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22 Unbeatable Team Building Problem Solving Activities

Problem-solving is a critical skill for professionals and with team building problem-solving activities, you can sharpen your skills while having fun at the same time.

Updated: March 1, 2024

In the professional world, one thing is for sure: problem-solving is a vital skill if you want to survive and thrive. It’s a universal job skill that organizations seek in new potential employees and that managers look for when considering candidates for promotions.

But there’s a problem.

According to Payscale, 60% of managers feel that new grads entering the workforce lack problem-solving abilities – making it the most commonly lacking soft skill.

Problem-solving skill needs to be practiced and perfected on an ongoing basis in order to be applied effectively when the time comes. And while there are tons of traditional approaches to becoming a better problem-solver, there’s another (much more interesting) option: team building problem-solving activities.

The good news? This means learning and having fun don’t have to be mutually exclusive. And you can create a stronger team at the same time.

16 In-Person Team Building Problem Solving Activities for Your Work Group

1. cardboard boat building challenge, 2. egg drop , 3. clue murder mystery, 4. marshmallow spaghetti tower , 5. corporate escape room, 6. wild goose chase, 7. lost at sea , 8. domino effect challenge, 9. reverse pyramid , 10. ci: the crime investigators, 11. team pursuit, 12. bridge builders, 13. domino effect challenge, 14. hollywood murder mystery, 15. code break, 16. cardboard boat building challenge, 6 virtual team building problem solving activities for your work group , 1. virtual escape room: mummy’s curse, 2. virtual clue murder mystery, 3. virtual escape room: jewel heist, 4. virtual code break , 5. virtual trivia time machine.

6. Virtual Jeoparty Social

There are a ton of incredible team building problem solving activities available. We’ve hand-picked 16 of our favorites that we think your corporate group will love too.

a cardboard boat building challenge for problem solving team building

Split into teams and create a cardboard boat made out of just the materials provided: cardboard and tape. Team members will have to work together to engineer a functional boat that will float and sail across water without sinking. Once teams have finished making their boats, they will create a presentation to explain why their boat is the best, before putting their boats to the test. The final challenge will have teams racing their boats to test their durability! Nothing says problem-solving like having to make sure you don’t sink into the water!

egg drop is a great team building problem solving activity

Every day at work, you’re forced to make countless decisions – whether they’re massively important or so small you barely think about them.

But your ability to effectively make decisions is critical in solving problems quickly and effectively.

With a classic team building problem solving activity like the Egg Drop, that’s exactly what your team will learn to do.

For this activity, you’ll need some eggs, construction materials, and a place you wouldn’t mind smashing getting dirty with eggshells and yolks.

The goal of this activity is to create a contraption that will encase an egg and protect it from a fall – whether it’s from standing height or the top of a building. But the challenge is that you and your team will only have a short amount of time to build it before it’s time to test it out, so you’ll have to think quickly!

To make it even more challenging, you’ll have to build the casing using only simple materials like:

Newspapers
Plastic wrap
Rubber bands
Popsicle sticks
Cotton balls

Feel free to have some fun in picking the materials. Use whatever you think would be helpful without making things too easy!

Give your group 15 minutes to construct their egg casing before each team drops their eggs. If multiple eggs survive, increase the height gradually to see whose created the sturdiest contraption.

If you’re not comfortable with the idea of using eggs for this activity, consider using another breakable alternative, such as lightbulbs for a vegan Egg Drop experience.

solving a crime is a great way to practice problem solving skills

With Clue Murder Mystery, your team will need to solve the murder of a man named Neil Davidson by figuring out who had the means, motive, and opportunity to commit the crime.

But it won’t be easy! You’ll need to exercise your best problem-solving skills and channel your inner detectives if you want to keep this case from going cold and to get justice for the victim.

do a spaghetti tower for team building problem solving activity

Collaboration is critical to problem solving.

Why? Because, as the old saying goes, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This expression reflects the fact that people are capable of achieving greater things when they work together to do so.

If you’re looking for a team building problem solving activity that helps boost collaboration, you’ll love Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower.

This game involves working in teams to build the tallest possible freestanding tower using only marshmallows, uncooked spaghetti, tape, and string.

The kicker? This all has to be done within an allotted timeframe. We recommend about thirty minutes.

For an added dimension of challenge, try adding a marshmallow to the top of the tower to make it a little more top heavy.

Whichever team has the highest tower when time runs out is the winner!

corporate escape rooms are unique team building problem solving activities

If you’ve never participated in an escape room, your team is missing out! It’s one of the most effective team building problem solving activities out there because it puts you and your colleagues in a scenario where the only way out is collaboratively solving puzzles and deciphering clues.

The principle is simple: lock your group in a room, hide the key somewhere in that room, and have them work through challenges within a set time frame. Each challenge will lead them one step closer to finding the key and, ultimately, their escape.

At Outback, we offer “done-for-you” escape rooms where we’ll transform your office or meeting room so you don’t have to worry about:

Seeking transportation for your team
Capacity of the escape rooms
High costs
Excessive planning

That way, you and your team can simply step inside and get to work collaborating, using creative problem solving, and thinking outside the box.

wild goose chase is a great scavenger hunt problem solving team building activity for work

In this smartphone-based scavenger hunt team building activity , your group will split into teams and complete fun challenges by taking photos and videos around the city. Some examples of challenges you can do in this activity are:

Parkour: Take a picture of three team members jumping over an object that’s at least waist-high.
Beautiful Mind: Snap a photo of a team member proving a well-known mathematical theorem on a chalkboard.
Puppy Love: Take a photo of all of your team members petting a stranger’s dog at the same time.

It takes a ton of critical thinking and problem-solving to be crowned the Wild Goose Chase Champions!

your teammates will love lost at sea team building activity

Can you imagine a higher-pressure situation than being stranded at sea in a lifeboat with your colleagues?

With this team building problem solving activity, that’s exactly the situation you and your group will put yourselves. But by the time the activity is over, you’ll have gained more experience with the idea of having to solve problems under pressure – a common but difficult thing to do.

Here’s how it works.

Each team member will get a six-columned chart where:

The first column lists the survival items each team has on hand (see the list below)
The second column is empty so that each team member can rank the items in order of importance for survival
The third column is for group rankings
The fourth column is for the “correct” rankings, which are revealed at the end of the activity
The fifth and sixth columns are for the team to enter thee difference between their individual and correct scores and the team and correct rankings

Within this activity, each team will be equipped with the following “survival items,” listed below in order of importance, as well as a pack of matches:

A shaving mirror (this can be used to signal passing ships using the sun)
A can of gas (could be used for signaling as it could be put in the water and lit with the pack of matches)
A water container (for collecting water to re-hydrate )
Emergency food rations (critical survival food)
One plastic sheet (can be helpful for shelter or to collect rainwater)
Chocolate bars (another food supply)
Fishing rods (helpful, but no guarantee of catching food)
Rope (can be handy, but not necessarily essential for survival)
A floating seat cushion (usable as a life preserver)
Shark repellant (could be important when in the water)
A bottle of rum (could be useful for cleaning wounds)
A radio (could be very helpful but there’s a good chance you’re out of range)
A sea chart (this is worthless without navigation equipment)
A mosquito net (unless you’ve been shipwrecked somewhere with a ton of mosquitos, this isn’t very useful)

To get the activity underway, divide your group into teams of five and ask each team member to take ten minutes on their own to rank the items in order of importance in the respective column. Then, give the full team ten minutes as a group to discuss their individual rankings together and take group rankings, listed in that respective column. Ask each group to compare their individual rankings with those of the group as a whole.

Finally, read out the correct order according to the US Coast Guard, listed above.

The goal of this activity is for everyone to be heard and to come to a decision together about what they need most to survive.

If your team works remotely, you can also do this activity online. Using a video conferencing tool like Zoom , you can bring your group together and separate teams into “break-out rooms” where they’ll take their time individually and then regroup together. At the end, you can bring them back to the full video conference to go through the answers together.

colleagues thinking outside the box with a domino effect challenge team building problem solving activity

Many problems are intricately complex and involve a ton of moving parts. And in order to solve this type of problem, you need to be able to examine it systematically, one piece at a time.

Especially in the business world, many problems or challenges involve multiple different teams or departments working through their respective portions of a problem before coming together in the end to create a holistic solution.

As you can imagine, this is often easier said than done. And that’s why it’s so important to practice this ability.

With a collaborative team building problem solving activity like Domino Effect Challenge, that’s exactly what you’ll need to do as you and your group work to create a massive, fully functional chain reaction machine.

Here’s how it goes.

Your group will break up into teams, with each team working to complete their own section of a massive “Rube Goldberg” machine. Then, all teams will regroup and assemble the entire machine together. You’ll need to exercise communication, collaboration, and on-the-fly problem solving in order to make your chain reaction machine go off without a hitch from start to finish.

reverse pyramid is a team building activity that makes colleagues think about problems in new ways

Being a great problem-solver means being adaptable and creative. And if you’re looking for a quick and easy team building problem solving activity, you’ll love the reverse pyramid.

The idea here is simple: break your group out into small teams and then stand in the form of a pyramid.

Your challenge is to flip the base and the peak of the pyramid – but you can only move three people in order to do so.

Alternatively, rather than doing this activity with people as the pyramid, you can do another version – the Pyramid Build – using plastic cups instead.

This version is a little bit different. Rather than flipping the base of a pyramid to the top, you’ll need to build the pyramid instead–but in reverse, starting from the top cup and working down.

With this version, you’ll need 36 cups and one table per group. We recommend groups of five to seven people. Give your group 20 to 30 minutes to complete the activity.

To get started, place one cup face down. Then, lift that cup and place the subsequent two cups underneath it.

The real challenge here? You can only lift your pyramid by the bottom row in order to put a new row underneath – and only one person at a time can do the lifting. The remaining group members will need to act quickly and work together in order to add the next row so that it will balance the rest of the pyramid.

If any part of your pyramid falls, you’ll need to start over. Whichever team has the most complete pyramid when time runs out will be the winner!

solving a crime is a great way for team members to use problem solving skills

The value of being able to approach problems analytically can’t be overstated. Because when problems arise, the best way to solve them is by examining the facts and making a decision based on what you know.

With CI: The Crime Investigators, this is exactly what your team will be called upon to do as you put your detective’s hats on and work to solve a deadly crime.

You’ll be presented with evidence and need to uncover and decipher clues. And using only the information at your disposal, you’ll need to examine the facts in order to crack the case.

Like many of our team building problem solving activities, CI: The Crime Investigators is available in a hosted format, which can take place at your office or an outside venue, as well as a virtually-hosted format that uses video conferencing tools, or a self-hosted version that you can run entirely on your own.

team pursuit team building is great for problem solving skills

Each member of your team has their own unique strengths and skills. And by learning to combine those skills, you can overcome any challenge and solve any problem. With Team Pursuit, you and your team together to tackle challenges as you learn new things about one another, discover your hidden talents, and learn to rely on each other.

This team building problem solving activity is perfect for high-energy groups that love to put their heads together and work strategically to solve problems as a group.

Collaborate with your colleague to design and build different segments of a bridge. At the end, see if the sections come together to create a free-standing structure!

domino effect challenging is a brain busting winter team building activity

Together as a group, see if you and your colleagues can build a gigantic “chain-reaction” machine that really works!

In smaller groups, participants work together to solve the challenge of creating sections of the machine using miscellaneous parts, and at the end, you’ll have to collaborate to connect it all together and put it in motion.

The case is fresh, but here’s what we know so far: we’ve got an up-and-coming actress who’s been found dead in her hotel room following last night’s awards show.

We have several suspects, but we haven’t been able to put the crime on any of them for sure yet. Now, it’s up to you and your team of detectives to crack the case. Together, you’ll review case files and evidence including police reports, coroners’ reports, photo evidence, tabloids, interrogations, and phone calls as you determine the motive, method, and murderer and bring justice for the victim.

You’ll need to put your problem-solving skills to the test as you share theories, collaborate, and think outside the box with your fellow investigators.

code break is a cerebral indoor team building activity

Using Outback’s app, split up into small groups and put your heads together to solve a variety of puzzles, riddles, and trivia. The team who has completed the most challenges when time is up, wins!

Can you stay afloat in a body of water in a boat made entirely of cardboard? Now that is a problem that urgently needs solving.

With this team building problem solving activity, you and your colleagues will split into groups and create a cardboard boat made out of just the materials provided – cardboard and tape.

Team members will have to work together to engineer a functional boat that will float and sail across water without sinking. Once teams have finished making their boats, they will create a presentation to explain why their boat is the best, before putting their boats to the test. The final challenge will have teams racing their boats across the water!

colleagues doing a virtual team building problem solving activity

If you and your team are working remotely, don’t worry. You still have a ton of great virtual team building problem solving options at your disposal.

In this virtual escape room experience, your team will be transported into a pyramid cursed by a restless mummy. You’ll have to work together to uncover clues and solve complex challenges to lift the ancient curse.

team members doing a fun virtual clue murder mystery

You’ve probably never heard of a man named Neil Davidson. But your group will need to come together to solve the mystery of his murder by analyzing clues, resolving challenges, and figuring out who had the means, motive, and opportunity to commit a deadly crime.

This activity will challenge you and your group to approach problems analytically, read between the lines, and use critical thinking in order to identify a suspect and deliver justice.

escape rooms are fun and unique team building problem solving activities

If you and your team like brainteasers, then Virtual Escape Room: Jewel Heist will be a big hit.

Here’s the backstory.

There’s been a robbery. Someone has masterminded a heist to steal a priceless collection of precious jewels, and it’s up to you and your team to recover them before time runs out.

Together, you’ll need to uncover hidden clues and solve a series of brain-boggling challenges that require collaboration, creative problem-solving, and outside-the-box thinking. But be quick! The clock is ticking before the stolen score is gone forever.

try virtual code break as a way to use problem solving skills with teammates

With Virtual Code Break, you and your team can learn to be adaptive and dynamic in your thinking in order to tackle any new challenges that come your way. In this activity, your group will connect on a video conferencing platform where your event host will split you out into teams. Together, you’ll have to adapt your problem-solving skills as you race against the clock to tackle a variety of mixed brainteaser challenges ranging from Sudoku to puzzles, a game of Cranium, riddles, and even trivia.

Curious to see how a virtual team building activity works? Check out this video on a Virtual Clue Murder Mystery in action.

trivia is a great problem solving activity for colleagues

Step into the Outback Time Machine and take a trip through time, from pre-pandemic 21st century through the decades all the way to the 60’s.

This exciting, fast-paced virtual trivia game, packed with nostalgia and good vibes, is guaranteed to produce big laughs, friendly competition, and maybe even some chair-dancing.

Your virtual game show host will warm up guests with a couple of “table hopper rounds” (breakout room mixers) and split you out into teams. Within minutes, your home office will be transformed into a game show stage with your very own game show buzzers!

And if your team loves trivia, check out our list of the most incredible virtual trivia games for work teams for even more ideas.

6. Virtual Jeoparty Social

Virtual Jeoparty Social is a fun high energy virtual team building activity

If your remote team is eager to socialize, have some fun as a group, and channel their competitive spirit, we’ve got just the thing for you! With Virtual Jeoparty Social, you and your colleagues will step into your very own virtual Jeopardy-style game show—equipped with a buzzer button, a professional actor as your host, and an immersive game show platform! Best of all, this game has been infused with an ultra-social twist: players will take part in a unique social mixer challenge between each round.

With the right team building problem solving activities, you can help your team sharpen their core skills to ensure they’re prepared when they inevitably face a challenge at work. And best of all, you can have fun in the process.

Do you have any favorite team building activities for building problem-solving skills? If so, tell us about them in the comments section below!

Learn More About Team Building Problem Solving Activities

For more information about how your group can take part in a virtual team building, training, or coaching solution, reach out to our Employee Engagement Consultants.

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I love how this blog provides a variety of problem-solving activities for team building. It’s a great resource for anyone looking to foster teamwork and collaboration!

14 Best Team Building Problem Solving Group Activities For 2024

The best teams see solutions where others see problems. A great company culture is built around a collaborative spirit and the type of unity it takes to find answers to the big business questions.

So how can you get team members working together?

How can you develop a mentality that will help them overcome obstacles they have yet to encounter?

One of the best ways to improve your teams’ problem solving skills is through team building problem solving activities .

“86% of employees and executives cite lack of collaboration or ineffective communication for workplace failures.” — Bit.AI

These activities can simulate true-to-life scenarios they’ll find themselves in, or the scenarios can call on your employees or coworkers to dig deep and get creative in a more general sense.

The truth is, on a day-to-day basis, you have to prepare for the unexpected. It just happens that team building activities help with that, but are so fun that they don’t have to feel like work ( consider how you don’t even feel like you’re working out when you’re playing your favorite sport or doing an exercise you actually enjoy! )

Team Building Problem Solving Group Activities

What are the benefits of group problem-solving activities?

The benefits of group problem-solving activities for team building include:

Better communication
Improved collaboration and teamwork
More flexible thinking
Faster problem-solving
Better proactivity and decision making

Without further ado, check out this list of the 14 best team-building problem-solving group activities for 2024!

Page Contents (Click To Jump)

2. Problem-Solving Templates

Problem-Solving Templates are popular problem-solving activities that involve a group of people working together to solve an issue. The challenge generally involves members of the team utilizing pre-made templates and creating solutions for a given problem with the help of visual aids.

This activity is great for teams that need assistance in getting started on their problem-solving journey.

Why this is a fun problem-solving activity: Problem-Solving Templates offer teams an easy and stress-free way to get the creative juices flowing. The visual aids that come with the templates help team members better understand the issue at hand and easily come up with solutions together.

This activity is great for teams that need assistance in getting started on their problem-solving journey, as it provides an easy and stress-free way to get the creative juices flowing.

Problem Solving Group Activities & Games For Team Building

3. coworker feud, “it’s all fun and games”.

Coworker Feud is a twist on the classic Family Feud game show! This multiple rapid round game keeps the action flowing and the questions going. You can choose from a variety of customizations, including picking the teams yourself, randomized teams, custom themes, and custom rounds.

Best for: Hybrid teams

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Coworker Feud comes with digital game materials, a digital buzzer, an expert host, and a zoom link to get the participants ready for action! Teams compete with each other to correctly answer the survey questions. At the end of the game, the team with the most competitive answers is declared the winner of the Feud.

How to get started:

Sign up for Coworker Feud
Break into teams of 4 to 10 people
Get the competitive juices flowing and let the games begin!

Learn more here: Coworker Feud

4. Crack The Case

“who’s a bad mamma jamma”.

Crack The Case is a classic WhoDoneIt game that forces employees to depend on their collective wit to stop a deadly murderer dead in his tracks! Remote employees and office commuters can join forces to end this crime spree.

Best for: Remote teams

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: The Virtual Clue Murder Mystery is an online problem solving activity that uses a proprietary videoconferencing platform to offer the chance for employees and coworkers to study case files, analyze clues, and race to find the motive, the method, and the individual behind the murder of Neil Davidson.

Get a custom quote here
Download the app
Let the mystery-solving collaboration begin!

Learn more here: Crack The Case

5. Catch Meme If You Can

“can’t touch this”.

Purposefully created to enhance leadership skills and team bonding , Catch Meme If You Can is a hybrid between a scavenger hunt and an escape room . Teammates join together to search for clues, solve riddles, and get out — just in time!

Best for: Small teams

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Catch Meme If You Can is an adventure with a backstory. Each team has to submit their answer to the puzzle in order to continue to the next part of the sequence. May the best team escape!

The teams will be given instructions and the full storyline
Teams will be split into a handful of people each
The moderator will kick off the action!

Learn more here: Catch Meme If You Can

6. Puzzle Games

“just something to puzzle over”.

Puzzle Games is the fresh trivia game to test your employees and blow their minds with puzzles, jokes , and fun facts!

Best for: In-person teams

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Eight mini brain teaser and trivia style games include word puzzles, name that nonsense, name that tune, and much more. Plus, the points each team earns will go towards planting trees in the precious ecosystems and forests of Uganda

Get a free consultation for your team
Get a custom designed invitation for your members
Use the game link
Dedicated support will help your team enjoy Puzzle Games to the fullest!

Learn more here: Puzzle Games

7. Virtual Code Break

“for virtual teams”.

Virtual Code Break is a virtual team building activity designed for remote participants around the globe. Using a smart video conferencing solution, virtual teams compete against each other to complete challenges, answer trivia questions, and solve brain-busters!

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Virtual Code Break can be played by groups as small as 4 people all the way up to more than 1,000 people at once. However, every team will improve their communication and problem-solving skills as they race against the clock and depend on each other’s strengths to win!

Reach out for a free consultation to align the needs of your team
An event facilitator will be assigned to handle all of the set-up and logistics
They will also provide you with logins and a play-by-play of what to expect
Sign into the Outback video conferencing platform and join your pre-assigned team
Lastly, let the games begin!

Learn more here: Virtual Code Break

8. Stranded

“survivor: office edition”.

Stranded is the perfect scenario-based problem solving group activity. The doors of the office are locked and obviously your team can’t just knock them down or break the windows.

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Your team has less than half an hour to choose 10 items around the office that will help them survive. They then rank the items in order of importance. It’s a bit like the classic game of being lost at sea without a lifeboat.

Get everyone together in the office
Lock the doors
Let them start working together to plan their survival

Learn more here: Stranded

9. Letting Go Game

“for conscious healing”.

The Letting Go Game is a game of meditation and mindfulness training for helping teammates thrive under pressure and reduce stress in the process. The tasks of the Letting Go Game boost resiliency, attentiveness, and collaboration.

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Expert-guided activities and awareness exercises encourage team members to think altruistically and demonstrate acts of kindness. Between yoga, face painting, and fun photography, your employees or coworkers will have more than enough to keep them laughing and growing together with this mindfulness activity!

Reach out for a free consultation
A guide will then help lead the exercises
Let the funny videos, pictures, and playing begin!

Learn more here: Letting Go Game

10. Wild Goose Chase

“city time”.

Wild Goose Chase is the creative problem solving activity that will take teams all around your city and bring them together as a group! This scavenger hunt works for teams as small as 10 up to groups of over 5000 people.

Best for: Large teams

Why this is an effective group problem solving activity: As employees and group members are coming back to the office, there are going to be times that they’re itching to get outside. Wild Goose Chase is the perfect excuse to satisfy the desire to go out-of-office every now and then. Plus, having things to look at and see around the city will get employees talking in ways they never have before.

Download the Outback app to access the Wild Goose Chase
Take photos and videos from around the city
The most successful team at completing challenges on time is the champ!

Learn more here: Wild Goose Chase

11. Human Knot

“for a knotty good time”.

The Human Knot is one of the best icebreaker team building activities! In fact, there’s a decent chance you played it in grade school. It’s fun, silly, and best of all — free!

Why this is an effective group problem solving activity: Participants start in a circle and connect hands with two other people in the group to form a human knot. The team then has to work together and focus on clear communication to unravel the human knot by maneuvering their way out of this hands-on conundrum. But there’s a catch — they can’t let go of each other’s hands in this team building exercise.

Form a circle
Tell each person to grab a random hand until all hands are holding another
They can’t hold anyone’s hand who is directly next to them
Now they have to get to untangling
If the chain breaks before everyone is untangled, they have to start over again

Learn more here: Human Knot

12. What Would You Do?

“because it’s fun to imagine”.

What Would You Do? Is the hypothetical question game that gets your team talking and brainstorming about what they’d do in a variety of fun, intriguing, and sometimes, whacky scenarios.

Best for: Distributed teams

Why this is an effective group problem solving activity: After employees or coworkers start talking about their What Would You Do? responses, they won’t be able to stop. That’s what makes this such an incredible team building activity . For example, you could ask questions like “If you could live forever, what would you do with your time?” or “If you never had to sleep, what would you do?”

In addition to hypothetical questions, you could also give teammates some optional answers to get them started
After that, let them do the talking — then they’ll be laughing and thinking and dreaming, too!

13. Crossing The River

“quite the conundrum”.

Crossing The River is a river-crossing challenge with one correct answer. Your team gets five essential elements — a chicken, a fox, a rowboat, a woman, and a bag of corn. You see, the woman has a bit of a problem, you tell them. She has to get the fox, the bag of corn, and the chicken to the other side of the river as efficiently as possible.

Why this is an effective group problem solving activity: She has a rowboat, but it can only carry her and one other item at a time. She cannot leave the chicken and the fox alone — for obvious reasons. And she can’t leave the chicken with the corn because it will gobble it right up. So the question for your team is how does the woman get all five elements to the other side of the river safely in this fun activity?

Form teams of 2 to 5 people
Each team has to solve the imaginary riddle
Just make sure that each group understands that the rowboat can only carry one animal and one item at a time; the fox and chicken can’t be alone; and the bag of corn and the chicken cannot be left alone
Give the verbal instructions for getting everything over to the other side

14. End-Hunger Games

“philanthropic fun”.

Does anything bond people quite like acts of kindness and compassion? The End-Hunger Games will get your team to rally around solving the serious problem of hunger.

Best for: Medium-sized teams

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Teams join forces to complete challenges based around non-perishable food items in the End-Hunger Games. Groups can range in size from 25 to more than 2000 people, who will all work together to collect food for the local food bank.

Split into teams and compete to earn boxes and cans of non-perishable food
Each team attempts to build the most impressive food item construction
Donate all of the non-perishable foods to a local food bank

Learn more here: End-Hunger Games

Q: What kind of skills do group problem solving activities & games improve?

A: Group problem solving activities and games improve collaboration, leadership, and communication skills.

Q: What are problem solving based team building activities & games?

A: Problem solving based team building activities and games are activities that challenge teams to work together in order to complete them.

Q: What are some fun free problem solving games for groups?

A: Some fun free problem solving games for groups are kinesthetic puzzles like the human knot game, which you can read more about in this article. You can also use all sorts of random items like whiteboards, straws, building blocks, sticky notes, blindfolds, rubber bands, and legos to invent a game that will get the whole team involved.

Q: How do I choose the most effective problem solving exercise for my team?

A: The most effective problem solving exercise for your team is one that will challenge them to be their best selves and expand their creative thinking.

Q: How do I know if my group problem solving activity was successful?

A: In the short-term, you’ll know if your group problem solving activity was successful because your team will bond over it; however, that should also translate to more productivity in the mid to long-term.

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45 team building games to improve commu ...

45 team building games to improve communication and camaraderie

Team building games bring everyone together without the added pressure of work. Here, we’ve listed 45 of the top team building activities broken down by icebreaker, problem solving, indoor, and outdoor games.

As Ashley Frabasilio, Employee Engagement Manager at Asana puts it, “Creating a shared experience for teams to build relationships is one of the best ways to increase trust and encourage collaboration."

Whether you’re looking for indoor or outdoor activities, quick icebreaker games, or activities to bond with your remote team members, we compiled a list of over 45 team building games that you’ll actually enjoy.

How to make team building inclusive

Teams with an inclusive culture tend to be more transparent, supportive, and happy because everyone feels accepted. It’s essential to make any team activity feel productive and enjoyable for the entire group, regardless of personalities or skill sets. Whether you’re working on building an inclusive remote culture or want in-person teams to feel more comfortable together, consider the following for an inclusive team building experience:

Inclusive team building means including everyone. Depending on the type of team building activity, you may benefit from hiring an outside expert to facilitate a team building event that everyone can participate in. Plus, the activity may feel more authentic because a professional is guiding you.

If you have introverts on the team, they may not be as excited about an exercise that involves lots of social interaction and do better in small groups.

Teammates with speech, sight, or hearing impairments may feel left out during a game that involves blindfolding players and communicating without looking at each other.

Physically active games could exclude physically impaired teammates.

Before choosing one of the team building games from this list, take stock of everyone's abilities. Find an activity that everyone on your team can participate in. Maybe even send out an anonymous poll to see what kinds of activities your team would be willing to partake in. Ultimately, the best team building activity will be the one that everyone can enjoy.

Team icebreaker games

Icebreaker questions and activities are the perfect “getting to know you” games but they’re also fun to play with teammates you’ve known for a long time. You can play them to get everyone up to speed for a meeting (especially on those 8am calls) or use them to introduce new team members.

1. Two truths, one lie

Team size : 3+ people

Time : 2–3 minutes per person

How to play : Ask everyone in the group to come up with two facts about themselves and one lie. The more memorable the facts (e.g., I went skydiving in Costa Rica) and the more believable the lies (e.g., I have two dogs), the more fun the game will be! Then, ask each team member to present their three statements and have the group vote on which one they think is the lie.

Why this exercise is great : This game is perfect for groups who don’t know each other well yet. The details you share can be used as building blocks for late conversations (“What else did you do in Costa Rica?”) to give you a better idea of who you’re working with.

2. Penny for your thoughts

Team size : 5+ people

How to play : You’ll need a box full of pennies (or other coins) with years only as old as your youngest team member (not the time to brag about your 1937 collector’s penny). Ask every team member to draw a coin from the box and share a story, memory, or otherwise significant thing that happened to them that year. This can be anything from learning how to ride a bike to landing your first job.

Why this exercise is great : This is a fun twist on a stress-free and simple icebreaker that gives everyone the chance to share a personal story with their team. You can play multiple rounds if the stories are on the shorter side or let team members elaborate on their stories to gain deeper insight into their lives.

3. Mood pictures

How to play : Prepare a variety of images before you play. You can collect newspaper clippings, magazine cutouts, postcards, and posters or print out different images from the internet (Pinterest is a great spot). The images should show landscapes, cities, people, shapes, or animals in a variety of colors and perspectives.

Lay all the images out and ask team members to each pick one that resonates with their current mood. Once everyone has picked an image, ask them to share what they resonated with, how it makes them feel, and why they picked it.

Why this exercise is great : This exercise is a great way to get a meeting or a workshop started because it allows you to get a feel of the room in a creative and unexpected way. You don’t always have to ask your team to pick an image that reflects their mood—it can also be their expectations for a workshop, their feelings about a current project, or how they hope to feel at the end of the day. As they say, a picture’s worth a thousand words, so this exercise makes talking about feelings easier for a lot of people.

4. One word exercise

Time : 5–10 minutes

How to play : Pick a phrase related to the meeting topic and ask everyone to write down one word that comes to mind on a post-it. Then, gather these words on a whiteboard or put them in a presentation. For example, if you’re hosting a meeting about your annual holiday event. Everyone would take a moment to respond with the first word that comes in their head. If the team is responding with words like stress or exhaustion, you might want to rethink your process.

Why this exercise is great : This is a way to collect opinions, thoughts, or feelings about a meeting that’s well within most people’s comfort zone. You’ll have the chance to read the room before diving into the topic and may uncover some concerns or questions to focus on, which will make the meeting more beneficial to everyone.

5. Back-to-back drawing

Team siz e: 4+ people

Time : 5–10 minutes

How to play : Split your team into groups of two and make them sit back to back. Hand one person a pen and piece of paper and show the other person a picture of something that’s fairly simple to draw (e.g., a car, a flower, a house). This person now has to describe the picture to their teammate without actually saying what the item is so they can draw it. They’re allowed to describe shapes, sizes, and textures but can’t say, “Draw a lily.” Once the blind drawing is finished, compare it with the original to see how well you communicated.

Why this exercise is great : This activity is a fun way to polish your communication skills, especially your listening skills. It also gives your team a chance to get creative and innovative by thinking outside the box to describe the image to their teammate.

6. Birthday line up

Team size : 8+ people

Time : 10–15 minutes

How to play : Ask your entire team to form a line in order of their birthdays without talking to each other. You can encourage other forms of communication like sign language, gestures, or nudges. If you want to add a little bit of pressure and excitement to the exercise, add a time limit!

Why this exercise is great : Besides learning everyone’s birthday (which can always come in handy as a conversation starter later on), this exercise encourages your team to learn to communicate towards a common goal without using words. Although this can be a challenge and get frustrating, this exercise promotes problem framing skills, cooperation, and non-verbal communication skills.

7. Charades

Team size : 8–10 people

Time : 10–25 minutes

How to play : Divide your team into groups of four or five people. The person who goes first is given or shown a random object (e.g., printer, stapler, keyboard) in private. They then have to demonstrate how to use the object without actually showing it in front of their team. Their team gets 30 seconds on the clock to shout out the correct word (you can adjust the time depending on the difficulty of the objects).

Then it’s the other team’s turn. You’ll keep playing until every team member has had the chance to demonstrate an object to their team.

Why this exercise is great : This classic game is a nice way to break up a mentally taxing day and get your team to do a creative exercise that isn’t work-related.

8. Swift swap

Team size : 10–20 people

How to play : Split your team into two groups and line them up facing each other. Team A gets a quick observation period (15–30 seconds) in which group members have to memorize as many things about the people in front of them as possible. Then team A turns around while team B changes as many things about their appearance as possible.

Anything from changing the line up order to swapping shoes with someone or changing your hairdo is fair game. After about 45 seconds, team A turns back around and gets 5–10 minutes to find out what’s changed. You can adjust the time depending on the size of your group.

Why this exercise is great : This game is a great way to break up a long day and take everyone’s minds off work for a little while. Your team also gets to practice time-sensitive non-verbal communication during the swapping phase.

9. Code of conduct

Time : 20–30 minutes

How to play : This game is a great way to tune into a new project or workshop. Write the two categories “meaningful” and “enjoyable” on a whiteboard and ask the group to share what they believe is needed to accomplish these two things for your project or workshop. This can be anything from “regular breaks'' to “transparency and honesty,” which could fall under either category.

Everyone will choose ideas that they agree are both meaningful and enjoyable . Record these values in a shared tool to establish the code of conduct for your upcoming project or workshop. This list will function as a reminder for the team to uphold these values.

Why this exercise is great : Whether it’s the first day of a workshop, the beginning of a new project, or simply a Monday morning, this exercise is great to get everyone on your team on the same page. By establishing group norms and values early on and holding everyone accountable with a written code of conduct, you can create a sense of cohesiveness. If you’d like to do this exercise virtually, use our team brainstorming template to collect everyone’s thoughts.

10. Common thread

Team size : 10+ people

Time : 30 minutes

How to play : Divide your team into groups of three to five people. Then ask your team to find things everyone in their group has in common. This can be a favorite TV show, an ice cream flavor nobody likes, or a common hobby. Encourage your teammates to find common threads that aren’t too superficial or obvious. The more things they can find that everyone in the group has in common, the better! If you have the time, bring everyone together afterward and ask the teams to share their experiences.

Why this exercise is great : This fun game allows your team to find commonalities that they may not get a chance to discover otherwise. It’s also a great way to reunite teams that feel a bit divided. Talking about shared likes and dislikes can be helpful to reconnect you with teammates.

Remote or virtual team building games

Bonding with your teammates can be more difficult when you’re working remotely. Remote or virtual team building games can improve remote collaboration , motivate teams , and create a sense of community even though you’re physically apart. You can use Zoom to connect with your teammates or do quick team building exercises via your remote work software during the day.

If your team is located across multiple time zones, you may have to get creative with scheduling. Ashley Frabasilio, Employee Engagement Manager at Asana encourages leaders to schedule these activities during normal work hours. Ensure that the activity is appropriate for all participants in all time zones so no one feels excluded. Using work hours for these exercises can also increase the participation rate because you’re not interfering with personal time.

11. Show and tell

How to play : Ask everyone in your team to bring something they’re proud of or that brings them joy to your next meeting. This can be anything from a pet to a plant, a painting they did, or a certificate they received. Everyone gets two to three minutes to show off their item and answer questions from the team if they have any.

Why this exercise is great : Show and tell isn’t just fun for kids, it’s also a great way to connect with your team. You’re probably going to learn something new about your teammates and may get a couple of conversation starters for your next meeting from this game.

12. Photo caption contest

How to play : Collect a few funny photos—for example a few memes that have recently been circling the internet. Send these to your team before the meeting and ask everyone to submit their best photo caption for each image. You can put these together in a quick presentation and present them to your team during the call. You can have a good laugh together and even vote for the best captions.

Why this exercise is great : This exercise is a fun way to get creative as a team and have a good laugh together.

13. Morning coffee

Time : 15–30 minutes

How to play : Schedule regular coffee calls for your remote team to give everyone a chance to get to know each other like they would in an office setting. You can schedule team calls with four to five people or randomly assign two people to each other that switch every time. You can offer these casual calls once a week, bi-weekly, or once a month, depending on your team size and the interest in this opportunity.

Why this exercise is great : Remote teams don’t often get a chance to just chit-chat and get to know each other without talking about work or feeling like they’re wasting meeting time. By designating 15–30 minutes on a regular basis to a casual call, your team members will have a chance to bond with people they might not typically interact with.

14. Lunch and learn

How to play : Hold a weekly or monthly “lunch and learn” where one team member presents a topic to the whole team during their lunch break. This presentation can be on a tool everyone uses at work, on a lesson learned from a recent project, or even on a book they read that everyone can learn from.

Why this exercise is great : These events are a great opportunity for your team to connect in a more casual yet educational setting. If your team budget allows, send restaurant gift cards to your team members so they can order lunch for the call.

15. Online group game

Time : 30–60 minutes

How to play : Invite your team to play a game online together. This can be an actual video game if everyone happens to use the same console at home or you can download an interactive game (like Jackbox ) which you can screen share with the rest of the group.

Why this exercise is great : Playing a video game or an interactive game that has nothing to do with work can be a fun way to switch things up, create a more casual work environment, and get to know each other better. It will also give people with great sportsmanship a chance to shine!

16. Trivia games

Team size : 6–20 people

Time : 30–90 minutes

How to play : Start a meeting with a quick game of trivia or host a regular virtual trivia night at the end of the work day. You can play a game of office trivia (e.g., facts about the company) or pick random other themes like TV shows, music, or national parks. To mix things up, ask other team members to host trivia night.

Why this exercise is great : Whether you’re making the trivia game office-themed or creating a regular team activity that takes everyone’s minds off of work, you’ll get to spend time with your team playing a competitive, educational, and entertaining game that gives everyone a chance to bond.

17. Quarterly challenge

Time : One month

How to play : Create an optional challenge for your team to participate in. The challenge can be centered around healthy eating, meditation, journaling, or reading. Create a chat or thread where your teammates can exchange their experiences, wins, and questions to keep each other motivated and accountable throughout the month.

Make sure your team knows that participation is optional. It never hurts to ask for feedback to spark future team challenge ideas.

Why this exercise is great : Creating a challenge like this for your team shows them that you care about their work-life balance. By offering a quarterly challenge, you provide your team with the opportunity to share an experience together. Plus, it’s always easier to complete a challenge when you have a team who supports you and an incentive to work toward.

18. Personality test

How to play : Send a personality test to your team and ask everyone to share their results in a chat or during your next team meeting. This can be a formal test like the Enneagram or StrengthsFinder . For something more lighthearted, you can send a fun quiz like the Sorting Hat to find out which Hogwarts house you belong in or a Buzzfeed quiz (e.g., “ What Kitchen Appliance Are You? ”).

Why this exercise is great : Depending on the type of quiz your team takes, this can become a funny icebreaker before you start a meeting or turn into a discussion on your team’s combined strengths and challenges.

Problem solving games

Playing problem solving games with your team helps them level up their teamwork skills, resolve issues, achieve goals, and excel together. Whether you’re using new brainstorming techniques or going out for a team adventure, these fun team building activities are the perfect way to improve your team's problem solving skills.

19. Your first idea

Team size : 5–12 people

Time : 10–20 minutes

How to play : Ask everyone in your team to write down the first idea that pops into their head when they’re presented with the problem. Compile the list and review it as a team.

A fun twist on this game is to ask everyone to write down their worst idea. After reviewing with the team, you may realize that some ideas aren’t that bad after all. You can play this game with a real-life problem, a fictional one, or when you’re brainstorming new ideas to pitch.

Why this exercise is great : We often get too much into our heads about problems and solutions. By writing down the first solution that comes to mind, we can uncover new perspectives and fixes.

20. Back of the napkin

Team size : 6–24 people

Time : 15–20 minutes

How to play : Divide your team into groups of two to four and present them with a variety of open-ended problems. These can be work-related, imaginary, or even environmental problems. Every team gets a napkin and pen that they have to sketch or write their solution on after they’ve discussed the issue as a group. These will then be presented to the rest of the team.

Why this exercise is great : Some of the best ideas have allegedly been recorded on napkins (hey, when creativity strikes you’ll write on anything). This game imitates this scenario while challenging your team to collaborate on solving a creative problem.

21. Create your own

How to play : Each team member will create an original problem-solving activity on their own and present it to the group. Whether this entails a physical, mental, or creative challenge is up to your team. If you have the time, play some of the games afterward!

Why this exercise is great : Coming up with your own games is fun and a real creative challenge. It also allows your team members to showcase their strengths by creating challenges they’ll be prepared to tackle.

22. Spectrum mapping

Team size : 5–15 people

How to play : Present your team with a few topics that you’d like their opinions and insight on. Write them down on a whiteboard and give everyone sticky notes and pens. Ask them to write down their thoughts and pin them on the whiteboard underneath the respective topic.

Now arrange the sticky notes as a team. Try to group similar ideas together to the left of the topic and post outliers toward the right side. This will create a spectrum of popular thoughts and opinions on the left and more extreme ideas on the right.

Why this exercise is great : This game will help you map out the diversity of perspectives your team has on different topics. Remember that unpopular opinions don’t have to be wrong. Embracing this diversity can help you uncover new perspectives and innovative ideas to solve problems you’re facing as a team.

23. What would “X” do?

Team size : 5–10 people

Time : 45–60 minutes

How to play : Present your team with a problem and ask everyone to come up with a famous person or leader they admire. This can be a celebrity, a business person, or a relative. Challenge your teammates to approach the problem as if they were that person and present their solution (extra points for playing in character).

Why this exercise is great : Getting stuck in your own head can often keep you from solving a problem efficiently and effectively. By stepping into the shoes of someone else, you may uncover new solutions. Plus, it’s fun pretending to be someone else for a little while!

24. Team pursuit

Time : 1–3 hours

How to play : Form groups of two to six people that will compete against one another in a series of challenges. You can buy a team pursuit package online or create your own game, which will take a good amount of prep time.

You’ll want to create a set of challenges for your team: cerebral challenges that test logic and intelligence, skill challenges like aptitude tests, and mystery challenges which usually ask for creativity and out-of-the-box thinking (e.g., come up with a unique handshake, take a fun picture, etc.).

Why this exercise is great : A solid game of team pursuit will create a fun challenge that gives everyone a chance to shine and show off their talents. Whether you’re a good runner, a quick thinker, or a creative mind, everyone will be able to contribute to the success of the team. This game will bring your team closer together and show them new sides of their teammates that they may not have been aware of.

25. Code break

Team size : 8–24 people

How to play : This brain teaser is a fun activity that you can play indoors or outdoors to challenge your team. Outback Team Building offers self-hosted, remote-hosted, and on-site hosted events that include several codes your teammates have to find and break to make it through the course.

Why this exercise is great : This challenge requires creative thinking, creates a competitive environment, and works with large groups because you can break off into smaller groups.

26. Escape room

Time : 2–3 hours

How to play : Visiting an escape room is always a unique experience and a great way to spend an afternoon with your team. If you have multiple escape rooms nearby, ask your team if they have a general idea of what theme they’d like to explore (e.g., history, horror, sci-fi) and try to pick something you’ll think everyone will enjoy.

If you’re super creative and have the time and resources, you can put together an escape room on your own!

Why this exercise is great : Solving the mysteries of an escape room with your team will reveal the strengths and weaknesses of your teammates, foster communication and collaboration, build trust, and become a shared memory that connects you together.

Indoor team building games

Most of these indoor games can be played in an office, conference room, or a hallway with a small team, but you may need a bit more space if you’re inviting a larger group to join in.

27. Perfect square

Team size : 4–12 people

How to play : Divide your team into groups of four to six and ask them to stand in a tight circle with their group. Ask everyone to blindfold themselves or close their eyes and give one person a rope. Without looking at what they're doing, the teams now have to pass the rope around so everyone holds a piece of it and then form a perfect square. Once the team is sure their square is perfect, they can lay the rope down on the floor, take off their blindfolds (or open their eyes) and see how well they did.

Why this exercise is great : This game is about more than perfect geometric shapes, it’s an amazing listening and communication exercise. Because no one can see what they're doing, your team members have to communicate clearly while figuring out how to create a square out of a rope. Besides, it’s often really funny to see how imperfect the squares come out.

28. Memory wall

How to play : You’ll need a whiteboard and sticky notes for this game. Write different work-related themes on the whiteboard such as “first day at work,” “team celebration,” and “work travel.” Hand each teammate a few sticky notes and ask them to write down their favorite memories or accomplishments associated with one or more of these themes. Invite everyone to share these with the team to take a walk down memory lane and post the notes on the whiteboard as you go.

Why this exercise is great : This is a nice way to end a week, long day, or workshop because you’ll share positive experiences with one another that will leave your teammates smiling. If you’re finishing up a work trip or multi-day workshop, you can also do a slimmed-down version of this by asking everyone to share their favorite memory or biggest accomplishment of the last few days.

29. Turn back time

How to play : This team building exercise works best in a quiet atmosphere with everyone sitting in a circle. Ask your team to silently think of a unique memory in their lives. You can give them a few minutes to collect their thoughts. Then, ask everyone to share the one memory they’d like to relive if they could turn back time.

Not everyone may be comfortable opening up at first, so be sure to lead with vulnerability and make everyone in the room feel safe about sharing their moment.

Why this exercise is great : This exercise is a great way to help your team members remember their priorities and bond on a deeper level. In a team that’s facing disconnection or stress, sharing personal highlights that aren’t work-related can help create a sense of togetherness. Although the exercise doesn’t take too long, it’s best to do it toward the end of the day so your team has a chance to reflect on what’s been said.

30. Paper plane

Team size : 6–12 people

How to play : Split your team into groups of two to four and hand out card stock. Give each team 10–15 minutes to come up with the best long-distance paper plane design (they’re allowed to do research on their phones or computers) and a name for their airline.

When the paper planes are done, have a competition in a long hallway or outside to see which plane flies the farthest.

Why this exercise is great : This exercise requires team members to collaborate on a project with a tight timeline. It is a great activity to practice communication skills, delegation, and time management.

31. Build a tower

Team size : 8–16 people

How to play : Divide your team into groups of four or five and provide them with 20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow. Challenge each team to build the tallest tower possible using only the supplies you gave them. When finished, the tower has to support the marshmallow sitting on top. Set the timer for 20 minutes and ask everyone to step away from their masterpiece when it runs out so you can crown a winner.

Why this exercise is great : This challenge is a great way to improve problem solving skills and communication within your team. Your team members will have to prototype, build, and present the tower in a short amount of time, which can be stressful. The better they work together, the more likely they are to succeed.

32. Flip it over

Team size : 6–8 people

How to play : Lay a towel, blanket, or sheet on the floor and ask your teammates to stand on it. The goal is to flip the piece over without ever stepping off of it or touching the ground outside of the fabric. You can make the challenge more difficult by adding more people to the team or using a smaller sheet.

Why this exercise is great : This exercise requires clear communication, cooperation, and a good sense of humor. It’s a great way to find out how well your teammates cooperate when presented with an oddly difficult task.

33. Sneak a peek

Team size : 4–20 people

How to play : Create a structure out of Lego pieces and hide it in a separate room. Divide your team into groups of two to four people and give them enough Legos to replicate the structure in 30 minutes or less.

One player per team is allowed to sneak a peek at the original structure for 15 seconds, then run back and describe it to their team. The person who gets to sneak a peek rotates so everyone gets to see the original at some point during the game. The team that first completes the structure as close to the original wins!

Why this exercise is great : During this game your team gets to focus on teamwork and communication. Since only one person at a time is allowed to look at the original, team members may see and describe different things. The more complex the structure is, the harder this game will be.

34. Pyramids

How to play : Pick a large open area for this game like a hallway, a meeting room, or the cafeteria. Divide your team into groups of four to six and give each team 10 paper cups. Ask the teams to stand in a line with about 8–10 feet between the team members. Now it’s a race against time!

The first person in each line has to build a pyramid with four cups at the base. Once they’re done, the second player has to help them carry the pyramid to their station (this can be on the floor or at a table). They can slide it on the floor or carry it together but if the pyramid falls apart, the players have to reassemble it on the spot before continuing their journey. At the next station, the second player has to topple the pyramid and rebuild it before the third player gets to help them carry it to the next station. This continues until the pyramid reaches the last station. The team that finishes first wins the game

Why this exercise is great : This game is fun to play during a mid-day break, fosters communication skills, and promotes teamwork.

35. Shipwrecked

Team size : 8–25 people

How to play : The premise of the game is that you’re stranded on a deserted island and only have 25 minutes to secure survival items off the sinking ship. Place items like water bottles, matches, food, etc., in the “shipwreck area.” You can also print pictures on index cards to make things a bit easier. The quantity of each item should be limited, with some items having more than others (e.g., more water than food, fewer tarps than teams, more knives than ropes, etc.).

Divide your team into groups of two (or more if it’s a large team). Once the clock starts, they have to gather as many items as they deem worthy from the shipwreck and rank them in order of importance. Since the items are limited (some more than others), the teams will not only have to prioritize the items within their own group of people but also negotiate, trade, and exchange items with other teams.

Why this exercise is great : This game will challenge problem-solving abilities, encourage collaboration, and enable your team to flex their leadership skills. Typically, teams with strong leadership qualities will have the most success in making these quick decisions.

36. Team flag

Time : 30–45 minutes

How to play : Divide your team into groups of two to four people and provide them with paper and pens. Each group now has to come up with an emblem or flag that represents their team. Once everyone has completed their masterpiece, they have to present it to the rest of the teams, explaining how they came up with the design. This exercise is also a great opportunity to discuss how each group identified their common values and created alignment during the design process.

Why this exercise is great : This is a great way to get the creative juices flowing. Your team will not only have to come up with a unique design that represents their collective identity but they’ll also have to collaborate on putting pen to paper and presenting their flag or emblem at the end of the game.

37. Salt and pepper

How to play : You’ll need a list of things that go well together like salt and pepper, left sock and right sock, day and night, peanut butter and jelly, or yin and yang. Write these words on individual pieces of paper and tape one sheet of paper on every team member's back.

Ask your team to mingle and find out what’s written on their back by asking questions that can only be answered with yes or no (e.g., “Am I sweet? Do you wear me? Am I cold?”). Once the participants find out who they are, they have to find their match!

Why this exercise is great : Your team can use this game to bond with one another and improve their communication skills. If you have a large team, this exercise also gives them a chance to interact with people they may not usually get to talk to.

38. Sell it

Time : 45–90 minutes

How to play : Ask your teammates to each bring a random object to the meeting. Everyone then has to come up with a logo, slogan, and marketing plan to sell this object. After 30 minutes, each team member has to present their new product to the rest of the team. If you have a larger team, divide them into groups of 2–4 people and ask them to collaborate on their product pitch.

Why this exercise is great : This game is great to switch things up if you don’t already work in marketing or sales. It’s also fun to play with others as it allows your team to get creative and have fun with everyday objects.

39. The barter puzzle

Time : 1–2 hours

How to play : Divide your team into groups of three or four people and give each a different jigsaw puzzle of the same difficulty level. Ask them to complete the puzzle as a team. The twist: each puzzle is missing a few pieces that are mixed in with an opposing team’s puzzle. The teams have to figure out ways to get the pieces they need from the other teams by negotiating, trading pieces, or even exchanging teammates. Every decision has to be made as a team. The first team to complete their puzzle wins.

Why this exercise is great : Every decision made will have to be a group decision which challenges your team to improve their problem solving skills.

Outdoor team building exercises

If you want to get a larger group together for a team building exercise, why not take things outside? Outdoor team building is also a great way to get your teammates to interact without the distractions of screens or smartphones. Whether you want to catch a breath of fresh air or get some sunshine together, these exercises will help you bond with your teammates outside of the office.

40. The minefield

Team size : 4–10 people

How to play : Create a minefield in a parking lot or another large, open space by sporadically placing objects like papers, balls, cones, and bottles. Split your team into groups of two and ask one person to put on a blindfold. The other person now has to guide the blindfolded teammate through the minefield only using their words. The blindfolded person is not allowed to talk and will be eliminated if they stop walking or step on anything in the minefield.

The objective of the game is to make it to the other side of the minefield. The teams can then switch so another person will be blindfolded and guided through the field on their way back. You can also distribute pieces the blindfolded person has to pick up on their way through the field to add another difficulty level.

Why this exercise is great : This game is not just a trust exercise for your teammates but also a fun way to practice active listening skills and clear communication.

41. Earth-ball

Team size : 5–20 people

Time : 15–45 minutes

How to play : You’ll need a balloon, beach ball, or volleyball for this activity. Ask your team to stand in a circle and keep the balloon or ball in the air for as long as possible. To make it a real challenge, no one can touch the ball twice in a row. The bigger your team, the more fun this game will be!

Why this exercise is great : This fun challenge is a great way to get your team moving. If you’re struggling to keep the ball up for longer, try to come up with a strategy to improve your time.

42. Scavenger hunt

How to play : Put together a scavenger hunt for your team. This can be in the form of a list of photographs they have to take (e.g., something red, all teammates in front of the company logo, the CEO’s car, etc.), items they have to collect (e.g., company brochure, yellow sticky note with manager’s signature on it, ketchup packet from the cafeteria, etc.), or other activities they have to complete on a designated route.

Why this exercise is great : The more people that tag along, the more fun this game will be. You can group people together who don’t know each other very well to allow them time to bond during this exercise. Try to come up with company-specific quests for your team so they learn a few fun facts along the way. You can offer prizes for the most creative team or the first to finish the challenge to boost motivation.

43. Egg drop

Time : 60–90 minutes

How to play : Divide your team into groups of two or three people and give each team a raw egg (keep some extras in case they break before the grand finale). Then put out supplies like tape, straws, rubber bands, newspapers, and balloons so the teams can build a structure for the raw egg that will protect it from a fall out of a second or third story window.

Each team has 60 minutes to complete their structure. When the time is up, ask your teams to gather their eggs and egg cages to drop them out of the window. This grand finale will reveal which team engineered and built the best cage.

Why this exercise is great : Collaborating on a design and building a cage will challenge your team’s problem solving and collaboration skills.

44. Team outing

Team size : Any

How to play : Plan an outing for your team. You could attend a cooking class or go to a museum together. If you want to have something your teammates can work toward, plan to run a 5K together or host a ping pong tournament. You can also do something more casual like inviting your team to hangout at a bowling alley after work where you can play a few games in a casual and fun setting.

Why this exercise is great : Taking your team somewhere new will help break down some of the walls we often build in a professional setting. While you’re still at a company function, you’re more inclined to connect through casual conversation at a restaurant or park than you would at the office.

45. Volunteer as a team

How to play : Organize a team event during your regularly scheduled workday. This can be a charity event, yard sale, or fundraiser for a cause your team cares about. Even though these are enjoyable, scheduling them during work hours makes this feel like more of a perk than an obligation.

If your team members have a few causes they’re truly passionate about, consider making this a monthly or quarterly event. You can also rotate the charities that you’re helping out to accommodate your team’s different interests.

Why this exercise is great : Experiencing helper’s high can improve your personal health and mental state. Sharing this rush that doing good can give you will help your team bond on a deeper level.

Benefits of team building

Team building is more than a fun break from your everyday routine at work. It also:

Improves communication, trust, and collaboration skills

Promotes a collaborative culture by bringing teammates together

Fosters agile decision making and problem solving skills

Boosts team productivity and morale

Uses creativity and outside-of-the-box thinking

Ashley Frabasilio believes that:

A common goal is to create a memorable and meaningful experience for folks to connect. Some questions to consider when planning an impactful team-building activity include: What do I hope folks walk away with? I.e., a new skill, a deeper connection to one another, personal development, a moment of delight, etc.”

Ask yourself these questions before proposing a team building activity so you can reap the full benefits of the exercise.

Bring your team together, creatively

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to build your team’s confidence, connection, and teamwork skills. While team building is fun, it’s also important to connect with your team on an everyday basis. To build one of those connections in your day-to-day work, the right collaboration software is key.

Looking for the right collaboration tool? See how Asana keeps your team connected, no matter where you’re working.

Related resources

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Team Building Exercises – Problem Solving and Decision Making

Fun ways to turn problems into opportunities.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Whether there's a complex project looming or your team members just want to get better at dealing with day-to-day issues, your people can achieve much more when they solve problems and make decisions together.

By developing their problem-solving skills, you can improve their ability to get to the bottom of complex situations. And by refining their decision-making skills, you can help them work together maturely, use different thinking styles, and commit collectively to decisions.

In this article, we'll look at three team-building exercises that you can use to improve problem solving and decision making in a new or established team.

Exercises to Build Decision-Making and Problem-Solving Skills

Use the following exercises to help your team members solve problems and make decisions together more effectively.

Exercise 1: Lost at Sea*

In this activity, participants must pretend that they've been shipwrecked and are stranded in a lifeboat. Each team has a box of matches, and a number of items that they've salvaged from the sinking ship. Members must agree which items are most important for their survival.

Download and print our team-building exercises worksheet to help you with this exercise.

This activity builds problem-solving skills as team members analyze information, negotiate and cooperate with one another. It also encourages them to listen and to think about the way they make decisions.

What You'll Need

Up to five people in each group.
A large, private room.
A "lost at sea" ranking chart for each team member. This should comprise six columns. The first simply lists each item (see below). The second is empty so that each team member can rank the items. The third is for group rankings. The fourth is for the "correct" rankings, which are revealed at the end of the exercise. And the fifth and sixth are for the team to enter the difference between their individual and correct score, and the team and correct rankings, respectively.
The items to be ranked are: a mosquito net, a can of petrol, a water container, a shaving mirror, a sextant, emergency rations, a sea chart, a floating seat or cushion, a rope, some chocolate bars, a waterproof sheet, a fishing rod, shark repellent, a bottle of rum, and a VHF radio. These can be listed in the ranking chart or displayed on a whiteboard, or both.
The experience can be made more fun by having some lost-at-sea props in the room.

Flexible, but normally between 25 and 40 minutes.

Instructions

Divide participants into their teams, and provide everyone with a ranking sheet.
Ask team members to take 10 minutes on their own to rank the items in order of importance. They should do this in the second column of their sheet.
Give the teams a further 10 minutes to confer and decide on their group rankings. Once agreed, they should list them in the third column of their sheets.
Ask each group to compare their individual rankings with their collective ones, and consider why any scores differ. Did anyone change their mind about their own rankings during the team discussions? How much were people influenced by the group conversation?
Now read out the "correct" order, collated by the experts at the US Coast Guard (from most to least important): - Shaving mirror. (One of your most powerful tools, because you can use it to signal your location by reflecting the sun.) - Can of petrol. (Again, potentially vital for signaling as petrol floats on water and can be lit by your matches.) - Water container. (Essential for collecting water to restore your lost fluids.) -Emergency rations. (Valuable for basic food intake.) - Plastic sheet. (Could be used for shelter, or to collect rainwater.) -Chocolate bars. (A handy food supply.) - Fishing rod. (Potentially useful, but there is no guarantee that you're able to catch fish. Could also feasibly double as a tent pole.) - Rope. (Handy for tying equipment together, but not necessarily vital for survival.) - Floating seat or cushion. (Useful as a life preserver.) - Shark repellent. (Potentially important when in the water.) - Bottle of rum. (Could be useful as an antiseptic for treating injuries, but will only dehydrate you if you drink it.) - Radio. (Chances are that you're out of range of any signal, anyway.) - Sea chart. (Worthless without navigational equipment.) - Mosquito net. (Assuming that you've been shipwrecked in the Atlantic, where there are no mosquitoes, this is pretty much useless.) - Sextant. (Impractical without relevant tables or a chronometer.)

Advice for the Facilitator

The ideal scenario is for teams to arrive at a consensus decision where everyone's opinion is heard. However, that doesn't always happen naturally: assertive people tend to get the most attention. Less forthright team members can often feel intimidated and don't always speak up, particularly when their ideas are different from the popular view. Where discussions are one-sided, draw quieter people in so that everyone is involved, but explain why you're doing this, so that people learn from it.

You can use the Stepladder Technique when team discussion is unbalanced. Here, ask each team member to think about the problem individually and, one at a time, introduce new ideas to an appointed group leader – without knowing what ideas have already been discussed. After the first two people present their ideas, they discuss them together. Then the leader adds a third person, who presents his or her ideas before hearing the previous input. This cycle of presentation and discussion continues until the whole team has had a chance to voice their opinions.

After everyone has finished the exercise, invite your teams to evaluate the process to draw out their experiences. For example, ask them what the main differences between individual, team and official rankings were, and why. This will provoke discussion about how teams arrive at decisions, which will make people think about the skills they must use in future team scenarios, such as listening , negotiating and decision-making skills, as well as creativity skills for thinking "outside the box."

A common issue that arises in team decision making is groupthink . This can happen when a group places a desire for mutual harmony above a desire to reach the right decision, which prevents people from fully exploring alternative solutions.

If there are frequent unanimous decisions in any of your exercises, groupthink may be an issue. Suggest that teams investigate new ways to encourage members to discuss their views, or to share them anonymously.

Exercise 2: The Great Egg Drop*

In this classic (though sometimes messy!) game, teams must work together to build a container to protect an egg, which is dropped from a height. Before the egg drop, groups must deliver presentations on their solutions, how they arrived at them, and why they believe they will succeed.

This fun game develops problem-solving and decision-making skills. Team members have to choose the best course of action through negotiation and creative thinking.

Ideally at least six people in each team.
Raw eggs – one for each group, plus some reserves in case of accidents!
Materials for creating the packaging, such as cardboard, tape, elastic bands, plastic bottles, plastic bags, straws, and scissors.
Aprons to protect clothes, paper towels for cleaning up, and paper table cloths, if necessary.
Somewhere – ideally outside – that you can drop the eggs from. (If there is nowhere appropriate, you could use a step ladder or equivalent.)
Around 15 to 30 minutes to create the packages.
Approximately 15 minutes to prepare a one-minute presentation.
Enough time for the presentations and feedback (this will depend on the number of teams).
Time to demonstrate the egg "flight."
Put people into teams, and ask each to build a package that can protect an egg dropped from a specified height (say, two-and-a-half meters) with the provided materials.
Each team must agree on a nominated speaker, or speakers, for their presentation.
Once all teams have presented, they must drop their eggs, assess whether the eggs have survived intact, and discuss what they have learned.

When teams are making their decisions, the more good options they consider, the more effective their final decision is likely to be. Encourage your groups to look at the situation from different angles, so that they make the best decision possible. If people are struggling, get them to brainstorm – this is probably the most popular method of generating ideas within a team.

Ask the teams to explore how they arrived at their decisions, to get them thinking about how to improve this process in the future. You can ask them questions such as:

Did the groups take a vote, or were members swayed by one dominant individual?
How did the teams decide to divide up responsibilities? Was it based on people's expertise or experience?
Did everyone do the job they volunteered for?
Was there a person who assumed the role of "leader"?
How did team members create and deliver the presentation, and was this an individual or group effort?

Exercise 3: Create Your Own*

In this exercise, teams must create their own, brand new, problem-solving activity.

This game encourages participants to think about the problem-solving process. It builds skills such as creativity, negotiation and decision making, as well as communication and time management. After the activity, teams should be better equipped to work together, and to think on their feet.

Ideally four or five people in each team.
Paper, pens and flip charts.

Around one hour.

As the participants arrive, you announce that, rather than spending an hour on a problem-solving team-building activity, they must design an original one of their own.
Divide participants into teams and tell them that they have to create a new problem-solving team-building activity that will work well in their organization. The activity must not be one that they have already participated in or heard of.
After an hour, each team must present their new activity to everyone else, and outline its key benefits.

There are four basic steps in problem solving : defining the problem, generating solutions, evaluating and selecting solutions, and implementing solutions. Help your team to think creatively at each stage by getting them to consider a wide range of options. If ideas run dry, introduce an alternative brainstorming technique, such as brainwriting . This allows your people to develop one others' ideas, while everyone has an equal chance to contribute.

After the presentations, encourage teams to discuss the different decision-making processes they followed. You might ask them how they communicated and managed their time . Another question could be about how they kept their discussion focused. And to round up, you might ask them whether they would have changed their approach after hearing the other teams' presentations.

Successful decision making and problem solving are at the heart of all effective teams. While teams are ultimately led by their managers, the most effective ones foster these skills at all levels.

The exercises in this article show how you can encourage teams to develop their creative thinking, leadership , and communication skills , while building group cooperation and consensus.

* Original source unknown. Please let us know if you know the original source.

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The importance of problem-solving skills in today’s workplace

According to a 2019 report by McKinsey , soft skills are increasingly important in today's world — and problem-solving is the top area in which skills are lacking. A company or team’s success weighs heavily on the willingness of managers to help employees improve their problem-solving abilities. Team building activities targeting focus areas like communication and collaboration, adaptability, or strengthening decision-making techniques help.

All problem-solving processes start with identifying the problem. Next, the team must assess potential courses of action and choose the best way to tackle the problem. This requires a deep understanding of your team and its core strengths. A problem-solving exercise or game helps identify those strengths and builds problem-solving skills and strategies while having fun with your team.

Problem-solving games aren't for just any team. Participants must have an open mind and accept all ideas and solutions . They must also have an Agile mindset and embrace different structures, planning, and processes. Problems usually arise when we least expect them, so there's no better way to prepare than to encourage agility and flexibility.

Another aspect to keep in mind when engaging in problem-solving games and activities: There are no winners or losers. Sure, some games might end with a single winner, but the true goal of these exercises is to learn how to work together as a team to develop an Agile mindset. The winning team of each game should share their strategies and thought processes at the end of the exercise to help everyone learn.

Here’s a list of fun problem-solving activity examples to try with your team. From blindfolds to raw eggs, these problem-solving, team-building activities will have your team solving problems faster than Scooby and the gang.

Classic team-building, problem-solving activities

1. a shrinking vessel.

Helps with: Adaptability

Why adaptability is important for problem-solving: Adaptability is highly associated with cognitive diversity, which helps teams solve problems faster , according to the Harvard Business Review. Innovation and disruption are happening faster than ever before . People, teams, and organizations that can adapt will come out on top.

What you’ll need:

A rope or string

Instructions:

1. Using the rope, make a shape on the floor everyone can fit into.

2. Slowly shrink the space over 10-15 minutes.

3. Work together to figure out how to keep everyone within the shrinking boundaries.

2. Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower

Helps with: Collaboration

Why collaboration is important for problem-solving: “Collectively, we can be more insightful, more intelligent than we can possibly be individually,” writes Peter Senge in The Fifth Discipline . We can solve problems better as a team than we can alone, which means developing your team’s collaboration skills will lead to better problem-solving outcomes.

What you’ll need (per team):

20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti
1 roll of masking tape
1 yard of string
1 marshmallow

1. The goal of this exercise is to see which team can use the materials provided to build the tallest tower within an allotted time period. The tower must be able to stand on its own.

2. To make this exercise more challenging, try adding a marshmallow to the top of the tower. This team problem-solving exercise helps people think on their toes while building camaraderie and leadership.

3. Egg Drop

Helps with: Collaboration, decision-making

Why decision-making is important for problem-solving: Making decisions isn’t easy , but indecision leads to team paralysis, stagnant thinking, and unsolved problems. Decision-making activities help your team practice making quick, effective choices. Train your team’s decision-making muscles and they will become more adept at problem-solving.

A carton of eggs
Basic construction materials such as newspapers, straws, tape, plastic wrap, balloons, rubber bands, popsicle sticks, etc., tarp, or drop cloth
A parking lot, or some other place you don’t mind getting messy!

1. Each team gets an egg and must select from the construction materials.

2. Give everyone 20-30 minutes to construct a carrier for the egg and protect it from breaking.

3. Drop each egg carrier off a ledge (i.e. over a balcony) and see whose carrier protects the egg from breaking.

4. If multiple eggs survive, keep increasing the height until only one egg is left.

4. Stranded

Helps with: Communication, decision-making

Why communication is important for problem-solving: More employees work remotely than ever before. Good communication skills are vital to solving problems across virtual teams . Working on communication skills while your team is together will help them solve problems more effectively when they’re apart.

Here's the setting: Your team has been stranded in the office. The doors are locked, and knocking down the doors or breaking the windows is not an option. Give your team 30 minutes to decide on ten items in the office they need for survival and rank them in order of importance. The goal of the game is to have everyone agree on the ten items and their rankings in 30 minutes.

Creative problem-solving activities

Helps with: Communication

What you'll need:

1. Divide everyone into small teams of two or more.

2. Select an overseer who isn't on a team to build a random structure using Lego building blocks within ten minutes.

3. The other teams must replicate the structure exactly (including size and color) within 15 minutes. However, only one member from each group may look at the original structure. They must figure out how to communicate the size, color, and shape of the original structure to their team.

4. If this is too easy, add a rule that the member who can see the original structure can't touch the new structure.

A lockable room
5-10 puzzles or clues (depending on how much time you want to spend on the game)

1. The goal of this exercise is to solve the clues, find the key, and escape a locked room within the time allotted.

2. Hide the key and a list of clues around the room.

3. Gather the team into the empty room and "lock" the door.

4. Give them 30 minutes to an hour to find the key using the clues hidden around the room.

7. Frostbite

Helps with: Decision-making, adaptability

A blindfold
1 packet of construction materials (such as card stock, toothpicks, rubber bands, and sticky notes) for each team
An electric fan

Instructions: Your employees are Arctic explorers adventuring across an icy tundra! Separate them into teams of four or five and have them select a leader to guide their exploration. Each team must build a shelter from the materials provided before the storm hits in 30 minutes. However, both the team leader’s hands have frostbite, so they can’t physically help construct the shelter, and the rest of the team has snow blindness and is unable to see. When the 30 minutes is up, turn on the fan and see which shelter can withstand the high winds of the storm.

8. Minefield

An empty room or hallway
A collection of common office items

1. Place the items (boxes, chairs, water bottles, bags, etc.) around the room so there's no clear path from one end of the room to the other.

2. Divide your team into pairs and blindfold one person on the team.

3. The other must verbally guide that person from one end of the room to the other, avoiding the "mines."

4. The partner who is not blindfolded can't touch the other.

5. If you want to make the activity more challenging, have all the pairs go simultaneously so teams must find ways to strategically communicate with each other.

9. Blind Formations

1. Have the group put on blindfolds and form a large circle.

2. Tie two ends of a rope together and lay it in a circle in the middle of the group, close enough so each person can reach down and touch it.

3. Instruct the group to communicate to create a shape with the rope — a square, triangle, rectangle, etc.

4. If you have a very large group, divide them into teams and provide a rope for each team. Let them compete to see who forms a particular shape quickest.

Quick and easy problem-solving activities

10. line up blind.

1. Blindfold everyone and whisper a number to each person, beginning with one.

2. Tell them to line up in numerical order without talking.

3. Instead of giving them a number, you could also have them line up numerically by height, age, birthday, etc.

11. Reverse Pyramid

Helps with: Adaptability, collaboration

1. Have everyone stand in a pyramid shape, horizontally.

2. Ask them to flip the base and the apex of the pyramid moving only three people.

3. This quick exercise works best when smaller groups compete to see who can reverse the pyramid the fastest.

12. Move It!

Chalk, rope, tape, or paper (something to mark a space)

1. Divide your group into two teams and line them up front to back, facing each other.

2. Using the chalk, tape, rope, or paper (depending on the playing surface), mark a square space for each person to stand on. Leave one extra empty space between the two facing rows.

3. The goal is for the two facing lines of players to switch places.

4. Place these restrictions on movement:

Only one person may move at a time.
A person may not move around anyone facing the same direction.
No one may not move backward.
A person may not move around more than one person on the other team at a time.

13. Human Knot

1. Have everyone stand in a circle, and ask each person to hold hands with two people who aren’t directly next to them.

2. When everyone is tangled together, ask them to untangle the knot and form a perfect circle — without letting go of anyone's hand.

Our last two problem-solving activities work best when dealing with an actual problem:

14. Dumbest Idea First

Helps with: Instant problem-solving

1. "Dumb" ideas are sometimes the best ideas. Ask everyone to think of the absolute dumbest possible solution to the problem at hand.

2. After you have a long list, look through it and see which ones might not be as dumb as you think.

3. Brainstorm your solutions in Wrike. It's free and everyone can start collaborating instantly!

15. What Would X Do

1. Have everyone pretend they're someone famous.

2. Each person must approach the problem as if they were their chosen famous person. What options would they consider? How would they handle it?

3. This allows everyone to consider solutions they might not have thought of originally.

Looking for more team-building and virtual meeting games? Check out these virtual icebreaker games or our Ultimate Guide to Team Building Activities that Don't Suck.

Additional resources on problem-solving activities

Problem-Solving Model : Looking for a model to provide a problem-solving structure? This detailed guide gives you the tools to quickly solve any problem.
The Simplex Process: Popularized by Min Basadur's book, The Power of Innovation , the Simplex Process provides training and techniques for each problem-solving stage. It helps frame problem-solving as a continuous cycle, rather than a “one and done” process.
Fun Problem-Solving Activities and Games : Looking for more ideas? Check out this list of interesting and creative problem-solving activities for adults and kids!
The Secret to Better Problem-Solving: This article provides tips, use cases, and fresh examples to help you become a whiz at solving the toughest problems.

How to organize problem-solving activities with Wrike

If you want to make problem-solving activities more effective, consider using team collaboration software such as Wrike.

Wrike’s pre-built actionable meeting notes template helps you keep track of meeting discussions, assign action items, and keep everyone in the loop. It’s an effective tool to streamline your problem-solving sessions and turn insights into real projects.

Brianna Hansen

Brianna is a former Content Marketing Manager of Wrike. When she’s not writing about collaboration and team building games, you’ll find her in the kitchen testing out the latest recipes, sharing her favorite wine with friends, or playing with her two cats.

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Understanding these 6 team effectiveness models can help you figure out which model to adopt for your own team. Or it may simply help shed light into what's working in your own group, and how to help improve what's lacking.

5 Unexpected Ways To Improve Team Collaboration

The general trend these days is toward open office plans, where cubicle walls and office doors don’t impede communication. In fact, the International Facility Management Association reports that 70% of offices in the US now have an open floor plan. But tearing down the walls so we can yell across the room at one another doesn’t necessarily improve collaboration. In fact, a study in Finland found that employees on average waste 21.5 minutes a day getting distracted by overheard conversations, the top roadblock to productivity. It takes more than just moving the furniture and hoping it will get people talking—it takes planning, intentional policy changes, and just a little hint of the unexpected. These five unusual strategies for improving team collaboration will get your teams to work together in ways that make people feel comfortable sharing ideas. 1. Put the Walls Back Up Conventional wisdom says that open work spaces and shared offices get people to talk more, but the ambient noise and visual distractions can actually mean a loss of productivity. We cycle through the open-office-closed-door argument every decade or so, probably because the pendulum swings way too far in one direction or the other, leaving employees either isolated or distracted. When employees have a quiet, comfortable place to work distraction-free, they feel more comfortable coming out of their shells when they need to work together. Cubicles, conference rooms, and separate offices help define meeting times and let employees choose when they engage with others, rather than the open office layout that stifles quiet time. 2. Build an Asynchronous Communication Policy Many workplaces have implemented instant messaging apps, crowd-sourced employee documents, and project management tools that increase the opportunity for collaboration. But that’s not enough—you also have to create expectations around how employees use those tools. Communication apps like Skype and Slack, can and should be used with an understanding that communication happens at your discretion. Asynchronous communication models the sort of communication that happens between parts of a computer: information is sent when it’s convenient for one part of the system, and the other part of the system receives and responds at its convenience. This way, the receiver’s current process isn’t interrupted, which helps team members stay focused on important work. Offices that use wikis, email, chat tools, Kanban boards, and project management tools that let users view notifications and changes on their own time show respect for the individual’s flow of work. Users can set "do not disturb" hours so they won’t receive distracting notifications, and use a batching system to take care of all secondary communication outside of their focus times. Asynchronous communication gives employees the freedom to focus without that fear of missing out on important decisions. When companies empower employees to communicate within dedicated time frames, they send the message that they appreciate when employees focus on single tasks, rather than splitting their attention between communication and assignments. 3. Implement: "No Agenda, No Meeting" It’s many people’s worst office nightmare: a meeting with no plan. Requiring that all meetings — no matter how trivial or informal — have at least a bullet point outline puts both planners and attendees at ease. Agendas also keep your teams focused on outcomes. Teams that plan in advance and share agendas stay on track and reduce distractions that can devolve into lost time and unhelpful disagreements. Build policies about tangential discussions and how to deal with disagreements, so your employees know how to handle new and uncomfortable situations. Meeting agendas protect meaningful individual work time, and helps the group stay on task. This reduces friction due to off-topic talking, lets attendees collect their thoughts and ideas before the meeting, and defines the scope of work so all participants understand what’s expected. Collaboration is much easier when everyone knows what’s required. Once the group completes the agenda, release employees to check off the items on their personal to-do lists. You can always schedule follow-up meetings to resolve new issues. 4. Build an Inclusive Remote Work Infrastructure Finding top talent is harder than ever, and ensuring that your employees have a good work-life balance is an HR necessity. The Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 24% of employees worked from home at least part of the time in 2015. Working remotely from a home office or co-working space in a different city can increase employee happiness and productivity and limit distractions from office shenanigans (looking at you, Sales Departments). Companies that allow remote work or work from home policies need to build communication and collaboration into the lifestyle of the company. Use video conferencing, chat programs, screensharing & remote desktop access, and project management tools to bring employees together virtually around your goals. Ensure that not only workers but also managers and executives understand how to use the remote technology, and are comfortable engaging with the crew. Use your video calls for 1:1 weekly meetings to check in, and build chat channels where your whole team can hang out. Allow teams to build their own chat channels around shared interests (Trivia, Fantasy Football, great restaurants, etc.) to cultivate a connected culture and engage employees during downtime. These connections remind us that our colleagues are more than their work projects, they are people too. Humanizing remote teammates helps to foster empathy, which in turn smooths out whatever rough patches you'll hit during collaboration. 5. Build Relationships via Tough Conversations Whether collaboration takes place in the office or remotely, in real time or asynchronously, in a conference room or in the middle of an open office, it’s important to build communication policies that promote openness and honesty. Conflict and criticism are inevitable, but collaboration doesn’t have to suffer: the whole team can communicate with emotional intelligence. By planning for the inevitable, you can ensure that tough conversations happen with sensitivity—building relationships among team members, instead of eroding them. Designate mediators for teams, plan regular communication skills workshops (quarterly, not just once a year), and discuss different communication styles. Collaboration is More Than Seating Arrangements Improved team collaboration takes more than sticking everyone in a room and hoping individual genius will compound in a group setting. Real business-oriented collaboration requires careful planning, investment in technology, and breaking down outdated ideas of what teamwork and productivity look like. About the Author: Tamara Scott is an analyst at TechnologyAdvice, a research company that connects buyers and sellers of business technology. She writes about project management, marketing, sales, CRM, and many other technology verticals.

Making Mistakes at Work: What to Do if You're in the Wrong

All of us have felt the fear of admitting when we’ve made a mistake at work. We may be terrified to tell our manager, or nervous about the impact our mistake could have on the business. But mistakes are completely normal and should be viewed as an opportunity to grow. This article aims to provide a deeper insight into why this fear of making mistakes at work exists and how to overcome it. We’ll also provide advice to managers on how to react and problem solve collaboratively as a team. Why is there a fear of making mistakes at work? Making mistakes at work can be scary. This is especially true if you’re the sole breadwinner of your household or rely on your position for everyday expenses like rent. When the stakes are high, it’s normal to worry about what-if scenarios when something goes wrong. In rare cases, extreme perfectionism is diagnosed as atelophobia which is the extreme fear of making mistakes. While these are all valid reactions, making mistakes at work can actually improve your relationship with management and provide opportunities for self-improvement. But first things first, you have to adjust your mindset and overcome those fear-based feelings that are keeping you paralyzed. Overcoming the anxiety of making mistakes at work If you’re like most people, you probably feel a knot in your stomach when something goes wrong at work. It could have been a minor mishap that no one noticed or a major mistake that cost your company a huge sum of money. Regardless of what happened, overcoming the anxiety of making mistakes at work is the first step to finding a solution. If you skip this part of the process, you may find yourself covering up issues that could have been fixed, making things worse long-term, or even getting found out by your boss. Follow these steps to overcoming work-related stress and bounce back stronger than before after you’ve messed up: Step 1: Process your emotions It’s natural to feel frustrated and embarrassed when something goes wrong at work. But, after a few seconds, the feeling should pass and you can begin to think logically. If it doesn’t happen quickly, take some time to process these emotions. Talk it out with a trusted friend, voice journal about it in your car, or take a walk outside to get some fresh air before starting fresh. It can be hard to maintain a sense of balance when you’re upset. Try to make sure that your emotional response is proportional to the mistake you made. Step 2: Keep perspective If you make an error at work, it’s likely not a life-or-death situation. Most of the time, it can be corrected or resolved quickly. If you don’t find the right perspective, your mind may get too focused on the negative consequences of your mistake, which can trigger more errors in the future. Step 3: Acknowledge the mistake If you need to apologize for an error, do it quickly and politely. If it’s a small issue, a sentence or two via email or chat messenger is enough to make amends. If it’s a larger issue, consider holding a meeting or giving your manager a quick phone call. Also, make sure to tell your boss about how you intend to prevent this mistake in the future. Step 4: Review your response It’s so easy to get distracted by all your other goals and projects that you can forget about anything else that went wrong before you got to this point. Taking the time to review your response to the mistake helps you improve in case it ever happens again. Ask yourself questions. Do you make the same mistake over and over again? If so, what changes can you make to prevent this from happening? Step 5: Practice self-care Getting back into a healthy routine can help you release pent-up energy and prevent making mistakes at work in the future. To some, the concept of self-care may seem like a trend or luxury. But making sure you’re feeling your best is critical for improving your confidence and your performance at work. Issues such as sleep deprivation, poor nutrition, and dehydration can lead to mistakes you otherwise wouldn’t have made if you had been taking better care of yourself. Step 6: Evaluate your own performance The easiest way to earn people's trust is to consistently deliver stellar work. Even though you may have failed in the past, there's still time to move on and create a successful and rich working life. Remember, a mistake or two over the course of an otherwise successful period will not make or break your career. How should managers react to mistakes at work? Managers are responsible for reacting to and assisting employees with mistakes at work. Even in the most high-pressure situations, doing so with care is not only good for morale but will prevent similar mistakes in the future. How a manager reacts to mistakes at work can make all the difference between transformational leadership and losing otherwise great employees. Great managers understand that we can all learn from our mistakes. Mistakes help us develop as individuals and as a team. Great managers can also recognize when they themselves have made mistakes. Before you approach a team member, take a close look at yourself to see if you're really worried about their work. If so, what do you think about their performance? Who is responsible for their work so far? You may find that you’ve contributed to the environment, the process, or the miscommunication that made the mistake possible. Reflecting on this ahead of time will relieve everyone of playing the blame game and instead solve the problem from a fair and level-headed place. Additionally, managers should make sure that each mistake is a teaching moment. It may be hard but don't try to fix the problem. Instead, frame it as an opportunity to improve and develop. When approaching an employee who has made a mistake, start by being curious about it. Ask questions about what happened and what their perspective is on the situation. Use active listening skills when speaking to team members, as it will let them know that you are paying attention. They may fess up immediately. If they take the blame for something that wasn’t their fault, which is pretty common, address that. If they don’t admit to making a mistake, approach the situation with care and focus on the issue, not placing blame. Give the team members the autonomy to figure it out on their own. Then, provide your feedback in a fair and balanced manner. Afterward, encourage them to learn from it and avoid repeating the same mistake. When communicating with an employee who has made a mistake, in-person meetings are often best. However, many teams are now made up of contractors, gig workers, and freelancers who work remotely so a physical location is not always accessible. If that’s the case, lean on digital tools to illustrate the issue. For example, reports and individual task assignment lists from project management tools. These can also be used to prevent future mistakes, as managers can easily use them to communicate the actions and behaviors expected of team members and improve the overall work management process. There may be times when mistakes happen over and over again. If that’s the case, the employee may be engaging in a pattern of behavior that keeps them from performing at their best. Managers can step in and provide ideas for healthy habits that will prevent the same type of mistake from cropping up again. For example, you can ask a marketing team member to overcome a common marketing mistake of missing a content publishing deadline by writing a to-do list every day. This will help them stay on top of their tasks while also motivating them to finish their work at the same time. In a nutshell, it’s important to understand that punishment for infrequent mistakes is unfair and ineffective. These mistakes offer opportunities to improve, which both managers and employees can embrace. How to admit a mistake in a professional environment You may end up in a situation in a professional environment where an apology is needed. And when it comes to making mistakes at work, honesty is the best policy. Certain actions can break trust, but an apology can help rebuild it. In your explanation, it's important to detail why you acted the way you did. It shows that you care about how those around you are affected by your actions. It's important to address the person you're apologizing to by name, regardless of their status. Having an open conversation can help both of you understand the other person better, and it can prevent an insincere apology from happening. If the mistake you made affected someone personally, it's important to validate the feelings of the other person. Having the courage to admit that you're sorry can make a huge difference in how people treat you. Take responsibility for your actions and have a plan in place for how to make amends before you approach the appropriate person or people. Having a plan in place shows that you're thinking about how to make things right. You may even want to read about examples of taking responsibility at work and model your behavior on whichever feels appropriate for the situation. However, don’t get carried away and make promises you can’t keep. It's important to set goals that are realistic so that you can avoid repeating the mistake. If your apology is accepted, you can then try negotiating a solution by asking the other person to reflect on the situation and consider their feelings. After you apologize, make a greater effort to keep your promises and not repeat the same mistake. Doing so can help improve the situation and make the other person feel more comfortable. How to learn from mistakes at work It's important to come clean and admit your mistake, but it's also important to move forward with a positive mindset. You'll most likely feel a bit down about your mistake right after it happens. But by learning from it, you can improve and become more resilient in the long run. Start by creating a plan for improvement. If you made a minor mistake, then creating personal goals and action plans will help you put those lessons into action. You can learn a universal lesson from nearly any situation, no matter how unique it is. For example, if you learned that a mistake was made because of your forgetfulness, implementing organizational strategies to improve your memory could help. Next, keep track of progress over time in a notebook or virtual document. Be sure to note the highlights along with the lowlights. Look for patterns. As they come up, add them to your action plan or personal goals list. Monitor whether or not these changes have led to better, more consistent outcomes. If not, adjust and keep going. Lastly, don't be afraid to ask for help if you're unsure which strategy or tool will work best for you. Managers are there to support your performance. If you approach them with honesty and vulnerability, they’ll likely be flattered you thought to ask. They may even offer advice or make changes that will improve productivity for you and the rest of the team. In conclusion The pressure to perform at a high level can often result in mistakes and inefficient habits. Learn from your mistakes and take ownership of them. Communicate in an open and honest manner. Ask for or provide help when needed and remember that every new mistake is also an opportunity for better performance. How Wrike can help you avoid unnecessary mistakes at work With so many files, folders, updates, and chat threads to keep track of, mistakes are easily made when you try to get through your day without a work management platform. Wrike offers a variety of features to help you stay on top of your workload easily, and avoid unnecessary confusion that can lead to mistakes at work. Full project visibility, including real-time updates and approvals, means that you can ensure every stakeholder is informed of what you're working on, with your tasks going to the correct approver every time. One shared space with over 400 app integrations means communication has never been easier, no matter where you or your team are based. And Wrike's Automation Engine allows you to streamline your processes and automate the time-consuming admin tasks that, when tackled manually, can easily be done incorrectly. Try it out for yourself with a free two-week trial.

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17 team building problem-solving activities that actually work

Wouldn’t it be great to go to work every day and everything just … works? While that’s a lovely daydream, in reality, we face challenges from time to time.

And when it comes to challenges, one thing remains true: Having a team you can rely on makes whatever it is way easier to deal with.

It’s time to support your team in their personal growth and work on those problem-solving skills. The best way to do that is through some targeted team building activities .

We’ve compiled a list of the best problem-solving activities, sorted by duration and your team’s needs. Bonus point: A lot of them are free !

Effective team building problem-solving activities

One of the most daunting aspects of team building is looking up ideas for things to do, not knowing whether they work. So we did the hard part for you and hand-picked the best team building activities to overcome obstacles.

1. Improve collaboration with Work Buddy

Price: 14-day free trial, afterwards 7€ per user

Time : 15-20 minutes

Best for: Improving collaboration through understanding other team members' work preferences

Work Buddy is an innovative way to get teams on the same page! It's a fun and interactive quiz that helps team members understand each other better, leading towards improved collaboration. Through this session, you'll gain insights into your colleagues' working style - hours they prefer communicating during, their long-term goals, and more - which can help create stronger relationships within the workplace for more effective achievement of shared objectives. Work Buddy is free to try .

Boost team performance with Gomada's activity 'Work Buddy'

2. Practice to become a Communication Master

Best for: Exploring and understanding communication biases in the team

You're not alone if you've noticed misunderstandings or inefficient communication in your team. According to a recent study, 86% of knowledge workers report experiencing communication issues at work . Shortcomings in communication are estimated to lead to losses in profit of more than one trillion $ each year in the US alone.

Communication Master is an activity that helps your team practice explaining ideas in a clear and efficient way. It's challenging and fun, and you can try it for free .

Improve communication within the team with Gomada's Communication Master activity.

3. Follow the GROW process

Price: Free

Time : 2-3 hours

Best for: Taking a tried and tested approach to problem-solving

Arguably the best way to tackle organizational problems is by applying a model already tried and tested in business coaching. The GROW model is precisely that. GROW is an acronym in which each letter represents a step in the problem-solving process.

How it works:

G - Goal: Align on the goal(s) you want to achieve. Be as precise as possible and include numbers, time frames, etc.
R - Reality: Observe where you are on the journey to achieve your goal. What still lies ahead of you?
O - Obstacles & Options: Which obstacles does your team currently face, and which challenges do you anticipate in the future? Consider various approaches to overcoming the (possible) roadblocks.
W - Way forward: Write down concrete action steps that you will take moving forward, including responsibilities and timelines.

Watch this role play video to see how you can put GROW into action.

4. Assess personality types

Price: Free Time: 60-90 minutes

Best for: Increasing empathy and enhancing teamwork

If your teammates constantly clash with each other, chances are they have different personality types. Understanding differences within your team is critical for good collaboration and teamwork, the pillars of successful problem-solving. To get going, take a personality test together and learn about each other's strengths and weaknesses. Have a follow-up discussion to talk about how you can collaborate better in the future.

Question starters for your discussion:

Were you surprised by your results?
Where does your personality benefit your work?
How can you balance out each other's weaknesses?
How can you build on each other's strengths?
Have you found a new appreciation for your teammates?

5. Have a well-being talk

Price: Free Time: 60 minutes ‍

Best for: Making sure your team is mentally prepared to tackle problems

If you feel like your team is lacking motivation and not on the top of their game, it may be time for a well-being check-in. Have an open conversation about mental health and your employees' feelings. Identify triggers for stress in the workplace; these typically include:

Content of the job
Role within the organization
Professional development
Work relationships
Company culture
Working conditions
Personal reasons

Once you have identified the most prominent issues, create an action plan to improve your team’s mental well-being. If you need help facilitating this, Confetti offers a Mental Health Workshop led by a professional expert.

6. Online hackathon

Price: Free

Time: 24-48 hours

Best for: Boosting teamwork and innovation; Solving a specific problem in your organization

A hackathon is an event in which people of different disciplines come together to solve a common, real-world problem. It is the perfect activity for quickly innovating processes within your organization. Hosting a hackathon online allows you to invite team members from all around the world.

There are already great resources about organizing virtual hackathons available. To get you going, here’s a quick rundown on the most important steps:

Settle on the problem that your team should tackle, develop the deliverables, and invite industry experts to serve as a jury
Choose a video conferencing platform so the participants can stay in touch throughout the hackathon
Divide your team into smaller action teams. This works best if you involve different departments to mix and match different strengths and skillsets
When the day of the hackathon arrives, hold a kick-off meeting to explain the process of the event
Have fun and get excited about great results

Leah Buchholz

Remote Expert & Jr. Content Marketer

Large groups

Prep required

Share fun facts and bond with a team quiz

Have your participants choose from a list of questions they’d like their coworkers to answer about them, before watching as they guess the right answer.

share-fun-facts-and-bond-with-a-team-quiz

Run a guided recognition activity

run-a-guided-recognition-activity

Organize a virtual cooking class

Hire a professional chef to help your team cook a delicious lunch or dinner. May be difficult for co-workers with families. To find providers and get tips, read our blog about virtual cooking classes.

organize-a-virtual-cooking-class

Hire a stand-up comedian

hire-a-stand-up-comedian

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Table of contents

Discover virtual team building with Gomada

Gomada auto-generates the optimal activity sequence for your team. All you need to do is schedule the activity.

Virtual team building problem-solving activities

If your team is working in a remote or hybrid setting and you’re looking for some fun games that strengthen problem-solving skills, the following activities are a match.

Related : The best team building software tools & apps.

7. Yes, and …

Time: 5-15 minutes

Best for: A quick game to foster creativity and flexibility

One of the best ways to strengthen your team’s ability to think quickly and adapt to unknown scenarios is through improv games. This one is perfect for beginners as it doesn’t require any acting, and your team can participate from the comfort of their home office chairs.

To play the game, one person begins to tell a story, and the rest of the team has to build on it by replying with "yes, and". One after the other, everyone contributes one or two sentences, but people have to react quickly to keep the flow of the story going.

You can determine the order in advance, for example, by first name or age, or keep it open to increase the difficulty level.

8. Flash of genius

Time: 15- 20 minutes

Best for: Quick thinking, boosting creativity, healthy competition

Have you ever had a flash of inspiration at a random moment? The one that prompts you to jot down your brilliant idea on a piece of paper or a napkin? That’s what this game is all about.

Before the game starts, you have to prepare several problem statements. These can be real, like ‘A team from another department constantly messes up your work. What do you do?’ or imaginative, such as ‘Aliens have landed on planet earth and kidnapped humans. What do you do?’. During the session, the participants then need to develop solutions to these problems.

Split the team into small groups and ask everyone to write down their approaches on a digital collaboration board
After two minutes of brainstorming, every team gets one more minute to decide on their number one solution
For the finale, everyone presents their approach to the rest of the group

9. Codenames

Time: 15-30 minutes

Best for: Thinking outside the box, risk evaluation, communication

Codenames was initially released as a card game but is now also available as an online version. In this game, two teams must try to identify agents hiding behind codenames.

The playing field consists of 25 cards labeled with codenames (random words)
Both teams assign one spymaster who gets to see under which cards the agents for their team are hiding. The spymasters take turns giving their team members clues to find the right cards, but with one big restriction – they can only say one word.
The goal is to find all the right words before the other team finishes.

To be the fastest team, it is useful to give clues that connect different terms, but players have to be careful not to guess the cards that belong to the other group. Thus, the participants must find the right balance between risk-taking and passing on an opportunity to score.

10. Domino effect

Price: 0- 29€/person

Best for: Collaborating asynchronously and working together on one goal

The idea behind this activity is simple; you knock over one object that sets a second in motion, which is followed by a whole chain of reactions. What makes it difficult is that the team has to create this domino effect without being in the same place. Therefore, each team member has to create one part of the process and film it.

This is what it looks like:

Person 1 begins the series by knocking over a random object and making a video of it; let’s say they choose a ball that knocks down a book
They inform person 2, who creates a video of a book falling onto a bottle.
Then, person 3 has to start their video with a bottle falling on the object of their choice and so on.
In the end, all videos are cut together.

The activity requires strategic thinking and good communication to have a consistent string of domino effects and is perfect for teams who work across different time zones. You can either set it up yourself or get a professional agency to support you.

11. Escape room

Price: 0-30€/person

Time: 15-90 min.

Best for: Refining attention to detail and logical thinking with a gamified experience

If you’re not already familiar with the concept of escape rooms, you’re missing out! In short, your team has to solve various puzzles and riddles while following a mystery tale. Only if they find the hidden clues will they reach the solution and escape the room.

This makes escape rooms an excellent problem-solving team building activity for adults. Participants have to practice their patience and logical thinking. Virtual escape games usually take place over a video conferencing tool so participants can discuss their ideas as the game proceeds. One of our favorite escape room experiences is this Sherlock-inspired detective story.

12. Panel of Experts

Time: 15-30 min.

Best for: Helping team members to step out of their comfort zone through improvisation

Panel of Experts is another improv game that is great for fostering creativity and spontaneity as your team will have to create dialogues without any prior preparation and script.

How it works:

You determine one show host and two to four ‘experts’; the rest of the team will act as an audience.
Everybody in the audience can call in a topic they would like the group to discuss for two minutes. Collect all ideas and agree on a topic to start with.
The actors now have to engage in a conversation in their respective roles.
After each round, assign the roles to new team members.

Your team will have collaboratively put up some entertaining scenes, and who knows, maybe you will discover some actual special-interest knowledge.

13. Sort the group

Time: 10-15 minutes

Best for: Improving communication; Getting to know your team

Sort the group exercises are exactly what they sound to be: As a team, you have to get in order following different attributes like height, age, duration at the company; you name it. The difficulty lies within the fact that you aren’t allowed to talk or write. Team members have to develop other ways to communicate and get in order.

Pro tip: You can open a shared document, write down the names of the participants and rearrange them until everyone agrees on the final result.

Trust Activity

Ups & Downs

Core dimension

What cheers us up and tears us down can be very different. Get to know your team’s motivators and demotivators.

Offline problem-solving activities for team building

If you’re pumped to do some team building in person , we’ve picked the right activities for you.

14. The minefield

Price: 0-10€

Best for: Practicing communication and listening skills and advancing trust between team members

This classic team building activity works very well to build trust in your team without the awkwardness of trust falls or entangling human knots. You’ll have to prepare a playing field beforehand, consisting of a starting and finishing line, and put some obstacles (e.g., bottles) in between.

Divide the team into several small groups. Each team lines up at the edge of the playing field.
Each participant is given a blindfold to put on when it is their turn. You can use face masks or anything else to cover the eyes.
After giving the go, the groups must try to guide their 'blind' teammates through the minefield using verbal instructions alone. If a person touches an object, they have to start over. If they make it through the minefield, the next person can start.
The fastest team wins.

Pro tip: To make the game more difficult, you can rule that players cannot give directions (front, side, back) but must think of a code to guide their teammates.

15. Picking up trash

Time: 30 minutes - 3 hours

Best for: Teams looking to make a real impact beyond simple games

What better way to connect with your team than simultaneously doing something great for the environment? Have your team walk around the area around your office and pick up trash together. Afterward, you come together and brainstorm ideas on how to tackle the garbage problem. Maybe your neighborhood could profit from some more trash cans? Higher fines for littering? A better deposit system? Get creative!

You can also turn it into a challenge. To do so, divide your crew into smaller groups and assign each one the task of collecting as much rubbish as they can. After some time, you evaluate who had the most original approaches and picked up the most trash.

Either way, you train your problem-solving skills on a real-world issue and do some good for nature.

16. Speed-dating

Time: 10-20 minutes

Best for: Fostering 1:1 conversations around work issues

While speed dating is best known for finding new romantic partners, it can also be applied to the working environment.

Here is how it works:

Divide the team into two groups, one of which positions itself in an inner and the other in an outer circle. There should always be two people facing each other. If you’re an uneven number, create one pair that always moves together.
A game leader asks a question for which both partners have one minute to answer.
Then the inner circle moves so that two new team members are facing each other.
The game ends when everyone has returned to their original partner.

Some questions to inspire your own:

If you could change one thing in your workday, what would it be?
Would you rather have more time or more money? Why?
What would you do if your laptop suddenly just stopped working?

17. Scavenger hunt

Price: Varies

Time: 2-3 hours

Best for: Fostering cross-team collaboration and boosting team morale

Another classic team-building activity that is great for promoting problem-solving. You have to work together as a team to find clues that will ultimately lead you to a goal.

As far as preparation goes, you will have to decide between setting up the activity yourself or a professional provider. Depending on which option you choose, you will have to invest more money or time (yes, we are referring to the last game here). Either way, your joint search will have your team think outside the box and socialize with others.

What are the benefits of problem-solving team building activities for businesses?

Problem-solving is an essential skill for every team. In particular, strengthening your team member’s decision-making and adaptability skills will ensure that your daily operations run a bit smoother; say a new process isn’t going as planned, or an essential co-worker falls sick, your team will be able to handle it. You also set out your organization for success when facing more drastic challenges, such as, uh, a global pandemic or changes in the company’s strategy.

Some of the skills your team will improve on when regularly engaging in problem-solving team building activities are:

Out-of-the-box thinking
Communication
Creativity
Flexibility
Collaboration

Using team building problem-solving games

Investing time into team building activities that support problem-solving is the best way to empower your team in their abilities to overcome work challenges. Whether you’re an experienced leadership team looking to boost your decision-making and critical thinking skills or a young team working on collaboration and communication , these activities set you up for success.

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15 Team Building Problem Solving Activities

In this article you will find:

15 problem-solving activities for your team to master
Frequently asked questions about team building

Here are 15 problem-solving activities for your team to master:

15 Problem-Solving Activities

1. a shrinking vessel.

Why adaptability is important for problem-solving:

Adaptability is highly associated with cognitive diversity, which helps teams solve problems faster, according to the Harvard Business Review. Innovation and disruption are happening faster than ever before. People, teams, and organizations that can adapt will come out on top.

What You'll Need:

A rope or string

Instructions:

1. Using the rope, make a shape on the floor everyone can fit into.

2. Slowly shrink the space over a time period of 10-15 minutes.

3. Work together to figure out how to keep everyone within the shrinking boundaries.

2. Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower

Helps with: Collaboration Why collaboration is important for problem-solving: “Collectively, we can be more insightful, more intelligent than we can possibly be individual,” writes Peter Senge in The Fifth Discipline. We can solve problems better as a team than we can alone, which means developing your team's collaboration skills will lead to better problem-solving outcomes.

What You'll Need (per team):

20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti

1 roll of masking tape

1 yard of string

1 marshmallow

1. The goal of this exercise is to see which team can use the materials provided to build the tallest tower within an allotted time period. The tower must be able to stand on its own.

2. To make this exercise more challenging, try adding a marshmallow to the top of the tower. This team problem-solving exercise helps teams think on their toes while building camaraderie and leadership.

3. Egg Drop

Why decision-making is important for problem-solving:

Making decisions isn't easy, but indecision leads to team paralysis, stagnant thinking, and unsolved problems. Decision-making activities help your team practice making quick, effective choices. Train your team's decision-making muscle and they will become more adept at problem-solving.

A carton of eggs

Basic construction materials such as newspapers, straws, tape, plastic wrap, balloons, rubber bands, popsicle sticks, etc., tarp, or drop cloth

A parking lot, or some other place you don't mind getting messy!

1. Each team gets an egg and must select from the construction materials.

2. Give everyone 20-30 minutes to construct a carrier for the egg and protect it from breaking.

3. Drop each egg carrier off a ledge (i.e. over a balcony) and see whose carrier protects the egg from breaking.

4. If multiple eggs survive, keep increasing the height until only one egg is left.

4. Stranded

Helps with: Communication and Decision-Making Why communication is important for problem-solving:

More employees work remotely than ever before. Good communication skills are vital to solving problems across increasingly virtual teams. Working on communication skills while your team is together will help them better solve problems when they're apart.

Your team has been stranded in the office. The doors are locked, and knocking down the doors or breaking the windows is not an option. Give your team 30 minutes to decide on 10 items in the office they need for survival and rank them in order of importance. The goal of the game is to have everyone agree on the 10 items and their ranking in 30 minutes.

1. Divide everyone into small teams of two or more.

2. Select an overseer who isn't on a team to build a random structure using Lego building blocks within 10 minutes.

4. If this is too easy, add a rule that the member who can see the original structure can't touch the new structure.

Collaboration

A lockable room

5-10 puzzles or clues (depending on how much time you want to spend on the game)

The goal of this exercise is to solve the clues, find the key, and escape a locked room within the time allotted.

Hide the key and a list of clues around the room.

Gather the team into the empty room and "lock" the door.

Give them either 30 minutes or 1 hour to find the key using the clues hidden around the room.

7. Frostbite

Decision Making, Adaptability What You'll Need:

A blindfold

1 packet of construction materials (such as card stock, toothpicks, rubber bands, and sticky notes) for each team

An electric fan

Picture this... Your employees are Arctic explorers adventuring across an icy tundra! Separate them into teams of 4-5 and have them select a leader to guide their exploration. Each team must build a shelter from the materials provided before the storm hits in 30 minutes. However, both the team leader's hands have frostbite, so they can't physically help construct the shelter, and the rest of the team has snow blindness and is unable to see. When the 30 minutes is up, turn on the fan and see which shelter can withstand the high winds of the storm.

8. Minefield

An empty room or hallway

A collection of common office items

1. Place the items (boxes, chairs, water bottles, bags, etc.) around the room so there's no clear path from one end of the room to the other.

2. Divide your team into pairs and blindfold one person on the team.

3. The other must verbally guide that person from one end of the room to the other, avoiding the "mines." 4. The partner who is not blindfolded can't touch the other.

5. If you want to make the activity more challenging, have all the pairs go simultaneously so teams must find ways to strategically communicate with each other.

9. Blind Formations

1. Have the group put on blindfolds and form a large circle.

2. Tie two ends of a rope together and lay it in a circle in the middle of the group, close enough so each person can reach down and touch it.

3. Instruct the group to communicate to create a shape with the rope a square, triangle, rectangle, etc.

4. If you have a very large group, divide them into teams and provide a rope for each team. Let them compete to see who forms a particular shape quickest.

10. Line up Blind

1. Blindfold everyone and whisper a number to each person, beginning with one.

2. Tell them to line up in numerical order without talking.

3. Instead of giving them a number, you could also have them line up numerically by height, age, birthday, etc.

11. Reverse Pyramid

1. Have everyone stand in a pyramid shape, horizontally.

2. Ask them to flip the base and the apex of the pyramid moving only three people.

3. This quick exercise works best when smaller groups compete to see who can reverse the pyramid the fastest.

12. Move It!

Chalk, rope, tape, or paper (something to mark a space)

1. Divide your group into two teams and line them up front to back, facing each other.

2. Using chalk, tape, rope, or paper (depending on the playing surface), mark a square space for each person to stand on. Leave one extra empty space between the two facing rows.

3. The goal is for the two-facing lines of players to switch places.

Place these restrictions on movement:

Only one person may move at a time.

A person may not move around anyone facing the same direction.

No one may not move backward.

A person may not move around more than one person on the other team at a time.

13. Human Knot

1. Have everyone stand in a circle, and ask each person to hold hands with two people who aren't directly next to them.

2. When everyone is tangled together, ask them to untangle the knot and form a perfect circle without letting anyone's hand.

Our last two problem-solving activities work best when dealing with an actual problem:

14. Dumbest Idea First

Instant Problem Solving What You'll Need:

1. "Dumb" ideas are sometimes the best ideas. Ask everyone to think of the absolute dumbest possible solution to the problem at hand.

2. After you have a long list, look through it and see which ones might not be as dumb as you think.

3. Brainstorm your solutions in Wrike. It's free and everyone can start collaborating instantly!

15. What Would X Do

1. Have everyone pretend they're someone famous.

2. Each person must approach the problem as if they were a famous person. What options would they consider? How would they handle it?

3. This allows everyone to consider solutions they might not have thought of originally.

Looking for more team building games? Check out these virtual icebreaker games Ultimate Guide to Team Building Activities that Don't Suck.

What is the team building process?

This process of learning to work together effectively is known as team development. Bruce Tuckman, an educational psychologist, identified a five-stage development process that most teams follow to become high performing. He called the stages: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning.

What is team building?

The Oxford English Dictionary defines team building as: “The action or process of causing a group of people to work together effectively as a team, especially by means of activities and events designed to increase motivation and promote cooperation.”

How often should you schedule team-building activities?

One of the most important aspects of team building is that it is an ongoing process. One team-building session can be effective, but your team could benefit more from multiple sessions. In fact, it may be beneficial to make it a part of your regular program. For team building to be effective, you should repeat it as often as you feel it is useful. This largely depends on the activity you choose. You can do quick activities on a more regular basis since they don't interfere with the regular work schedule. You will probably conduct longer, more elaborate activities less frequently so the team can get work done.

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23 Problem-solving games for busy work teams

Problem solving is a skill that can serve almost anyone, in any role, in any industry. The ability to think critically, and resolve issues is a welcome talent that is helpful for every organization. How can you encourage such thinking in your team? In this article, we are talking about our favorite problem-solving games, activities, and exercises for work. Use these activities to sharpen the reasoning and decision-making skills of your department or your entire company. Without further ado, let’s dive into the best problem solving games for getting the most of your next work event.

In-person problem solving games

If you have the opportunity to get your team together in person, that’s a gift! Perhaps you are planning a company retreat or a department-wide in-person meeting. Whatever the circumstances, in today’s more digital workspace, it’s not always easy to have everyone in the same room. When you actually do, make the most of it! These activities are set up for in-person groups. They are part team-building activity, part icebreaker, and all fun! All of these activities are guaranteed to get people thinking, communicating, and having fun. If you have a particularly big group, you may want to browse our article on large group games too.

1. Treasure hunt

Similar to a scavenger hunt, a treasure hunt is a lot of fun but with a bit more intention. Rather than collecting a random list of items, participants use clues to find more prompts and hints, until the group solves a mystery (or finds a treasure). You can also create a treasure map if you want to play into the “pirate” fantasy a little more. The important thing is that only clues point toward the next stop - areas of the map should not be spelled out, but involve some problem solving and critical thinking to figure out what the clue means.

2. Story challenge

For the language lovers on your team, try this version of an ongoing story icebreaker. To play, each person receives a number of words (a word bank) that they can use to create a story. Then, everyone reads their piece out loud or presents it to the group. To come up with the words available for each person, you can use a random word generator online, or get creative. For example, consider instructing participants that they can only use words from the company website, or from the emails they received in their inbox yesterday.

3. Moral dilemma

Similar to a “ would you rather ” game, this activity centers on ethical dilemmas. Players should try to flex their moral problem-solving muscles by tackling a social issue. For example, Scruples is a popular board game that can be played. Or, you can look online for versions of games like Dilemma or Quandary. This is a great way to learn more about your colleagues while getting a peek at the way they think.

4. 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! Check out our article on team activities especially for leadership as well.

5. Improv games

You may think of improv games as more of an icebreaker activity, but the truth is there is a lot of brain power that goes into well-done improv. Look for ways to add both logic and entertainment to your next improv effort. Consider scenarios like banned words, where people cannot use a certain list of words, or “miracle cure”, where one person shares a problem they’re having and the other person must come up with the solution on the spot. Both are fun and easy ideas that don’t require anything but willing participants! If you need some other quick and easy team building activities , make sure to follow our blog.

6. Spaghetti tower

In this classic team building game, users try to build a tower using uncooked pasta noodles and marshmallows. The instructions are simple: use the tools at your disposal to design and build the tallest tower in order to win the challenge. You can judge on height alone, or weigh other factors like innovation, number of towers, or stability. For more simple team building activities , make sure to follow our blog.

7. What would you do?

Another classic icebreaker, this game involves coming up with some scenarios that require brain power to address. Here are some prompts you can use with your group:

What would you do if you were at the zoo and all the animals escaped?
What would you do if you were the first person to find out about an upcoming zombie apocalypse?
What would you do if you were in line for a really important item, and a person cut in front of you, getting the last item?
What would you do if you were invited for dinner at the home of someone you really needed to impress, and the food was terrible?
What would you do if an imposter that looks and acts just like you infiltrated your organization? How can you convince everyone that you’re the “real” you?

8. “MacGyver” challenge

MacGyver is an older television program where the hero escaped sticky situations by improvising tools made of unlikely materials. You can recreate this set-up in your event space or office. To play, challenge participants to use 3-5 items to reach a desired end result. For example, something like “a way to pick the door lock” or “escape vehicle” are fun options. You can either set out some various equipment, or have people collect their own based on what they can find around the office. Note: if you are doing this in a conference room or other rented space, it makes sense to have a table set up with random odds and ends for people to pick from.

9. Egg drop challenge

This one will take you back to high school physics class! Break a larger group into smaller teams and challenge them to come up with a container that will protect an egg even when it’s dropped from up high. You can either let people know far enough in advance that they can discuss, design, and collect materials; or you can have supplies ready and have everyone build their creation on the spot. If you go that route, you’ll want to provide a variety of boxes, packing supplies, rubber bands, fabric, etc. Then set up a ladder and have each team drop their container and see if their egg remained intact.

10. Shrinking circle

Adaptability and flexibility are huge in the business world. One way to focus on both of those items is by playing this simple and silly game. Start out by using a rope to create a large circle that everyone can fit in. Then, every few minutes, make the circle a bit smaller. Depending on how large the circle is in the first place, you can take away an inch or a foot each round. The challenge is for everyone present to stay inside the circle. This will require some serious innovation once the circle gets small, and lots of laughs almost always ensue. Note: People are likely to end up touching each other in this exercise. It’s difficult not to once the space gets small, like a game of Twister. You know your colleagues best - if that level of closeness would make anyone uncomfortable, it’s probably best to try a different exercise.

Out-of-the-office problem-solving activities

Everyone once in a while, it can be really valuable to get out of your usual work environment and into a new mental space. If your team is planning a multi-day retreat, don’t be afraid to include an organized activity that will help everyone to think more critically. Most towns have at least one option for getting your group together and learning some new ways to problem solve. Do some research on what you have available locally, or work with an organization like Surf Office who can plan your next retreat - including the fun elements that your employees will be talking about for months to come! If you know that you can’t get out of the office right now, stick to this list of indoor team building activities .

11. Escape room

The goal of an escape room is to follow a series of clues and take on some challenges in order to unlock the space that everyone is locked in. There are usually 5 - 10 puzzles that teams will work together to figure out. Typically finishing one leads to another clue, so that participants can move onto the next phase. Only when they’ve successfully completed all of the tasks can they find the key and escape. While you can definitely set up an escape room on your own, we think it’s worth finding a local version in your town (or wherever your retreat is taking place). These are professionally set up and usually in really cool spaces like an underground bunker or a historic building. An escape room is a good excuse to get out of the office and spend time with coworkers in a new environment.

12. Murder mystery

These story-based games have people take on a role in a pretend scenario. They may take on a role like detective, dinner guest, or even killer in their dinner. Most of the time the games involve reading lines from a script, searching for clues, or even solving some simple challenges to move onto the next phase. Participants have to pay attention to conversations and context clues in order to get an understanding of who the killer might be. Observation and logic are key to catching the killer. Some murder mysteries involve getting dressed up and having a nice dinner, so if you’re looking for an idea for a big night out capping off your next retreat, this is perfect.

13. Ax throwing

What do axes have to do with problem solving? You might be surprised. This is definitely an activity you’ll want to go to a professional venue for. Ax throwing outfits have everything you need, plus the right safety precautions. They have everything set up with the proper distances, buffers between throwing stations, safe ax materials, etc. Plus, many of them offer food and drinks! Ax throwing can help with problem solving because most people don’t excel at it their first time. It takes some practice and careful consideration to figure out where to stand, the best stance, the force of the throw, etc. As you take turns, you’ll make adjustments and also consider new methods based on observing your teammates. The more you watch and the more you try, the better you’ll get. In fact, instead of having people compete against each other, we suggest having the team compete against themselves, aiming for a higher total score in their second or third consecutive game. This activity allows you to observe others and then optimize - essentially learning from each other.

14. 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.

Problem-solving puzzles

When it’s just not possible to get everyone together, you can still encourage your team to put on their thinking caps and hone their skills. There are tons of critical thinking games, puzzles , and even apps that people can use to practice problem solving. You can encourage your team members to play these games in their spare time, or even set up a competition where people log minutes playing such games or using the apps. If you’re feeling really generous, give everyone a small stiped to be used on a problem solving app of their choice. This special touch makes a nice addition to a holiday gift, too!

Sudoku has become one of the most popular problem solving games for adults. There are dozens of free app options, as well as paperback books that you can pick up. The goal of this game is to fill each box on a 9×9 grid so that every row, column, and letter contains each number from one to nine. It sounds tricky - and it is - but players tend to find it addicting and the game has grown a huge following in recent years. Encourage people to play on their own by downloading an app or purchasing a puzzle book, or as a team by having the puzzles available in your office or at your next event.

16. Crossword puzzles

These classic word games have players fill out words based on clues. Words interconnect, and people must think critically about the context clues of what they’ve filled out so far. These puzzles are super versatile and one of the best things about them is that you can make them yourself so they are themed. You can use an online crossword puzzle maker to create a custom puzzle with clues about your business or other relevant subjects. For your next event, it might be fun to have a custom crossword puzzle about your company history or trivia!

17. Tic-tac-toe tournament

It sounds a little silly, but tic-tac-toe requires more brain power than one might think. Set up an ongoing tic-tac-toe board in your office and encourage people to use it on their breaks or when they have a few minutes to kill. You can set up a scoreboard and keep track of the leader; it’s a lot of fun to see the rankings change and to challenge the top performers. If you need an even simpler version of the same concept, simply set up the Connect Four game board in your break room and let people have at it!

Problem-solving for virtual teams

If your team is a bit scattered, it doesn’t mean that you can’t practice solving challenges together. In our digital world, there are plenty of options for online activities that teams can work on either independently or as a group. In the section above, we shared some ideas for independent work. These ideas are designed to bring your team together, no matter where they are. Set a time and have everyone hop onto your preferred communication tool, and then work together tackling these challenges.

18. Virtual hackathon

A hackathon normally refers to an event where participants have a set amount of time to design and pitch a new product or solution. It’s normally used in the tech space for pitching things like new apps, but you can apply the concept in lots of other ways too. In this online version, teams work with each other using virtual meeting software and pitch ideas to a panel of judges. This type of event requires some advance notice for the participants, as they’ll want to collect a team and come up with some designs. If you want to raise the stakes, offer a prize for first place.

19. Online escape room

Just like an in-person escape room, in an online version people must solve a variety of puzzles in order to make it “out”. Digital escape rooms normally come in one of two ways: in a Zoom “room” led by a host, or in a choose-your-own-adventure style via Google Forms or other websites. To play virtually, staff will enter the meeting and follow the prompts they get, and it might involve screen sharing some Google tools to work on puzzles together. Because of the platforms and tools that may be involved, this activity is better for teams who are a bit more tech-savvy and comfortable with online meetings, apps, etc.

20. Survival plans

Prioritizing is an important mental exercise. You can work on this with a game about survival. Have everyone imagine they are stranded on a desert island, and they must decide the correct order to perform life-saving steps in. Have this list handy, and ask everyone to pair off or get in small groups and number the list according to the best likelihood of survival:

Set up shelter
Look around the island
Signal for help
Create weapons for self-defense
Build a raft for water
Start a fire
Select a group leader
Find other survivors
Anything else you think of!

The catch is that everyone must agree on the order of events! That will typically involve discussion and coming to some sort of consensus. Once everyone is done with the exercise, have them present to the larger group and explain their reasoning. This exercise is good for team-building, communication, and problem resolution. Plus, you will be better prepared if you ever get stuck on a deserted island!

21. Online role-playing games (like Dungeons and Dragons)

Seeing how people react in real-world situations is a really interesting way to get to know them better. Find an online game that has real-world actions and consequences, like Dungeons and Dragons. Or, you can make things even simpler by hopping on a Zoom together and reading a Choose Your Own Adventure book aloud, with the reader getting group consensus before making a decision. The important part is the discussion that will occur before choosing the next action. This is helpful for bonding and also helps you to see how your colleagues tick. These activities can be difficult to organize for big groups, so if you have a substantial team, try some of these team building activities for large groups instead.

22. Google Docs story

Similar to an ongoing story icebreaker, this game is easy to do online as people have time. You start by creating a Google Doc that everyone on the team has access to. Then, have people go into the Doc and add to the story that’s developing. If you want, you can pick a prompt to kick things off - or you can just let the first person get creative and go for it! The more specific or bizarre the scenario, the more creative and clever people will have to get to add their portion.

23. Model UN

Chances are you might be familiar with this concept from high school. Fortunately, adults can have a lot of fun with it too. You can play this virtually as long as everyone is a strong communicator. Each participant should take on the role of an international diplomat, and work together to form alliances and solve crises. Come up with a potential scenario that the UN must work through. Consider things like a global food shortage, natural disaster, or cyber-security threats. If your group is particularly large, you can have multiple people assigned to a country and they will have separate roles. If politics is a sensitive topic on your team, you might want to tweak this exercise to be focused on a business and treat participants like board members - or even a musical group!

Set the tone of your next company retreat

These problem solving games and activities are great virtually any time - there is something for everyone, whether you’re remote or in person, on a large team or a small one. One of the best ways to implement a problem solving exercise is at the beginning of a team retreat. If you have organized a large meeting or team building event, consider getting things started with such an activity. Many of these problem solving games will get everyone thinking and make people more comfortable, plus a lot of them also serve as a form of icebreaker.

The next time you plan a work retreat , consider including a few of these on the agenda to set the tone for a fun, energizing event. Need help ensuring that your retreat is, in fact, fun and energizing?

Let Surf Office help ! We can help with organizing your next team retreat or all-company meeting so that you can focus on the fun.

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Fun Team-Building Problem-Solving Activities

Teamwork is what allows organizations to overcome their biggest obstacles and thrive in a crowded global marketplace. As Andrew Carnegie said generations ago, teamwork is what enables “people to attain uncommon results.” When teams work together effectively, they can give their employers a competitive edge and increase their individual and collective levels of success. Even teams that sometimes seem like they’ll work seamlessly on paper fail to meet, let alone exceed, the mark, whatever that goal might be. As a manager, it’s your job to help the team you oversee succeed. One way you can do that is by engaging your team in some fun team-building problem-solving activities.

It’s important to note that the point of those activities isn’t to ensure everyone likes one another. While it would be great if your entire team consisted of friends, the odds are better than not that some team members may simply not like others—and that’s okay! A team doesn’t have to consist of BFFs to be effective and goal-oriented. In fact, the differences that exist between the members of your team will give everyone a chance to learn, gain alternative points of view, and achieve greater effectiveness.

Creative Problem-Solving Activities from Let’s Roam

The experts at Let’s Roam have carefully constructed a series of team-building activities that will help you to build stronger connections, increase productivity, and improve morale. These exercises can be used in the office, or virtually for remote teams, and focus on problem-solving, communication, collaboration, and more. Our planners will work with you to ensure that your next event is a worthwhile endeavor for your staff, so don’t hesitate. Get started today!

The Two Cs: Communication and Collaboration

For the members of a team to work well together, they must know how to communicate and collaborate. Those two critical skills will be the basis for your team’s ultimate success. Luckily, some team-building activities are designed to enhance employee communication and collaboration abilities.

The Best Team-Building Problem-Solving Activities

Can you tell what i changed.

“Can You Tell What I Changed?” is a communication activity that doesn’t take too long. To get started, divide your team into two groups and have each one form a line that faces the other. Give the members in each line the opportunity to observe the individual standing across from them for a minute or two.

Instruct one line to turn around and have the members of the other make five changes to their appearance. Those changes can be as simple as letting their hair out of a ponytail, removing a pair of glasses, and/or taking off a tie. After the members of the second line are done making changes, have the people in the first line turn back around. Ask the members of the first line to identify the changes they recognize.

This activity is a great icebreaker for teams that were only recently put together. It’s also an innovative way to enhance people’s observation skills and to get them to pay attention to things they may overlook otherwise.

Let’s Create a Story for the Ages

Creativity is an important skill that’s often necessary for problem-solving. “Let’s Create a Story for the Ages” is an effective team-building exercise that will enhance your team’s ability to communicate and think creatively.

To prepare for this activity, gather a series of sequential pictures that are big enough for everyone to see. Hang those pictures in the front of the room and have your team sit down where they can see them.

Ask one team member to start a story by coming up with one line about the first picture. Once that person shares the story’s opening line, have another person repeat what was just said and come up with the next sentence. Continue in this manner until your team has told a complete tale that covers all the pictures on display.

A variant of the activity just described is to divide your group into small teams, each consisting of four or five people. Give each of the new teams a piece of paper, pen, and 15–20 minutes to write its own story about the pictures. When the time limit expires, have each team present its story to the rest of the group. After each team has read its tale, allow your whole team to discuss the different interpretations of the pictures.

We Stand Together

“We Stand Together” is a fun, at times guffaw-inducing activity that requires employees to communicate and collaborate to succeed. Divide your team into pairs and have each pair sit back-to-back with their arms linked. The goal of each pair is to then stand up as one without unlinking their arms. Once a duo accomplishes this task, you can assign another pair to the first so that all four can attempt to achieve the same goal together.

Whether they’re working in a pair or foursome, participants will have to communicate and collaborate to stand as one. If anyone is ticklish, be prepared for your whole team to enjoy a few moments of shared laughter, which can truly go a long way in uniting your team.

Activities to Improve Team-Building and Problem-Solving Skills

When you’re confident your team has developed the collaboration and communication skills to succeed as one, it’s time to move on to activities that will help them develop the team-building and problem-solving abilities they’ll need to succeed as a unit. Be sure to pick activities that will help everyone develop the critical talents they’ll need to succeed.

For example, problem-solving requires team members to brainstorm, flex their logical and lateral thinking muscles, actively listen, engage their creativity, and adopt a “what if” mentality. Whereas communication and collaboration are the basis for successful team-building and problem-solving, these other abilities are what your team needs to build on top of that foundation, so to speak.

Build a Campsite

While taking your team on an outdoor retreat may help members develop some team-building and problem-solving skills, that’s not what’s being suggested here. Instead, you can move the furniture in a conference to the side and gather the following items: a small tent, some tennis balls or softballs, and enough chairs and blindfolds for every member of your team.

Divide your team into groups of five or six. Pick one group to kick things off, instructing them to bring their chairs closer to the tent and balls while having the others move their chairs back. The chosen group members should then put on their blindfolds and attempt to make a campsite.

The goal is for them to put up the tent, construct a ring for a campfire using the balls, and position their chairs around the fire ring all while blindfolded. To accomplish this feat, the group will have to work together and solve problems along the way. This activity is fantastic for developing adaptability to challenging conditions.

The Lego Challenge

If you have young kids, then you know that stepping on a Lego without a shoe on isn’t a fun experience. Now, you have reason to go around, collect all those pain-inducing building blocks, and put them to use without feeling guilty. Just be sure you collect enough Legos!

Divide your team into groups under ten. Give each group a set of Lego blocks. Instruct each group to build a structure using their playthings, but only share scant details about what the final structures should look like or what their purpose should be. Give the groups an hour or more to finish their projects depending on how many Legos they have to work with. When the designated amount of time expires, let each group show off its creation and explain what it is. Then, allow your whole team to discuss the various structures, the motivations behind each one, and how improvements might be made.

The goals of this team-building activity are to refine problem-solving techniques improve communication between team members.

Untying the Knot

“Untying the Knot” is a really fun activity to engage your team with. Depending on the size of your team, the whole team can do this as one, or you may have to parcel out members into several groups of ten or less. Assuming your team is small enough to do this together, have everyone stand shoulder-to-shoulder in a circle facing each other. Each person should extend their right hand and take ahold of someone else’s.

Everyone should then do the same with their left hands, making sure they don’t grab the two hands of the same individual who’s across from them. The result will be a hand-holding human knot, which your team members must work together to untangle without letting go of anyone’s hands.

Although this activity may seem simple enough, it will challenge your employees to engage in teamwork before they’re “free.” It will also require some creative thinking and innovative problem solving for the activity to come to an end.

Red Rover Variant

You might remember dashing across the street while trying to avoid being tagged as a kid when you played “Red Rover,” but this variant of the childhood game is comparatively tame and less physically tiring. At least, it’s meant to be tamer and less physically taxing.

Your entire team can do this activity together, or you can break the large group into smaller teams. If you’re dividing your staff into groups, have each one pick a person who’ll act as the “farmer.” The remaining members of each group will assume the role of villagers.

The farmer in each group is responsible for transporting three things to the other side of a figurative river using a boat. A dog, some rice, and a chicken are the things the farmer must get to the other bank. The farmer’s dilemma is as follows:

The farmer can only transport one thing on the boat
Leaving the chicken and the dog on the same shore without supervision isn’t feasible because the dog might eat the chicken
Similarly, the chicken can’t be left unsupervised with the rice because the animal may consume the grain

How will the farmers and their respective villagers complete the task of getting all three items to the other shore with those constraints? After the game, allow some time to come together to assess their approaches and discuss the different outcomes.

If you want to enhance your team’s problem-solving skills with “Egg Drop,” it’s best to warn your employees to dress down a few days in advance of this team-building activity, as things have the potential to get messy. As you may have inferred from the name of this game, you’ll also need to get some eggs to play, as well as a few other supplies.

You’ll divide your team into two or more groups. Each group will be charged with creating some sort of protective packaging for its eggs. The goal is for each group to fashion packaging that will protect the eggs from breaking when they’re dropped from a pre-determined height.

To incentivize your team, designate a reward that the winning group will get to enjoy and tell everyone what the prize is before the competition begins. The team that designs the packaging that keeps the most eggs wins.

If you’re on a tight budget, don’t worry! You can still come up with a prize that won’t cost much, or perhaps won’t cost anything at all. For example, you can let each member of the winning team park in your parking spot for a day. Alternatively, you can let the winning group enjoy an extra day of causal dress the following week.

What Would You Do

While there will be some instances when your team will have a lot of time to solve a problem, it’s likely your employees will have to make decisions fast at other times. To give your team members the chance to practice their quick decision-making abilities, you may want to set aside time for them to engage in an activity called “What Would You Do.”

In this activity, each team member will be given the opportunity to pretend to be the famous person of their choice. Once in that role, the famous individual will be presented with a problem. First, the person must decide if the problem is even worth solving. If it is, the individual must come up with potential solutions in a set period of time. After those solutions are divulged, the team can discuss them and look for possible improvements to each suggested resolution.

Puzzling (AKA “The Barter Puzzle”)

Your employees might find themselves puzzled when they play “Puzzling.” For this activity, you will need to divide your team into smaller groups and come prepared with a different jigsaw puzzle for each group. Before giving each its puzzle, mix a few pieces into the boxes that will be given to other groups.

As each group labors to be the first team to finish its puzzle, its members will eventually realize some key pieces are missing. When the other groups come to the same realization, they’ll need to identify which group or groups have the pieces they need and figure out a way to get them.

The ensuing inter-group bartering may include things like loaning a member to another group. It may also include bribes like buying lunch. Whatever tactics are used, your employees are sure to have a good, collective laugh as they engage their powers of persuasion, teamwork, and problem solving—and there’s nothing puzzling about that, is there?

Escape Room

In recent years, escape rooms have become pretty common and readily accessible in many locations. Even if one isn’t located close to your business, you can create one in your building with just a bit of effort.

The point of an escape room is to challenge the people in the room to work together to find the key and get out of the locked space. Themed escape rooms give you the chance to challenge your team in different ways that are in keeping with various subjects.

For your team to get out of the room, your employees will have to uncover and decipher a series of clues. Every clue will point them in the direction of another hint they’ll need to act upon until they find the final clue that will identify the key’s hiding spot.

Scavenger Hunt

You can involve your team in an indoor or outdoor company scavenger hunt , but this type of activity is even more engaging when you plan it across multiple locations. The goal of a scavenger hunt is for your employees to find sundry items that are either widely accessible or hidden in different places. With each successive discovery, your employees will find a clue that indicates where the next item on their list of things to recover is located.

You can add an element of competition to a scavenger hunt by dividing your team into small groups that will compete to see which group will find all the things on their list first. Heightening that spirit of competition is easy. All you have to do is announce an enticing prize that will be given to the winning group before the hunt begins.

Can You Build It

“Can You Build It” is a game that requires participants to make careful observations, communicate clearly, solve problems, and work as a team. For this game, you’ll need to break out the Legos once again or pick up different materials that can be used to create a structure that you’ll build in advance of your employees engaging in this activity.

To start, hide the structure you built so that no one can see it. Give your team the materials they’ll need to recreate what you made. Allow one person to see your structure. That individual will then describe the structure to the rest of the team and the team will work together to try to recreate it.

If your team fails to make a facsimile of your structure, let someone else take a peek at your creation. Your team will then try to recreate the structure again. The activity will continue in a similar manner until your team successfully and accurately replicates your structure.

This activity engages many of the talents that are necessary for effective team building and problem solving. It requires teammates to trust each other and brainstorm, for example. Communication, observing, and coming up with clever solutions are also required in “Can You Build It.”

That’s One Way to Hula

All you need for “That’s One Way to Hula” is a hula-hoop and some good-spirited employees. For this activity, have your team stand in a circle holding hands. Break the circle by separating two of those joined hands and slip a hula-hoop onto the arm of one of the participants before rejoining their hands. The challenge then becomes for each participant to pass the hula-hoop to a coworker without letting go of the hands the person is holding.

If your team is large, consider separating it into groups. By doing this, you can create a competition to see which group can get the hula-hoop around the entire ring of participants the fastest.

Plan a Fundraiser

While encouraging your team to volunteer is certainly laudable, the problem with doing so is that your team’s success isn’t in the capable hands of its members. If, for example, your team volunteers at an animal rescue, your employees will be told what to do and how and when to do their assigned tasks.

Although volunteering is undeniably worthwhile, rewarding, and necessary for many non-profits, having your team plan a fundraiser may be a better way to give back to others. By planning a fundraiser, your team will have to work together to choose the type of event you’ll host. Your employees will then need to develop a plan to achieve their common objective.

From picking a venue to choosing how to market the fundraiser, deciding who’ll be invited to the event, identifying a realistic fundraising goal, and much more—your team will have plenty to decide and a lot of tasks to execute to pull off a successful event. As is the case with a lot of functions, even ones for great causes, obstacles will probably arise, which your employees will need to come together to overcome.

Social responsibility is one of the key drivers behind employee engagement across industries. Engaging your team with a fundraiser is a great way to improve their team-working and problem-solving abilities while helping them feel more satisfied with their jobs.

As a bonus, putting together a fundraiser can help your business generate some goodwill and increase customer loyalty. Increasingly, consumers are seeking out businesses that share their values. By having your team plan a fundraiser, you can demonstrate that your organization cares about the same things that your ideal customers do.

Team-building and problem-solving activities are a win-win for your team, your business, and your target audience. In addition to facilitating the development of professional skills, these exercises can help you to come away with a clear indication of which team members have the greatest potential to evolve into future team leaders.

Have you utilized team bonding activities? Use the comment section below to let us know which problem-solving activities you have tried and whether or not you experienced positive results.

If you want to start team-building with your employees, don’t hesitate to contact Let’s Roam to help you to plan and customize company events . Whether your group is in an office, remote, or a combination of stationary and virtual teams , our professional guides will help you every step of the way!

Frequently Asked Questions

The expert event guides at Let’s Roam have documented several effective problem-solving exercises . They also offer team-building activities including scavenger hunts , custom trivia , and more.

In addition to facilitating the development of skills such as communication, collaboration, and adaptability, problem-solving exercises can help business managers to identify future team leaders.

You can help your team with a series of problem-solving activities . Plan team-building events that will challenge employees’ collaborative skills, problem-solving techniques, and leadership abilities.

Need help planning a team-building event?

Schedule a quick, complimentary 15 minute chat with an event planner to book your next team building event with breeze., featured products & activities.

#1. Brainstorming Session

The goal of this activity is to brainstorm ideas based on a topic through collaboration.

Time: 10-20 minutes

Materials: Paper and pen

Participants: Any number of members per group

Instructions

Start by giving a topic to each group and instruct them to brainstorm ideas based on that topic.
Appoint an individual to write down the ideas of each group member.
Once this is done, check the ideas and share them with everyone.

Identify how each group member felt during the activity and how it can help them with problem solving in their day-to-day life. Also, discuss the importance of finding solutions together.

#2. Code Breaking

The goal of this game is to break the secret code as quickly as possible.

Time: You decide

Provide a secret code to each team. This secret code can be anything like picture puzzles, logic problems, riddles, etc.

For example,

“Find the two-digit secret number using the following clues:

The secret number is divisible by 4.

The sum of the digits in the secret number is 12.

The tens digit of the secret number is greater than the ones digit.”

The goal is to break the code fast. Set a time limit to complete the task if required.
The first team that breaks the code will win the game.

( Note: By the way, the secret number in the above example is 84. Feel free to come up with similar puzzles and challenge your teams to solve them in a very short time. Enjoy!)

Discuss how the employees worked together to solve the challenge. Encourage them to share their ideas and strategies.

#3. Create an Ad

The goal of this game is to create an advertisement for the suggested product. This is one of the problem solving activities to improve the creativity among team members.

Time: 15-30 minutes

Materials: Poster papers and Markers

Participants: 3-8 people in a group

Divide the participants into small teams.
Introduce a new product to each team and explain its features as well as benefits.
Now, instruct them to create an advertisement for this product.
Then, each team should create an ad script through discussion.

Discuss the strategies and ideas used in creating the ad. How did the employees come up with creative solutions? Encourage them to share their learning points from this game.

#4. Human Knot

The goal of this activity is to create a knot by holding the hands of others and untangling everyone without letting go of their hands.

Time: 10-15 minutes

Materials: None

Participants: 6-12 individuals per group

Instruct the team members to form a circle by standing shoulder to shoulder.
Then, each person should lift their right hand and try to catch the hand of another person who is standing across the circle.
After that, each person should lift their left hand in the air and catch the hand of a different person.
Make sure that no member is holding the hand of someone who is standing directly next to them.
Ask the team members to untangle everyone without letting go of their hands.

Discuss how the employees worked together as a team to achieve this goal. What strategies did they use? How did their communication style help them in solving this problem? Encourage the employees to reflect on the importance of teamwork and collaboration.

#5. Inter-Group Problem Solving Challenge

This is one of the interesting problem solving games you can try with your employees. Here each group should create a unique problem and challenge the other groups to solve it.

Materials: None (But can use paper and pen if needed)

Participants: At least 2 people per group

Divide the participants into small groups.
Instruct each group to come up with a self-created, unique problem and write it on paper.
Now, ask each group to share their problems with the other groups and let them find the solution in a given time.
Finally, find out the best-performing group by evaluating which group created the most complicated problems and which group solved more problems.

Discuss how the groups came up with unique problems and solved the problems created by others. Encourage the group members to appreciate the efforts of each other and think about ways to improve their problem-solving skills in the future.

#6. Jigsaw Puzzle

This activity is to improve the problem solving skills of employees through discussion, negotiation, and collaboration. In this activity, participants are required to complete a puzzle with the help of others.

Materials: Jigsaw puzzle pieces and small bags

Participants: 4 or more people per team

Have a jigsaw puzzle for each team.
Split each team into 2 small sub-teams.
Divide the jigsaw puzzle and put an equal number of pieces into two different small bags.
Ask each sub-team to choose one bag.
Instruct each sub-team to assemble the puzzle within a certain time limit.

(Note: Each sub-team may think they are competing against each other, but they can’t complete the puzzle unless they discuss and collaborate with the other sub-team.)

Allow extra time for each sub-team to discuss, negotiate, and collaborate with the other sub-team and complete the puzzle.

Discuss how the teams communicated and collaborated while working on this activity. Ask them to reflect on their decision-making processes and team dynamics.

#7. Scavenger Hunt

The scavenger hunt is one of the popular problem solving exercises. The goal of this exercise is to find a list of items based on the clues given.

Materials: Clues and a list of items to find

Split the participants into several groups.
Give each group a list of items they need to find out along with certain clues.
Set a time limit for the activity.
Now, the group members should search for the items based on the clues given and get back within the allowed time limit.

Discuss the decision-making strategies used by the groups during the activity. Also, ask each group to share their experience and what they learned from the activity.

#8. Spider’s Web

The goal of this activity is to move through the spider web from one side to the other without touching it.

Materials: String, rope, or yarn to form the spider web

Participants: Any number of individuals in a group

Create a spider’s web between two trees using duct tape or Nylon cord.
Instruct the group members to stand on one side of the spider’s web.
Now, group members must travel to the other side of the web without touching it. They are not allowed to travel over, under, or around it.
If somebody touches the web, ask him to go back and restart again.

Figure out the strategies used by each group to solve this problem. Ask them how they came up with the solution and what other solutions could have been used.

#9. The Great Egg Drop

The goal of this game is to build a structure that protects the eggs while dropping from a certain height.

Materials: Cardboard, paper, tape, scissors, and eggs

Participants: Any number of members in a group

Instruct each group to find several materials to build a structure.
Give some time for each group to plan their strategy and build the structure by putting the egg inside.
Once this is done, tell them to drop the structure from at least 10 feet in height.
Check how many groups have survived their eggs successfully? If there is more than one group, then the one that utilizes fewer materials for building the structure can be declared the winner.

Compare each group’s outcomes and discuss different methods of problem solving. Also, discuss the importance of planning and being mindful of how resources are used.

#10. Toxic Waste

The goal of this activity is to neutralize toxic waste and save the world. Here each team should transfer the toxic waste from the radiation zone to the safe zone without causing any harm to its members.

Materials: Balls, Buckets, and Ropes

Participants: 3-8 members in each team

Form a circle of 8 feet in diameter with a rope and place a small bucket with balls (toxic waste) in the middle to represent the radiation zone.
Create a safe zone by placing a large bucket (neutralization bucket) around 30 feet away from the radiation zone.
Instruct the teams to neutralize the toxic waste by transferring it from the radiation zone to the safe zone within a certain time. They must maintain a safe distance from the radiation zone during this time.
Now, give the teams two ropes to transfer the toxic waste, and also allow them 5 minutes for planning. Then, they can execute their plans.
Finally, see the results.

Discuss how each team approached the task and how teamwork played a crucial role in completing it. Also, emphasize the importance of planning before executing any task.

Want Some Unique Team Building Activities?

If you want some unique activities (both in person and virtual) for your employees, you can get my new e-book:

The Busy Leader’s Guide of Unique Team Building Activities: 30 Fully Customizable Exercises That You Can Conduct with Any Group of Employees, Anywhere

Final Words

By engaging in the above activities, employees can develop their problem solving and decision making skills. Thus, it is important to include them in any team building sessions. This will not only help build trust among your employees but will also help them become better problem solvers and more effective communicators. Ultimately, this will lead to stronger teamwork and overall success for the organization.

Like this article on “Top 10 Team Building Problem Solving Activities”? Feel free to share your thoughts.

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17 Team Building Problem Solving Activities & Exercises

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Whether you work in an office or online, it is important to establish a strong foundation as a team. Good communication and collaboration skills are essential for any successful team, but problem-solving skills are what will help you through the tough times.

Life is unpredictable, which is why problem solving skills are critical to learn , starting at a young age. They help us deal with the curveballs that will inevitably be thrown our way from time to time… without spiraling off course into a panic .

Table of Contents

What Are Problem Solving Skills?

Problem-solving skills are the ability to identify and solve problems creatively and effectively . They involve analyzing a situation, coming up with a plan of action, and then following through with that plan. These types of skills are important in both personal and professional life.

In your personal life, you will no longer have the same constant helping hand or be able to make excuses as you could in childhood . When something happens, you will need to be able to figure out a way to fix it yourself. In your professional life, being able to solve problems quickly and efficiently will make you an invaluable asset to any team.

Why Problem Solving Activities Are Important In the Workplace

There are many benefits to having strong problem solving skills in the workplace. For one, it can help improve morale among team members. When everyone is working together to solve a problem, it can create a sense of camaraderie and teamwork .

It can also help hold team members accountable for their actions. If a problem arises, everyone will need to work together to solve it instead of placing the blame on one person. This will help create a more cohesive team that is better able to handle difficult situations.

Finally, problem solving skills can help improve productivity in the workplace. When problems are solved quickly and efficiently, it allows the team to move on to other tasks more quickly.

17 Problem Solving Activities

Activity #1. brainstorming.

This is a great activity for getting the creative juices flowing. Get your team together and have them come up with as many ideas as possible for solving the problem at hand. The more ideas, the better!

One way to start may be to ask everyone to write down their ideas individually, then have each person share their idea with the group. Once all the ideas are on the table, you can start to narrow down which ones are the most feasible.

Activity #2. Role-Playing

If you are ready to get the team members to think outside the box, have them take on different roles and come up with solutions from those perspectives. The roles can be anything from a customer to a company CEO.

Write down roles on a piece of paper and put them in a hat or bowl. Have each team member draw a role and then have them work on coming up with solutions from that perspective.

Activity #3. Logic Puzzles

These types of puzzles are great for testing your team’s critical thinking skills. There are a variety of different logic puzzles available online or in puzzle books .

problem solving activities for teens | creative problem solving activities for adults | virtual problem solving activities for students

Logic puzzles can be a great team-building activity as they require everyone to work together to find the solution.

Activity #4. Word Association

This is a simple but effective way to get ideas flowing. Write down a list of words or phrases related to the problem and then have your team come up with solutions based on those words.

Let's take the word “online safety” for example. Some potential solutions could be creating strong passwords, using two-factor authentication, or avoiding phishing scams or unnecessary social media use at work .

Activity #5. Debate

This activity will help get the team thinking about the issue from different angles . Have each team member take a side of the debate and then have them argue their points.

After everyone has had a chance to speak, have the team come to a consensus on the best solution.

Activity #6. Process Mapping

This activity is great for visual learners. Get a whiteboard or large piece of paper and map out the steps that need to be taken to solve the problem. This will help the team see the issue as a whole and spot any potential roadblocks.

Activity #7. Mind Mapping

This is similar to process mapping but is more focused on coming up with ideas. Write down the main issue in the center of the paper and then have team members come up with ideas that branch off from that.

Activity #8. Fishbone Diagram

If you are looking for another visual activity that can help a team see the different factors that contribute to a problem, try the fishbone diagram. Draw a large fish skeleton on a whiteboard or piece of paper and then have team members add in the different factors that contribute to the problem.

Activity #9. 5 Whys

Have the team start with the main issue and then each person takes turns asking “why” until you get to the root cause of the problem. Five times is usually sufficient to solve most problems. This is very effective for uncovering hidden problems.

One example may involve sales:

The problem is that our sales are down:

Why? Because we’re not getting enough foot traffic in the store.
Why? We’re not advertising enough.
Why? We don’t have the budget for it.
Why? There is too much inventory loss/theft.
Why? High employee turnover.

Activity #10. Scenario Planning

Think ahead and prepare for potential problems in the future. Have the team come up with different scenarios that could happen and then brainstorm solutions for each one. A perfect example may be different ways to escape the building in the event of an emergency.

One approach can involve escape routes, another can focus on the steps needed to shelter in place, and the last can highlight who is responsible for what during an evacuation.

Activity #11. SWOT Analysis

Before coming up with solutions, it is important to understand the different factors that could impact them.

The SWOT analysis activity will help the team identify the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats associated with the problem. This will help them come up with more informed solutions and deeper thinking.

Activity #12. Reverse Brainstorming

To prevent boredom, do what you can to get the team to think outside the box. Instead of brainstorming ways to solve the problem, have them come up with ways to make it worse. It may sound counter-productive but it can help the team see the issue from a different perspective and come up with more creative solutions.

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Reverse brainstorming works by having the team come up with as many bad ideas as possible. Once they have exhausted all the ways to make the problem worse, they can then start thinking of ways to fix it.

Activity #13. Problem Solving Workshop

This is a more structured way of approaching problem solving as a team. It involves breaking the team into small groups and having each group come up with solutions to various specific problems.

Once all the groups have had a chance to share their ideas, the team can then vote on the best solution. You may want to start with a problem not directly related to the job and have the teams solve it. Next, ask them how the same approach can be used at the job. An example of this may include the team solving a Rubik’s Cube and then asking them how they can apply that same level of critical thinking to their work.

Now let's think about how to do team building and problem solving for the increasing number of people working remotely. Team building remotely may have its unique challenges but it is not impossible.

Remote Problem Solving Activities

Activity #14. coffee chat.

This is a great way to get everyone on the team introduced to each other, especially if you have new members coming on board. Set up a time for everyone to jump on a video call and chat over coffee (or tea!). This can be done weekly or monthly, depending on the size of the team. It is a great way to informally chat about issues and concerns and can get the ball rolling on real solutions.

During the early days of the pandemic, my writing group set aside the writing topic for a session and decided to do an online happy hour with great success. We got to chat about other issues not directly related to writing and we all got useful insights.

Activity #15. Show and Tell

Who says team building problem solving activities can't be fun? This is a nice way for everyone to get to know each other on a personal level. Have each team member choose an item from their home that has special meaning to them and do a “show and tell”. Ask if each person can find an object related to helping them do their job or something completely unrelated. This is a great way to build rapport, get to know each other on a personal level, and of course – solve certain problems.

For example, someone may demonstrate hand exercises or stretching techniques to help with issues that stem from sitting at a desk or typing all day.

Maybe people in the group struggle to use a certain design program or add attachments to emails. Someone can use screen share to show an easier way to do something that has stumbled their colleagues.

Activity #16. Virtual Office Tour

Another way to get everyone acquainted with each other and the idea of working from home is to do a virtual office tour. This can be done by having each team member give a quick tour of their home office (or workspace). This is also a great way to get everyone comfortable with using video conferencing if they are not already. The reality is, everyone is not accustomed to working from home yet and a virtual tour from someone more experienced may help ease anxiety and provide peer-to-peer teaching. I

Activity #17. Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt can either be done in person or online. If you are doing it remotely, you can use a program like Zoom to break everyone into small groups. Give each group a list of items they need to find and set a time limit. The first team to find all the items (or the team with the most items) wins.

You can make the scavenger hunt related to work or you can make it more general. If you want to make it work-related, you can have teams find things like “a picture of someone wearing a hard hat” or “an item that starts with the letter E”. If you want to make it more general, you can have teams find items like “a picture of a pet” or “an item that is green”.

Final Thoughts about Problem Solving Activities

There are many benefits in the workplace to executing problem solving activities, whether in person or remotely. You can even conduct team building activities outdoors for a nice change of pace.

Team building exercises like these can help build rapport, provide peer-to-peer teaching opportunities, and help with critical thinking skills .

The most important thing is to find something that works for your team and that everyone is comfortable with. And with a little creativity, you can find ways to build your team no matter where they are located. You don’t need to be in close proximity to grow closer .

If you have children, you may want to check out 11 Fun Problem Solving Activities for Kids and 21 Fun Team Building Activities for Kids , as it’s never too young to teach this valuable skill.

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38 Team Building Problem-Solving Activities

In our Management Training we often stress that a strong team is essential for achieving organisational goals, improving productivity and creating a positive work environment, and team building activities are one of the essential tools that really can make this a reality!

Designed to be interactive and fun, they encourage employees to work together and solve problems – increasing creativity and collaboration across your workplace.

So, whether you are looking to improve communication, or are just looking to build stronger teams within your organisation, these 38 engaging problem-solving activities are a sure-fire way to help you achieve your goals.

32 In-Person Team Building Problem-Solving Activities

If you want to implement more team-building activities, problem-solving activities, and other communication exercises into your team strategy, these 32 in-person options are all great ones to start with:

1. A Shrinking Vessel

The shrinking vessel helps you and your employees work on adaptability and learn to solve problems faster, especially in high-pressure situations.

This game involves using a rope or string to create a circle on the floor. Everyone stands inside the circle. Then, you will gradually shrink it, and everyone must work together to stay inside.

2. Blind Formations

Blind formations is another group activity that involves a rope. Instead of focusing on adaptability, though, this game helps you and your employees develop better communication skills.

For this activity, you’ll just need a rope and a blindfold for each team member.

The group will don their blindfolds and stand in a circle. Then, you’ll tie the ends of the rope together to form a circle that everyone reaches down and touches.

Once everyone has their hands on the rope, you will call out shapes (square, triangle, etc.), and the group must work together to form that shape.

3. Bonding Belt

The bonding belt activity allows your employees to work on communication and problem-solving.

For this activity, divide the team into groups of five. Then, bind each group with rope or tape.

Once everyone has been bound together, each group must move from one point to another as quickly as possible. Use a stopwatch to track each group’s time as accurately as possible.

4. Cardboard Boat Building Challenge

The cardboard boat-building challenge gives team members a chance to get creative and think outside the box (or boat).

The goal is simple: Use cardboard and tape to create a boat that floats across a body of water without sinking.

In addition to building such a boat, each team must also deliver a presentation explaining their reasoning for creating the boat the way they did. Then, they’ll put it in the water and test its functionality.

5. Clue Murder Mystery

Everyone loves a good murder mystery, and Clue is the ultimate murder mystery game!

When playing Clue, you and your team members will collaborate and analyse a collection of clues to determine which character committed a murder.

It sounds simple at first. However, this game requires critical thinking, effective communication, and problem-solving to discover the correct answer.

6. Corporate Escape Room

Depending on where your business is located, you might have easy access to a corporate escape room.

Corporate escape rooms are businesses that allow customers to work together — while locked in a specially decorated room — to solve clues and figure out how to get out of the room as quickly as possible.

Many escape rooms have fun themes, from Sherlock Holmes-style murder mysteries to fantasy. Regardless of the theme, though, this activity allows everyone to work on collaboration, communication, and problem-solving.

7. Crack The Case

Crack the case is another version of a murder mystery game.

This activity is similar to Clue, but it allows in-person and remote employees to work together with the help of video conferencing platforms. Your team members can collaborate to review case files, discuss clues, and solve the mystery.

8. Create Your Own

If you really want to challenge your employees’ creativity, task them with creating their own team-building activity.

Divide your team into smaller groups. Then, assign each group to develop an activity that is unique to the business and aligns with its mission and values.

Not only does this challenge encourage team members to think outside the box and communicate effectively, but it also provides an opportunity for them to reflect on the company values and what they mean to them.

9. Dog, Rice, And Chicken

Dog, rice, and chicken is a silly problem-solving game that encourages your team members to let loose and blow off some steam.

One team member plays the role of the farmer, and the other team members are villagers. The farmer has three items: a dog, rice, and a chicken, which they must take across the river on a boat one at a time.

The villagers must work together to advise the farmer and propose the best way for them to transport the items without the dog eating the chicken or the chicken eating the rice.

10. Domino Effect Challenge

The domino effect challenge requires team members to create a fully functioning chain reaction machine. Divide the team into groups, then ask each group to design and build one part of the machine.

This game puts employees’ communication and collaboration skills to the test, as well as their ability to adapt and solve problems quickly.

11. Dumbest Idea First

This is another fun game for employees who need to stop taking themselves so seriously. It doesn’t require any equipment and encourages employees to think quickly on their feet.

The instructions for this game are simple. Ask everyone to think of the dumbest solution to a problem you’re trying to solve at the office.

After each person shares their ideas, you might find that there are actually some good ones that you and your employees can implement.

12. Egg Drop

The egg drop activity is useful in various situations, not just in science class. The egg drop activity challenges employees to work together to create a vessel that will support an egg and prevent it from breaking when it’s dropped from a great height.

This activity encourages problem-solving, communication, creativity, and collaboration. It also gives employees a chance to break out of their daily routine and do something with their hands.

13. End In Mind

Sometimes, you and your employees have to work backwards to find a solution. End in mind challenges team members to do precisely this.

For this activity, you’ll need to write down the steps, dates, and milestones involved in completing a specific project. Write each one down on a separate piece of paper.

Tell employees what the end result is. Then, encourage them to rearrange the pieces of paper in order, working backwards to figure out how the project was completed.

Can’t make it to a corporate escape room? No problem!

You can play Escape at your office easily. All you need is a room that locks, the key, a rope, and a series of puzzles or clues.

Use the rope to “lock” employees in the room after hiding the key. Then, challenge them to complete the puzzles or solve the clues to find the key and “escape.”

15. Frostbite

Frostbite helps your employees develop their problem-solving and decision-making skills.

Crank up an electric fan to mimic an icy tundra. Then, tell your employees that they are Arctic explorers.

Divide them into groups of four or five, then ask each group to appoint a leader. The goal is for each team to build a shelter out of construction materials (paper, cardboard, toothpicks, rubber bands, etc.) with a 30-minute time limit.

There’s a catch, though. The leader has frostbite on their hands and can’t help, and the rest of the team members have snow blindness and can’t see.

While wearing blindfolds, the team members will have to listen to the leader’s instructions to build a reliable shelter.

16. Human Knot

Human knot encourages employees to communicate, collaborate, and solve problems creatively.

Stand in a circle, then ask each employee to grab the hands of two people not directly next to them. After everyone has found two hands to hold, the goal is to untangle the human knot (without letting go of any hands) and stand in a circle once more.

17. Legoman

This is another activity that allows your team members to be creative, think outside the box, and have some fun.

Divide the group into small teams of at least two people. Then, select one person to create a random structure out of Lego bricks in a 10-minute period.

When this person is finished, the other teams must replicate the structure in just 15 minutes. However, only one person gets to look at the structure. They must then relay information to their team members(s) and help them replicate it perfectly.

18. Line Up Blind

Here’s another activity that involves a blindfold!

For this activity, everyone is blindfolded. You’ll go around the room and assign each person a number.

When you’re finished, instruct the group to line up in numerical order without talking. You can also ask them to line up based on other factors, like height, age, etc.

19. Lost At Sea

Lost at sea challenges your employees’ problem-solving abilities in stressful situations. Each person receives a six-column chart that includes the following:

Column 1 features a list of survival items
Column 2 is empty; each team member will rank the survival items in order of importance
Column 3 is reserved for group rankings
Column 4 is dedicated to the “correct” rankings (revealed at the end of the activity)
Columns 5 and 6 allow team members to enter the difference between individual and correct scores, as well as the team and correct rankings.

Form groups of five. Then, ask each team member to rank items in order of importance individually.

Give the team 10 minutes to discuss their individual rankings and create a group ranking. When the 10 minutes are up, you’ll read out the official correct order, which goes as follows:

Shaving mirror (to signal passing ships using the sun)
Can of gas (for signalling if it’s poured in the water and lit with matches)
Water container (for collection and re-hydration)
Emergency food rations (essential for survival)
One plastic sheet (for shelter or rainwater collection)
Chocolate bars (additional food)
Fishing rods (helpful for catching food)
Rope (helpful but not essential for survival)
Floating seat cushion (potential life preserver)
Shark repellent (for safety)
Bottle of rum (for cleaning wounds)
Radio (helpful if you’re within range)
Sea chart (worthless without navigation equipment)
Mosquito net (not very useful unless you’re shipwrecked)

20. Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower

The marshmallow spaghetti tower activity encourages team members to work together, be creative, and communicate effectively. Each team will need the following:

20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti
1 roll of masking tape
1 metre of string
1 marshmallow

Give each team a specific amount of time to build the tallest tower using the materials provided. It must be able to stand without help.

21. Minefield

Grab the blindfolds and challenge employees’ communication with the minefield game.

Lead everyone into an empty room or hallway. Place everyday office items throughout the room or hallway. Divide the group into pairs and blindfold one member.

The non-blindfolded member must verbally guide their partner from one end of the room to the other without hitting any “mines.”

22. Move It!

This activity gets your employees away from the desk and working together to solve problems.

Divide the group into two teams. Line them up front to back, so they’re facing each other.

Use chalk, tape, or rope to mark a square for each person to stand on. Leave an empty space between the facing rows.

The facing players must switch places. However, there are rules:

Only one person can move at a time
A player cannot move around anyone facing the same direction
No one can move backwards
A player cannot move around more than one person on the other team at a time.

23. Organisational Jenga

If you have access to a Jenga game, grab it and use it to develop communication and collaboration skills.

Label each block in a hierarchical order that aligns with your company’s hierarchy. Then, challenge team members to play the game as they normally would.

This activity emphasises the importance of the entire organisation working together to survive and thrive.

24. Reverse Pyramid

This activity doesn’t require any equipment. You just need your employees, who will stand in a pyramid shape.

Challenge them to flip the base and point of the pyramid by moving just three people.

25. Scavenger Hunt

There’s nothing like a good old-fashioned scavenger hunt to build a team. Divide your team into groups, then give each group a list of items to find and bring back within a set time period.

Whether you limit them to the office or set them loose in the neighbourhood, this activity is sure to get people talking and laughing.

26. Stranded

Instead of being locked in a room, your team is now locked in the office and unable to escape. Give them 30 minutes to decide which 10 items they need to survive and rank those items in order of importance.

27. Team Pursuit

Team Pursuit is an app-powered game that allows team members to learn more about each other and their unique talents. They’ll complete challenges by taking photos or videos or typing messages into the app.

Whichever team completes the most challenges before the timer goes off is the winner.

28. The Barter Puzzle

For this activity, you’ll need a collection of jigsaw puzzles with the pieces mixed up.

Divide the group into teams of five, and challenge them to compete to finish a puzzle first. They’ll need to negotiate, barter, and assign tasks to find all the pieces for their puzzle.

29. The Crime Investigators

This game is another murder mystery-style activity. Tell your team about a crime that has occurred. Then, challenge them to review evidence, decipher clues, and figure out who’s guilty.

30. Web Of Wools

Grab a spool of yarn or string for this fun and engaging activity.

Divide the group into two teams. Then, assign each team to entangle themselves using yarn or string. Then, tell the teams to switch webs.

One team member on each team will be blindfolded and tasked with untangling the web. They must take instructions from their other team members to solve the puzzle.

31. What Would X Do

This activity gives employees a chance to think creatively and have fun at the same time. Assign everyone to pretend they’re a famous person. Then, ask them how they would solve a particular problem if they were that person.

32. Wild Goose Chase

Wild Goose Chase is a smartphone-based scavenger hunt. Split the group into teams. Then, send them out into the city to take fun photos and videos suggested by the app.

6 Virtual Team Building Problem Solving Activities

Even if you manage a remote team, you can still use virtual team-building and problem-solving activities to bring team members closer together. Here are 6 suggestions that you can try during your next virtual group gathering:

1. Clue Murder Mystery

For many of us, Clue was our first introduction to the world of murder mysteries. You don’t have to gather around a board to play it anymore, either.

Virtual Clue brings your employees together to solve a murder mystery, analysing clues to identify the person with the means, motive, and opportunity to commit the crime. This game is a fun way for employees to work on their problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.

2. Code Break

Virtual Code Break gives your employees a chance to overcome interesting challenges and strengthen their problem-solving skills.

You can use video conferencing tools to work with team members and complete all kinds of puzzles and games, from Sudoku to Cranium. You can even work together to solve virtual jigsaw puzzles!

3. Escape Room: Jewel Heist

Escape rooms are all the rage these days for team-building activities. You don’t have to all be trapped in the same room together to enjoy them though.

Many virtual escape rooms exist for remote teams, including Escape Room: Jewel Heist.

When playing this game, you and your team will work together to recover stolen jewels before time runs out. You’ll have to use your problem-solving skills and creative thinking to solve the puzzle and escape.

4. Escape Room: Mummy’s Curse

Mummy’s Curse is a virtual escape room that traps your team in a pyramid with an awakened and agitated mummy. You’ll have to collaborate to solve clues, complete challenges, and lift the curse to escape the pyramid.

5. Jeopardy Social

Virtual Jeopardy Social puts you and your employees into your own game show. You even get a buzzer button to answer questions and a professional actor to host the vent.

In addition to answering questions and trying to score the greatest number of points, Virtual Jeopardy Social also incorporates social mixer challenges into each round. These challenges allow you and your employees to get to know each other better and develop stronger relationships.

6. Trivia Time Machine

Trivia games are popular team-building activities, and you and your employees can participate even if you can’t gather at a local pub together.

For example, Outback Time Machine takes participants back to the 1960s and features a series of fun, nostalgic questions that will get everyone talking and laughing. The virtual game show host also splits the group into teams and warms guests up with mixers to get everyone more comfortable.

Why Are Team Building Problem-Solving Activities Necessary?

Team-building activities, problem-solving exercises, and other group activities offer numerous benefits, regardless of the type of business you run. The following are some of the greatest advantages you and your employees can enjoy:

Get To Know Each Other Better

It’s remarkable that you can work next to someone everyday for years and still know next to nothing about them.

When you create opportunities for your employees to participate in team-building activities, you make it easier for them to get to know each other in a low-stress environment.

Playing games and solving puzzles together allows employees to learn more about each other’s personalities, their approach to difficult situations, and how they communicate.

Improve Communication

Speaking of communication, team-building activities also gives all employees a chance to work on their communication skills.

When team members collaborate to solve problems or complete a task, they get better at presenting issues, asking questions, and developing solutions. All of these insights help employees better understand each other when dealing with work-related tasks.

Improve Teamwork And Team Performance

Better communication leads to improved collaboration and teamwork.

If your employees know how to communicate with one another, it’s easier for them to come together and get things done. They’ll likely face fewer roadblocks along the way to completing projects and will have better attitudes throughout the process, too.

Foster Friendly Competition

Problem-solving and team-building activities might seem frivolous at first. However, they actually create friendly competition, which can help to motivate employees and push them to challenge themselves.

Contests and challenges can also help employees to feel more confident in themselves and their skills. If they’ve doubted their abilities, taking a break and engaging in a fun, competitive activity can motivate them and encourage them to trust themselves in the future.

Increase Innovation And Creativity

Many managers and team members notice that team-building activities and problem-solving challenges help them to be more innovative and creative. These activities allow them to practice thinking outside the box and looking at situations in a new way.

Create Better Company Culture

According to 57 per cent of UK adults, workplace culture matters more than salary when it comes to job satisfaction. Your company culture will suffer if your workplace is focused on productivity and task completion 24/7 and you never make room for fun.

Company culture doesn’t just make your existing employees happier, either. When you strive to improve company culture, you can also enhance your business’s reputation and attract talented job seekers in the future.

Increase Engagement And Improved Morale

When you enhance communication, strengthen relationships between employees, and improve the company culture, you’ll notice that employee engagement increases and morale improves.

Happy employees are productive employees who want to put their best foot forward each day.

If you invest in your employees’ well-being and provide opportunities for them to work together, solve problems, and have fun, they’ll thank you by being more invested in their responsibilities and producing better results.

Show Appreciation

Nearly 75 per cent of UK employees say they deserve more recognition for their work.

Regular team-building and problem-solving activities give you a chance to show appreciation to your employees. For example, you can use these events as a way to celebrate team members who have just met a milestone or accomplished a major goal.

Identify Leadership Potential

When you host team-building activities for adults, problem-solving challenges, and other events, you have opportunities to evaluate employees in different settings and assess their leadership potential.

It’s not always easy to tell who might make a good leader when your employees are going about their everyday tasks. When you put them in a new environment, though, and challenge them to solve a unique problem, you might be amazed at who stands out.

Whether your team gathers in a traditional office or is spread out across the globe, you can use team-building and problem-solving activities to bring them closer together, create a better company culture, and improve productivity and engagement.

So why not use the 38 activities discussed above as inspiration for your next group gathering? Or get in touch to find out about our Team Building Training where we can cover the techniques required to achieve a great team spirit – whilst delivering the fun!

Alternatively, check out our MBTI Training or DISC Assessments – both great for team building, whilst also giving you the essential tools to understand and work with your team better.

Thanks again

Sean McPheat

Managing Director

MTD Training

Team Building

Updated on: 29 June, 2023

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What Are Problem-Solving Activities?

These activities require problem-solving skills, which help find solutions for difficult situations.

Like any other skill, these tactics are best learnt through practice.

To make problem-solving activities worth the ride, participants have to be open-minded, listen to others, and accept alternative ideas and solutions.

An agile mindset can also be beneficial when participating in such activities because they’re based on understanding, collaborating , learning and staying flexible.

As problem-solving games are group activities, participants must be willing to collaborate and embrace agility and flexibility.

Another critical aspect is creating the mindset that there are no winners or losers.

The goal of these activities is to share strategies and learn from each other, rather than compete against one another.

The Four P’s to Problem-Solving

By following the four P’s in the problem-solving guide, one can resolve almost any problem that comes along.

Problem-solving activities begin with a discovery phase, where the problem is identified.

This is the step where you understand, dissect, and learn about the problem you’re trying to solve.

Until the problem has been well defined, you can’t move forward and prepare to form the right solution.

After you’ve analysed the problem, you have to develop several courses of action to solve the issue.

This is the phase where you generate several possibilities to ultimately decide on the best course of action for your problem.

After the problem has been defined and resolutions have been listed, it’s time to take action.

This is the step where you find the best approach and implement a plan that needs to be followed with precision.

You need to first visualise your plan and then execute it.

When the problem has been solved, you need to evaluate the plan and assess whether it could be improved for future situations.

While you should do your best to solve the issue, the truth is that there is always room for growth.

Reviewing and checking for room for further improvement is essential because it can help you achieve even greater results in the future.

Benefits of Developing Problem-Solving Skills in the Workplace

Employees are often asked to think outside the box for projects or find alternative solutions for work problems.

Problem-solving tactics are a great way to practice valuable skills relevant in the workplace.

There are a lot of situations where processes and workflow in organisations need improvement. Or, when deadlines are tight, team members have to find ways to deliver on time.

These are the exact scenarios that can be overcome if the team is able to turn problems into actionable solutions.

After all, performance is closely related to employee efficiency as achieving companies’ goals on time is crucial to success.

Having team members with good problem-solving skills means they can use critical thinking to make better decisions and ultimately increase business productivity and growth.

There are a wealth of advantages that problem-solving activities can bring to teams.

Here are a few benefits you can expect from employees well equipped with problem-solving skills:

Better risk management

Simply put, risk management skills help people know what could go wrong, assess risks, and finally take action to solve an issue.

Some people are very good at handling risk, while others are afraid of risky situations.

Whichever way your team members are naturally inclined, problem-solving techniques are here to help.

Participating in problem-solving tasks trains the mind to handle stressful situations better.

It’s impossible to avoid risk, and this is why it’s essential to be confident that your team knows how to handle risk and turn it into opportunity.

Better thinking

Team problem-solving techniques stimulate better thinking by pushing people to find progressive alternatives.

Better thinking also develops analytical skills, which help people find logical explanations for problems and identify practical solutions.

Better communication skills

As mentioned earlier, problem-solving activities are group tasks that can only be performed if participants work together.

Humans are competitive by nature which can be problematic when trying to create a cohesive team. Problem-solving skills nurture understanding and collaboration within a company.

By solving problems together, employees learn how to better communicate and listen to others.

Having transparent and effective communication improves engagement and productivity and leads to better relationships .

Increased team cohesion

If your team already has good communication skills , this will likely lead to increased team cohesion .

Regardless of your business’s profile or size, success comes from having a united team.

Team cohesion reduces anxiety, brings motivation, and increases employee satisfaction.

Being on a cohesive team means that employees work together for the same goal, and everyone contributes to the group’s overall success.

People are social creatures, so it’s imperative that everybody feels heard, understood, and included.

Efficiency / increased productivity

Exercising problem-solving activities can boost performance and workplace productivity, leading to overall growth and profits.

Having solid problem-solving skills equips employees with the ability to find efficient solutions promptly.

By reducing the time spent solving specific problems, companies benefit from improved workplace productivity , leading to better profit margins.

Problem-solving activities foster creativity and encourage team members to express their ideas.

Creative thinkers know how to find the balance between analytical skills and innovative solutions, thus providing new perspectives.

No matter how well-established company processes are, there are always situations that require alternative ways of thinking.

Creative thinking skills boost people’s confidence in putting forth unique ideas.

List of the Top 22 Virtual Problem-Solving Activities

Virtual problem-solving activities for teams are meant to challenge participants to think outside the box and find solutions to problems while also having fun. Remember that these exercises should be playful and enjoyable.

Here is a list of virtual problem-solving activities that teams of any size can play:

Dumbest Idea First
Brainstorm Ideas
End in Mind
Stop, Start, Continue
Idea Mock-Ups
Be a Character
Crossword Puzzles
Online Escape Rooms
Murder Mysteries
Virtual Hackathons
Treasure Hunts
Moral Challenge
Improv Games
Poem/Story Challenge
What Would You Do?
Lost at Sea
Coworker Feud
Virtual Code Break
War of the Wizards
Ultimate Game Show

Online problem-solving activities can be played through video conferencing platforms, such as Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, Webex, etc.

Let’s take a closer look:

1. Dumbest Idea First

Dumbest Idea First, as the name suggests, is a problem-solving exercise in which participants are asked to think of the dumbest possible solutions to the problem presented.

After all ideas have been presented, look through the list.

You might be surprised to find that some ideas are not as dumb as first thought!

Helps with : creative problem-solving .

2. Brainstorm Ideas

One of the most common problem-solving activities is brainstorming ideas with your team.

Brainstorming ideas’ objective is to generate as many ideas as possible.

After the list is complete, team members review them and decide which is most suitable for the given scenario.

There are a lot of methods to aid the brainstorming process.

You can play word games, create a mood board, play improv games, or even doodle.

Helps with : lateral thinking.

3. End in Mind

The End in Mind technique is an excellent activity for solving group problems that require participants to start with the end.

In this exercise, you have to backtrack, finding solutions for the issue.

It challenges team members to think of the “what,” “why,” and “how” of a problem, thus coming up with alternative approaches.

Helps with : analytical thinking.

4. Stop, Start, Continue

“Stop, Start, Continue” is a technique used for delivering or requesting feedback.

This problem-solving activity consists of a list of three categories that each member has to think about:

Stop: three things that the team should stop doing
Start: three things that the team should start doing
Continue: three things that the team should continue doing

This exercise aims to solve problems in new ways while also having fun.

Helps with : team cohesion, critical thinking.

5. Idea Mock-Ups

Idea mock-ups are processes in which solutions to problems are found via mock-ups.

It’s a virtual solving problem activity as you can use images from the internet that can be easily shared with the team members.

This exercise aims to have players try out a bunch of different scenarios until the perfect match for the problem is found.

6. Be a Character

Have you ever dreamed of being a character from a movie or a book? Then this is the perfect exercise for you.

By playing this group game, participants impersonate a character and approach problems through that person’s mindset.

Helps with : creativity , thinking outside the box.

7. Idea Trial

The Idea Trial is another fun virtual problem-solving activity that encourages participants to find solutions for a particular problem.

Players need to present their ideas to the “court.”

They can go through the entire process, such as opening and closing statements, and call witnesses to support their ideas.

Helps with : risk management, communication skills.

8. Crossword Puzzles

Everybody has heard of crossword puzzles, but not everyone has thought of transforming them into a virtual problem-solving activity.

All you have to do is use an online crossword puzzle to create a custom puzzle for your team.

To make it more exciting and engaging for your team, you should consider your company’s niche and your teammates’ interests.

Helps with : critical thinking.

9. Online Escape Rooms

Like in-person escape rooms, their online counterpart requires participants to escape rooms and work together to solve puzzles virtually.

Digital escape rooms provide two alternatives for players: either a Zoom room led by a host or from a specialised website.

These are significant virtual problem-solving activities that are both fun and challenging.

Helps with : cooperation, communication.

10. Murder Mysteries

Murder mysteries are story-based problem-solving activities that require participants to take on the roles of suspects and detectives.

The aim of the game is to identify the killer by searching for clues and occasionally solving small puzzles.

These group exercises are complex because they require players to be observant and search for hidden clues using logic.

Luckily for you, there are many options for playing murder mystery games online .

Helps with : observation, logical thinking.

11. Virtual Hackathons

Hackathons are events where a group of people pitch a product or service in a given period.

Even though it originated in the programming world, hackathons can be easily applied to any industry.

Virtual hackathons refer to the online version of these events, where participants work together via online meeting software to design solutions.

These are great virtual team problem-solving activities because they don’t require much organisational work.

You just have to announce the event’s theme, explain the problem when the hackathon begins, and set a timeline.

Helps with : efficiency, cooperation.

12. Treasure Hunts

Like escape rooms or murder mysteries, treasure hunts are group games that require players to find hidden objects by following a trail of clues.

Treasure hunts are fun problem-solving activities that teach participants how to collaborate and communicate with each other.

They can have specific themes or be a more general hunt.

Helps with : communication, cooperation.

13. Moral Challenge

While most group problem-solving activities focus more on finding alternative problem resolutions, moral challenges lean more towards ethics.

These group techniques are just as important as the others as not all problems are factual; some are ethical.

Moral challenge exercises are better played in a group because each participant can represent a different opinion or moral belief.

The moral issue becomes harder to resolve and implicitly forces team members to find common ground.

Moral challenges are equally important in decision-making processes as rational thinking.

Some of the most well-known moral challenges online are the Moral Machine or the Dilemma .

Helps with : communication skills.

14. Improv Games

Improv games have their roots in acting and comedy and are group activities designed around participants’ acting without a script, or improvising.

These problem-solving activities force players to keep the story going in an entertaining and logical way.

This kind of group exercise helps build collaborative skills while boosting team members’ confidence.

Helps with : collaboration, imagination.

15. Poem/Story Challenge

If most of the problem-solving activities mentioned are based on logical thinking, the poem/story challenge revolves around writing skills.

While not all businesses rely on this, it’s still an excellent exercise for groups, as it stimulates the imagination and improves public speaking.

All you have to do is ask participants to create a story or a poem using a limited word bank.

After they have crafted their stories, they read them aloud in front of the group.

Helps with : creativity, public speaking.

16. What Would You Do?

“What Would You Do?” is a hypothetical problem-solving activity that challenges your team to brainstorm ideas and react to different scenarios.

To play this game with your team members, prepare some problem-solving stories in advance, then read them one by one.

Participants have to say what they would do in these circumstances.

Helps with : lateral thinking, imagination.

17. Lost at Sea

Lost at Sea, also known as Stranded at Sea, is a team-building activity that encourages interaction and teamwork.

Give participants a scenario where they’re stranded on an island with just a handful of objects.

To increase their chances of survival, they need to rate the objects based on their utility.

Players should work individually first and then together to decide which objects are most important.

If multiple groups play this game, the moderator can ask each group to compare their individual and collective rankings.

They should also consider why any scores differ.

At the end of the game, players reflect and feedback on their choices.

Helps with : decision making, collaboration, critical thinking.

18. The Hunt

Its purpose is to challenge players to collaborate under pressure as they compete for glory.

This is a virtual problem-solving activity suitable for a business of any size.

It works best played in small teams of four or five, so players have the opportunity to interact with one another.

Helps with : team decision making, lateral thinking, creativity.

19. Coworker Feud

This game is a new take on the classic game show Family Feud, and it consists of multiple rapid rounds.

The players are asked to provide fast answers to a fun assortment of questions the host presents.

The aim is to guess the five most popular answers to win points for the round.

The team with the most points is declared the winner of the game.

Helps with : fast-thinking, communication.

20. Virtual Code Break

Virtual Code Break is a virtual team-building activity specially designed for remote players.

Its purpose is to challenge players to think outside the box, improve problem-solving skills, and leverage their own and each other’s skills.

This game uses an intelligent video conferencing solution so that teams of all sizes can play from anywhere globally.

Players compete against each other by answering trivia questions and solving riddles and puzzles.

Helps with : better thinking, collaboration.

21. War of the Wizards

War of the Wizards is a 90-minutes virtual team-building activity that promises to be both fun and creative.

To play this game, participants roleplay as powerful wizards to conquer evil forces through the power of storytelling.

They have to play mini-games and competitions, develop their characters, and make decisions together to win.

Helps with : teamwork, imagination.

22. Ultimate Game Show

In this 90-minute virtual event, players bond together as a team while playing different quizzes to win the final prize.

This competition works for hybrid teams, as well as for fully remote teams.

Helps with : collaboration, fast-thinking.

Plenty of organisations face daily challenges that affect team productivity and get in the way of attaining business goals.

While it’s impossible to avoid those situations, there are many ways to train team members to work collaboratively to resolve problems effectively.

Problem-solving activities act as educational tools that bring all participants closer as a team and help them develop problem-solving skills. By nurturing solution-generating capabilities, your team learns to communicate better, act fast in risky situations, and find creative solutions.

The virtual problem-solving activities listed in this article are excellent practices for real-life conflict resolution that can benefit everyone within an organisation.

Stefan is a Co-Founder and a President of Brosix. His many years experience as a programmer, give him an unique perspective to lead the team and build Brosix in a way to best serve the customers.

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Top Team-Building Games: Experts Share Their Favorites

By Becky Simon | February 2, 2017 (updated April 17, 2023)

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Most organizations realize that their success depends in large part on their staff. High-achieving teams usually shine in attributes like communication, problem solving, focus, creativity, loyalty, and leadership. Morale and motivation are important, too. But those skills and strengths are not always natural; they have to be cultivated. Team-building experts have found that combining fun with learning is one of the most effective ways to improve performance, break down barriers, and tap into hidden potential.

To start strengthening your team, we’ve rounded up nearly 100 of the best games, including favorites from top team-building coaches and consultants. Many of the options also feature a video showing how the game is done.

Whether your goal is to break the ice, spur creativity, promote better problem solving, or just have fun, you’ll find the perfect team-building game here.

Team-Building Icebreaker Games

Whether you have a completely new team to manage or are adding new members to an existing group, providing a stress-free way for people to get to know each other can make all the difference. Most of these games don’t require additional items and can be accomplished in under 20 minutes. Here are some icebreaker games that you can try to help get your team comfortable with each other.

Activity name: Truth and Lies Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 10-15 minutes Materials needed: None

Have participants sit in a circle and face each other. Each player must state three truthful facts and one lie about themselves. The lie should seem realistic — nothing overly extravagant. Go around the circle and have each person share his or her three facts and one lie (in a random order). Other players must guess which “fact” is the lie.

This is a fun, light-hearted icebreaker that allows co-workers to learn more about each other.

Activity name: Take What You Need Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 15-20 minutes Materials needed: Roll of toilet paper, handful of pennies

Have all participants sit in a circle. Without giving any other instructions, tell each person to take as many toilet paper squares and pennies as they think they will need. Once everyone has chosen their items, they must count how many total items (pennies and individual toilet paper squares) they have. This is how many facts—either personal or professional—they will have to share about themselves as you go around the circle.

This is a simple icebreaker that allows co-workers the chance to learn more about their colleagues.

Activity name: Life Highlights Game Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or large groups Time: 30 minutes Materials needed: None

Have participants sit together in a large, open area. Ask them to close their eyes and picture some of the best moments of their lives. With their eyes still closed, instruct the group to decide the best 30 seconds of their life, or the 30 seconds of their life that they would like to relive—as if it were their “highlights reel.” Have everyone take turns sharing their highlight with the group.

This fun icebreaker is a great way for participants to learn unique, interesting facts about their co-workers, while allowing them to discover each other’s interests, experiences, and hobbies.

Activity name: Coin Logo Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 10 minutes Materials needed : None

In a room with plenty of table/desk space, ask all participants to place any coins they have in their purse, wallet, or pockets on the table in front of them. Each person must create their own logo using only the coins in front of them and any other useful materials they might have with them (notebook, pencils, receipts, etc.). Participants should then take turns displaying and explaining their logos.

This activity is a unique tool to get participants thinking in a creative way. It also allows colleagues to learn more about one another.

Activity name: The One Question Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small to medium groups Time: 15-20 minutes Materials needed: None

Pair participants into teams, and then ask, “If you could ask just one question to discover a person’s suitability for (insert topic here), what would it be?” Sample scenarios could be entering a marriage, hiring a babysitter, or interviewing for a position. For example, if the scenario was hiring a babysitter, each team would have to come up with one question that would be the only thing they could ask a candidate when deciding if they should babysit their children.

This activity demonstrates the importance of asking the right questions and also highlights different priorities. It is a great way to get co-workers talking and thinking together.

Activity name: Classification Game Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small group Time: 15 minutes Materials needed: None

Divide the room into teams of four, while explaining the concept and negative impact of pigeonholing or typecasting. Participants should introduce themselves and their hobbies, favorite activities, etc. to their team. Teams must then decide how to classify themselves into smaller sub-groups using positive, fun categories (no negativity, prejudicial divisions, etc.). This can be anything from lovers of chocolate and vanilla to those who listen to pop music and country music.

This activity allows co-workers to get to know more about one another and exemplifies the bonds that they share. It allows them to think outside the box and work together to complete a task.

Activity name: Blind Count Off Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 10 minutes Materials needed: None

Have all participants form a circle and face outward, away from one another. The group must see how high they can count as a team, with only one person saying a number at a time. If two or more people say the same number, the group must start again from one.

This is a fun icebreaker that focuses on the importance of listening to and communicating with one another.

Activity name: All Aboard Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 20-30 minutes Materials needed: Rope

Rope off an area that all participants can reasonably fit into to represent a boat. Once all team members fit, the area should be made smaller, using a rope or tape to mark off the area. Participants must work together to find creative ways to get everyone inside the designated area, as the area gets smaller and smaller.

This icebreaker requires teamwork and allows for communication and leadership opportunities. Additionally, it is sure to get a lot of laughs!

Activity name: Birthday Line-Up Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 10-15 minutes Materials needed: None

Have participants line up next to one another in order of birthday, height, or whatever category you choose. However, they must form the line without talking.

This is a quick icebreaker that focuses on effective communication and teamwork. It gives colleagues a chance to mingle in an informal atmosphere.

Activity name: Amoeba Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Medium or large groups Time: 15 minutes Materials needed: None

Find an open space for all participants with plenty of room. Call out a number — this is how many people should be in a group. For example, if the number six is called out, players must get into groups of six as fast as they can. Whoever is left once all the groups are formed is out of the game. Continue until there is only one person left.

This is a fun way to get employees moving around and working together. It’s a great icebreaker for a quick break or before a meeting.

Activity name: Best and Worst Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 10-15 minutes Materials needed: Paper, pens

Have participants gather in a circle. Give each one a piece of paper, and instruct them to write down one “best” thing they want to learn about the group (for example, What’s the best present you’ve ever received? ), and one “worst” thing they want to learn (for example, What’s the worst meal you’ve ever had? ). Read the questions aloud and have everyone go around the circle and answer.

This is a fun and engaging activity that allows colleagues the opportunity to learn more about one another.

Activity name: Salt and Pepper Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Any group size Time: 15 minutes Materials needed: Pairs of cards

Create game cards by coming up with pairs of objects that go together (for example, salt and pepper, macaroni and cheese, Donald Duck and Daisy Duck). Each sheet should only have one word. Give each participant a card, and tape it to their back so they can’t see it. They must find their match by asking others in the group only yes or no questions. Once a match is made, they should sit together and learn a few interesting facts about one another.

This is an icebreaker that allows people from different areas, departments, or levels to interact with one another. It is simple to play, but also fun and engaging for all participants.

Activity name: Celebrity/Stereotype Party Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 20 minutes Materials needed: Name tags, markers

Each person should be given a nametag sticker with a specific personality written on it; this can be anything from a teacher to a homeless person. Participants should not be allowed to see what’s written on their tag, which will be placed on their back so the rest of the team can see it. Then, everyone must walk around the group asking yes or no questions in order to decipher who or what their label says.

This is an entertaining icebreaker that allows colleagues the chance to interact and mingle. It also teaches the impact that stereotyping and typecasting can have in social situations.

Activity name: Beach Ball Toss Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 15 minutes Materials needed: Beach ball with questions

Buy a beach ball and write various questions all over it. These questions can range from fun topics (for example, What is your favorite food? ) to more serious and work-oriented subjects (for example, What would you do if you had a conflict with your supervisor? ). Have participants stand in a circle and toss the ball. Players must answer whichever question their pinky finger lands on.

This is a quick and exciting way for colleagues to learn more about one another. It pushes people out of their comfort zone in a way that allows others to understand them better.

Activity name: What’s In a Name? Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 15 minutes Materials needed: None

Have everyone gather in a circle or open area. Go around the circle and have each person explain the meaning behind his or her name, any nicknames they have or had growing up, and anything else related that they’d like to share.

This is a great way for colleagues to learn more about their peers, and it’s a quick, easy way to get conversation flowing.

Activity name: Classify This Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small to medium groups Time: 15 minutes Materials needed: Miscellaneous objects

Have participants sit in groups of three or four, and give each group the same random objects. Teammates must work together to categorize these seemingly unconnected items in unique ways. After ten minutes, teams will reconvene to explain why they grouped the objects the way that they did.

This is a simple icebreaker that requires teamwork and creative thinking. It allows colleagues to see how others see things and encourages thoughtful conversation.

Activity name: Story Around the Circle Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 20 minutes Materials needed: None

Have all participants sit in a circle. Start with a pre-planned line for the beginning of a story. This sentence can be a focused story (work-related, holiday-related, etc.), or participants can have complete freedom over the topic. Have each person take a turn adding onto the story. The last person in the circle will complete the ending.

This icebreaker brings out the creative side of participants and encourages everyone to work together to make their individual parts a significant aspect of the bigger picture. It’s super easy to play and perfect for before a meeting or leading into a longer activity.

Activity name: Alphabet Actors Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small to medium groups Time: 15 minutes Materials needed: None

Divide participants into groups of three or four. Call out a letter of the alphabet, and have each group work to form that letter with their bodies (either standing up or laying on the ground).

This quick icebreaker makes a perfect stretch break or meeting introduction. It’s a fun way to get players working together fast and effectively.

Activity name: Dream Trip Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 5-10 minutes Materials needed : None

Divide participants into pairs or small groups. In partners, have each person share his or her dream experience or vacation if they had one month of free time and an unlimited budget. Participants must then describe their partner’s dream trip to the rest of the group.

This quick icebreaker is a great way to learn more about co-workers in an informal setting, and offers insight into other people’s thought processes and priorities.

Activity name: Zip Zap Zop Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 15 minutes Materials needed: None

Have players stand in a circle. They must take turns pointing at one another and say, “Zip,” “Zap,” and “Zop,” but they must remember to say them in this order. If someone says the words out of order, he or she is out of the game. Continue until there is only one person left.

This is a fun icebreaker that is a lot trickier than it seems. It’ll keep players laughing while encouraging a strong sense of focus and determination.

Activity name: Penny for Your Thoughts Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 20-30 minutes Materials needed: Pennies

Gather a bunch of pennies, making sure that the oldest penny isn’t older than your youngest employee. Have participants sit in a circle and randomly select a penny from the pile. Players should go around the circle and describe a memorable event that happened in their life during the year on the selected penny.

This is a simple icebreaker that allows co-workers to learn more about one another. This is a good game for before or after meetings, or for a quick icebreaker at lunchtime.

Activity name: Call of the Wild Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Medium or large groups Time: 10 minutes Materials needed: Cards with animal names on them

Give each person a card with the name of an animal on it. You’ll need to make sure that at least two cards are given out for each animal. On your signal, players should close their eyes and begin making their animal’s noise. The goal of the game is for each player to find their match (who should be making the same noise).

This silly activity is a great way to break the ice. It’s quick, and a perfect icebreaker for before a longer activity that’s sure to leave everyone laughing.

Activity name: Common Threads Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or large groups Time: 15 minutes Materials needed: None

Divide the group into sub-groups of four to six people. Instruct each group to find five things that all members have in common. This can be a favorite food, a place they’ve been, a movie they’ve seen… anything that links them together. Have the groups share their connections with the rest of the team.

This is an ideal way for colleagues to get to know one another and see what they have in common.

Activity name: Bears, Cowboys, and Ninjas Objective : Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 15-20 minutes Materials needed: None

Here are the rules of this new version of “Rock, Paper, Scissors:” bears eat ninjas, ninjas beat up the cowboys, and the cowboys shoot the bears. The bears are represented with a roar, the ninja is represented by a ninja pose, and the cowboy is represented by positioning fingers in a gun motion.

This is an easy way for co-workers to let loose and have some fun. It’s simple, hilarious, and provides people with an opportunity to reminisce about their childhood years.

Activity name: Cluck and Clap Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or large groups Time: 10-15 minutes Materials needed: Index cards

Create cards with two different symbols on them (For example, “X” and “O,” or checkmark and “X,” etc.). One symbol denotes clucking, and the other denotes clapping. Shuffle the cards, arranging them in a completely random order. Have the group go through the pattern and try their best to complete it in sync. For more challenging variations, re-shuffle the cards or make the rhythm faster.

This is an icebreaker that is sure to have everyone laughing. It is reminiscent of music class in elementary school, but it also teaches the importance of attention to detail and proper focus.

Activity name: All Adrift Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or large groups Time: 5-10 minutes Materials needed: None

Divide participants into even groups. Explain the scenario: your group was on a cruise when the ship suddenly set on fire. You have just enough time to grab a few items. As a group, discuss which items on the ship would be most useful, and compile a list of ten items your group would choose to bring.

This icebreaker gives participants a glimpse into the thought processes of their colleagues. The discussions allow participants to get to know one another better, as well.

Activity name: Mad Libs Mission Statement Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or large groups Time: 20 minutes Materials needed: Mad Libs sheet

Create a company mission statement (or use your company’s existing one) in the style of a Mad Lib activity page. You can do this by removing words and leaving the space blank with only the type of word remaining (for example, noun, adjective, verb). Divide participants in groups and have them complete this Mad Lib by asking for the type of word without giving context. Read the results out loud, knowing that this first round will sound silly. Next, have participants fill in the statement with more accurate words to complete the mission statement.

This activity is a great way to break the ice and get the group laughing, while also focusing on the importance of the company’s mission statement.

Activity name: Telephone, On Paper Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 15-20 minutes Materials needed: Paper, pencils

Gather participants in a circle, and have each person draw something of their choosing on a piece of paper. They can’t tell anyone else what they’re drawing. Next, they must pass the paper to the person to their right, who should fold the paper to hide the drawing and write what they think the picture depicts. This should continue, with each person in the circle reading the description, folding the paper over, and drawing a new picture of what they think the previous person is describing. At the end, each person reveals what their original drawing was supposed to depict.

This icebreaker focuses on creativity and individual interpretation. It is sure to be a hit, with far-fetched interpretations leaving the group crying tears of laughter.

Activity name: Have You Ever? Objective: Icebreaker Best for (group size): Any group size Time: 15 minutes Materials needed: Spot markers (tape, circles)

Have participants stand in a circle, with one person standing in the middle. This person must ask a question starting with “Have you ever…?” Some examples include: Have you ever been to Hawaii? or Have you ever eaten Chinese food for breakfast? Those who answer yes must move to a vacated spot in the circle. Whoever is left becomes the one to ask the next question.

This is a great way for colleagues to get to know more about one another.

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Teamwork/Communication Games

The activities listed in this section are designed to help improve communication skills between colleagues. There are a variety of options that range in time from just a few minutes to a couple of hours. These team-building exercises can foster creativity and help strengthen bonds among co-workers.

Activity name: Game of Possibilities Objective: Creativity, Teamwork Best for (group size): Small or large groups Time: 5-6 minutes Materials needed: Miscellaneous objects

Give a random object to one person in each group. Each person must take a turn going up to the front of the room and demonstrating a use for that object without speaking. The team must then guess what the player is demonstrating.

This activity fosters creativity and allows colleagues to work together in a fun, light-hearted environment.

Activity name: Tennis Ball Team Builder Objective: Teamwork Best for (group size): 5-12 people Time: 20-45 minutes Materials needed: One tennis ball Contributed by: Beth Gordon, Beth Gordon Coaching + Consulting

Assign an observer who notes team dynamics, keeps time, and gives direction Have the group form a circle and give one person the tennis ball. Explain the rules for part one, “The Process:”

Everyone must receive the ball
You cannot pass the ball to the person next to you
The ball must return to the person who started with it
The ball must travel through the air
The ball cannot be rolled across surfaces, floors, walls, tables, or chairs
Timekeeper announces time taken

Now that you understand the rules let’s create a product. Explain the rules for part two, “Creating the Product:”

One Product = eight rounds of passing the ball in the correct sequence
If you drop the ball, you must start the round again
The timekeeper announces the time taken to complete a product, and asks the group to cut the time in half
Repeat until the team can create the product in the least amount of time

This activity is a great kick-off to a team meeting where you want to create an atmosphere of innovative thinking and teamwork. Also, the observer can ask debriefing questions, such as:

What roles did people play? Did anyone emerge as a leader in the process? What other roles evolved within the group?
How did you feel when you had to disband the process and try things differently?
When did you feel like it was okay to stop and be satisfied with the outcome?
How do you feel with the result?

Activity name: Scavenger Hunt Objective: Teamwork, Fun Best for (group size): Small or large groups Time: One to two hours Materials needed: Scavenger hunt list

Divide players into pairs or teams. Give each team a list of tasks to complete - these tasks can range from silly (for example, take a selfie with a stranger) to extremely challenging (for example, find and take a picture with a local celebrity), and award points based on difficulty. Whoever has the highest number of points, wins.

Scavenger hunts are a fun way to get colleagues to work together in an environment outside of the office. They allow teams to focus on the strengths of the individuals in their group, and they’re tons of fun!

Activity name: Color Blind Objective: Communication Best for (group size) : Any size Time: About 45 minutes Materials needed: Blind shapes blocks such as these or these Contributed by: Marianne Scippa , Scippa & Associates, Inc.

This game was developed in Great Britain for training air traffic controllers on communication skills. Divide your group into teams of ten or fewer people with one set of blind-shape blocks for each group.

As Marianne Scippa explains, “The goal is simple: The team must come to a consensus on the shape and color of two missing pieces that the facilitator has removed from the set.”

Groups sit in a close circle with each participant blindfolded. Two pieces have been removed from the set and the remaining pieces are distributed. The mission is for the group to establish the color and shape of the two missing pieces. “They may not exchange, pass, or physically share the pieces with anyone. The only question the facilitator answers is about the color of each piece. What ensues is a complex process of discovery with a mix of determination, competition, collaboration, humor, and some frustration,” Scippa said.

In a debriefing afterward, the group discusses the strategies they used for organizing the information and how they developed a common meaning.

Activity name: Geocache Adventure Objective: Teamwork, Fun Best for (group size): Small or large groups Time: One to two hours Materials needed: Smartphones

Divide participants into equal groups, ensuring that at least one member of each group has a smart device with GPS capabilities. Teams will have one hour to find as many geocaches as they can. Explain to the group that geocaching is like a scavenger hunt, but you use GPS coordinates to find items. Have teams reveal their findings at the end of the activity.

This modern take on a scavenger hunt fosters teamwork while allowing colleagues to get to know one another better. It is a fun, exciting adventure that will leave participants with lasting memories.

Activity name: The Mine Field Objective: Communication Best for (group size): Small group (even numbered) Time: 15-30 minutes Materials needed: Bottles, cans, cups, or other handheld objects, blindfolds

Find an open space, such as a park or empty parking lot. Place objects (the “mines”) in random spots across the area. Participants must be paired into teams of two, and one member of each team must wear a blindfold. The other person leads the blindfolded person from one side to the other, without stepping on any “mines.”

This exercise emphasizes the importance of utilizing supreme communication strategies and listening effectively. It teaches that trust and communication are key aspects of success.

Activity name: Blind Drawing Objective: Communication Best for (group size): No limit, but requires a minimum of four people Time: 10-15 minutes Materials needed: Pictures, pen, paper

Divide the group into pairs. Each pair needs to sit on the floor, back-to-back. One person will have the pen and paper, and the other will have a picture. The teammate with the picture must describe the picture to the best of their ability, without actually saying what’s in the picture. The person with the pen and paper draws what is being described to them.

This game showcases the importance of communication, while also sharing how interpretation plays a role in situations. It promotes listening and patience, while also offering plenty of laughs!

Activity name: Mirror, Mirror Objective: Teamwork Best for (group size): Small groups of people who work together Time: 10-15 minutes Materials needed: Hand mirror for each participant Contributed by: Jeffrey Byrd, Jeffrey Byrd Coaching

Participants start by thinking of each person on their team and writing down their greatest strengths and contributions. They keep these secret. Each person then looks into the mirror, without conversation, for 30 seconds. At the end of the 30 seconds, they silently write down what they saw in the mirror, what they thought about what they saw, and what they felt about what they saw. This is also secret.

Then play a video from the Dove Self-Esteem Project . After the video, each person shares what they had written about each other’s strengths and contributions. Get a volunteer to compile the list and send it to everyone so they can print it and keep it in a prominent place. This will help team members be encouraged and reminded of their strengths, value, and contributions during difficult days.

Activity name: Build It Higher Objective: Teamwork, Communication Best for (group size): Small or large groups Time: 15-20 minutes Materials needed: Tape, marshmallows, spaghetti

Divide players into groups of four or five and give each group the same amount of supplies. The teams must work together to create the highest structure they can, using only the tape, marshmallows, and spaghetti noodles provided.

This activity is a fun and creative way to improve individuals’ ability to work as a team. It allows natural leaders to step forward and showcase their skills.

Activity name: Zen Counting Objective: Teamwork, Communication Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 20 minutes Materials needed: None

Have the group count to ten — with a twist. Only one person can talk at a time, no one can say two numbers in a row, and no gestures or cues are allowed. If any of these rules are broken, the group must start over. For example, if three people all say “four” simultaneously, the group must start again at one.

This game requires a lot of patience and attention, and encourages participants to work together as a team to figure out a way to complete the task.

Activity name: Helium Stick Objective: Teamwork, Communication Best for (group size): Small and medium groups Time: 15-20 minutes Materials needed: Thin stick

Divide participants into two groups, and have each group stand in a straight line facing one another. Have each person hold out their right index finger, which they will use to hold the stick. The goal is to lower the stick, nicknamed “helium stick” for the way it appears to be rising, to the ground without anyone letting go.

This is a quick game that encourages active participation and teamwork. It requires everyone to work together toward a single goal.

Activity name: Do You See What I See? Objective: Communication, Teamwork Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 30 minutes Materials needed: Sheets of paper, pencils

Choose one participant to go to the front of the room and hold a sheet of paper with various shapes drawn/printed on it. Without letting the rest of the players see, they must do their best to describe the sheet, while everyone else tries to recreate the sheet based on the descriptions given. Once they’re finished, everyone should hold up their drawings and see how they compare to the original.

This activity is a fun, light-hearted way to show how perception is an important aspect of communication.

Activity name: Active Listening Game Objective: Communication Best for (group size): Any size Time: 10-15 minutes Materials needed: None

Contributed by: Teresa Wallace, Agility Leadership Coaching

Gather your team for what they believe to be just another staff meeting. Create a long document filled with mind-numbing, jargon-filled speech that talks vaguely about company goals. However, sprinkle in some sentences that say something else entirely. These sentences should contain instructions or information that they will be quizzed on later.

Begin reading the document to your team in a monotone. The goal is to get them to tune you out. Do not over-emphasize the “real” sentences. When you are finished, hand out paper to each team member. Then, ask them to write down what they thought you talked about. If your real sentences contained random information, quiz them on that. Discuss who heard what, and see who was able to actively listen.

This exercise is aimed at improving communication and reducing conflicts, since many conflicts arise because team members don’t really listen. It shows the importance of listening to verbal and nonverbal communication. They can discuss why they tuned you out, and what you could have done to keep them interested.

Activity name: Blindfold Retriever Objective: Communication, Teamwork Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 15-20 minutes Materials needed: Blindfolds, miscellaneous objects

Divide the group into smaller teams of three or four. One team member should be blindfolded as teammates verbally guide them around the room to find certain objects. Participants take turns being blindfolded and guided.

This activity highlights the importance of communication and careful listening. It is a fun way to get teams working together and strategizing with one another.

Activity name: Earthball Objective: Teamwork, Communication Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 30 minutes Materials needed: Balloon or beach ball

Have all players stand in a circle, then throw the beach ball or balloon into the center of it. Together, as a team, the players must prevent the ball from touching the ground and try to get as many hits as possible. No one can touch the ball twice in a row.

This game encourages teamwork while also relying on strong communication skills. It is a fun way to get employees thinking about the importance of communication and goal setting.

Activity name: Blindfold Tent Build Objective: Communication, Teamwork Best for (group size): Small groups Time: 30-45 minutes Materials needed: Tent set, blindfolds

Blindfold all participants. Without being able to see, they must work together to put up a tent. For larger groups, divide into smaller groups and use multiple tent sets or assign areas of focus.

This challenge is a great way to promote effective communication skills in a fun, lighthearted environment. It allows leaders to rise to the occasion and fosters trust in one another.

Activity name: Group Juggle Objective: Teamwork, Communication Best for (group size): Small group Time: 30 minutes Materials needed: Juggling balls

Have participants stand in a circle, then throw a couple of juggling balls into the circle. As a rhythm begins to form, add more juggling balls and have the team work to maintain the juggling pattern.

This is a fast-paced activity that relies on cooperation and communication. It requires players to work as a team and develop a strategy for success.

Activity name: Scrambled Puzzle Objective: Teamwork, Communication Best for (group size): Small or large groups Time: 30 minutes Materials needed: Simple children’s puzzle (large pieces)

Have all participants wear blindfolds and sit around a table with puzzle pieces in front of them. Choose one person to sit outside of the group without a blindfold. This person has the same puzzle, but they cannot see the progress of the rest of the group. The group must work to complete the puzzle, with the person without the blindfold providing tips or instructions.

This is a fun activity that requires strong communication and attention to detail. It also relies on players working together as a team to complete a common goal.

Activity name: Hole Tarp Objective: Teamwork, Communication Best for (group size): Small and medium groups Time: 20 minutes Materials needed: Tarp, ball

Have participants gather around the tarp, which has a hole in it, and grab a section. Players must work together to navigate the ball around the tarp and avoid having it fall through the hole for as long as possible. For larger groups, split into teams with multiple tarps and have a competition.

For this activity, players must think on their feet and learn to strategize with others. It’s a fun and exciting way to work on communication skills.

Activity name: Parties That Cook Objective: Teamwork, Fun Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: One hour Materials needed: Cooking Ingredients

Divide players into smaller groups of three to five people. Have each group start at a different station, with instructions to cook a specific dish at each station. For example, one station can be creating stir-fry dishes, while another might be baking cookies. If cooking in an area with a stovetop and oven is not an option, opt for some stations that don’t require cooking, such as making sushi or preparing no-bake cookies.

This is a great way to break up the monotony of the day-to-day routine. The activity highlights the importance of teamwork in a fun and creative way.

Activity name: Concentration Objective: Communication Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 15 minutes Materials needed: None

Divide the group into two teams. Instruct each team to form even lines facing one another. Give all participants a minute to study their partner, then have one line turn around. The other line now has one minute to change ten things about themselves, such as taking hair out of a ponytail, swapping a ring to the other hand, or rolling up a sleeve. Once these changes are made, the other line must turn back around and try to identify all the changes.

This game tests communication abilities and can also be utilized as a fun icebreaker. It requires participants to pay attention to detail while forcing them to focus on things they might not normally notice.

Activity name: Calculator Objective: Teamwork Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 10-15 minutes Materials needed: Number cut outs, timer

Create large circle cutouts (big enough for someone to stand on) and number them one through 20. Have the group stand at a designated starting point away from the numbers. At your signal, players from one team must run over to the “calculator” and find each number in order, standing on them as they call out the number. Every person in the group must touch a number at least once. The group with the fastest time wins the challenge.

This is an activity centered on teamwork and communication. It allows for natural leaders to shine while providing players an opportunity to strategize and work together to find the most effective way to approach the challenge.

Activity name: Grab Bag Skits Objective: Teamwork, Communication Best for (group size): Small or large groups Time: One hour Materials needed: Bags of miscellaneous objects

Divide participants into small groups of four to six people. Each group will be given a “goodie bag” of randomly selected objects, which they must use to create a skit. Each group has five minutes to create a storyline based on the objects. Then, the groups will take turns performing their skits.

This activity is centered on teamwork while also allowing for fun and creativity. It is a great opportunity for leaders to step up and participants to use their strengths to their group’s advantage.

Activity name: Jedi Mind Trick Objective: Communication, Teamwork Best for (group size): Medium or large groups Time: 20 minutes Materials needed: None

Gather all players in a circle, with one person standing in the middle. This person’s goal is to take someone’s spot in the circle. Participants must attempt to switch places across the circle with someone else, without losing their spot, and use only eye contact to communicate with one another.

This game requires a great deal of attention and focus. It fosters communication abilities and promotes the importance of nonverbal cues within the realm of communication.

Activity name: Group Stand Up Objective: Teamwork, Communication Best for (group size): Small to medium groups Time: 20 minutes Materials needed: None

Divide participants into pairs. The pairs must sit with their backs to one another and arms linked, and then try to stand up together without untangling their arms. Once a pair accomplishes this goal, they can be placed in groups of four for a more difficult challenge.

This activity fosters communication skills by having pairs work together to find an effective way of standing up. It requires teamwork and creative thinking to meet this goal.

Activity name: Poker Tower Objective: Communication, Teamwork Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 30 minutes Materials needed: Playing cards, scissors

Divide players into groups of two to five people each. Give each group a pack of playing cards and a pair of scissors. Teams must work to build the tallest tower they can, using only the cards and scissors.

This challenge is a fun way to get players to work together and strategize. It promotes the importance of communication with some friendly competition thrown into the mix.

Activity name: Photo Finish Objective: Teamwork, Communication Best for (group size): Small to medium groups Time: 30 minutes Materials needed: Tape or rope (for line)

Divide the group into teams and find an open space. Mark a finish line on the floor using tape or rope. Then, have teams work together to cross the finish line - players on each team must all cross the line at the exact same time. If anyone is out of sync, the team must start over and try again.

This challenge involves thorough communication and planning. Players must work as a team to decide on the best approach, and natural leaders emerge to take charge.

Activity name: Shoe Tower Objective: Teamwork Best for (group size): Small to medium groups Time: 10 minutes Materials needed: None

Participants should be divided into equal groups. Using the shoes of each team member, they must construct the tallest tower possible. The team with the tallest tower at the end of ten minutes wins.

This is a quick, simple activity that fosters teamwork while getting lots of laughs. It is a way for colleagues to get to know one another as they work together to build the tallest tower.

Activity name: Company Concentration Objective: Teamwork, Communication Best for (group size): Small or large groups Time: One hour Materials needed: Concentration cards

Create Concentration game cards that contain photos relevant to your company (logo, products, team photos, etc.). Divide participants into pairs, giving each a set of cards. Have players start with all cards facing down. They must flip over two cards at a time in an effort to find matches. The person who makes the most matches is the winner.

This activity is a fun way for new employees to learn more about the company. It is fast-paced and competitive, perfect for a lunchtime meeting or office event.

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Problem-Solving Team-Building Games

Interested in getting your teams to work together better? These problem-solving games will help co-workers think outside of the box to solve generic or company issues while fostering team communication. Some games require a small amount of time and minimal supplies, while others are a bit more elaborate and will take more time to complete.

Activity name: Lego Building Challenge Objective: Problem-Solving, Communication Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: One hour Materials needed: Legos

Contributed by Shelley Hammell, Sage Alliance, Inc.

Divide the group into teams of five to eight members. The facilitator instructs each team to build a structure with the Lego blocks. However, the facilitator provides limited information on what the finished structure should look like. This version can usually be conducted in 60 minutes, from start to finish, including a larger group de-brief and highlights the same team building skills.

In a variation on this game, Hammell provides teams with limited information and has them solve a company business challenge. At the conclusion, each team presents their rationale and the process for how they arrived at their solution, and a winner is selected.

“The report output will uncover how the team worked together, given the imposed limitations, to overcome their personal biases, and how open they were to other's opinions and points of view. This mirrors real-life scenarios where individuals must make quick decisions, often without all the facts, yet gain buy-in from their team members to reach a mutually beneficial decision,” Hammell said.

Activity name: Lego Replication Objective: Problem Solving, Communication Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 30 minutes Materials needed: Legos

Form groups of four to six people. Build one model construction out of Legos, initially hidden from the view of participants.

In each group, assign the roles of builder, runner, and looker; everyone else is an observer. The builder gets a bag of Legos and is the only person who may touch them.

The looker gets to see the model Lego construction and tells the runner what to do to recreate it. The runner is not allowed to see the model construction or touch the Legos. He or she tells the builder what the looker instructed. (The looker is not allowed to see what the builder is creating, and the builder is not allowed to speak or see the model.)

The builder tries to replicate the construction of the model. When the runner can’t remember any more details or wants to confirm a detail or ask questions, the runner and looker may talk about the details.

The observers make notes about what worked in the process, what didn’t, and how the players handled the pressure. The observers are not allowed to participate in the building process or talk.

A timer is set for ten or 15 minutes. At the end, each group gathers and compares their finished construction to the model. They discuss how it worked and how successful they were, and identify any lessons for improved communication.

The large group reconvenes and reviews the highlights. Each group briefly recaps their experience.

Activity name: Human Knot Objective: Problem-Solving Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 15 minutes Materials needed: None

Form a circle with everyone facing one another. Stand shoulder to shoulder. With their right hand, everyone must grab the hand of someone standing across the circle from them. Then, repeat the process with left hands, making sure everyone is holding the hands of two different people. The team must work together to untangle everyone from this “knot” without letting go of the hands they’re holding.

This is a simple game that focuses on problem solving and allows natural leaders in the group to flourish. It highlights the importance of teamwork while allowing for some fun mingling amongst co-workers.

Activity name: The Perfect Square Objective: Problem-Solving, Communication Best for (group size): Small group Time: 30 minutes Materials needed: Blindfolds, rope

Have all players stand in a circle and hold a piece of the rope. They must put their blindfolds on, and then set the piece of rope they are holding on the ground. Players must walk away from the rope, then come back and work together to try to form a square. To make it more difficult, set a time limit to complete the square.

This short exercise focuses on stellar communication, as players can’t rely on visual cues or monitoring problems. The activity hones problem-solving skills in a fun, unique way.

Activity name: The Egg Drop Objective: Problem-Solving Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: One to two hours Materials needed: Eggs, cardboard, duct tape, pencils, rubber bands, etc. (miscellaneous office supplies)

Divide players into several even groups of three to five people. Each team is given an egg and the same group of supplies. They have the task of building a contraption that will keep an egg from breaking when dropped. Once time is up, egg contraptions are tested to see which teams (if any) built an effective protection system.

This task allows employees to focus on each other’s strengths in order to work most effectively. It hones problem-solving skills while allowing for some messy fun.

Activity name: The Barter Puzzle Objective: Problem-Solving, Teamwork Best for (group size): Small or large groups Time: One hour Materials needed: Variety of jigsaw puzzles

Players should be broken up into groups of four or five. Each team will receive a jigsaw puzzle of equal difficulty. Here’s the catch: each team will have some pieces mixed in with other teams’ puzzles. They must get creative with how they get these pieces back. It can be through negotiating, trading team members, or any other strategy. The goal is to see which team can complete their puzzle the fastest.

This activity works on problem-solving skills and relies heavily on teamwork. It allows natural leaders to emerge and make decisions while fostering communication between team members.

Activity name: This Is Better Than That Objective: Problem-Solving, Teamwork Best for (group size): Small or large groups Time: 15-20 minutes Materials needed: Four or more objects (can be anything)

Select at least four different objects. Divide participants into teams, and describe a scenario in which teams must solve a problem using only the provided objects. This scenario can be anything from, “You’re shipwrecked on a deserted island” to “A monster has taken over the world and you have to stop it.” Have each team rank objects in order of importance/usefulness, and have them take turns sharing their explanations.

This activity emphasizes the importance of teamwork, and requires problem-solving skills in unique scenarios while also fostering creativity.

Activity name: Spider Web Objective: Problem-Solving, Teamwork Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 20-30 minutes Materials needed: Rope, string

Find a large, open space, either outside or in a gym or social hall. Tie two large ropes in a rectangular shape to form the perimeter of a spider web. Continue tying smaller strings around the area to form the web, making sure the areas are big enough for people to get through. Participants must work together to get all team members through the web, with only one person being allowed through each hole. If anyone knocks any of the strings over, the whole group must start again.

This activity requires a great amount of teamwork and planning. It encourages players to work together to solve this problem in the fastest and most effective way possible.

Activity name: Picture Pieces Game Objective: Problem-Solving, Teamwork Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 30 minutes Materials needed: Picture cut into pieces

Cut a printed picture (a well-known piece of art, popular character, etc.) into squares for each participant. Instruct each participant to create an exact replica of his or her piece, which should be five times larger than the original. Once these are created, have participants work together to assemble the larger puzzle.

This activity draws a correlation between pieces of a puzzle and people in a work environment, acknowledging that each smaller part of the larger picture is important in its own way. It also works on problem-solving and communication skills.

Activity name: Sneak A Peek Objective: Problem-Solving, Communication Best for (group size): Medium to large groups Time: One hour Materials needed: Building blocks

Build a sculpture out of building blocks and keep it hidden from the participants. Divide the players into groups of four or five. One team member is allowed ten seconds at a time to memorize the sculpture and describe it to the rest of their team. Using only their memory, the team must try to build a replica. If they fail to build the structure, the next team member can come take a peek, and so on. The game continues until a team correctly builds a duplicate of the original structure.

This is a fun, simple game that fosters problem-solving skills and encourages effective communication between group members. It also promotes the importance of details and careful observation.

Activity name: Zoom Objective: Problem-Solving, Communication Best for (group size): Small or large groups Time: 30 minutes Materials needed: Zoom by Istvan Banyai

Divide the groups into teams, and hand out pictures from Istvan Banyai’s book, Zoom . Explain that participants can only look at their own picture and keep it hidden from others. Participants must study their pictures and do their best to describe it to others, as the teams work together to put the pictures in the correct sequence.

This activity focuses on fostering problem-solving skills by pushing participants to work together and communicate with one another to achieve the common goal. It also allows for natural leaders to emerge and take charge in completing the task most effectively.

Activity name: Create Your Own Team-Building Activities Objective: Problem-Solving, Communication Best for (group size): Medium to large groups Time: One Hour Materials needed: None

Divide the participants into groups of four or five. Present a fake scenario in which you’ve forgotten to plan a team-building activity and don’t know of any. Have groups create their own team-building activity, which they should present to the whole room at the end of the hour.

This activity offers employees a chance to be creative while working on their communication skills. It is unique in that it is a problem-solving activity in and of itself, with the creative license to generate a new team building-focused activity.

Activity name: Infinite Loops Objective: Problem-Solving Best for (group size): Small to medium groups Time: 30 minutes Materials needed: Ropes

Using an online guide, make an infinite loop or challenging knot for each pair of participants. Divide players into teams of two, and “tie” them together using this infinite loop. Players must work together to detach themselves from one another without untying the loops.

This game is a fast-paced and exciting way to work on problem-solving skills. It allows colleagues to get to know one another while facing a challenge together.

Activity name: Loop de Loop Objective: Problem-Solving Best for (group size): Small to medium groups Time: 15 minutes Materials needed: Hula-hoops

Have players stand in a circle and hold hands. Break a link between two people to put a hula-hoop on someone’s arm, then have players move the hula-hoop around the circle without unlinking their arms. For larger groups, create multiple circles to see which team can get their hula-hoop around the circle the fastest.

This activity fosters problem-solving skills by requiring players to work together to accomplish a single goal. Participants must work effectively and creatively with one another to keep the hula-hoop going.

Activity name: Move Tennis Balls Objective: Problem-Solving Best for (group size): Small to medium groups Time: 30 minutes Materials needed: Tennis balls

Divide participants into two teams, and give each team a bucket for their side of the room. Players must work together to get as many tennis balls as they can from the center of the room into their buckets; however, they cannot use their hands or arms to do so.

This activity requires players to work together as a team to come up with an effective solution. It encourages creative thinking while allowing for a fun problem-solving environment.

Activity name: Idea Building Blocks Objective: Problem-Solving Best for (group size): Small to medium groups Time: 30 minutes Materials needed: Paper, pens

Have participants sit in a circle, and give each a pen and a piece of paper. Reveal a fictional problem they must solve. This can be a riddle, a realistic problem they could encounter in the workplace, or something completely random. Have each person write an answer (just a few sentences) on their piece of paper. Pass the papers one team member to the left, and then have each player use the new idea to create a new solution. End the activity with a discussion of the final results.

This is an activity that strikes a balance between creative thinking and problem-solving. It allows participants to take others’ ideas and improve and expand upon them.

Activity name: Frostbite Objective: Problem-Solving, Communication Best for (group size): Small or large groups Time: 30 minutes Materials needed: Cardstock, toothpicks, rubber bands, sticky notes, etc.

Divide the participants into groups of four or five. Explain the scenario: they are stranded in the Arctic. Teams must elect a leader for their expedition and build a shelter quickly to survive an incoming storm. However, the leader of the group has frostbite on both hands, so they cannot help build the shelter. The rest of the group has snow blindness (use blindfolds), so they cannot see to help. Players must work together using the abilities each person has to build a shelter using the provided construction materials.

This game is a great way to get people from different departments or areas to work together. They must work toward a common goal by using the strengths of each person to the team’s advantage.

Activity name: Turning Over a New Leaf Objective: Problem-Solving, Teamwork Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 10-15 minutes Materials needed: Sheet

In an open area, place a large flat sheet on the floor. Have all participants stand on it. As a group, they must figure out how to turn the sheet over, without anyone stepping off of it or carrying another person.

This is a fun challenge that requires creative thinking and teamwork. It fosters problem-solving skills while offering a fun, enjoyable experience.

Activity name: Amazing Shrinking Blanket Objective: Problem-Solving, Teamwork Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 10-15 minutes Materials needed: Large blanket

Place a large blanket on the floor. Tell the group that the ground is freezing, so they all must stand on the blanket without any body parts touching the ground. Once this is completed, however, inform them that another group needs half their blanket. They must fold the blanket in half and figure out a way for everyone to stay on the blanket. This should continue, with the blanket getting smaller and the task becoming more difficult.

This activity requires strong problem-solving skills and creative thinking. It allows participants to work together, all with the same goal in mind.

Activity name: Lily Pads Objective: Problem-Solving, Teamwork Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 30 minutes Materials needed: Cardboard, sheets of paper

Divide participants into two groups (or more, if you have a larger group). Each group is faced with a challenge: they must cross the “river” without falling in. Using cardboard and paper “lily pads,” teams must work together to get the entire team to the other side of the river without falling off the lily pads. The goal is to complete this task before the other team(s).

This is a problem-solving favorite, as it relies on creative thinking to solve this problem. Groups must work together to figure out the best approach, and leaders emerge to direct their teams’ efforts.

Activity name: Bridge Build Objective: Communication, Problem-Solving Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: One hour Materials needed: Cardboard and duct tape

Divide the participants into two teams. Give each team materials to build a bridge. Each team will build one half of the bridge, without seeing the other team’s designs. While constructing the bridge, they must use other communication skills—both verbal and nonverbal—to build two halves that look identical to one another.

This is a great activity for developing communication and teamwork skills, and also allows for creative thinking.

Activity name: Use What You Have Objective: Problem-Solving, Teamwork Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 30 minutes Materials needed: Miscellaneous items

Divide the participants into equal groups of no more than five people. Create a problem for which they must build a solution (this can be a contraption to fix an inconvenience, a machine to move an object, etc.). The only catch is that participants can only use the random supplies provided. After the allotted time is up, teams should share and test their creations for the rest of the group to see.

This is a fun, engaging experience that encourages teamwork and creative thinking. Team members must play on each other’s strengths to solve the problem at hand to the best of their ability.

Creativity Games

These team-building activities will help employees release their creativity and work together to develop new work-related items. There are also a few exercises that can be used as an icebreaker and help colleagues get to know each other better.

Activity name: Balloon Sculptures Objective: Creativity, Teamwork Best for (group size): Small or large groups Time: 15 minutes Materials needed: Balloons, tape, markers

Divide participants into sub-groups of three or four people, consisting of members from different departments or levels. Teammates must work together to create a balloon “sculpture” that they feel reflects their team.

This activity allows for some light-hearted fun and creativity. It also emphasizes the importance of teamwork and allows colleagues to get to know one another.

Activity name: What’s On Your Desk? Objective: Creativity Best for (group size): Small groups Time: One hour Materials needed: Paper, pens, miscellaneous objects

Have each participant bring a random item from his or her desk, without telling them what it’s for. They must use this object as the basis for a new product, for which they will create a fictitious logo, business plan, and slogan. Participants will take turns presenting their new products.

This is a fun way to get employees thinking creatively. It highlights the importance of proper marketing within the business world while allowing participants the freedom to take their ideas and run with them.

Activity name: Show and Tell Objective: Creativity, Fun Best for (group size): Any group Time: 30 minutes Materials needed: None

Have everyone bring in an object that is significant to him or her, or one that reminds them of a positive experience in their life. Participants should take turns sharing their objects and explaining the significance behind them.

This activity will take participants right back to their elementary school days. It is a fun, simple way to allow employees the opportunity to learn something new about their colleagues.

Activity name: Group Timeline Objective: Creativity Best for (group size): Small groups Time: One to two hours Materials needed: Poster board, pins, paper, pens

Create a blank timeline on a poster board or bulletin board. Have each participant write down three or four important events in their life (birth, wedding, date of hire, etc.) with the date and year on a piece of paper. Participants should work together to complete the timeline, pinning each paper in the correct spot.

This activity is a unique way to put things into perspective for employees. Whether it’s the priorities people used to decide when to undertake these key moments, or generational differences based on ages, this timeline is a great display of the variety of people in the company. It is also an innovative way to start conversations between colleagues and explore the differences among one another.

Activity name: Shark Tank/Dragons Den Objective: Creativity, Teamwork Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: One to two hours Materials needed: Paper, pens, miscellaneous supplies

Divide employees into even groups. The groups must create a new product or company. It can be anything — a restaurant, a clothing item, a new service. Groups must work together to create a business plan and pitch, which they will later present to the “sharks/dragons.”

This is a fun take on a popular TV show that encourages creativity and teamwork. It allows natural leaders to emerge while fostering communication skills.

Activity name: All The News Objective: Creativity, Teamwork Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: One hour Materials needed: Paper, pens

Divide participants into groups of three or four, preferably by department or sub-group. Have each group create a mock newspaper article that reflects what they think their department or the company will accomplish in the future. After the allotted time is up, have groups share their headlines and articles.

This is a unique and creative way to get participants thinking about the company and its goals, while encouraging teamwork and communication.

Activity name: Team Shield Objective: Creativity, Teamwork Best for (group size): Small or large groups Time: 30 minutes Materials needed: Poster board, pens, markers, paper

Divide participants into smaller groups. Instruct teams to design a shield that represents them - either as individuals coming together in a group, or for future activities. For a variation, have them make a shield related to a certain ideal or task within the company.

This activity allows for creativity while also strengthening employees’ ability to communicate and work as a team.

Fun, Recognition, and Positive Thinking Team-Building Games

Looking for activities that can help you improve morale? These team-building activities can help. Whether you’re interested in creating a little friendly competition among co-workers or want a way for people to interact in a fun setting outside of the office, these games are sure to do the trick.

Activity name: Goal Game Objective: Motivation Best for (group size): Any size Time: Varies with goal Materials needed: None

Contributed by: Kris Gleason, Results Coaching

Gleason helps the teams she coaches to create games around their goals and track progress towards a specific goal. “For example,” she says, “A sales team had a goal to reach a certain dollar level of sales of automobile accessories before Christmas. No one was happy about it. It was an aggressive goal to reach in a short time frame. I encouraged them to make a game out of it.”

The team created a poster of a NASCAR racetrack, and the track was divided into 30 squares each representing $5,000 in sales. Each team member picked a favorite NASCAR driver and was given stickers with the driver’s picture on them. When a salesperson made a $5,000 sale, he or she got to put a sticker on one of the squares.

“They began making sales calls like crazy, and the sales room took on a competitive buzz as salespeople ‘raced’ to the board to slap up a sticker each time they made a $5,000 sale,” Gleason recalled. “The goal was reached in record time, long before the due date and the sales didn’t stop. The sales reps kept going right past the finish line and started another lap around the track.”

Activity name: The Common Book Objective: Creativity Best for (group size): Any group Time: Ongoing Materials needed: Scrapbook album/journal, pens, markers, tape, stickers

Create a scrapbook or journal to keep in a common area within the workplace. Encourage employees to add to the journal whenever they feel like it—they can journal about a typical workday, add photos from an employee event, or write some words of wisdom.

This is a great way to keep employees engaged and make them feel as if they truly have a voice within their company. As an added bonus, it’s a great keepsake for years to come.

Activity name: Winner/Loser Objective: Positive Thinking Best for (group size): Two or more people Time: Five to ten minutes Materials needed: None

One partner must share something negative that has happened in their life. It can be from any aspect of their life, but it must be true. This person must discuss the same experience again, this time only focusing on the positive aspects. Their partner must work with them to focus on the silver lining and learning experience that came along with this memory. Partners should switch roles after each issue.

This activity reinforces the importance of positive thinking. As partners work together to come up with the silver lining, they are learning how to reframe negative situations and look on the bright side.

Activity name: Purpose Mingle Objective: Positive Thinking, Socialization Best for (group size): Small and large groups Time: Less than five minutes Materials needed: None

Before a meeting begins, have each person walk around and share what he or she hopes to contribute to the meeting. The goal is to share with as many people as possible.

This simple activity gets meetings started on a positive note and helps set tangible goals.

Activity name: Dragon Boating Objective: Fun Best for (group size): Small and medium groups Time: Half a day Materials needed: Boating company

Bring your employees to a local lake or river for a day of dragon boating or double-kayaking. Try to group together employees who don’t normally interact on a regular basis.

This is an exciting activity that breaks up the monotony of the day-to-day while strengthening bonds between colleagues.

Activity name: Paintball Objective: Fun Best for (group size): Small and medium groups Time: Half a day Materials needed: Paintball field

Take your crew on a trip to a local paintball center for a day full of fun. Try to group employees who don’t interact on a regular basis.

This is an exciting, high-energy activity that encourages friendly competition while strengthening bonds between colleagues and fostering teamwork abilities.

Activity name: Assassin/Spy Objective: Fun, Strategizing Best for (group size): Small or large groups Time: 30 minutes Materials needed: Pen and paper

Have all participants sit in a circle so that they can each see everyone’s face. Give each player a piece of paper. One piece will be marked with an “X;” the person who receives this paper is the assassin. The assassin/spy must wink or raise their eyebrow at someone to “kill” them, but so as not to give away to other players who they are. Upon being “killed” by the assassin, the victim must dramatically yell out that they’ve been hit. They are then out of the game. If someone sees the assassin winking/motioning at another player, they win the game. If the assassin successfully “kills” everyone, they win the game.

This is a fun activity that everyone is sure to love. It offers an opportunity for some competition in an environment that allows colleagues to get to know one another in an informal setting.

Activity name: Clothespin Tag Objective: Fun, Strategizing Best for (group size): Small or medium groups Time: 15 minutes Materials needed: Clothespins

Have all participants gather in an open space, and instruct each participant to pin a clothespin to their shirt. Players must try to pin their pins onto others’ clothing while only keeping their own. The goal is to have as few clothespins as possible on your clothing when the time runs out.

This is a fast-paced activity that requires strategic thinking and attention to detail. It is a good addition to a team-building day.

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Remote Work

100+ fun virtual team building activities to boost team morale.

Sudarshan Somanathan

Head of Content

April 23, 2024

Even with all the benefits of virtual teams , over 53% of remote workers feel it’s hard to connect with coworkers from behind the screen.

We’ve all been there!

As convenient as remote working is, employees are bound to feel lonely sometimes.

Virtual team-building activities are fun games and exercises that help coworkers collaborate on a shared goal, no matter how remotely located. It helps you know each other and build relationships, fostering cohesiveness and creativity.

Most of your coworkers will find team building event announcements ‘meh’ because they fear another boring meeting without the ‘fun’ element.

To level up your team-building efforts with remote employees, we’ve curated a list of 100+ fun virtual team-building activities and tools to enhance collaboration and engagement within remote teams.

Let’s go 🎉

Importance of Virtual Team Building

1. virtual icebreakers, 2. virtual team-building games, 3. virtual talent shows, 4. online team-building workshops, 5. virtual lunch meetings, 6. remote movie nights, 7. group meditation or yoga sessions, 8. online cooking classes, 9. online comedy sessions, 10. online fitness challenges, games, quizzes, and trivia, food and drink, music and dance, creative expressions , intellectual pursuits , interactive team-building activities , cultural exchange and diversity , tools to facilitate virtual teams, keep remote teams engaged and productive with clickup.

Virtual team building is essential for remote teams to help overcome isolation, improve communication, build team trust , and keep employees engaged. Let’s see how virtual team-building activities help remote teams stay connected.

Help build relationships: Virtual team building activities help remote employees get to know each other personally despite not being present physically in the same location. These activities help build stronger relationships, which are essential for maximizing collaboration and team productivity
Boost morale and engagement: Engaging in fun and interactive team-building activities provides a break from the daily grind and allows team members to unwind and relax. Such breaks help reduce stress and lead to improved morale and overall well-being
Improve communication skills: Our list includes many fun virtual team-building activities to enhance communication and team bonding. These activities include active listening, expressing ideas clearly, and providing constructive feedback to keep remote employees engaged . If you are tired of hurdles in productivity due to miscommunication, then these activities are a must-try!
Enhance problem-solving skills: Many virtual team-building activities require participants to work together to solve complex issues. Such virtual games teach your team to work cohesively to accomplish goals

100 Virtual Team Building Activities to Try in 2024

Here’s a list of 100+ fun-filled virtual team-building activities to facilitate your team’s coming together to achieve maximum efficiency.

Do you feel your team members aren’t yet acquainted with each other? It’s time to break the ice! 🥶

Virtual icebreakers are activities and exercises that encourage conversations with your team members.

The main agenda of icebreaker activities is to allow team members to have free-form conversations in a fun, informal setting.

For example, ‘Two Truths, One Lie’ is an excellent icebreaker. Each team member has to come up with three statements about themselves. Of these statements, two are truths, and one is a lie. The rest of the team listens carefully and tries to guess which statement is the lie. Once everyone has voted, go on and reveal the answer.

Similarly, there are other virtual icebreaker activities, like ‘Six Word Memoirs’ and ‘Desert Island Intelligences.’

Speaking of introductions, it’s not easy to remember everything about everyone in just one meeting. That’s where ‘meet the team’ templates can help you quickly introduce everybody. Keep these templates handy to see everyone’s job titles, experience, skills, and contact information in one place.

You can also use team charter templates to document your team’s mission and objectives so you’re all on the same page.

Interactive games like Pictionary or Dumb Charades are a fun way to improve teamwork and friendly competition.

These games aren’t what one would call an icebreaker; you typically play them once you’ve established some rapport with your team members.

The good part is that most video conferencing apps like Zoom, project management tools like ClickUp, and collaboration apps like MS Teams are equipped with drawing tools and elements to play Pictionary without having your team install another app.

Understanding your team members’ interests and passions helps you interact with them better. Sometimes, it means appreciating your colleagues for their unique talents.

Virtual talent shows can be a handy tool for this. You and your co-workers get to showcase your creative sides, and discovering a possible overlap of their interests with yours helps you and your team bond better!

Another great avenue for team-building is hosting virtual workshops or training sessions. Topics could cover team leadership , communication skills, team dynamics, and enhancing professional development and collaboration. Workshops with role-playing exercises and group discussions are worth a special mention.

While these workshops will help your team members grow, bringing out the best in each member requires focusing on different stages of team development – forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Just make sure you are there at every stage to guide your employees.

Food is among the simplest ways to bring people together. Virtual lunch meets enable team members to gather online, eat together, chat, and bond over meals. The good part is that these meetings are incredibly simple and easy to pull off.

Moreover, having a virtual meet-up over lunch once every week is an excellent practice for building relationships outside work-related discussions. Use these virtual meetings to learn more about your coworkers—food preferences, favorite restaurants, and how they like to spend their time outside work.

Everyone bonds over food, and movies are a close second. 🎬

To improve your virtual team-building game, consider organizing virtual movie nights where team members watch films together using synchronized streaming platforms.

For example, Netflix Party is the big fish of the remote-watch-party ecosystem right now. It works as a browser extension, allowing up to 50 people to watch anything on Netflix together.

Likewise, third-party apps like Scener facilitate remote watching via Netflix, Disney+, HBO, and more.

As a team leader who is acutely aware of how stressful the work environment can be, you must encourage your team through activities that promote mental well-being .

If you are into meditation and yoga, you could lead virtual sessions to promote relaxation, mindfulness, and stress relief among team members. If not, you can conduct group yoga/meditation sessions using video guides from YouTube that are bound to give everyone some much-needed de-stressing!

Do you cook? If yes, maybe teach your team a recipe or two or even learn their favorite recipes. 🍴

Alternatively, you could let a team member lead a virtual cooking class. If no one on your team cooks, have group sessions where you can learn from the gazillions of videos the internet offers!

What is something that everyone loves, apart from eating? Laughing, of course!

You could host online comedy sessions with your team, where everyone shares jokes about each other or what’s happening in your lives. You might discover a colleague’s hidden talent at stand-up! Moreover, giving your team a chance to rib you about your quirks openly and taking it like a sport will make you the coolest team lead ever!

If there’s one thing we all learned from 2020 and 2021, it is the importance of a healthy body to house a sound mind. Setting fitness goals for each other will not only help you stay healthy, but it’ll also foster a sense of working together towards a common goal, and the overall outcome is bound to reflect on the output of your projects!

Looking for a few more suggestions of virtual team-building activities? Here are some more team building activities for your remote team.

11. Virtual board game night

12. virtual bingo , 13. augmented reality game , 14. virtual ‘never have i ever’ , 15. bucket list challenge, 16. personality test quizzes, 17. virtual ‘emoji conversation’ game , 18. virtual code-break , 19. virtual murder mystery , 20. digital marketing trivia , 21. online trivia games , 22. virtual scavenger hunt, 23. virtual arm’s reach show-and-tell , 24. virtual escape room , 25. guess the emoji contests , 26. virtual ‘who am i’ , 27. online time machine trivia , 28. guess the slogan , 29. logo trivia , 30. podcast trivia , 31. friday special – ‘know your team’ virtual meet, 32. virtual racing games , 33. virtual five-finger showdown , 34. virtual pub crawl , 35. virtual mixology class , 36. digital dessert party , 37. virtual happy hours , 38. cookbook club , 39. trivia cook-off , 40. virtual karaoke sessions , 41. online collaborative playwriting , 42. virtual dance party , 43. virtual open mic night , 44. group karaoke competition , 45. virtual dj battle, 46. online music jam sessions , 47. group playlist collaboration , 48. ‘name that tune’ challenge , 49. what if you were x (a ceo, movie star, or similar recognizable roles), 50. photo-sharing challenge , 51. virtual improv session , 52. remote creative writing contests , 53. digital playwriting challenge , 54. remote storytelling session , 55. virtual art challenge , 56. remote paint and sip sessions , 57. remote crafting sessions , 58. spreadsheet pixel art , 59. diy craft challenge, 60. virtual origami session , 61. digital art collaboration , 62. virtual fashion show , 63. diy home decor challenge , 64. intra-team photography contests , 65. online sketching class , 66. debate club , 67. virtual sudoku sessions , 68. virtual book club , 69. power hour , 70. spreadsheet wars , 71. leader role play , 72. weekly wins celebration , 73. productivity tip showdown , 74. product pitch challenge , 75. department swap day, 76. virtual workshop on communication , 77. online brainstorming sessions , 78. virtual team pursuit , 79. interdepartmental mentorship program , 80. ‘deal or no deal’ negotiation game , 81. department swap day , 82. empowerment workshops , 83. online fundraisers , 84. customer persona creation , 85. virtual secret santa , 86. gratitude circle , 87. virtual team-based story building with objects around you , 88. virtual team-building experiences , 89. virtual support squad social , 90. book swap session , 91. virtual travel talk , 92. virtual museum tours , 93. virtual plant shop , 94. diy spa day , 95. sharing favorite movie quotes , 96. digital escape to nature , 97. remote book club discussions , 98. virtual language exchange , 99. virtual cultural exchange session , 100. diversity panel discussions .

Now that you have the best virtual team-building activities list, you need the right tools to execute them. Before you pick activities for the month, discuss them with other members.

Use ClickUp Whiteboards to discuss different activities and ask your team members for suggestions. There are many fun activities in our list above that you can execute using our virtual whiteboard.

Once you have the right virtual team-building activities, you must ensure everyone becomes a part of it. As your team members might be located in different parts of the world, ensure you get the sessions onto their calendars and remind them of the upcoming activities.

With ClickUp Reminders , you’ll be free from the hassle of manually sending out reminders to team members. It’ll automatically notify members frequently to ensure everyone participates in the fun activities.

While it’s all fun and games with team-building activities, our platform also has features to keep your remote teams organized.

ClickUp Teams allows you to collaborate with distributed teams, align on common goals, and track progress.

When collaborating with virtual teams, there is a chance of miscommunication if you solely rely on meetings. You need to visualize your processes, action plan, and progress to keep everyone in the loop.

That’s precisely what our visually compelling ClickUp Dashboards will help you do. They will keep everyone on the same page regarding team goals and track project progress. Assigning tasks to team members will also keep them accountable at all times.

The ClickUp Tasks feature further enhances accountability and team discussions. Add comments, assign tasks with comments, record and share voice clips , and add priorities so that everybody in the team knows what to work on first.

ClickUp 3.0 Docs Collaborative space with sidebars

In addition, collaborative ClickUp Docs make it easier to sync efforts and keep everyone in the loop regardless of location and time (a big yay for hybrid and remote teams!) Our Chat View also makes it convenient to chat with your team in real time. If you prefer, you can arrange Zoom calls within ClickUp.

Bonus: How productive is your team? Take the productivity quiz to find out!

Making sure your remote team has fun at work is serious business! Do try out one or more of the suggested virtual team-building ideas to break the monotony of work and bring teams closer.

Another way to keep your virtual team productive is by using collaborative task management tools like ClickUp. Designed to help the whole team work efficiently together, irrespective of location, ClickUp is the go-to platform for big and small teams worldwide.

Want to learn more about how remote work becomes easier with ClickUp? Book a demo today !

1. What are team-building activities for virtual work?

Virtual team-building activities strengthen bonds, boost morale, and foster collaboration among remote team members.

These activities can include virtual icebreakers, such as fun quizzes or online games, to help team members get to know each other better.

2. How do you build teamwork online?

Online teamwork happens through work management platforms like ClickUp.

These comprise streamlined processes that ensure smooth workflow, activities, and games where team members worldwide can participate while working from home.

The goal is to unite all the team members, no matter which part of the world they live in.

3. How do you build team spirit virtually?

Building team spirit virtually requires creativity and intentional efforts.

Start by scheduling regular virtual meetings where team members can interact, share updates, and engage in casual conversations to build rapport.

Use a video conferencing platform for face-to-face interactions to mimic the feeling of being in the same room. Incorporate virtual team-building activities such as online games, quizzes, or challenges that encourage collaboration and teamwork in a fun way.

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99 Five-Minute Team-Building Activities (Virtual)

Here’s the ultimate list of five-minute team-building activities for virtual teams.

Virtual meetings tend to start… a bit stale: “Can everyone hear me?” “Is Brian here yet?” “Should we get started or give it a few minutes?”

At the fully remote company that I ran for six years , we lucked into some great virtual icebreakers . And we also had structured team-building games from time to time. That experience prompted me to write this guide – 99 short team-building activities organized into six categories. We did almost all of them ourselves. For the ones we didn’t do, you’ll see a source to learn more.

👉 5-Minute Virtual Team Building Activities: Complete List 👈

Click below to jump to a category of five-minute team-building activities for work:

Game websites
Interactive activities
Visual activities
Discussions
Ice breakers

The Best Game Websites For 5-Minute Team Building

These are seven great websites/apps where you can find team-building games.

1) Tiny Campfire

Tiny Campfire offers a virtual campfire experience where teams can come together to tell stories, play campfire games, and even roast virtual marshmallows. It’s designed to create a cozy, bonding atmosphere, ideal for team building and making connections in remote teams.

Visit Tiny Campfire .

2) Geoguessr

GeoGuessr is an online game that drops players into a random location via Google Street View. Players must then guess their location based on visual clues. It’s excellent for teams as it encourages problem-solving and discussion, making it perfect for short, collaborative breaks.

Visit Geoguessr .

Skribbl is a free multiplayer drawing and guessing game where one person draws something related to a chosen word, and others have to guess the word correctly. It’s fun and light-hearted, suitable for fostering teamwork and laughter among colleagues.

Visit Skribbl .

4) Lumosity

Lumosity offers brain training games designed to enhance cognitive skills such as memory, attention, flexibility, and problem-solving. It’s great for teams looking to engage in mental fitness challenges together, encouraging a bit of friendly competition and cooperation.

Visit Lumosity.

HeyLime provides a variety of creative and collaborative online games tailored for remote teams, focusing on building connections and boosting team morale through interactive challenges and puzzles.

Visit HeyLime .

Wordl is a word puzzle game where players guess a target word with limited tries, receiving feedback on letter accuracy in each guess. It’s a simple yet engaging way to stimulate team communication and strategy in a casual, inclusive environment.

Visit Wordle on NY Times.

Sporcle offers a wide range of trivia and quiz games across various topics. Teams can use Sporcle to host quiz sessions that are both educational and entertaining, perfect for breaking the ice and sparking discussions among team members.

Visit Sporcle.

The Best 5-Minute Games For Team Building

Here are some games your team can play together in five minutes.

8) Improv Storytelling

Participants build a story one sentence at a time, each person adding to the last, promoting creativity and quick thinking.

9) Birth Map

Team members place a pin on a digital map showing where they were born, leading to discussions about diverse backgrounds and cultures.

(Source: Atlassian )

10) Charades

One person acts out a clue while the rest of the team guesses.

11) Typing Speed Race

“In this activity, all team members take a typing test using typingtest.com or a similar website. Then, they post their results on the chat feature of their video conferencing software. This activity helps improve employees’ typing speed in a fun and engaging manner.”

– Aviad Faruzon at Faruzo

12) Spreadsheet Pixel Art

“Users create a copy of the main Google Sheets spreadsheet and then use the color pallet and small squares to recreate a pixel image that has been provided. The spreadsheet is color formatted meaning that if you enter numbers 1-9 in any given cell it will turn that color. The aim is to replicate the original image within the allotted 5-minute time frame. It’s a lot of fun seeing team members scramble to try and get the image as accurate as possible.”

– Nazy Rafaeil at Jovani

13) Personality Quizzes

Share the results of a quick personality or trivia quiz to spark discussions about preferences and traits.

14) Riddles

Solve challenging puzzles and riddles as a group, enhancing problem-solving skills and group cohesion.

“Virtual happy hour trivia is best for building connections between remote employees and since our company is completely remote these days, it is one of the best additions to the working model. Not only that, the fun game has aided in increasing collaboration as well.”

– Lauren Proctor at BenchMade Modern

16) Name That Tune

“One of my favorites is the ‘Name That Tune’ game. In this game, team members take turns naming songs and the other team members have to guess the artist and song title as quickly as possible. This game is a great way to improve communication and collaboration within teams.”

– Marcin Jablonski at LVBET

17) Emoji Translation

Write a sentence using only emojis, and let others translate it. Promotes laughter and light-hearted challenges.

18) Pictionary Sprint

Use a digital whiteboard to play Pictionary, with team members guessing what’s being drawn as fast as possible.

19) GIF Battle

Team members send GIFs in response to a theme or prompt and vote on the funniest or most accurate.

20) Virtual Lip Sync Battle

Team members pick a song and perform a lip-sync version for the team, which can be both hilarious and engaging.

21) Meme Creation Contest

Team members create and share a meme about their work life or current projects in a few minutes.

22) What’s That Sound?

Play a sound clip and have team members guess what it is. Could include animal sounds, musical instruments, etc.

23) Virtual Bingo

Play a quick round of bingo with cards that feature work-related situations or common interests.

24) Drawing Dictation

One person describes an object, and everyone else tries to draw it based on the description alone.

25) Haiku Happening

Each team member writes a haiku (a three-line poem) about their current mood or day and shares it.

26) Two Truths And A Lie

Each person shares two true statements and one false one about themselves, others guess which one is the lie.

27) Story From A Hat

Each member writes a random word or phrase and puts it into a virtual hat. Draw and tell a short story using the draw.

28) Where In The World?

Display a street view from Google Maps and have team members guess the location.

29) Flash Fiction Fun

Create and share very short stories (under 100 words) on a given theme, promoting creativity and quick thinking.

30) Quick Quiz

Conduct a quick trivia quiz on a variety of topics, using an online platform to keep track of scores.

31) Emoji Story

Build a funny story one line at a time using only emojis. Team members interpret and continue the tale.

32) Pop Culture Quiz

A quick quiz about current pop culture that can spark discussions and light-hearted debates.

33) Word Association

A game where one word leads to another, testing how quickly team members can think and how well they understand each other’s thought processes.

Interactive 5-Minute Team Building Ideas

34) blind origami.

“Origami instructions will be emailed to one individual from each pair. The individual who has the instructions should use messaging or videoconferencing software to walk their partner (the receiver) through the steps of making an origami design (but with the camera turned off). During the call, the receiver can ask questions, request clarification, and provide comments. Participants can turn their cameras back on once each group has finished to observe if the receiver got the origami building correct. The goal of this activity is to emphasize the value of listening and soliciting feedback.”

– Zaeem Chaudhary at AC Design Solutions

35) Virtual Background Challenge

Change virtual backgrounds to fit a theme, and guess the theme or location depicted by each background.

36) Team Playlist

Each member adds a song to a collaborative playlist and explains their choice. Great for musical discovery.

37) Desk Stretch

Lead a quick session of stretches or simple physical activities to rejuvenate and boost energy.

38) Desk Yoga

A quick session of yoga poses that can be done while sitting at a desk to relax and stretch.

39) Group Fitness Challenge

A 5-minute fitness challenge (e.g., most push-ups, plank hold), encouraging health and a bit of friendly competition.

40) Mindfulness Minute

A guided one-minute mindfulness exercise to help relax and refocus, led by a team member or a chosen app.

41) Lightning Scavenger Hunt

Quick scavenger hunts where members find an item in their home that fits a quirky category, like something blue.

42) Virtual Handshake

Invent a new, funny handshake that team members can mimic and pass on.

43) Theme Dress Code

Decide on a theme (e.g., superheroes, 80s, hats) and everyone dresses accordingly during a meeting.

44) Virtual Dance Party

A spontaneous dance break where team members can dance on camera to a chosen song, boosting morale and energy.

45) Talent Show

A rapid-fire talent show where each member has a minute to showcase a hidden talent or fun trick.

46) The 5-Minute Journal

A quick journaling session where team members write down thoughts or feelings, helping to reduce stress and share insights.

47) Virtual Magic Tricks

Team members share a simple magic trick they can do, which can be a unique way to engage and surprise each other.

Visual 5-Minute Team Building Activities

These activities use photos, things around your house, and artwork to break the ice.

48) Home Office Tour

Team members give a virtual tour of their home office, sharing personal touches and workspace setups.

49) Logo Draw

Team members try to draw famous logos from memory, leading to fun and sometimes humorous results.

50) Caption This Photo

“The team members will have to pass around a mobile device that displays a funny photo. Each person is instructed to come up with a creative caption for it. You can make the rules as flexible or strict as you want. For example, you might require everyone to submit their caption within the next 10 minutes. It’s a good way to help people loosen up and get more creative with their thinking.”

– Brice Gump at Major Impact Media

51) Handwriting Challenge

Everyone writes a specific sentence and shares it, comparing styles and perhaps discussing the lost art of handwriting.

52) Ugly Sweater/Holiday Outfit Contest

A fun and festive contest where team members wear and showcase their ugliest sweater or holiday-themed outfit, promoting light-hearted fun.

53) A Classic Show-And-Tell

“The best virtual team-building activities strip away the usual formalities and allow everyone to come as they are, socializing in a way that is absent of pressure or potential embarrassment. A great activity that accomplishes this goal is classic show-and-tell with a set topic, like pets, house plants, or what’s for lunch that day. It’s easy, instant and can kick off some great conversations.”

– Laura Spawn at Virtual Vocations

54) Photo Of Your Life

“In this challenge, each member is tasked with summing up their life in an image they have personally taken. It could be anything, from a location to hobbies, to family photos or pets. The image is then shared with everyone on the team along with an explanation on why they think the photo best sums up their life. This is a great way to present a more personal side to each member and allows others a peek on who they are as a person.”

– Scott McKinney at Debt Bombshell

55) Guess The Desk

Team members submit a photo of their desk and others guess whose desk it is.

56) DIY Desk Decor

Team members use quick crafts to create or modify a desk decoration, then share their creations.

57) Coffee Art Contest

Team members try their hand at creating latte art or arranging a creative coffee mug snapshot to share.

58) Show And Tell

Team members take turns showing something from their home/workspace and explaining its significance.

59) Pet Parade

Team members showcase their pets on camera, or share a photo if their pet isn’t nearby.

60) Quick Draw

Team members quickly draw something related to a prompt and then share with the group. Encourages creativity.

61) DIY Puppet Show

Quickly create simple puppets and perform a short sketch or tell a story using them, sparking creativity and teamwork.

62) Snapshot Moments

Each team member shares a photo or image that had a significant impact on them recently and explains why.

63) Slogan Rewrite

Rewrite famous slogans for products or companies, fostering creativity and humor in marketing and brand understanding.

5-Minute Discussions For Team Building

These are structured ways to get conversations going.

64) Personal TED Talks

Team members give short, inspiring talks on topics they are passionate about, modeled after the famous TED Talks format.

(Source: The Go Game )

“One of the best team-building activities can be playing virtual games like “X or Y.” It is one of the most appropriate activities to understand other people. It is a simple activity in which team members can select some choice questions like “dog or cat” or ‘OTT or Cinema.’ The team members can then discuss the answers to these questions and better know the colleagues’ personalities.”

– Daria Maltseva at KeyUA

66) Debates

Quick, structured debates on light topics where team members express and justify their viewpoints, enhancing communication skills.

67) Bucket List

Sharing personal bucket list items, revealing dreams and aspirations, which can help in building deeper personal connections.

68) Recipe Swap

“Angry BBQ invites each team member to share their favorite recipe and how they did it. They are given the opportunity to present this in whatever form they like–may it be through a video file internally shown, a Tiktok content, or photo presentation every Friday during our informal virtual meetup. This activity effectively encourages employees to take time out from work to do something as satisfying as preparing food.”

– Michael Haas at Angry BBQ

69) Hot Seat

One member answers quick-fire questions from others, helping the team learn about them in a fun and engaging way.

(Source: Deel )

70) Eat And Greet

“We’ve created virtual lunches in a program called Gather Town. It’s a virtual office that gives our team of 100 employees the time and chance to meet each other over our lunch breaks. It’s become a really great way for all of us to stay in touch even though most of us are working remotely.”

– Amanda Kelly at NorthOne

71) Learning Meetings

“We offer every employee weekly paid learning time. And every week, everyone in our company meets virtually to share their learning updates. The meetings help build visibility and increase cohesion. More importantly, they expose everyone to new perspectives and encourage everyone to look at learning as a lifelong pursuit. This ties directly to our core values of Learning, Sharing and Giving Back.”

– Fraser Wilson at AnywhereWorks

72) 60 Seconds Of Fame

As our weekly meetings can become repetitive, I have decided to start them with a fun point. To do this, I ask each team member to share a joke, read a poem, sing a song or do something funny at the beginning of the meeting. In addition to helping break the ice and get to know the team better, I have also innocently discovered hidden superstars in my team!”

– Bartek Boniecki at Passport Photo Online

73) Guess Who?

Team members provide obscure personal facts to the group, and others have to guess who the fact belongs to.

74) Recipe Roundup

Share quick recipes or favorite snacks, possibly related to productivity or health.

75) Hero Award

Quickly nominate and award a “Hero of the Week” for team members who went above and beyond.

76) Speed Debating

Quick debates on harmless topics (e.g., is cereal soup?) with team members randomly assigned to positions.

77) High-Speed Networking

Quick 1-on-1 chats between team members randomly paired, rotating every minute.

78) Appreciation Round

Everyone takes turns to appreciate or thank another team member for their help or work.

79) Express Gratitude

Each team member quickly shares something they are grateful for, fostering a positive team environment.

80) Fast Fact

Each member shares a quick, unknown fact about themselves. Builds deeper understanding of each other.

81) Commonality Quest

Discover things that all team members have in common, fostering connections and revealing interesting facts.

82) Virtual Coffee Break

A structured 5-minute break where team members grab a coffee and chat about non-work topics.

5-Minute Virtual Ice Breakers For Team Building

These are icebreaker questions specifically. We grabbed them from our main virtual icebreaker post .

83) What Was Your Worst Job?

Sharing experiences from unpleasant jobs, often leading to humor and a sense of common ground among colleagues.

84) Would You Rather Have A Rewind Button, A Fast Forward Button, Or A Pause Button On Your Life?

A philosophical discussion where members choose a hypothetical life control and justify their choice.

85) Do You Think You’re An Introvert Or An Extrovert, And Why?

Members discuss their personality traits, providing insights into their behavior and preferences in social settings.

86) Do You Think You’re An Optimist Or A Pessimist, And Why?

Individuals explain their outlook on life, facilitating deeper discussions and understanding among the team.

87) If You Can Give One Sentence Advice About How To Live Life, What Would It Be?

Members share profound or practical life advice in one sentence, reflecting their life philosophy or practical mindset.

88) If You Can Instantly Become An Expert In Something, What Would It Be?

Team members share which skill or field they wish to master instantly, revealing personal interests and aspirations.

89) If You Had A Time Machine, Would Go Back In Time Or Into The Future?

A thought experiment where team members choose their preferred direction in time and explain their choice.

90) If You Had To Choose To Live Without One Of Your Five Senses, Which One Would You Give Up?

A challenging question that prompts members to evaluate and discuss the importance of each sense.

91) What Is The Farthest Place You Have Ever Traveled To?

Team members describe the most distant place they’ve visited, potentially sharing interesting travel stories and experiences.

92) What Is A Unique Phrase In Your Area Of The World?

Members share and explain a unique phrase or slang from their local area, fostering cultural exchange and learning.

93) What Is The Best Piece Of Advice You’ve Ever Been Given?

Individuals share impactful advice they’ve received, which can be inspiring and motivational for the team.

94) Would You Rather Meet Your Ancestors Or Meet Your Descendants?

A choice that encourages team members to reflect on their values and what they might want to learn from or impart to their lineage.

95) What Was Your First Job?

A discussion about each person’s first job, often revealing funny or humble beginnings and shared experiences.

96) What Is Your Best Scar Story?

Team members share the stories behind their scars. This activity allows individuals to reveal personal experiences, challenges they’ve faced, or unique activities they did/do outside of work.

97) Describe Your Dream Vacation

Team members describe their ideal getaway, sharing personal interests and dreams, which can help in understanding each other’s preferences.

98) Describe Your Worst Haircut Experience

Sharing humorous or disastrous haircut stories to foster laughter and camaraderie among team members.

99) Movie Pitch

Team members quickly pitch a silly or dramatic movie idea that includes elements chosen by the team.

Resources For Virtual Team Building

Filter 122 No-Prep, Virtual Icebreakers By Type
Virtual Team-Building Activities
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25 Best Team-Building Activities in the Workplace in 2024

April 18, 2024

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Team building might seem like a non-essential business exercise, but it's a valuable investment in employee loyalty, retention, performance, and satisfaction. That's not just hyperbole, either—team-building drives results, and study after study shows it.

However, effective team building is an investment, and it's up to you to maximize your return. Fortunately, you won't need an accounting degree to make that happen.

Below, we'll explain everything you need to know about effective team building activities to help you choose the most productive activities and exercises to deepen trust, encourage team collaboration, and drive collective success.

What Is Team Building?

Team building is a strategic process designed to improve interpersonal relations, define roles within teams, and enhance social interactions in a professional setting.

It's about bringing people together with a purpose, intentionally creating experiences to foster understanding, empathy, and improved collaboration, and cooperation among team members.

The team-building process often gets stereotyped as awkward get-to-know-you games, but that's a disservice to the practice. Team building should include:

Employee Recognition

Your team-building activities should range from problem-solving tasks and physical challenges to creative workshops and retreats. You should carefully choose each activity to address specific objectives, such as breaking down barriers, building trust, resolving conflicts, or boosting morale.

While the ultimate goal of a team-building exercise is to improve overall team performance, the benefits extend far beyond productivity. Team building (done right) leads to a more engaged, motivated, and satisfied workforce, contributing to a positive company culture where every member feels valued and connected.

Why Is Team Building Important for Your Company?

Cohesive teams aren't just nice-to-haves—they're essential company assets. Even the most successful companies and business models can't stand up if they don't have well-functioning teams and positive office culture. Just ask WeWork .

Here are a few reasons why team building should be an integral part of your company's strategy:

Enhances Communication : Team building breaks down barriers between employees, encouraging open and effective communication. Improved communication leads to clearer understanding, fewer misunderstandings, and more efficient collaboration - leading to an all-over more successful team.
Boosts Morale and Reduces Stress : Engaging in fun and relaxing activities can significantly boost morale , reduce stress levels, and increase overall job satisfaction. A happy team is more productive and less prone to burnout.
Promotes Creativity and Problem-Solving : Employees can think more freely and innovate by stepping out of the regular office environment and engaging in creative challenges. Team building activities that encourage creative thinking can lead to novel solutions to business challenges.
Fosters Trust and Collaboration : Participating in trust-building activities enhances the sense of reliability and dependability among team members.
Identifies Leadership Qualities : Team building exercises can reveal natural team leaders and highlight diverse leadership styles. Understanding these dynamics can aid in talent development and succession planning.
Encourages Adaptability and Flexibility : Facing new and unexpected challenges together helps teams learn to adapt and be flexible. These qualities are essential for navigating the fast-paced and ever-changing business landscape.
Improves Employee Retention : Companies that invest in team building show their commitment to providing a supportive and engaging work environment. This attracts top talent and plays a significant role in retaining them.

25 Best Team-Building Activities in the Workplace

The right mix of team-building strategies and activities can transform individual employees into a unified force. However, it's all about quality—not quantity.

Below, we've highlighted plenty of diverse team-building ideas, but don't feel obligated to use them all. Each will work better for different team dynamics, industries, ages, and personalities.

For example, one activity might work better for a marketing team, while another might be suited for a virtual team.

Choose the ones you think will resonate best with your team, and don't be afraid to repeat one that performs above expectations.

1. Escape Room Challenge

Escape rooms require a group to work together under pressure, solve puzzles, and decipher clues to achieve a common goal: escaping the room. This activity tests and strengthens problem-solving skills, encourages communication, and fosters teamwork in a fun, high-stakes environment.

Employees must rely on other team members' strengths and collaborate closely, mirroring the dynamics of collaborative tasks needed in workplace projects.

2. Office Olympics

Office Olympics (inspired by Jim from The Office ) is a series of competitive events tailored to the office environment. These activities get everyone involved and laughing, from chair races and paper plane contests to trivia challenges. It's a great way to introduce new team members to the whole company culture .

Here is a list of fun ideas:

Chair Relay Race: Teams compete to push their office chairs across a designated course, passing a baton or office supplies between teammates.
Paper Plane Contest : Participants craft paper airplanes and compete to see whose plane can fly the farthest or perform the best tricks.
Office Trivia Challenge: Teams answer questions about company history, colleagues' quirks, and industry knowledge to earn points.
Desk Decorating Contest: Employees decorate their desks or cubicles according to a theme, and judges select the most creative or themed setup.
Rubber Band Archery: Using rubber bands and makeshift bows, participants aim to hit targets placed around the office.
Keyboard Typing Speed Challenge: Participants compete to see who can type a passage or set of words the fastest with minimal errors.

It's an excellent opportunity for employees to bond over shared fun, celebrate victories, and learn to support one another in losses, boosting morale and fostering team cohesion. Plus, it requires little to no recognition budget .

3. Cooking Challenges

Whether it's a potluck where everyone brings a dish to share or a cooking competition where teams create culinary delights, food has a unique way of bringing people together. Here are some cooking challenges to consider:

Mystery Ingredient Challenge: Contestants are given a mystery ingredient and tasked with creating a dish using it as the star ingredient.
Budget Battle: Contestants are given a strict budget and must create a gourmet meal within that limit.
Cultural Fusion Challenge: Contestants must combine two or more cuisines into one cohesive dish.
One-Pot Wonder: Contestants must create a delicious meal using only one pot or pan.
Speed Cooking Challenge: Contestants have limited time to prepare and cook a dish.
Vegan/Vegetarian Challenge: Contestants must create a flavorful dish without using any animal products.

These activities allow team members to connect on a personal level, share stories, and discover common interests, all of which contribute to a stronger, more cohesive team atmosphere.

4. Volunteer Day

Organize a day for the team to volunteer at a local charity or community project to strengthen team bonds through shared values and altruism. This will allow employees to see one another in a different light, fostering empathy and understanding.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Habitat for Humanity: Spend the day volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, assisting in building affordable housing for families in need. Tasks may include painting, landscaping, or construction work.
Community Clean-Up: Organize a team for a local park clean-up or neighborhood beautification project. This could involve picking up litter, planting trees or flowers, or painting benches or fences.
Food Bank Volunteer Day: Spend time volunteering at a local food bank, sorting donations, packing food boxes, or assisting with distribution to families in need.
Animal Shelter Assistance: Volunteer as a team at an animal shelter, helping to care for animals, clean kennels or cages, walk dogs, or assist with adoption events.
Senior Center Visits: Plan a visit to a local senior center to spend time with elderly residents. Activities could include playing games, reading to residents, or simply engaging in conversation and companionship.
Homeless Shelter Support: Volunteer at a homeless shelter, assisting with meal preparation and service, organizing donations, or participating in outreach efforts to support individuals experiencing homelessness.

5. Workshops

Host workshops to help your team focus on professional development or creative skills. Whether you bring in an expert for a leadership seminar, a creative writing workshop, or a coding boot camp, these team development activities challenge employees to learn and grow together.

Here are some ideas for team identity -building workshops:

Leadership and Management Training: Invite a professional leadership coach or consultant to conduct a workshop on leadership skills, effective communication, conflict resolution, and team management techniques.
Creative Writing Workshop: Bring in a published author or experienced writer to lead a workshop on storytelling, creative writing techniques, and effectively communicating ideas through written expression.
Coding Boot Camp: Organize a coding boot camp led by experienced developers to teach team members coding fundamentals, programming languages, and web development skills.
Design Thinking Workshop: Host a design thinking workshop facilitated by a design expert to teach employees problem-solving methodologies, empathy-driven design, and innovative approaches to product development.
Public Speaking and Presentation Skills: Offer a workshop focused on improving public speaking and presentation skills, including techniques for overcoming stage fright, delivering engaging presentations, and crafting compelling messages.

6. "Shark Tank" Pitch Session

Inspired by the popular TV show, a "Shark Tank" pitch session encourages teams to develop innovative ideas for new products, services, or solutions that could benefit the company. Teams work together to flesh out their ideas and then present them to a panel of "sharks" (who could include company leaders or external experts).

This activity fosters creativity, team cohesion, strategic thinking, and persuasive communication skills while also giving employees a platform to influence the company's direction. It's an engaging way to cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit and highlight the value of diverse ideas within the team.

7. Team Lunch or Dinner

A team lunch or dinner is a classic yet practical team-building activity that brings everyone together in a relaxed, social setting. Whether it's at a favorite local restaurant, a scenic outdoor picnic, or a catered meal in the office, sharing a meal provides a unique opportunity for team members to bond over food and conversation.

Keep it informal and relaxing.

This setting allows individuals to connect on a personal level, discover common interests, and share stories beyond the scope of work tasks. It's a simple yet powerful way to foster camaraderie, boost morale, and create a sense of belonging within the entire group or team.

8. Scavenger Hunt

You can do this in the office or even outside. Hide objects or clues, and task different teams together to find them based on riddles or hints. It's an excellent exercise for breaking down hierarchical barriers and encouraging cross-departmental collaboration.

9. Sporting Event

Attending a sporting event together as a team offers a thrilling and unifying experience outside the office. Whether it's cheering for a local sports team, participating in a charity run, or even competing in a friendly match against another department, the spirit of friendly competition and teamwork at sporting events is contagious.

10. Obstacle Courses

An obstacle course challenge tests teamwork, physical fitness, and problem-solving skills. From climbing walls and crawling through tunnels to balancing beams and rope swings, obstacle courses require participants to support and rely on each other to navigate each challenge successfully.

11. Group Art Project

A group art project invites team members to collaborate on a creative piece, such as a mural, a large canvas painting, or a digital art installation. This activity allows individuals to express themselves creatively while contributing to a collective masterpiece.

The finished artwork can be displayed in the workplace as a lasting reminder of what the team can accomplish together.

12. Cultural Exchange

Cultural exchange days celebrate team members' diversity through sharing and learning about different cultures, traditions, and experiences. Employees can bring in food, music, art, or stories from their cultural heritage to share with the team.

RELATED: Cultural Diversity in The Workplace: What it is, Why it’s Important, and How to Get Started

13. "Two Truths and a Lie" Ice Breaker

"Two Truths and a Lie" is a classic ice breaker that provides insight into the lives and experiences of team members in an engaging and often humorous way. Each person shares two true statements about themselves and one false statement, with the rest of the team guessing which is the lie.

This simple game can reveal surprising facts about colleagues, breaking down barriers and fostering a closer, more personal connection among team members. It's an excellent way to start meetings or team-building sessions on a light-hearted note.

14. Human Knot

Team members stand in a circle, reach across to hold hands with someone across from them, and then work together to untangle the entire team without releasing their hands. The objective is to form a complete circle again, navigating through the twists and turns created by the intertwined participants.

This activity requires patience, strategy, and a lot of laughs, as team members must communicate effectively and collaborate closely to find solutions. It's an excellent metaphor for workplace challenges, highlighting the importance of working together to overcome obstacles.

It's better for an established team that's a bit more comfortable with each other, though.

15. Silent Line-Up

The Silent Line-Up is a thought-provoking activity that challenges team members to arrange themselves in order without speaking. The criteria can vary from birthdays to tenure at the company. This exercise requires participants to find creative, non-verbal ways to communicate and collaborate, highlighting the importance of non-verbal cues in teamwork.

It's one of many fun team building activities that are an inclusive way to break the ice and foster a deeper understanding among team members.

16. Team Book Club

Launching a team book club offers a unique way to stimulate intellectual discussions and personal growth within your group. Choose books related to professional development, industry trends, or compelling fiction.

Don't make it too stuffy. Your book club should focus on fun (not homework). Book clubs can also be perfect for connecting remote teams.

17. Outdoor Adventure Challenge

Activities like hiking, rafting, or obstacle courses offer a healthy dose of adrenaline and opportunities for team members to support and motivate each other in different settings.

It's an effective way to refresh and energize your team.

18. Innovation Hackathon

Organize an innovation hackathon where team members collaborate intensively to solve a company-related challenge or explore new project ideas. This time-boxed event encourages creativity, rapid problem-solving, and cross-functional teamwork.

Hackathons are not only for tech companies—they can be adapted to any industry with challenges that require fresh, innovative solutions.

19. Wellness Challenges

Initiate health and wellness challenges to encourage a healthy lifestyle among team members while fostering a sense of camaraderie. Challenges can range from daily step competitions and mindfulness weeks to healthy eating challenges.

Need help getting started? Check out Terryberry's step challenge —a commitment-free step challenge app designed to engage your employees.

20. Charity Fundraising Competitions

Organize charity fundraising competitions where teams compete to raise money for their chosen causes. This can involve creative challenges, sponsored events, or community service projects. These competitions promote both teamwork skills and social responsibility and also create a positive impact beyond the workplace.

21. "Lunch and Learn" Sessions

"Lunch and Learn" training sessions offer a casual, inclusive setting for team members to share knowledge or learn about various topics over lunch. These can range from professional development topics and personal hobbies to insights about different departments within the company.

It's an excellent way to foster an organizational culture of learning and curiosity while providing a platform for team members to showcase their expertise or interests. It's also an easy way to engage a remote team.

22. Cross-Departmental Shadowing

Cross-departmental shadowing programs allow employees to spend time in different parts of the organization, gaining insight into the diverse functions and challenges their colleagues face.

It's a powerful way to break down silos, spark new ideas for efficiency and innovation, and strengthen the organizational network.

23. Talent Showcases

Organize talent showcases where employees can share their non-work-related skills and passions, from music and dance to photography and painting.

It's an uplifting, entertaining and fun way to encourage self-expression and break away from the routine, boosting morale and fostering a culture where people feel valued for who they are beyond their professional roles.

24. Mystery Dinner Nights

Mystery Dinner Nights are a unique team-building activity in which employees sign up and receive details about where and with whom they will have dinner, only a few hours beforehand. These dinners can take place in restaurants, at someone's home, or in unusual locations, and they involve participants from different departments who may not interact daily.

It's designed to mix socializing with networking, encouraging employees to build new team relationships across the company in a relaxed, enjoyable setting.

25. Company Retreats

These retreats mix team-building exercises with strategic planning sessions, creating a conducive environment for reflection, discussion, and alignment.

The goal is to get employees together in a new place to relax and make new connections. It also opens opportunities to align the team's strengths with the company's longer-term goals and strategies.

Best Practices for Pulling Off Great Team-Building Exercises

Successful team-building events don't just happen—they're planned. You'll need to closely evaluate your options, understand your team's dynamics, set clear objectives, and build the activity.

Here are some best practices for pulling off great team-building events:

Conduct Surveys : Before planning, gather insights into what your team enjoys, their interests, and any specific areas they feel need improvement within the team dynamics.
Diverse Activities : Choose activities that cater to various preferences and abilities, ensuring everyone can participate, feel included, and bring enthusiastic team spirit.
Define Goals : Be clear about what you want to achieve with the team-building event, whether it's improving communication, boosting morale, or fostering creativity.
Communicate Purpose : Ensure participants understand the purpose of the event and how it relates to their work or personal development.
Timing and Location : Select a date and venue that minimizes disruptions to work schedules and is accessible to all team members. Consider remote or hybrid options if necessary.
Budget Accordingly : Allocate a budget that allows for a quality event without financial strain. Effective team building doesn't have to be expensive but should provide value.
Accessibility : Make sure the activities and location are accessible to everyone, taking into account any physical disabilities or dietary restrictions.
Encourage Participation : Create an atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable and motivated to participate without pressure.
Guidance : Provide clear instructions and support throughout the activities to keep everyone engaged and on track.
Feedback : Encourage open dialogue during and after the event to share insights, experiences, and suggestions for future activities.
Reflection : Debrief after activities to discuss what was learned and how it can be applied in the workplace.
Continuity : Integrate the outcomes of team-building events into everyday work life to maintain momentum and apply the positive changes observed.

How to Team Build Without Activities

Team building extends beyond organized activities and events. It should be part of your daily work, communications, and team culture.

It's about how team members feel valued, supported, and connected in their everyday work lives.

Here's how to team build without relying solely on activities:

Foster a Culture of Recognition

Recognition is a powerful tool for building team spirit and unity. Regularly acknowledging individual and team achievements (big or small) contributes to a positive work environment where employees feel valued and supported.

Terryberry's recognition and rewards platforms offer customizable solutions to celebrate milestones, achievements, and everyday contributions effectively.

Implement Continuous Peer Feedback

Constructive peer feedback provides opportunities for personal and interpersonal relationships and professional development within the team. It encourages open communication and mutual respect.

Terryberry's Recognition Platform facilitates seamless peer-to-peer feedback, allowing your team members to recognize each other's efforts, offer constructive criticism, and celebrate successes together.

Encourage Open Communication

Encourage an open environment where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas, concerns, and feedback. Regular team meetings, open-door policies, and transparent communication channels can help maintain a sense of inclusivity and trust.

Support Work-Life Balance

Respecting work-life boundaries, offering flexible work arrangements, and encouraging time off when needed shows that you value them as individuals, not just as workers.

This approach can increase loyalty, morale, and a stronger sense of belonging to the team and the company.

Build Better Teams with Terryberry

Team building isn't just a series of one-off activities—it's a culture and a mindset focused on creating stronger, more connected teams. However, creating and maintaining this environment requires more than just intention.

You'll need the right mix of tools and support, and that's where we can help.

Terryberry's comprehensive suite of recognition and employee engagement solutions helps you build better teams that are engaged, motivated, and aligned with your company's values and goals:

Customizable Recognition Programs : Celebrate achievements, milestones, and everyday efforts with programs tailored to your team's unique culture and objectives.
360 Feedback Platform : Facilitate continuous improvement and open communication with a platform that encourages peer-to-peer feedback and recognition.
Rewards and Incentives : Motivate and reward your team with a diverse selection of meaningful rewards, from personalized gifts to experiences that resonate with each team member.
Engagement Surveys : Measure and understand your team's engagement levels with surveys that provide actionable insights to help you focus your team-building efforts where they're needed most.

We understand that building and sustaining a dynamic team is an ongoing journey. Our mission is to provide you with the tools and support to help your team feel recognized, valued, and connected every step of the way.

Ready to elevate your team-building strategy and foster a team culture of recognition and engagement? Schedule a demo with Terryberry today and discover how our solutions can help you build better teams.

Frequently Asked Questions

The four main types of team-building activities focus on different aspects of teamwork and can be chosen based on your team's specific needs:

Communication-Focused Activities: These activities aim to improve communication skills and collaboration within the team. Examples include problem-solving challenges where team members need to exchange information effectively, or back-to-back drawing exercises where clear communication is essential to achieve a shared goal.

Trust-Building Activities: These activities help build trust and rapport among team members. Examples include blindfolded trust walks, where one team member guides another who is blindfolded, or team initiative games that require physical or emotional support from teammates.

Problem-Solving Activities: These activities challenge teams to work together creatively to solve problems. Examples include escape rooms, scavenger hunts with cryptic clues, or building challenges with limited materials.

Decision-Making Activities: These activities focus on developing effective decision-making processes within the team. Examples include simulations where the team faces a complex scenario and needs to reach a consensus, or role-playing exercises that involve negotiation and compromise.

The 7 C's of team building, developed by Salas and Tannenbaum, are a framework for understanding the key factors that contribute to successful teamwork. Here's a breakdown of each "C" and its significance:

Capability: This refers to the skills, knowledge, and experience that individual team members bring to the table. A team needs to have the right people with the right capabilities to achieve its goals.

Cooperation: This focuses on the willingness and positive attitude of team members to work together effectively. Cooperation involves mutual support, respect, and a shared commitment to the team's success.

Coordination: This refers to how well team members organize their efforts and work together seamlessly. Good coordination ensures tasks are completed efficiently and avoid duplication or wasted effort.

Communication: Effective communication is the lifeblood of any team. It involves clear exchange of information, ideas, and feedback among team members, fostering a shared understanding and smooth collaboration.

Cognition: This refers to the team's shared mental model of the task, goals, and strategies. A strong cognitive foundation ensures everyone is on the same page and understands their roles within the bigger picture.

Coaching: Effective leadership and coaching are crucial for team development. This involves providing guidance, support, and feedback to help team members grow individually and collectively.

Conditions: This refers to the external environment that influences the team's ability to function effectively. This includes factors like resources, tools, work environment, and company culture. Supportive conditions can empower the team to perform at its best.

By focusing on these seven C's, teams can build a strong foundation for success. Remember, these factors are interrelated and work together to create a high-performing and collaborative team.

There are four key characteristics that most successful teams share:

Clear Goals and Purpose: A strong team needs a shared understanding of what they're working towards. This includes clear goals, a well-defined mission, and a sense of purpose that motivates and inspires team members. Everyone should understand how their individual contributions fit into the bigger picture.

Effective Communication: Open, honest, and transparent communication is essential for any team to function well. Team members should feel comfortable sharing ideas, expressing concerns, and providing constructive feedback. This fosters collaboration, trust, and problem-solving.

Mutual Trust and Respect: Team members need to trust and respect each other's skills, knowledge, and perspectives. This creates a safe space for open communication, collaboration, and healthy debate. Trust also allows team members to rely on each other and hold one another accountable.

Complementary Skills and Strengths: A well-rounded team benefits from a diverse range of skills and strengths. Team members don't need to be identical, but their strengths should complement one another. This allows the team to tackle challenges from different angles and find innovative solutions.

A number of factors can contribute to an ineffective team. Here are some of the common pitfalls:

Lack of Clarity: Without clear goals, roles, and expectations, team members become unsure of what they're supposed to do and how their work contributes to the bigger picture. This leads to confusion, wasted effort, and a lack of focus.

Poor Communication: Ineffective communication is a major roadblock to teamwork. If team members don't communicate clearly and openly, misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and frustration can arise. This hinders collaboration and progress.

Unhealthy Conflict: While some debate and disagreement can be healthy, unresolved conflict or a lack of conflict resolution skills can be very damaging. It can create a tense and unproductive work environment and hinder collaboration.

Absence of Trust: If team members don't trust each other, they're less likely to cooperate, share information openly, or hold each other accountable. This fosters a sense of isolation and weakens the team's overall effectiveness.

Lack of Accountability: If team members aren't held accountable for their work, it can lead to a lack of motivation and a decrease in overall performance. People may not put in their best effort or meet deadlines, impacting the team's ability to deliver results.

Insufficient Resources: Teams need the necessary resources, tools, and support to do their jobs effectively. A lack of resources can hinder their ability to complete tasks, solve problems, and achieve their goals.

Unproductive Leadership: Ineffective leadership can seriously hamper a team. A leader who lacks direction, doesn't provide clear guidance, or fails to motivate and support the team can contribute significantly to its ineffectiveness.

Disengagement: Team members who are unmotivated, lack a sense of purpose, or don't feel valued are less likely to be fully engaged in their work. This can lead to a lack of effort, poor quality work, and a higher turnover rate.

By addressing these weaknesses and fostering a culture of collaboration, clear communication, and mutual respect, teams can overcome these challenges and become more effective in achieving their goals.

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17 Unbeatable Team Building Problem Solving Activities
17 Unbeatable Team Building Problem Solving Activities

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4. Sudoku. Sudoku is one of the most popular free problem solving games for adults. The objective of this game is to fill each box of a 9×9 grid so that every row, column, and letter contains each number from one to nine. The puzzle makes a great team challenge. To play Sudoku on Zoom, screen share the game board.
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This fun game develops problem-solving and decision-making skills. Team members have to choose the best course of action through negotiation and creative thinking. ... As the participants arrive, you announce that, rather than spending an hour on a problem-solving team-building activity, they must design an original one of their own. ...
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Quick and easy problem-solving activities 12. Unpuzzled (in-person, virtual, hybrid) Activity Focus Areas: Communication, reasoning, collaboration under time pressure. Objective: Unpuzzled is an engaging team-building game that combines problem-solving and trivia elements. The goal is for each team to work collaboratively to solve a series of puzzles and then unscramble them to uncover a meta ...
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. . Classic team-building, problem-solving activities 1. A Shrinking Vessel Helps with: Adaptability Why adaptability is important for problem-solving: Adaptability is highly associated with cognitive diversity, which helps teams solve problems faster, according to the Harvard Business Review.
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Effective team building problem-solving activities. One of the most daunting aspects of team building is looking up ideas for things to do, not knowing whether they work. So we did the hard part for you and hand-picked the best team building activities to overcome obstacles. 1. Improve collaboration with Work Buddy.
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5. Rube Goldberg Off. For the ex-Science Olympiad participants in your team, Rube Goldberg Off is a team building puzzle for adults that challenges teams to create the most complex Rube Goldberg contraption. Rube Goldbergs are intricate machines designed to fulfill a simple purpose, like the ones in Back to the Future or Wallace and Gromit.
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Here are nine easy-to-implement activities that can bring substantial change to your team culture and overall workplace dynamics. #1. Crossword Puzzles. Objective: To enhance problem-solving skills, vocabulary, and cognitive abilities through engaging crossword puzzles. Estimated Time: 15-20 Minutes. Materials Needed:
13 Problem-Solving Games for Effective Team Building
13 fun problem-solving games for team building sessions. Here are some of the fun problem-solving games you can add to team building sessions: 1. The shrinking shape. The shrinking shape game encourages teams to work together and adapt to changing situations. Take a rope and make a shape with it on the floor that's large enough to fit every ...
15 Team Building Problem Solving Activities
‍ 15 Problem-Solving Activities 1. A Shrinking Vessel Why adaptability is important for problem-solving: Adaptability is highly associated with cognitive diversity, which helps teams solve problems faster, according to the Harvard Business Review. Innovation and disruption are happening faster than ever before.
23 Problem-solving games for busy work teams
In this classic team building game, users try to build a tower using uncooked pasta noodles and marshmallows. The instructions are simple: use the tools at your disposal to design and build the tallest tower in order to win the challenge. ... These problem solving games and activities are great virtually any time - there is something for ...
20 Effective Strategy Games For Teams
1. Mafia Mafia is a popular strategy game that can enhance team building skills within a group. In this game, players take on roles as either members of the Mafia or innocent townspeople. Mafia members have hidden identities. These players eliminate the townspeople one by one.
Fun Team-Building Problem-Solving Activities
Creative Problem-Solving Activities from Let's Roam. The experts at Let's Roam have carefully constructed a series of team-building activities that will help you to build stronger connections, increase productivity, and improve morale. These exercises can be used in the office, or virtually for remote teams, and focus on problem-solving, communication, collaboration, and more.
Top 10 Team Building Problem Solving Activities
Debrief. Discuss how the employees worked together to solve the challenge. Encourage them to share their ideas and strategies. #3. Create an Ad. The goal of this game is to create an advertisement for the suggested product. This is one of the problem solving activities to improve the creativity among team members.
17 Team Building Problem Solving Activities & Exercises
There are a variety of different logic puzzles available online or in puzzle books. Logic puzzles are great for testing your team's critical thinking skills. Logic puzzles can be a great team-building activity as they require everyone to work together to find the solution. Activity #4. Word Association.
38 Team Building Problem-Solving Activities
Use the rope to "lock" employees in the room after hiding the key. Then, challenge them to complete the puzzles or solve the clues to find the key and "escape.". 15. Frostbite. Frostbite helps your employees develop their problem-solving and decision-making skills. Crank up an electric fan to mimic an icy tundra.
Problem-Solving Activities To Help Promote Team Building
Here are a few problem-solving team-building activities to try: 1. The collapsing space game. The collapsing space game improves a team's ability to adapt to changing situations while incorporating input from each individual. This game is simple to play and only requires something to mark the boundary of the team's workspace.
Top 22 Virtual Problem-Solving Activities For Teams
20. Virtual Code Break. Virtual Code Break is a virtual team-building activity specially designed for remote players. Its purpose is to challenge players to think outside the box, improve problem-solving skills, and leverage their own and each other's skills.
14 Brain-Tickling Team Building Problems
1. Egg Drop Egg Drop is one of the most common problem solving games. The goal of the game is to avoid a Humpty-Dumpty situation by building a vessel that can help an egg survive a great fall. To play, you will give each group an uncooked egg and allow the team to choose from a variety of construction materials, such as:
Top Team-Building Games from the Experts
Whether your goal is to break the ice, spur creativity, promote better problem solving, or just have fun, you'll find the perfect team-building game here. Team-Building Icebreaker Games
100+ Fun Virtual Team Building Activities to Boost Team Morale
2. Virtual team-building games. Interactive games like Pictionary or Dumb Charades are a fun way to improve teamwork and friendly competition. These games aren't what one would call an icebreaker; you typically play them once you've established some rapport with your team members.
99 Five-Minute Team-Building Activities (Virtual)
65) X Or Y. "One of the best team-building activities can be playing virtual games like "X or Y.". It is one of the most appropriate activities to understand other people. It is a simple activity in which team members can select some choice questions like "dog or cat" or 'OTT or Cinema.'.
25 Best Team-Building Activities 2024
25 Best Team-Building Activities in the Workplace. The right mix of team-building strategies and activities can transform individual employees into a unified force. However, it's all about quality—not quantity. ... Problem-Solving Activities: These activities challenge teams to work together creatively to solve problems. Examples include ...
20 Teamwork Games to Boost Collaboration
1. Lifeboat Survival Lifeboat Survival puts your problem-solving skills to the test in a high-pressure scenario. Here is how to play the game: Tell teams to imagine they are stranded on a lifeboat. Give them a list of limited supplies, such as food, water, blankets, and first-aid kits. Set specific obstacles teams need to overcome.
Team Building Activities for Work: Boosting Team Morale
Problem-solving activities cultivate critical thinking, decision-making skills, and effective problem-solving strategies within the team. ... Engaging in mystery-solving activities as part of team building can be both fun and beneficial. Solving puzzles or mysteries together requires teamwork, communication, and critical thinking skills. Such ...
Overcome Team Building Barriers with Problem-Solving Skills
6 Reflect and Adapt. Lastly, encourage reflection after problem-solving activities. Ask your team what worked well and what could be improved. This reflection allows team members to recognize the ...