Team building games and activities are a good time to bond and produce your employees together. Whether they’re done in-person or virtually, team building activities aid with coworker connections, communication and relationship formation additionally to brightening your team’s day.
Not all team building games are suitable for all teams, which is why I have put together six of my favourite team-building activities that are both exciting and insightful.
Team building games and activities for time-strapped teams. All activities should take but a half-hour of the participants’ time.
After all, All work and no play makes Jack a dull guy.
Magic Cane
Time: 10 – 15 Minutes
Number of Participants: 5-12 People
Items Needed: Tent Pole (or similar the stick must be long, thin, and light)
Goal: The group must lower the stick until it is touching the ground.
Two groups are needed to face each other, Preferably an even number of people on both sides. If you intend on an uneven number, let the team agree.
Each group must raise their arms and point their index fingers out. Lay the magic cane or helium stick across their fingers. The stick should be at the chest level height of the tallest participant to start. Once the stick is laying across the participants’ fingers, the challenge is to lower this stick to the ground.
Everyone’s finger must remain in contact with the stick at all times during the challenge. If it slips, they have to start from the beginning. Pinching or gripping the stick with other fingers is considered cheating. Everyone must be standing on their feet when you start.
It sounds like a simple task, but it is deceptively challenging. At first, people will likely lift the stick or set it off balance. This can lead to confusion or perhaps even frustration among the team.
The tendency of the stick to float can lead group members to begin blaming others for the group failure. However, the group won’t be able to succeed unless they shift from blaming to asking questions. The more open-minded and collectively responsible the group is, the more quickly they’ll succeed.
Lesson To Learn From The Game: This simple activity encourages communication and problem solving since every member of the group is needed to complete the task. It also reinforces the idea that everyone is equally important, valuable and necessary for the team to succeed.
The Barter Puzzle
Time: 20 Minutes
Number of Participants: 9-25 People
Items Needed: At least 3 puzzles with 50 pieces or fewer.
Goal: The group must complete a puzzle.
4 or 5 people (though not ideal, it is possible to play with groups of 3) are required in a team, Split team members into equal groups. Each group has a different jigsaw puzzle. It is their task to solve the puzzle, however, there is a catch.
Each puzzle has had pieces of the other puzzles mixed in at random. Explain to all the groups that other teams may have the pieces they need. Members have to strategize, assign roles and barter with other teams to get pieces they need to complete their puzzle first.
This activity offers a dual challenge: firstly they need to solve the puzzle in a short period of time, secondly, they need to convince the other team to trade them the necessary pieces.
Lesson To Learn From The Game: it strengthens the team or gets team members to practice negotiating and strategizing skills.
Sneak a Peek
Time: 10 – 20 Minutes
Number of Participants: 2-20
Items Needed: Building materials (clay, toothpick, plasticine, legos)
Goal: Recreate an object out of building materials only going off a verbal description.
In this game, groups are divided into multiple teams. From each team, one person is selected to view a hidden object or sculpture. They only have 10 seconds at a time to peek at the sculpture and must relay the information that they see to the rest of their group. The group must try to recreate the sculpture based on the peek person’s description.
Players must trust the team member to describe it accurately and listen to their instructions. It can help break down management barriers if you select a lower-level person as the person to view the sculpture.
Lesson To Learn From The Game: It pushes the team to adjust, direct and communicate clearly.
Tied Up
Time: 10-20 Minutes
Number of Participants: 3-15
Items Needed: Rope/String/Bandanas
Goal: Complete a goal while the team’s hands are tied together.
In this activity, Groups are divided into teams of 2 to 4. Form members into circles facing each other and use rope or shoe strings to tie their wrists to their neighbour’s wrist. Then, give them a task that they must complete together with their hands tied.
A few examples of tasks that you can use are:
- Make a sandwich.
- Tie a ribbon.
- Navigate through an obstacle course.
- Complete a jigsaw puzzle.
- Wrap a gift.
Because everyone’s hands are tied, it will require the effort of each person to complete the task.
Lesson To Learn From The Game: The constraints can increase their creativity and push them to think outside of the box. This will also require good and constant communication.
Game of Possibilities
Time: 10-15 Minutes
Number of Participants: 4-25
Items Needed: Various random objects, one per participant.
Goal: Come up with alternative uses for everyday objects and have team members guess said uses.
Each participant is given an object and must demonstrate an alternative use for it. You can use anything from a basketball or plastic bag to a hula hoop or stapler.
Give the participant one minute to silently act out their alternative use for the object; for example, a stapler could be used as a fork or a trumpet. While they’re acting, others in the group try to guess what they’re missing. Every person who correctly guesses the alternative use gets a point. Once the minute is over, the next person will do the same and so on.
Lesson To Learn From The Game: Teams are allowed to bring out their creativity and quick thinking as well as a fun way to boost creativity and innovation.
Heads Up!
Time: 20-50 Minutes
Number of Participants: 2-10
Items Needed: Smartphone
Goal: Guess the word displayed on participants’ phones.
You may have seen “Heads Up!” being played on the Ellen Show. It is a mobile app available for download on Android and iOS devices, in which one player puts the phone on their forehead, the rest of the players can see the word, celebrity, or another category on the card, but it is hidden from the person holding it. He or she has to guess the item on the card based on clues from their team.
Although it is a fun app usually associated with parties, it can be perfect for office team-building. The best part about the game is that you can use the preloaded decks or you can create your own decks. Make a deck that relates to your company or industry and test their knowledge while having some fun.
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