Library of teambuilding games & icebreakers

How to play Baamboozle!

In this online game, everything is already set up for you. Baamboozle is a great website with thousands of topics ready to go, all you need is one host to screen-share. 2 to 4 teams can compete, with topics from videogame trivia to icebreaker games.

Allocate more than 3 teams for a more tactical game, as 2 teams can decide to gang up on 1 unfortunate team. Remember to make use of the ‘power up’ function for point-stealing mischief and leader-swapping bonus cards.

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Online murder mystery events are just like their live-action counterparts, only, online! With the help of a professional third-party organiser, you can create an engaging murder mystery event for any sized group.

Murder mystery events have become a popular team-building activity because they facilitate interaction between employees and improve teamwork and problem-solving skills.

How to play Online murder mystery

To make the experience more immersive, encourage players to dress up and gather props to match the theme of the event. Also, don’t forget to utilise the background features on zoom for added realism.

Get ready for a real-life puzzle adventure that could lead anywhere. In the Mystery Destination Chase, your team will follow a trail of clues to an unknown final stop. The catch? You'll need to put your heads together, strategize, and make decisions as a team to crack the code. This game isn't just about reaching the destination; it's about the thrill of unraveling a mystery together. With excitement building at each clue, you'll experience the joy of teamwork, the rush of discovery, and the satisfaction of navigating the unknown side by side.

Instructions

• Assemble teams with diverse skill sets for balanced gameplay.
• Kick off the chase with the first clue to ignite excitement.
• Decode each clue to pinpoint the location of successive checkpoints.
• Collaborate on decision-making to interpret clues accurately.
• Build anticipation by unveiling the final surprise destination and celebrate as a unified team.

How to play Don’t answer that

Fun and laughter are guaranteed with Don’t Answer That. A verbal exercise this time, all participants have to do is stand in a circle asking each other questions! As you’d expect, though, there’s a caveat…

You don’t answer the questions directed at you.

The person standing to your left does it instead. For example, imagine that James asks you, “What’s the most embarrassing moment of your life so far?” You’d have to stay silent while Jeanette – the person to your left – claims it was when you got drunk at the last Christmas party and told the CEO you loved her.

The idea isn’t necessarily to be truthful (although it isn’t a rule that you can’t be!). The goal is simply to have a good time, make people laugh, and lift the mood.

How to play weekly updates

A simple yet effective way to encourage team bonding is by facilitating weekly ‘get-togethers’ online. These meetings can be really short and shouldn’t involve work-related topics.

You can start by encouraging each employee to talk about two good things and one bad thing that happened that week.

How to play Paper boat race

If you are able to visit a location by water, you can try this really fun activity. In this fun and creative exercise, participants build a small boat with paper (and other supplies) and then race them in a small body of water like a pond or stream. The boats are usually made by folding paper into a boat shape, but you can also try offering cardboard, balloons, popsicle sticks, or other crafty materials.

You’ll also want to supply materials for decorating so that everyone can really have their creation stand out. Obviously the person who reaches the finish line first is the winner, but you can offer a few other prizes just for fun, like most beautiful boat or best effort. Make sure to check out our article on other creativity and innovation games, too.

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 Turn back time

Turn Back Time" is a heartwarming activity that brings people together through sharing personal memories. It taps into the positive things people remember from the past, sparking nostalgia and curiosity among the listeners.

This is a great way to boost team building without materials, as participants need only their memories. Why is it a hit at corporate events? Well, we spend so much time in the office, but how often do we really get to know our coworkers beyond the water cooler chat?

So, if you're looking to sprinkle a little fun and nostalgia into your next corporate shindig, "Turn Back Time" is your golden ticket. As you uncover the beautiful tapestry of memories that make your team tick, get ready to laugh and reminisce.

How to play Pterodactyl

Here’s a quirky new game that has hilarious results. In “Pterodactyl” (which is hard enough to spell correctly), players completely cover their teeth with their lips. One player starts the game by saying “Pterodactyl” to someone else without showing their teeth. If neither player cracks up and laughs, the next player passes it on.

Twists can come into the game if you add a silly face, cross your eyes, or use a strange voice. If you make another player laugh and show their teeth, they’re out! Continue this speaking game until only one Pterodactyl champion remains!

How to play Drinking in the Dark

In this challenge, your taste buds take the lead as you explore a range of flavors while blindfolded. It's a game that tickles your senses and tests your palate's memory. While it might sound light-hearted, it's also a fantastic way to enhance communication, sharpen your sensory perception, and inject a burst of laughter into your team dynamics. Get ready to sip, savor, and speculate your way through a unique and hilarious bonding experience.

Top Tip: Make this a part of your field day games to ensure no spillage in the office!

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.

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.

How to play Lucky Charms

Give all players a large bowl of Lucky Charms cereal. Have everyone sort the charm marshmallows into categories as fast as they can (for example, all hearts together and all clovers together). Whoever sorts through the most cereal in a minute wins.

How to play Drama-freeze

Best for small groups, this option can be really interesting. You start with pairs of two and a supervisor. The first team will act out a spontaneous scene without discussing it beforehand. While they do so, the supervisor of the game calls out “freeze” (any time they want). At that time the acting team must remain still. Then the next team of two begins and will start upon the supervisor saying “action”. They need to come up with a scene entirely different from the one from the pair before them. This will go on until each team gets a turn to act and freeze.

How to play Mirror game

Two people stand across from each other and mirror each other's movements, trying to stay in sync.

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Random Acts of Kindness is a mobile app that challenges your employees to perform as many good deeds as possible within a given time limit. This large group game is a fantastic way to get employees out of the office and interacting with the local community.

Great for: Company perception, well-being, interpersonal bonding

Duration: 1 hour

You’ll need: One smartphone per team with the Random Acts of Kindness mobile app installed

How to play:

• Separate your group into even teams and provide each one with a smartphone with the RAOK app installed.
• Once the teams launch the app, there’s little more for you to do. The app will set a time limit and then present a series of challenges like helping somebody pack their groceries or assisting an elderly person to cross the road.
• The winning team is that which has completed the most challenges when the time runs out.

How to play One-word icebreaker

This is a perfect exercise for kicking off a specific event or meeting. You need a group of 4 or 5 people, or to break larger groups into teams of that size. The goal is to have everyone describe their feelings on the event that is about to take place using only one word. Give them a few minutes and then go around the room having everyone state their word, like “excited”, “nervous”, or “curious”.

How to play:

Label each block of a Jenga tower with a safety-related question or task. Players take turns removing a block and must answer the question or complete the task before adding it to the top of the tower. If the tower falls, the game starts over.

Safety Jenga combines physical and mental challenges, making it an engaging way to reinforce safety knowledge. It requires careful thought and steady hands, much like maintaining a safe work environment. The tension of the wobbling tower adds an element of excitement.

Learning about your coworker's wants and dreams outside of the office is a great way of building stronger, lasting relationships.

Great for: Interpersonal bonding

Duration: 5 minutes

Players: 4+

You’ll need: Nothing

How to play Bucket List

Setup: Ask your group to sit together in a circle, on chairs or on the floor.

To play: One by one, players tell five items from their bucket list to the rest of the group. This gives employees vital insight into the aspirations of their coworkers.

How to play:

Write down various safety-related terms (e.g., "fire drill," "first aid kit," "slippery floor") on slips of paper and place them in a container. Divide employees into teams, and have them take turns drawing a term and illustrating it on a whiteboard while their team guesses.

This quick team-building game combines creativity with learning, making it an enjoyable way to reinforce safety concepts. It breaks up the monotony of regular training sessions, and the abstract drawings often lead to plenty of laughs.

Here’s an improv game for team collaboration that focuses on creativity, attention to detail, and enhancing the connection between colleagues.

How to play Mirrors

As the name suggests, it asks pairs of workmates to team up, face each other, and to imagine they have a double-sided mirror between them. In essence, they pretend the colleague opposite them is their mirror image.

One of them then takes the lead by initiating movements of some sort. They can do anything they want! Raising their hand, bending forwards, crouching down, jumping on the spot…It doesn’t matter. All they have to do is move slowly and in silence.

The other person’s task is to mirror those actions and gestures.

So, if their partner lifts their left hand to the sky, they’d lift their right hand (remember, it’s a mirror image!). And if their partner starts doing star jumps and pretending they’re a 70s aerobics instructor, then they have to do the same!

Be sure to mix things up by changing roles and partners every few minutes. Oh, and try to make the movements more complex, intense, and/or bizarre as time goes by. At the end of the task, you’ll feel energized, positive, and aligned as a team.

How to play Pitch tournament

An important part of selling is understanding customer needs: what they want or what drives them to buy something. Help your team to hone these skills by pitching items to you or another panel of judges. Pick a few regular objects, such as things from around the office. Then, pair people up (or work as individuals if your group is already small) and have them take turns pitching the item to your judges. Give everyone a few minutes to come up with a unique presentation and make sure they understand the product. Add a prize for the winner to up the ante a bit.

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.

Team-building doesn’t only need to be about silly games. Sometimes, you strengthen your team while contributing something valuable to your local community.

Great for: Company culture, company perception, job satisfaction

Duration: 2–3 hours

You’ll need: N/A

How to start:

• Consult your team about the type of community service they’d like to get involved with. It could be anything from a beach cleanup to helping out at an animal shelter.
• Once you’ve settled on an activity, reach out to your chosen organisation and inform them you’d like to offer a helping hand.
• Don’t forget to document the event by taking photos or making a video—these images will make additions to your employee breakroom!