You found our list of the best team building activities for work.
Team building activities for work are exercises that improve team performance and cooperation. For example, a fitness class relay, a bird-watching challenge, or a gourmet sandwich showdown. The purpose of these activities is to boost collaboration and trust among team members. These practices are also known as “creative team building activities” and “effective team building games.”
These team building activities for work are similar to corporate team building activities, team building exercises, team building events, and virtual team building activities.
This list includes:
- team building activities for work
- creative team building activities
- effective team building games
- fun team building activities
So, here is the list!
List of team building activities for work
From dessert potlucks to astronomy nights, this guide features several exciting activities for your next team building event.
1. The Great Guac Off (Popular)
If you are looking for a unique and tasty experience, then check out The Great Guac Off! Your team will go head-to-head during this avocado-themed event.
Here is what you can expect:
- 90 minutes with experienced hosts
- avocado-based mini-games, trivia, and challenges
- delicious guacamole ingredients and dippers
- an optional secret ingredient to put players to the test
- a fast-paced guacamole-making contest and judging round
This experience is a great way to help teams create connections and communicate. Best of all, we can host this experience at any venue of your choice!
Learn more about The Great Guac Off.
2. Field Day (Highly Rated)
Field Day is a thrilling activity where colleagues compete in interactive outdoor games. This experience encourages collaboration, healthy competition, and a strong sense of camaraderie.
Here is what you can expect from Field Day:
- 90 minutes with a world-class host
- all the necessary equipment
- a wide selection of exciting outdoor activities
- nostalgic games and engaging competitions
From classic games to innovative challenges, Field Day offers an unforgettable adventure. Each game promotes teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and strategic thinking. Further, we can host this experience at any venue you would like.
Learn more about Field Day.
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3. Espionage! (Team Favorite)
Your team can go on a thrilling adventure together with Espionage! During this social deduction game, you will solve mysteries, uncover hidden spies, and complete daring missions. This experience challenges your team’s instincts and smarts!
Here is what to expect:
- a 90-minute session with a skilled host guiding you through each activity
- fun puzzles, challenges, and strategic moves
- teams of spies and agents working undercover
- group discussions to figure out secret identities and reveal the truth
We will bring all the game materials to any location of your choice. This exciting experience boosts communication and critical-thinking skills.
Find out more about Espionage!
4. Dessert Potluck
Organizing a successful Dessert Potluck at work is a fun team building exercise! Employees can share their baking talents by bringing in their favorite desserts to enjoy with colleagues. Hosts can set the date, time, and location through office channels. Sign-up sheets or online tools can encourage folks to participate and ensure they bring unique dessert options.
During the potluck, invite participants to talk about their desserts and share recipes. This potluck promotes creativity and teamwork while letting folks bond over sweet treats. Sharing and savoring different desserts make the workplace feel positive and welcoming.
5. Fitness Class Relay
A Fitness Class Relay is one of the most fun team building activities. This exercise blends physical exercise with teamwork and friendly competition. To plan a relay, split players into teams and assign exercises for each part of the relay. Teams compete in fitness challenges like running, push-ups, squats, and obstacle courses. Members take turns doing these tasks while others cheer them on.
This activity promotes team bonding by working toward a common goal. This relay also encourages physical activity, fostering a healthier lifestyle for employees. Participating in a Fitness Class Relay helps build trust, communication skills, and camaraderie.
Here is a list of team fitness experiences.
6. Gourmet Sandwich Showdown
A Gourmet Sandwich Showdown is a tasty way to bond with your team! When planning this event, gather a variety of bread types, fillings, and condiments. Participants will have ten to fifteen minutes to plan and prepare a fancy sandwich. Teams or judges will taste the sandwiches and give them scores. You can even host a blind taste test to keep the judging process more fair. Whoever has the highest score wins!
To make this exercise more challenging, you can add a theme. For example, global flavors, vegan ingredients, or breakfast sandwiches. Employees will love this opportunity to use their creativity and try new flavors.
Check out more food tasting events.
7. Team Mosaic
Making art as a team is a great way to build connections. To host a Team Mosaic session, gather participants in a spacious and well-lit area. Next, set up tables and chairs. Folks can brainstorm their ideas together, considering themes that represent their team. Colleagues can even collaborate to make coordinating art!
Each participant can use a large blank canvas or a wooden board as the base for their mosaic creation. Workers can glue colorful tiles, glass pieces, or beads to their bases. After the glue dries, teams can grout the pieces and let them dry. Finally, you can hang each piece around the office! This exercise is a fun and creative way to spend time together. You can even add it to your next happy hour for a mosaic-and-sip session.
8. DIY Terrarium Building
Building a DIY terrarium can be one of the top team building activities for work. You can either have an expert lead a session at the office or follow a video tutorial. For this activity, gather materials like glass containers, rocks, charcoal, moss, soil, and plants. Folks can choose which items they like and arrange them in the containers.
Colleagues can also work together to build joint terrariums. Employees will get to tap into their creativity during this exercise. Plus, taking care of the plants can foster a sense of responsibility on the team.
9. Astronomy Night
An Astronomy Night is a simple activity that can help bring teams together. When planning this event, choose a date with clear skies and minimal light pollution. A new moon phase is ideal for the best stargazing conditions. Next, find an open outdoor area or rooftop where you can set up telescopes. Folks can bring blankets, chairs, and hot drinks to make the experience more cozy. Then, teams can look at the stars!
If possible, you can invite a local astronomer or stargazing fan to lead the event. This expert can help point out interesting constellations, planets, and stars. You can even organize educational activities like stargazing quizzes or constellation-finding games. Stargazing is a great chance to learn about space, enjoy beautiful views, and bond with colleagues.
10. Caption Contest
Caption Contests can be a fun and engaging team building activity for work. Before this activity, gather a set of funny or interesting images. Then, share the pictures with your colleagues. Teams can come up with creative captions for each image and share them anonymously.
Once you collect all the captions, display them on a shared platform or in a common area. Employees can vote on their favorite captions. Whoever’s caption gets the most votes wins! This simple activity encourages creativity and collaboration while fostering camaraderie.
11. Film Festival
A Film Festival is one of the most fun indoor team building activities. Colleagues will get to relax and bond during this experience. To organize a festival, start by choosing a theme or genre that your team enjoys. Then, have each team member suggest a movie related to the theme. During a lunch break or after work, employees can watch the movie. Colleagues can spend time talking about themes, characters, and opinions after each film. By watching and discussing movies together, teams will learn more about each other’s preferences.
12. Backyard Camping
Backyard Camping is a great team building activity! For this event, find a spacious area at the office. Employees can set up tents, sleeping bags, and other camping gear. Folks can bring their own gear, or you can provide it. You can make the environment more cozy by setting up a campfire pit, roasting marshmallows, and telling stories.
Teams can also play outdoor games like cornhole, horseshoes, or frisbee. Barbecue or potluck-style dinners make for tasty additions to the party. Finally, organize nature-themed activities like night hikes or stargazing. Spending time outdoors together is one of the top ways to create connections.
Here is a list of team building camps to visit.
13. Silent Line-Up
Silent Line-Up encourages cooperation and communication among coworkers. To host this activity, start by writing some orders folks could arrange themselves in. For instance, birthdays, height, or shoe size. Participants must stand in a line according to the order. However, the catch is that players cannot talk during this exercise. Players must rely on nonverbal cues to arrange themselves correctly. This activity improves communication and coordination skills.
14. Sneak a Peek
Sneak a Peek is a simple team building game you can host at the office. During this activity, you will start by splitting workers into teams. Then, groups nominate one player as the artist. The artist gets to look at an object or photo for ten seconds. After seeing the object, folks must draw it. The first team to correctly identify the object in the drawing wins!
This exercise encourages teamwork, enhances communication, and promotes creativity among colleagues. Plus, Sneak a Peek is easy to host, so you can play at any time!
15. Beekeeping Experience
Beekeeping is one of the most creative team building activities that puts folks to the test. To host a beekeeping workshop, find a garden or outdoor area where participants can interact with bees. Next, invite a knowledgeable beekeeper or expert to lead the workshop. Speakers can talk about bee behavior, hive management, and making honey.
During the interactive portion, participants can wear bee suits and gloves. Experts can show teams how to inspect hives and extract honey. Teams can work together to try these techniques themselves. Afterward, you can try tasty kinds of honey together. By attending a beekeeping workshop, teams will learn new skills and collaborate.
16. Bike-Building for Charity
Bike-Building for Charity is one of the best corporate team building activities. This experience promotes collaboration while supporting a worthy cause. Participants work with nonprofits to build children’s bicycles. Organizations then donate these bikes to kids in need.
This hands-on experience encourages teamwork, problem-solving, and trust-building. Further, teams will get to collaborate on a shared goal. Best of all, this activity supports your community!
Here are more charity team building ideas.
17. Minecraft Team Building
Minecraft is one of the most effective team building games! To play this game as a team, start by creating a shared server. Once folks join, you can give them different tasks or goals to accomplish. For instance, players could build a structure, solve puzzles, or complete a survival challenge. Members can work together, delegate, and communicate to complete their tasks.
This activity is great for team building because you can play as many times as you would like. In addition, folks can access Minecraft from a variety of systems. Teams will get to use their creativity and collaborate on shared goals.
18. Beer and Food Pairing Contest
The Beer and Food Pairing Contest is a fun team activity for work. To organize this event, begin by splitting participants into groups. These teams will collaborate to create unique beer and food pairings. When setting up the pairing stations, choose a selection of beers from different styles. For instance, lagers, ales, stouts, and IPAs. Further, gather a variety of ingredients for crafting dishes or snacks.
During the contest, set a timer for teams to plan their pairings. Judges can score the combinations based on taste and creativity. At the end of the competition, announce the winners and offer prizes. This format encourages teamwork, creativity, and friendly competition among participants. In addition, the whole team will enjoy having tasty drinks and snacks together.
Here is a list of virtual beer tasting ideas.
19. Indoor Herb Garden Workshop
Learning to plant an herb garden is a relaxing way to help your team bond. To run this event, gather materials such as pots, soil, seeds, and gardening tools. Participants will learn about different types of herbs and their growing needs.
Then, folks can plant their own herb gardens. Steps include proper soil preparation, seeding, and watering. For a creative twist, encourage teams to decorate their pots and labels. Finally, offer tips on caring for the herbs and harvesting them for cooking. Participants can learn from each other’s experiences and share gardening tips and tricks.
20. Bath Bomb Crafting Session
Making bath bombs is fun and gives employees a relaxing activity to look forward to. For this experience, set up a workspace with ingredients such as baking soda, citric acid, essential oils, and food coloring. In addition, provide molds, mixing bowls, and instructions for participants to follow.
Teams can take some time to learn how the different bath bomb ingredients will interact. Then, folks can mix and mold the ingredients to create bath bombs of various shapes and sizes. Participants should experiment with different scents and colors to customize their creations. Once workers finish the bath bombs, allow them to dry before packaging them to take home and enjoy.
21. Roller Skating Disco Party
A Roller Skating Disco Party is a throwback activity that is a ton of fun! To organize this event, rent a roller skating rink or find a suitable venue with a smooth surface for skating. Disco lights, a DJ playing funky music, and retro decorations will set the ambiance.
The party can start with a skating tutorial for beginners. Then, participants can skate around to their favorite disco tunes! Attendees can even dress in disco-themed outfits. If you encourage costumes, then host contests for the best-dressed skater or the best disco dance moves. This experience is a memorable way to create workplace connections.
22. Kombucha Brewing Workshop
Hosting a Kombucha Brewing Workshop is a fun way to learn new skills and bonds. When planning this activity, gather tea, sugar, glass jars, and SCOBYs. The SCOBY, or symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, ferments the tea.
Teams can go through each step of making kombucha, including brewing tea, adding sugar, and placing the SCOBY. Workers can leave their jars to ferment at the office. Once the jars sit for seven to 12 days, teams can add extra flavorings like fruit juice. After another two to four days, the tea is ready, and employees can restart the process! This unique activity is a hands-on way to create connections.
Final Thoughts
Team building is an essential part of creating strong bonds in the office. This list offers several types of team building activities your employees can do together. Doing team building exercises regularly will help maintain team connections. Folks will enhance trust, improve communication skills, and increase job satisfaction. These skills can lead to better results for your company as a whole.
Next, check out our posts on team building programs, team building tasks, and unusual team building activities for work.
Michael Alexis