13 Fun Internship Team Building Activities & Games

Here is our list of the best internship team building activities and games.

Internship team building activities and games are interactive exercises and tasks that improve interns’ communication, collaboration, and teamwork skills. These skills can contribute to a more productive and positive work environment. Examples include Scavenger Hunts, Potluck Lunches, and Hack Days. The purpose of these activities and games is to foster a positive and productive work environment by making interns feel like an integral part of the work culture.

You can host internship activities during internship orientations or returnship programs. These games are similar to virtual internship ideas, workplace team building exercises, and team bonding activities.

This list includes:

• intern engagement ideas
• team building games for interns
• fun activities for interns
• internship event ideas
• intern social ideas

Let’s get started!

List of internship team building activities and games

Engaging interns in activities and games is a great idea to make them comfortable in the new environment. Here is our list of some of the best intern engagement ideas.

1. Maze Challenge

This game involves teams competing against each other in a series of challenges and puzzles.

Here are the steps to play the Maze Challenge with interns:

1. Create teams of at least three members.
2. Choose a place in the office or outside for making zones. Zones will have different sections in which players will move during the games.
3. Each zone should have a distinct theme or activity, such as a physical challenge, a mental challenge, or a mystery task.
4. Each team will rotate through the zones, completing as many challenges as possible within the allotted time.
5. Keep track of the points earned by each team, tally up the points at the end of the game, and declare the winning team.

In the end, you can reward the winning team with a prize and praise all teams for their effort and hard work. Having internship team building activities and games like the Maze Challenge is a fun way to build team spirit and promote healthy competition.

2. Hack Day

A Hack Day is a 24-hour time in which interns are free to work on a project in their own way. This event is one of the most fun activities for interns that stretches their minds and encourages collaboration. For example, interns can brainstorm new ideas for products, features, or projects they can develop during Hack Day. Most Hack Day activities focus on the company’s products, and interns work on new ideas to expand the product line or existing technology.

Here is how to host the event:

1. Make teams of four to five members, each containing interns from different departments.
2. Each team brainstorms and decides on a project they want to work on, with each task requiring using a new technology or tool that they have yet to encounter during their internship.
3. Teams have a few hours to research the technology or tool, gather resources, and devise a plan to implement it.
4. The teams will have six to eight hours to hack into their project. Mentors should also be available for consultation and support.
5. Each team will present its project.

These fun activities boost innovation, morale, initiative, and teamwork.

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3. Tower Building Challenge

The Tower Building Challenge is a fun and educational activity for interns that promotes creativity, critical thinking, and teamwork skills. The activity involves building a tower using two materials.

Here is how to host this challenge:

1. Divide the interns into teams.
2. Provide each team with materials. For example, you can use paper, tape, straws, Play-Doh, paper cups, toothpicks, wooden cubes, and craft sticks.
3. Teams can only use two resources to build their tower.
4. Set a timer.
5. The interns should then work together to build the tallest and most stable tower within the time limit.
6. Teams need to ensure that their tower can support itself on its own.

This activity encourages problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and creativity while promoting teamwork and communication among the interns.

The Tower Building Challenge is also an excellent way to engage interns in a hands-on, interactive activity that allows them to apply their skills and knowledge

4. Bingo

Bingo is a fun activity for interns in various settings, including offices, classrooms, and social events.

In this game, players complete tasks or answer questions to mark squares off their Bingo cards. You can customize this game to fit the needs and preferences of different groups. Players can compete individually or as part of a team, and you can adjust the rules to accommodate different skill levels and interests.

Here is a list of prompts for your Bingo cards:

Each staff member will choose one checkbox to identify with and mark it off. Then, players can go around and ask colleagues which square they relate to most. Since the descriptions are open-ended, each intern should share the story that goes along with the title.

When an intern gets a “Bingo” on a row, column, or diagonal, they win the game.

Bingo can be a great option for intern team building activities that are engaging, fun, and interactive.

5. Save the Ball

All squad members must get in on the action when playing Save the Ball. Each group will attempt to balance a tennis ball on a tarp with holes cut into it.

Here is how to play the game:

1. Take a sheet or tarp, and cut a hole into the middle.
2. Make groups of four or eight members.
3. Have each group spread the sheet and roll the tennis ball onto it. Teams must keep the ball from dropping into the opening.
4. The group that keeps the tarp up for the longest wins.
5. If the game seems too simple, then you can make it more challenging by cutting more holes in the tarp.

Such games can encourage employees to communicate and ensure team building.

6. The Big Picture

The Big Picture is a great activity to determine your interns’ critical thinking skills. The aim is to divide the group into smaller teams, give them a problem or task, and have them collaborate to find solutions.

Here is how to play the game:

1. Split players into teams.
2. Give the teams a specific problem to solve. For example, if your company is launching a new product, then the task is to identify potential issues that may arise during the launch.
3. Teams will work together to solve a more significant problem by first identifying its smaller issues.
4. Each team should brainstorm and write down as many problems as possible.
5. Then, teams should discuss and prioritize the issues they must address first.
6. Each team will then present its ideas.

These internship event ideas encourage team members to tap into their creative communication and problem-solving skills. Moreover, companies can also get ideas and better insights into their existing and new products.

7. Sing Along

Sing Alongs can create a more welcoming and inclusive work environment. Be sure to choose a variety of songs and encourage participation from all team members, regardless of their musical ability.

Here is how to host the activity:

1. Pick a list of popular and upbeat songs. You can also take requests from the interns.
2. Print out or display the lyrics of the selected pieces for the interns to follow along.
3. Arrange seating, and provide snacks and drinks.
4. Play the music while sharing the lyrics with players.
5. Encourage the interns to participate and sing loudly.

These intern social ideas can be a great way to promote diversity and inclusivity. Such activities also boost confidence and enhance friendly relationships among coworkers.

8. Quiz Nights

This game is a classic pub-style quiz involving teams answering trivia questions.

Here are some steps to host quiz nights with interns:

1. Select topics relevant to the interns’ work and general knowledge questions. You can ask them about the company’s culture, history, or achievements.
2. Divide interns into teams of three to five.
3. Appoint the quiz master to ask the questions and keep score.
4. Have a time limit for each question, and decide on the scoring system.
5. Start by asking each team one question at a time.
6. If one team fails to answer, then the other team gets the chance to respond. If the second team answers correctly, then they earn bonus points.

The team with the highest score at the end of the game wins. You can offer a prize, like a certificate or a small personal item, to the winning team. Quiz Nights are a great way to foster teamwork and create a fun and positive work culture among interns. Such games also increase interns’ knowledge and boost their confidence.

9. Panel Discussion

Hosting a panel discussion is a great way to make new interns feel included in the new environment. The session will focus on providing in-depth knowledge about the workplace and addressing new interns’ queries.

Here is how to organize this session:

1. Invite senior employees to mentor new recruits and share their viewpoints in the discussion.
2. Choose a suitable venue, and ask interns to participate.
3. The senior employees will share insights into the work process, project management, and company culture. The mentors can also feel free to share their journey to motivate interns.
4. In the end, interns will ask questions, and mentors will address their queries regarding the company.

A panel discussion will help increase productivity, boost confidence, and promote camaraderie among coworkers.

10. Potluck Lunch

Potluck lunch is a perfect opportunity to bring folks together, share some delicious food, and get to know each other.

Here is how to host a potluck lunch:

1. Set a theme for the potluck, depending on the time of year or occasion. The theme could range from Italian cuisine to Christmas dishes.
2. Assign dishes to members to ensure a variety of food.
3. Provide utensils, plates, napkins, and cups. You can also offer some basic drinks like water or juice.
4. Set up enough chairs and tables for all attendees.
5. You can also create a music playlist to add to the ambiance.
6. Finally, sit down with colleagues, and enjoy the meal!

Organizing a potluck lunch is a great opportunity to have fun with coworkers over a meal.

11. Relay Races

A relay race is a great activity if you want to provide your interns with a physical game.

Relay races promote team building, networking, and healthy competition, providing interns with a unique and fun experience.

Here is how to play the game:

1. Split your interns into teams.
2. Set up a course with obstacles.
3. Have teams spread out along the course.
4. Give starting runners a baton.
5. Runners will sprint through the course while avoiding obstacles.
6. Have the players run to their teammates to pass the baton to each other until they finish.
7. In the end, acknowledge the winners and celebrate the effort of the teams. You can give out prizes, certificates, or words of appreciation.

These races can be a great way to build team spirit, promote healthy competition, and bond with your interns.

12. Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt is a fun and interactive way for interns to explore the company and get to know each other. This activity encourages teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills among the interns.

Here is how to play the game:

1. List clues and tasks that lead players to find items or do challenges around the office. These clues should be appropriate for the company and the interns’ skill level.
2. Divide interns into teams.
3. Give players hints and tasks when the time starts.
4. You can also provide each group with a copy of the list and a company map.
5. The clues should lead the teams to different locations within the company where they will find additional clues.
6. The first team to complete all the tasks and return to the starting point wins.

You can also ask a professional platform to host the event at your office. These companies have experts who design challenges and guide members throughout the game.

13. Two Truths and a Lie

This classic icebreaker game is a great way for interns to get to know each other. Each intern takes turns sharing three facts about themselves, two of which are true and one a lie.

Here is how to play the game:

1. Gather all interns in a circle.
2. The first intern shares their three statements, and the rest of the group guesses which one is the lie.
3. Once the group has made their guesses, the intern reveals the lie.
4. The game then continues with the next player in the circle.

This game helps build trust and encourages communication among the interns. Additionally, such team building games for interns are a great way to break the ice and create a fun and relaxed atmosphere.

Conclusion

Internship team building games foster a sense of teamwork and collaboration and allow interns to have fun and bond with their colleagues.

However, choosing games and activities that are appropriate for the group and have clear objectives is essential. Providing step-by-step guides for games and activities can ensure that each player is on the same page and can enjoy the experience. By incorporating these games and activities into intern programs, companies can build stronger teams and promote a positive work culture.

Next up, check out these lists of 5 minute team building activities, quick team building activities, and global team building activities.