Library of teambuilding games & icebreakers

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!

Imagine you've just won the lottery. You're now sitting on a financial treasure chest that could fuel any dream you've ever had. What would you do? In this activity, team members get to explore their deepest desires and articulate the goals they would pursue with the newfound freedom that a winning lottery ticket provides. This one is about tapping into personal passions, aligning goals with intrinsic motivations, and thinking big.

Get ready to let your imagination run wild and uncover the aspirations that truly light your fire.

Top tips for facilitators

• Encourage Passions: Help participants focus on what they love and why it matters, ensuring their goals match personal values for lasting happiness.
• Facilitate Discussion: After sharing aspirations, guide a discussion to discover common interests, potential collaborations, or ways to support each other.
• Keep it Real: Dream big but add realistic steps for doable progress.

How to play Coffee run

For this game it’s ideal to play on a surface that’s easy to clean or outside. Each team splits in two groups and races against each other relay style, tagging in the next team member to run to the finish line. Sounds easy enough, but where the challenge comes in is each team has a full cup of coffee that they need to run with.

The coffee run is a perfect combination of physical exercise and coordination skills, just make sure you don’t play where you’re not ready to spill some coffee.

How to play Build A Shelter

How would you survive if you were stranded in an isolated place with a blizzard coming? Use this activity to find out! As an added complication, you can pretend that everyone is blinded by frostbite (by using blindfolds). The team leader must give the group instructions for building a shelter that can withstand the arctic winds. To play, you need a large space and some supplies. Then, select a leader (who can see) and blindfold everyone else.

You’ll also need a large fan. The leader guides everyone in putting together their shelter (remember, while blindfolded). When everyone feels confident that their shelter is up to the test, turn on the fan and see if the structure can withstand the wind! This game is sure to lead to a lot of laughs and you’ll be surprised at some of the clever ideas that people come up with. This is also a powerful exercise for effective leadership - it’s not easy to reach a goal with a group that is blindfolded!

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.

This game is all about learning how to be effective mediators in workplace conflicts. You'll step into the shoes of both conflicting parties and a mediator, guiding them to a resolution. By practicing these skills in a safe and controlled environment, your team can become more proficient at helping others resolve conflicts constructively. Get ready to guide parties toward peaceful resolutions!

Materials needed:

• A list of workplace conflict scenarios (create these in advance)
• Chairs or a comfortable seating arrangement
• A designated mediator for each scenario (can be a participant or a facilitator)
• An open and respectful atmosphere

Instructions:

1. Find a quiet and comfortable space where everyone can sit and discuss without interruptions.
   
2. Before the game, prepare a list of workplace conflict scenarios. These should be varied and relevant to your workplace. Include details about the parties involved, the issues at hand, and the context.
3. For each scenario, assign roles to participants. You'll need two parties in conflict (Party A and Party B) and one mediator (the Mediator).
4. Briefly explain how the game works. The two conflicting parties will act out their roles while the mediator will facilitate the discussion. The goal is to reach a resolution through communication and compromise.
5. Choose one of the conflict scenarios and have the participants take on their assigned roles. Encourage them to fully immerse themselves in their characters.
6. The mediator guides the conversation by asking open-ended questions and encouraging active listening. They should help the parties express their concerns, clarify misunderstandings, and explore potential solutions.
7. The mediator's role is to facilitate a productive dialogue and help the parties come to a resolution. This may require suggesting compromises or alternative solutions.
8. After the simulation, have a discussion with the participants.

One of the benefits of working in a team is that you always have someone to offer their support when you need it. Whether you feel down and need an emotional lift or have too much to do and need some practical input, a sympathetic colleague can step in to ease the burden. This is teamwork and collaboration at its finest.

Unfortunately, Fortunately draws on that supportive reality by asking teammates to reframe each other’s problems into something positive.

Here’s how it works:

Ask one person on the video call to say something they’re struggling with. It shouldn’t be too heavy or serious – nothing that’s going to be uncomfortable to disclose. Next, go around the virtual circle, taking turns to reframe their “problem” in a positive light.

For example, Brian might start by saying, “Unfortunately, I’m finding it hard to wake up on time at the moment.” Upon hearing this, Sheryl might say, “Fortunately, you have such a comfortable bed to sleep in!” And Anthony might follow up with, “And fortunately, you need a good night’s rest to perform at your best!”

It continues from there until everyone has disclosed an issue and received a bunch of positive reframes from their colleagues. By the end of the task, everyone will have practiced their listening skills and offered/received support to/from their teammates.

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.

Building forts inside the office might sound juvenile. And it is! But that’s the point. Fort building is fun, silly, and creative – a perfect antidote to the usual stress and responsibility associated with work.

For this game, get everyone to bring things like bed sheets, cardboard boxes, and string to the office. Then divide the group into teams and give them a 30-minute time limit to construct the best possible fort! Each group then presents what they’ve built for you – the judge – to decide who won.

The Penny Game helps teams find the sweet spot between rhythm and balance. This simple game demonstrates how important workflow and efficiency are to agile working. You’ll need a decent-sized coin collection beforehand.

Set up:

Form teams of 5-6, providing each with a batch of 20 pennies. In each round, team members pass a batch, flipping each penny before passing. Reduce batch sizes each round to demonstrate smoother workflow with smaller batches. After each round, pause for feedback on speed and accuracy.

Here’s another awesome energizer for small groups that enables co-workers to have fun and get to know each other at the same time.

How to play the chair game

To play, you’ll need to find a sturdy chair for each employee and put them all in a single line. Next, ask everyone to stand on one, facing the same direction. From there, the group must reposition themselves in order of age (or height, or some other metric of your choice) – swapping places without touching the ground.

It goes without saying, but make sure a) your office chairs are sturdy enough to hold people safely and b) everyone is physically capable of doing the task! If there’s any risk of harm, or if somebody may feel left out if they’re unable to play, consider skipping this energizer for something else on this list.

How to play Miniature problem solving

Teams use small objects like paperclips, rubber bands, or sticky notes to devise a solution to an everyday office problem, such as tangled wires or tricky door handles. It’s a playful way to encourage innovation while improving problem-solving skills. Plus, you might even come up with a practical fix for those annoying little issues!

Ever thought puns could be more than just a groan-inducing joke? Enter the Pun Battle, where quick wit and humor go head-to-head in a hilarious showdown. It's the ultimate test of pun prowess!

How to play

1. Assemble your colleagues who are up for a punny challenge. Make sure you have a clear space for the contest.
2. Participants pair off for 1v1 battles. Decide who goes first, perhaps with a coin toss.
3. The first punster delivers their pun, aiming to make their opponent laugh. The opponent must maintain a poker face.
4. The puns can be on any topic or theme (within reason), and the goal is to be as clever and funny as possible. There's no room for mercy in this pun war!
5. If the opponent laughs, even just a giggle, the punster who made them crack up wins the round.
6. The victor stays in the ring for the next challenger. Keep the laughter going until you have a reigning pun champion.
7. After the contest, discuss the power of puns in breaking the ice and improving active listening.

How to play Inspirational quotes

For a faster paced activity, prepare a set of inspirational quotes before the session. Grab as many quotes as there are participants and write them individually on pieces of paper. Put the pile of papers in the center of the room and let everyone pick one quote. They should share with the group what the quote means to them and how it is meaningful. This process should continue until everyone has had a chance to read and discuss a quote.

Office DJ challenge brings some rhythm to the office! Teams collaborate to create themed playlists—whether it's “Monday Motivation” or “Friday Chill”—then share them to boost morale and get everyone in a good groove.

It’s a fun, creative way to connect over music, brighten the office mood, and maybe discover some new favorite tunes along the way.

How to play:

• Teams work together to create a themed playlist (e.g., “best road trip songs”).
• Share the playlists with the office.
• Enjoy the music and vote on the best playlist for the day!

Looking for more team building activities for small groups? Explore our full guide for more ideas to energize your team.

Ever wish you had a roadmap to success that's so clear it practically unfolds itself? Well, here's a twist on traditional goal-setting – the Backward Goal Setting activity. Instead of starting at square one and plotting your course forward, imagine you've already reached the pinnacle of success. What does it look like? Now, work backward to identify the steps and milestones that got you there.

This technique transforms lofty long-term goals into manageable, bite-sized chunks. It's like reverse-engineering success – a strategic approach that breaks down the journey into actionable tasks, helping you pave the way to your objectives with confidence.

Top Tips For Facilitators:

• Encourage participants to break big goals into small, manageable steps. Sometimes the big goals can get overwhelming!
• Plans can change, and that's okay. Let know that they need to be adaptable to unexpected shifts.
• Share stories of success with backward goal setting for inspiration. Perhaps an employee from a different department or an inspirational figure online!

A challenge that appears simple on the surface, which involves food and is great for teambuilding? Sign us up for that!

The spaghetti and marshmallow challenge uses common items for an experiment in creativity and communication.

Whether used for a team offsite, workshop warm-up, or an onboarding icebreaker, this game reveals how your group thinks, collaborates, and adapts under pressure, one spaghetti strand at a time.

What you’ll need:

The setup for this teambuilding activity is simple. You won’t need a full-on kitchen, but you will need some level tables. Each team should have:

• 20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti
• 1 yard (or meter) of masking tape
• 1 yard (or meter) of string
• 1 marshmallow (full-sized, not mini!)
• Scissors
• Measuring tape or ruler
• An adjustable timer on display

‍

Divide participants into teams of 4–5 people and give each group the same set of supplies. Clear a flat workspace for each team, as the towers must end up freestanding (no walls, chairs, or extra support) and hold the marshmallow at its peak for at least five seconds.

Before starting, check that every team understands that the materials are limited. Once the spaghetti breaks or the tape runs out, that’s it (sorry, no refunds or exchanges!).

How to play (step-by-step instructions)

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how to start this teambuilding challenge:

Step 1: Brief your teams

Invite your teams into the construction site (aka the office or cafeteria) and explain the challenge clearly. Their task is to build the tallest freestanding tower possible that can hold a marshmallow on top. They’ll also be working against the clock, and the amount of time is up to you. We find that 18 minutes works best, as 15 feels too short, and 20 is a bit too long. In those 18 minutes, teams need to plan, build and test their structure. The marshmallow must be placed at the top of the tower and remain intact at the end of the countdown.

Step 2: Give out your materials

Hand out the same materials to every team (no favoritism and no extras) once they start. Encourage groups to check their supplies carefully and to delegate their roles in the group. They might get the best results if one person cuts, tapes, or tests. The key to this is collaboration right from the start, so make sure each person has a role before the building begins.

Step 3: Start the clock

Give them the countdown, then let’s get to building! The moment the countdown begins, you’ll see some teams get stuck straight into building, while others will plan more carefully. Both are fascinating to watch. Remind everyone that the marshmallow is a bit heavier than it looks, so they might want to test their structure as they go, instead of going into panic mode at the final minute.

Step 4: Check stability

When time runs out, tell each team to keep their hands off, and have them all step back. Each tower must stand on its own for at least five seconds while supporting the marshmallow. Any tower that collapses or leans on outside support is disqualified (no exceptions!).

Step 5: Measure and celebrate your noodle champions

Use your measuring tape to see whose tower stands tallest. Take a moment to consider your chosen winner, and once you’ve decided, start saying what you like about the non-winning towers. Every team should get a little shoutout for their designs, even if they are super wonky! This is a light-hearted teambuilding challenge, so keep it light with cheers for losers and team photos. Those crooked towers are often the most memorable.

Facilitator tip:

Encourage participants to iterate quickly and test early. The most successful teams usually build, break, and rebuild rather than overanalyzing. As the facilitator, resist giving design advice, as the discovery process is where the real teamwork happens.

Debrief: What did teams learn?

The challenge is playful on the surface, but there’s a whole lot of teambuilding happening in a short amount of time. Watching towers rise and collapse in real time sets the gears in motion for communication and being able to adapt when faced with uncertainty.

• Prototype beats perfection: The most successful teams are the ones that try new ideas and test them early, not those who spend 15 minutes planning and 3 minutes building. Early prototypes bring flaws to the surface and teach teams that feedback and iteration matter more than rigid plans.

• Communication makes or breaks the build: With the clock ticking, good communication becomes a team’s strongest tool. Actively listening to each other and sharing decision-making can turn chaos into collaboration. Those who communicate most often have the greatest output.

• Leadership and flexibility: Strong leaders will emerge naturally, but the best leaders are able to delegate, encourage and adapt, without trying to control everything. Every failed tower is a reminder that shared ownership leads to better outcomes than one-person command.

• Embracing and iterating on failure: Try as we might to stop it, every first attempt is likely to tumble. That’s the whole point. Your teams will learn quickly that recovery and rebuilding are as valuable in games as they are in your office projects. 

FAQs

How long does the challenge take?

The session usually lasts around 25 to 30 minutes, including the setup, build and short debrief at the end. It’s perfect as a warm-up activity or energizer during a workshop or offsite.

Can the challenge be done virtually?

With the right preparation, yes, the challenge can be done remotely. Each member can build their own mini tower at home while joining a shared video call. Materials can be mailed in advance or substituted with what people have on hand.

‍What’s the ideal team size?

Generally, groups of four to five work best. Smaller teams communicate faster, while larger ones can quickly become tangled in too many ideas.

A classic getting-to-know-you game, Twenty Questions is fun and easy to play, taking up minimal space and great for after-work activities or as a bar game on a company retreat.

How to play:

‍Split into a team of two or small groups and assign one person who will think of an object, animal, etc. The other team members can ask twenty questions to determine the person's feelings.

Another way to keep score is to time how long it takes for those asking the questions to figure it out. If you ask 20 questions and still don’t know the answer, you lose, and the other person wins. Those who find the solution in less time are the winners and get a higher score.

Materials you’ll need: A list of topics and a timer

How many people: Small to mid-sized teams (8-16 people)

How to play duct tape three-legged race

The three-legged race is the ultimate teamwork game. Players are taped together by their ankles, using their outer legs and a single middle leg to move as seamlessly as possible to the finish line.

If you have an outdoor area, this is a great place to host this game, as it is best played with enough space to make the race challenging. If you’re playing inside, find the widest open area between the starting and finish points. If you have teams that are larger than two people, you can split up into groups within the same team.

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 DIY Disc Golf

Disc golf is a sport where you sling flying discs (AKA Frisbees) at special targets made of metal chains and buckets. Like golf, the idea is to get your disc in the target in the fewest possible throws.

When it comes to Field Day games for adults, disc golf is awesome. But unless you have an actual disc golf course on-site, you’ll want to do things the “DIY way.” Create your own course by making targets out of big buckets of water (washing baskets also work) and placing them at different points around a playing field. You can then proceed around it, taking turns throwing Frisbees at the targets.

The goal? Get your Frisbee in the bucket with as few throws as possible! Each throw represents a “stroke.” Keep track of how many strokes it takes to hit each target, and then add them up at the end. The lowest score wins.

Imagine sitting in a circle with your colleagues, weaving a story together one sentence at a time. This is the essence of the Storytelling Relay, a playful yet powerful activity that fosters active listening in the workplace.

How to play

1. Form a circle with your team members. Ensure everyone has a clear line of sight to the person speaking.
2. The game starts with one person. They utter the opening sentence of a story, anything that comes to mind.
3. The next person continues the story with a single sentence, following the lead of the previous speaker. It should make sense and smoothly connect to the previous sentence.
4. Go around the circle, with each participant adding a sentence. The goal is to build a cohesive narrative.
5. This is where active listening comes into play. Participants must pay close attention to the unfolding story to ensure their contributions fit seamlessly.
6. It's essential not to interrupt or correct others. The story may take unexpected turns, but that's part of the fun!
7. Continue until you reach a predetermined ending point or when the story feels naturally complete.

Kick off a healthier routine with run & recharge! Form an office running club and go for group runs after work to promote both physical and mental well-being. It’s a low-pressure way to get everyone moving, destress after a long day, and bond as a team.

This activity is perfect for boosting morale, increasing fitness, and recharging your mind—while enjoying the fresh air.

How to play:

• Set a regular time for post-work group runs.
• Run as a team, encouraging each other along the way.
• Track progress together and celebrate small fitness wins!

Looking for more fun team-building activities for small groups? Browse our full guide for more ways to energize your team.

Here we can bring a little bit of strategic thinking into our corporate teambuilding activities. Flip It Over! It's a hoot of a game where teams stand on a blanket and aim to flip it over without anyone touching the ground.

Set up:

1. Grab a sturdy blanket or tarp big enough for your teams. Think big, up to 10 people.
2. Team everyone up, making groups from 5 to 10 work best.
3. Lay the groundwork, spreading the blanket flat on the ground. Each team hops on, making sure no one’s cheating by sneaking a foot off!
4. Explain the game. Flip the blanket without a single soul touching the ground. Teamwork is the name of the game.
5. Let the flipping begin. Teams will be rapid-fire brainstorming moves to turn the blanket. Flip, flip, hooray!