everyone excited right away.

How to play What I admire most in others…

Yet another version of the most straightforward style of icebreaker, this one involves answering the question “What do you most admire in others?” In this way, you can find out what matters most to the people you work with, which makes for a much more pleasant and cooperative work environment. For example, if trust is most important to someone, then you’ll remember that doing what you say you will is crucial. If someone says being accountable is very admirable, then you know that you can count on them for help with projects.

Reminiscent of the classic family game, Charades, No Speaking allowed is another awesome improv exercise for small groups. As well as being fun, stimulating, and creative, it also teaches the value of effective communication.

How to play No speaking allowed

The first step is to divide your team into pairs (a group of 3 is fine if there’s an odd number). Then all you do is give each person a phrase, saying, message, or idea that they have to act out to their partner. Here’s the twist:

They have to get the message across without speaking!

Participants are able to use gestures, facial expressions, body movements, props, and/or anything else they can find to communicate their message (apart from writing it down). But they’re not allowed to talk. If they do, they’re disqualified.

What’s cool about this game is that it showcases the reciprocal nature of communication. It takes 2 to tango!

While whoever’s doing the acting can’t talk, their partner can. They’re paying close attention, focusing on their various non-verbal cues, making suggestions, and asking for clarity. In other words, they work together to express and decipher the message.

Continue until everyone has successfully guessed the answer, or set a time limit to stop it from going on for too long. Want to spice things up a bit? Split the team into groups and pit them against each other to add a competitive element.

Organizing a community lunch at workplaces to show gratitude is an effective way to express appreciation for your employees.

Leadership can take these steps to place a successful community lunch that shows their gratitude for their employees:

1. Give workers the afternoon off and choose a time during the workweek that offers a break from completing tasks and an opportunity to destress.
2. Ask employees to decide where to eat, considering surroundings, dietary restrictions, and accessibility. If teams are working remotely, view sending out gift cards for online ordering services where workers can buy lunch no matter where they are and set up lunch over Zoom.
3. While having a community lunch should be relaxed and stress-free, letting team members spend time together, consider providing thank you notes and expressing gratitude to employees for their hard work.
4. Make space for feedback after the community lunch. Ask employees if they enjoyed the event and whether or not they would like to do it again. Make communal time a priority and a time to show genuine appreciation, boost morale, and strengthen team relationships.

Hosting regular communal gatherings will create a positive workplace culture where employees or colleagues feel valued and motivated to be part of the team.

How to play Country ambassadors

This is a lively game which only requires some knowledge of geography. Assign each player a country. You can do this by using a random country generator, or just selecting at random. Once countries are assigned, each person should take a turn describing their country without mentioning it by name. The goal is for all the remaining players to be able to guess their country. If you want to make the game competitive, then keep a running list of all the players and how many countries they’ve guessed. The person who got the most correct wins.

How to play Figure it out

This activity is a combination of 20 questions and various TV game shows. It involves guessing a “secret” phrase that someone has drawn. To play, choose an initial contestant. That person draws an item based on slips of paper that you previously created. They begin by drawing a number of blanks to signal the number of words in the phrase they picked. From there, the other people present can ask yes or no questions. If someone guesses a word that appears in the secret phrase, the player writes the word in the blank. At any time, the other participants can guess the phrase. This game requires a bit of preparation. You’ll need to come up with as many “secret phrases” as there are people present, and also have large pieces of paper and a marker to keep track of the number of words for each round.

Can you creep up on the pirate and steal his treasure without being spotted? This game will push your employee’s sneaking skills to the limit.

Great for: Energising your team

Duration: 10 minutes

Players: 6+

You’ll need: A chair, a random object (small enough to easily pick up and carry)

How to play Pirate’s Treasure

Setup: To prepare for Pirate’s Treasure, position your players in a circle, facing inwards, and place a chair in the centre. Request a volunteer and ask them to sit on the chair. Blindfold the volunteer and place the object under the chair.

To play: To start the game, the players in the circle (the pirates) start walking around the chair. When they stop, they silently pick one person to attempt to steal the object from under the chair. If the pirate manages to steal the object undetected they win the game. However, if the volunteer hears the pirate approaching and points at them, the pirate is eliminated and play starts again.

Costume races are fast-paced, hilarious, and ideal for both small and large groups.

To give them a try, you’ll need:

• A briefcase for each team
• Enough old/used clothes for each member of the team to get fully dressed, such as hats, dresses, shirts, skirts, pants, and jackets.

You then fill each briefcase with clothes and mark a track with a start and finish line. Next, put the briefcases at the end and line up the teams (each should have the same number of people, if possible) at the start.

When the whistle blows, one person in each team races to the briefcase opposite them and gets fully dressed as quickly as possible, pulling the clothes over the top of whatever they’re already wearing. They then rush back to the start in their costume, at which point the second person in their team has a turn.

The first team where everyone is dressed in a costume and back at the start line wins! However, if you want to make this game even more memorable, design it so each briefcase follows a certain theme. You could have one team dressing up as pirates, for example, another as famous Disney characters, and so on.

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If you’re in a big team and want a fun and speedy energizer to lift the mood in record time, try Shock Wave.

How to play Shock wave

To play, clear a space and ask the whole team (except you, the moderator) to form a circle. Colleagues then have to join hands with the people next to them and shut their eyes. Next, quietly touch the shoulder of one person in the circle.

When they feel your touch, it’s their job to begin the “shockwave” – moving both their arms up and down in a wave-like motion, thus sending it to whoever’s on their left and right-hand side. Those people then continue the wave, taking the “shock” in one arm and replicating it in the other.

This continues around the entire circle until someone on the opposite side feels the movement in both arms simultaneously. At that point, they yell “KABOOM”, and everyone can re-open their eyes. Repeat as many times as you want to!  

How to play Tug of War Challenge

Instructions: Divide participants into two teams and provide a long rope. Each team holds onto one end of the rope and pulls in opposite directions. The team that successfully pulls the other team over a designated line wins.

Materials needed: Rope.

Tug of War encourages teamwork, communication, and friendly competition. It promotes unity, camaraderie, and creates a sense of strength and determination among team members.

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 Personality Shapes

If your personality was a shape, what would it be? This is a fun little game where you can get a visual of the different personality types you work with. At a table near the entrance to your event, have several colored shapes set out. You’ll also want a sheet available that explains the different shapes and their traits. For example, squares could be detail-oriented and stubborn, while circles are empathetic but struggle with saying no. You can be creative in making the various shapes and matching them with different characteristics.

The important thing is that everyone gets a chance to choose a shape based on the descriptions provided. Then, before starting the meeting, ask everyone to raise their shape in the air and let everyone look around. In this way, you can get an accurate portrayal of who sees themselves a certain way. For added benefit, allow time for discussion.

We're gonna dig into past workplace conflicts, learn from them, and maybe even give our past selves a pat on the back. Let's get started!

Materials needed

Not a lot is needed here, just paper and pens!

Instructions:

1. The first goal here is to think back to a workplace conflict you've faced before.
2. It could be a disagreement with a colleague, a tricky project situation, or maybe a frustrating client interaction.
3. Grab a pen and paper or your trusty device—it's time to write a letter to yourself. Pretend you're talking to your past self during the heat of that conflict.
4. Start by describing the conflict. Who was involved? What were you all arguing about? Where and when did it go down?
5. Don't hold back on the emotions. Share how the conflict made you feel, and how you reacted. Were you cool as a cucumber or seeing red?
6. If the conflict got resolved, let yourself know how. If not, explain why it stayed hanging in the air.
7. Here's the meaty part—identify what you could've done differently to handle the conflict better. What strategies or communication skills could've saved the day?
8. Reflect on the lessons you've learned from this experience. How can you use these lessons to face future conflicts like a pro?

Once you're done pouring your heart into your letters, let's gather 'round and chat.

Let's talk about common themes, cool strategies, and any lightbulb moments you had during your reflections.

To wrap things up, think about what you've learned and what you're going to do about it.

How to play Trivia

Questions games don’t get much better than good old-fashioned trivia! A classic way to test people’s knowledge on a range of topics, you can ask questions on everything from science and current events to religion, sports, and history.

Of course, there’s nothing stopping you from playing a “personal trivia” game too. Take this tack, and you’d ask questions to test the team’s knowledge about each other instead! For example, who did what at the last Christmas party? Which team member was born overseas? And who has a middle name that starts with “K”?

You get the idea!

Whatever type of trivia game you choose, the idea is to play in teams and compete against each other to see who can answer the most questions correctly. Award prizes to the winner to incentivize participation.

Here’s another easy, energizing, ice-breaking, and amusing activity that brings teams together and helps co-workers learn more about each other.

How to play My first job was…

To play My First Job, start by handing out a pen and a post-it note or scrap of paper to each participant. Next – and without showing anyone else – they have to write down whatever their first job was, before folding up the paper, and placing it in a hat/box in the center of the room.

From there, teammates take turns selecting a post-it from the pile, reading the role to the group and then guessing who wrote it. If they get it wrong, the rest of the team can jump in, working together to decide who had the job. Expect friendly banter, laughter, and all sorts of revelations to ensue!

Top tip: My First Job can be played in remote teams too. You’d simply ask people to send their jobs to you – the moderator – privately beforehand, then plug them into an online tool such as Wheel Decide. Employees can then spin the wheel and guess the owner of whatever job they land on.

How to play Group Map

Are you hosting an event where people come from various locations? Try laying out an imaginary map in a room representing all the areas people may have come from. Have them stand in their “place of origin” and share a bit about where they came from. You could also print a large map and have everyone place a pin on their area. The important thing is to share some information about where they’ve come from.

This game is a high-speed activity that focuses on prioritization and quick decision-making. The emphasis is less on winning and more on confident decision-making.

Set up:

Start a 2-minute timer and present your teams with a realistic work scenario or small project. Something along the lines of “Plan the first steps for a product launch” or “Outline a strategy for user feedback.” Each team needs to collaboratively brainstorm to create three immediate actions to address the needs of the scenario. Once the timer’s up, let them discuss their choices and how they prioritized their actions. You’ll be helping them develop collaboration and decisiveness.

This game is another version of story-telling, but with a few twists that make it a little more involved. This game is really more of an improv exercise.

How to play Late for work

1. Begin by choosing a “stage” where the game will play out - it should be a spot that everyone present has a clear view of.
2. The first person will kick things off by entering the space and pretending to be late for work. They should come up with a funny or outlandish reason why they are late, and elaborate.
3. A second person will play the “boss” and ask why they are late. Here again, the more personality they show, the better. Once those two complete their “scene”, they sit down to observe the others, and the process begins again.
4. Two more volunteers will come up and improv the late to work scene, using a new work venue and new excuses. The game is complete once everyone has had a chance to pair off and do the exercise.

How to play Ghost

Ghost is a quirky little letter-building game, where the whole objective is to not be the person who finishes a word. 2 to 4 players work best. Let’s say you have a team of 3. Each person takes a turn saying a letter to begin spelling out a longer word, (e.g. F-L-O-U-). If the next person adds a letter that creates a full word, like R to create FLOUR, that person loses.

If you lose a round, you are given one letter of the word GHOST (just like the basketball game HORSE). The first person to get all 5 letters G-H-O-S-T loses the game!

How to play Group Postcard

For a more creative game, have your team collaboratively use postcards to make a bigger picture. Hand out several blank postcards and have the team work together to determine how they’ll create their picture.

Some people like to have a cohesive image in mind and then discuss how they’ll each do a small part. Other people like to bring up and color the postcards one at a time, adding a small piece to the growing image, and seeing what it becomes. Either way, this is a great way to facilitate teamwork, cooperation, and creativity all at once.

Answering a single question about yourself is great. But what if you could spend 5 entire minutes telling the team about something that makes you unique? Or a topic you’re passionate about?

Wouldn’t that be a more effective way to help people get to know you?

Of course it would! That’s why some managers and CEOs ask their remote employees to prepare brief presentations to share with everyone. An empowering trust-building activity, it gives team members a voice – a podium from which to tell their colleagues about who they are and what they enjoy doing outside work.

This brings people together for two main reasons. Firstly, the more you know about someone, the more you care about them! And secondly, the more you open up to others, the more comfortable you feel around them.

The end result is a stronger and more trusting relationship.

How to play 5-Minute presentations

As for practicalities, you can approach these 5-minute presentations in a few different ways. For example, why not set aside an entire afternoon to let every team member give their presentation at once? Alternatively, you could start the mornings with one – asking different people to present on each day of the week.

What you need:

• Nothing by way of tools, but you’ll want to give people enough time to prepare their presentations – especially if they’re nervous about public speaking.

How to play GIF challenge

This exercise is particularly fun for people who use communication tools like Slack. Provide the group with prompts, and ask them to find a GIF that demonstrates their reaction to it. Examples of prompts could be “How you feel when someone schedules a meeting at 4pm on Friday” or “When you figured out you stayed up too late binging Netflix before your big presentation.” The more creative, the better!