60+ Fun Team-Building Activities for Work
So, you’re thinking about some team-building activities to spice up the workweek and give your workplace culture a bit of a boost? Great idea! There’s no doubt that having friends at work makes people happier, more productive, and more engaged—and fun team-building activities can foster healthy camaraderie.
Just the phrase “team-building activities” can make some employees roll their eyes. But it’s not all about standing in a circle and doing trust falls with each other. Any activity that involves multiple coworkers—from an online coffee chat to working together on a project as a team—is a team-building activity, and a valuable opportunity to build those interpersonal bonds.
Team-building activities for work can range from casual virtual get-togethers to weekends away, and no matter how small an activity is, it can still promote togetherness and a better understanding of each other.
Our list of 60+ team-building activities offers a versatile mix of off-site adventures and in-the-trenches, work-focused activities catering to a variety of team-building preferences. Read on to find the perfect activity for your team!
What Should an Effective Team-Building Activity Include?
The best team-building activities all have a few elements in common:
- They bring people together to achieve a common goal or to solve a problem together.
- They unite the team with opportunities for collaboration and creativity.
- They supply the materials and the space needed for the activity.
There are many different forms these activities can take, depending on your team’s location, preferences, and size, but ensuring these elements are all provided will make any team-building task a success.
How to Make Team-Building Activities Inclusive
One of the most important things to consider when designing your own team-building activity is making it accessible to every person on your team. While all of these ideas we’ve shared can be great, they do need to take your unique team into account.
For example, a ropes course isn’t going to work if one or more of your team members is afraid of heights.
You can either choose an already inclusive activity or modify your chosen activity to make it more inclusive and accessible for everyone. If you’re using an external vendor, they likely already have ideas and procedures in place to include most people where possible, so don’t be afraid to ask.
And before booking anything with a nonrefundable deposit, ask team members confidentially about their boundaries to ensure no one feels left out or pressured to participate. Set firm safety boundaries and communicate them to everyone.
Team-Building Activities for Work
There are many kinds of fun team-building activities that can bring all your people together. Virtual options are great for hybrid or remote teams. Outdoor escapades or craft sessions provide a canvas for connection, minus the work worries.
For the budget-conscious, don’t fret—free doesn’t mean dull. And if you’re in a position to splurge, we also have some fancy ideas up our sleeve.
Virtual Team-Building Activities
Connecting your remote and hybrid teams can be tough, but it’s absolutely critical for fostering loyalty and a strong company culture. That’s where virtual team-building comes in. But don’t be fooled by the "virtual" label—these activities are just as fun and effective in person, too.
Another bonus: almost all of these activities are free!
1. Two Truths and a Lie
Supplies: None
Number of people: 3–20
Est. time: 2–3 minutes per person
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Each person participating tells the group three things about themselves: one is a lie, but two are true. The group guesses which one is the lie, and everyone learns more about their colleagues along the way.
2. Powerpoint Presentation
Supplies: Access to a presentation software, like Google Slides or Microsoft Powerpoint
Number of people: 4–20
Est. time: 10 minutes per person
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: One person is selected to present a Powerpoint deck with slides they have never seen before, usually on a random, silly topic. It’s great for improvisation, and it always makes the whole team laugh.
3. Personality Test
Supplies: Choose one of these free online personality tests.
Number of people: 2–25
Est. time: 30–45 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Have everyone take the same personality test on their own, then gather in groups and discuss the findings. Were there any surprises, or similarities between team members? It’s fun to find out!
4. Common Thread
Supplies: None
Number of people: 10+ people
Est. time: 30 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Divide your participants into groups of 3–5 people, and ask each group to find things that everyone in the group has in common. These could be a favorite food, a hobby, a TV show, or anything you can dream of. Then get everyone back together in the larger group to share what you found (and find more connections!).
5. Guess Who
Supplies: None
Number of people: 5–20 people
Est. time: 10 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Pick one of your team members ahead of time to feature, and have them send you a list of 5–10 fun facts about themselves. When your team meeting starts, read them aloud from the most difficult to the easiest, and see how long it takes for your team to guess which person it’s all about.
6. Compliment Circle
Supplies: None
Number of people: 4-20
Est. time: 2 minutes per person
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Gather in a (virtual) circle, and give the person next to you on the gallery view a thoughtful compliment. They accept it, and pass on a compliment to the next person until everyone has received a compliment and is glowing.
7. Sales Pitch
Supplies: None
Number of people: 3+ people
Est. time: 45–90 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Pick a weird or random product and have everyone prepare a sales pitch for it (plus a logo or slogan if you’re feeling ambitious). If your team is big, split into smaller groups and work together. Think: a less intense version of Shark Tank.
8. Virtual Games
Supplies: Access to an online game for all participants
Number of people: 2–20 people
Est. time: 45–90 minutes
Cost: Free–$20, depending on the game you select
Basic instructions: Pick an online game that appeals to your team and start competing! JackBox has a wide variety of virtual games your team can play, like Dictionarium, and there are plenty of other platforms out there as well.
9. Virtual Scavenger Hunt
Supplies: None
Number of people: 4–10 people
Est. time: 45–60 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Come up with a list ahead of time of common or unusual objects people probably have at home. Once you’re all on the call, ask employees to find each object in their own homes and show them on camera once they’re found. It’s fun and free, too!
10. Show and Tell
Supplies: None
Number of people: 2–10 people
Est. time: 30–60 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: If you want a more work-focused virtual activity, this one is great. Every month, gather on a video call and have everyone highlight something they’re working on. The other team members can ask questions and offer positive feedback.
11. Who’s That Baby?
Supplies: A willingness to share baby pictures!
Number of people: 4–20 people
Est. time: 10–15 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Ask each team member to share a cute baby picture of themselves before the meeting, and pop them into a Powerpoint. In the meeting, ask everyone to guess who the baby is in each photo (it’s super cute!).
12. Would You Rather?
Supplies: None
Number of people: 4–20 people
Est. time: 15–30 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Pick a few of these “would you rather” questions (e.g., would you rather have an office dog or cat?) to kick off your next team meeting. These questions are also a great icebreaker for teams that aren’t physically located together.
13. Debate or Group Discussion
Supplies: None
Number of people: 4–10 people
Est. time: 30–60 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Pick an interesting topic (we’d suggest avoiding politics, religion, and anything emotional or controversial), and divide your team into two groups. Each one is assigned a position and presents it to the other side. This is great for improving communication skills.
14. Book Club
Supplies: A book (e-reader versions are great here, too)
Number of people: 3+ people
Est. time: 60–90 minutes
Cost: About $20/person, depending on the book you choose
Basic instructions: Pick a book related to your field or industry and give everyone a few weeks to read it. Schedule time to virtually chat about it (maybe while all are enjoying coffee or snacks, too). Come prepared with a few thought-provoking questions to get the conversation flowing.
15. Collaborative Playlist
Supplies: Access to a music streaming platform, like Spotify or Apple Music
Number of people: 2+ people
Est. time: 5–10 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Everyone on the team can pick a favorite song and add it to the team’s collaborative playlist on the platform of your choice. If not everyone uses the same platform, ask them to email you their pick so you can add it for them.
16. Mister Rogers Calls
Supplies: None
Number of people: 2–3 people per call
Est. time: 30–45 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Once or twice a month, randomly match two or three team members and schedule them for a 30-minute call. The only rule is that during the call you aren’t allowed to talk about work. Explore other topics like pets, travel, sports, favorite book,s and anything else interesting as long as it’s not related to work.
17. Virtual Trivia
Supplies: None
Number of people: 10–50+ people
Est. time: 60–120 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Pick an MC, a topic (or a few!), and a set of questions and get ready for a great time! Divide everyone into teams ahead of time so you’ll be ready to dive right in. The best way to ensure a lively game? Poll your employees to see what topics and questions would be most relevant to them.
18. Guided Meditation
Supplies: None
Number of people: 2+ people
Est. time: 15–30 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Gather everyone in a virtual meeting and ask them to sit or stand upright, with their feet firmly planted on the ground in a quiet space. Have them focus on their breath and guide them through a meditation, which can be simple or more complex depending on your comfort level. Breathing and grounding together helps everyone connect and de-stress.
19. Virtual Happy Hour
Supplies: Just a Zoom or Teams connection
Number of people: 2+ people
Est. time: 30–60 minutes
Cost: Free-$30/per person
Basic instructions: Virtual happy hours are a fun way to connect socially without being together in the office—just hop online. People can sip their favorite beverage. It’s also a good opportunity to add in one of the games we’ve mentioned above for bonus bonding!
Free Team Building Activities
While most of those virtual activities happen to be free, there are free in-person team-building activities you can do too if your budget is tight. Free doesn’t mean they’re any less fun!
20. Icebreakers
Supplies: None, depending on the chosen icebreaker
Number of people: 4+ people
Est. time: 5–15 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: There are hundreds of potential icebreakers you can choose from (we love this very comprehensive list from Asana), so you can find the one that fits your team’s vibe and size the best. Open up your next meeting with one and watch the team’s connections forming!
21. Volunteer
Supplies: Depends on the activity
Number of people: 2+ people
Est. time: Depends on the activity
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Giving back doesn’t cost anything but time, but it’s a great way to bond with teammates and contribute to your local community, too. Find a local organization that needs help and pitch in together.
22. Game Show
Supplies: Depends on the game you choose
Number of people: 4+ people
Est. time: Depends on the game you choose
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Pick a popular game show format, and get the team together to play. For example, if your team likes trivia, you can organize your own version of Jeopardy and create a board here.
23. Follow the Leader
Supplies: None
Number of people: 8–80 people
Est. time: 5–15 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: It’s just like you used to play as a kid: designate one person as the “guesser”, and have them briefly leave the room while everyone else chooses a leader. The guesser returns to the center of the circle, and everyone imitates what the leader is doing while the guesser tries to identify them. Childlike fun for all!
24. Charades
Supplies: Small pieces of paper and pens
Number of people: 4–20 people
Est. time: 30–60 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Another childhood classic: everyone writes an object or person on a slip of paper and puts it into a bowl. Divide the group into two teams. Each person picks one and silently acts it out while the other team tries to guess within the designated time.
25. Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament
Supplies: None
Number of people: 8+ people
Est. time: 30–45 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: It’s rocks paper scissors until the last person standing wins! This one is super easy and really fun for bigger teams—you might need a whiteboard or paper to keep track of groups over 20 people.
26. Order Yourselves By...
Supplies: None
Number of people: 5+ people
Est. time: 5–15 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Set a timer and ask everyone to line up—silently—in that order (by height, by company tenure, by birthday, or anything else you can think of). You’ll all learn something new about each other without exchanging a word.
Big-Budget Team-Building Activities
27. Events
Supplies: Depends on the event
Number of people: 4+ people
Est. time: 30 minutes to a full day
Cost: Depends on the event
Basic instructions: The only limits here are your imagination and budget: you could have a team event at a sporting event, a play, a show, a conference, a convention, or a local community event.
28. Classes
Supplies: Depends on the class
Number of people: Depends on the class
Est. time: Depends on the class
Cost: Depends on the class
Basic instructions: Learning something new together is a great bonding experience: you could all join to attend an improv class, public speaking class, language class, or even a cooking class if you just want to have fun.
29. Company Retreat
Supplies: Depends on the retreat
Number of people: 4+ people
Est. time: 1–3 days
Cost: Depends on the retreat
Basic instructions: This is a great option when you have big changes on the horizon or an exciting new project ahead to gather and think creatively about the big picture together. You could fly across the country or choose a retreat in the same town as your headquarters, as long as you’re in a different space so you change the flow of the usual office routine.
30. Team Lunch
Supplies: Lunch!
Number of people: 2+ people
Est. time: 1–3 hours
Cost: Depends on the lunch
Basic instructions: Pick a lunch cuisine and venue: you could order in for a buffet, or go out to a fancy restaurant, or something in between. What really matters is spending time together, as well as making sure everyone has a delicious option they can eat (so check for allergies and restrictions ahead of time!).
31. Company Social
Supplies: What do you need for the activity?
Number of people: How many people can participate at one time?
Est. time: How long will it take?
Cost: How much does it cost?
Basic instructions: How do you do the activity?
32. Escape Room
Supplies: A physical or online escape room
Number of people: 3–20 people
Est. time: 1–3 hours
Cost: $30–$50 per person
Basic instructions: Escape rooms are great for group problem-solving. At BambooHR, we recently had a company provide an escape-room-type murder mystery experience in our own office, but there are also virtual escape room experiences for remote teams. These not only promote teamwork but can help identify strengths in logical and mathematical thinking within teams.
33. Trip or Excursion
Supplies: Depends on the trip
Number of people: Depends on the trip
Est. time: Depends on the trip
Cost: Depends on the trip
Basic instructions: How do you do the activity? Get the team together and head out to somewhere fun, like a zoo, aquarium, national park, or museum. Remote teams don’t have to miss out either; many zoos, like the Maryland Zoo, offer virtual zoo tours that get you up close without being in-person!
34. Movie Premiere
Supplies: Depends on your choices
Number of people: 20+ people
Est. time: 2–4 hours
Cost: Depends on the cost of your local theater
Basic instructions: This is a great one for big events and in-person teams: rent out a whole local theater just for your team to catch a new release together. While you’re at it, spring for some snacks like popcorn and candies and truly make it a day to remember!
Indoor Team Building Activities
35. Board Games or Puzzles
Supplies: Board game or puzzle
Number of people: 2+ people
Est. time: 30–90 minutes
Cost: $10–$30 if you don’t already own the game or puzzle
Basic instructions: Get the team together for an afternoon game break or some puzzle time! It’s a great break from work, especially when projects are getting stressful.
36. Video Games
Supplies: Video game and controllers, plus a TV
Number of people: 2–10
Est. time: 30–60 minutes
Cost: Depends on the game
Basic instructions: If your team has a lot of gamers, this can be a positive bonding experience and provides a creative escape from routine tasks too.
37. Table-Top Games
Supplies: The game you want to play
Number of people: 2–20 people
Est. time: 15–60 minutes
Cost: $10–$100, depending on the game
Basic instructions: Set up the game of your choice, and let people battle it out!
38. Celebrity Party
Supplies: Name tags and pens
Number of people: 4–25 people
Est. time: 30–60 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: This is a game that never goes out of style: everyone picks a celebrity and writes the name on a name tag, and sticks it to someone else’s back/forehead. Ask your teammates questions to figure out who exactly you are.
39. Perfect Square
Supplies: A long rope and blindfolds
Number of people: 4–8 people
Est. time: 20–30 minutes
Cost: $40–$80 depending on supplies
Basic instructions: The full instructions are here, but basically the challenge is to form a perfect square with a rope while everyone is blindfolded. It promotes cooperation and communication (and it can be pretty fun, too).
40. Pictionary
Supplies: Pictionary game, plus pens and paper
Number of people: 4–20 people
Est. time: 30–60 minutes
Cost: Free if you already own the game and supplies
Basic instructions: It’s simple, but it’s not easy: divide into teams and draw pictures of objects your teammates will have to guess. This can be a great virtual team-building option, too!
41. Minefield
Supplies: Colored paper cut into circles for the “mines,” blindfolds
Number of people: 8–40 people
Est. time: 20–30 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Help each other navigate a room full of “mines” (colored paper dots on the floor) while blindfolded to bond and increase your communication. Full rules here!
42. Trivia
Supplies: Trivia questions, pens and paper
Number of people: 5–50 people
Est. time: 60–90 minutes
Cost: Free, unless you opt for a facilitated session
Basic instructions: Draw up your list of trivia questions (bonus points if it’s themed) and assign everyone to teams. It’s just like your local pub trivia night, except with your colleagues (and you can do it online too).
43. Karaoke
Supplies: Karaoke machine or venue
Number of people: 3+ people
Est. time: 30–120 minutes
Cost: $100–$250, depending on group size and venue
Basic instructions: Sing your heart out in a conference room with the help of a karaoke machine, or take the team out for a night in a karaoke joint!
44. Murder Mystery
Supplies: The company you hire will provide them
Number of people: 4–40 people
Est. time: 2–3 hours
Cost: Typically $30–150 per person
Basic instructions: There are many companies that’ll set up a murder mystery event for your team, including the costumes, clues, and anything else you need. Your team just gets to focus on figuring out who did it!
45. Bowling or Mini Golf
Supplies: Depends on the activity
Number of people: 2+ people
Est. time: 2–4 hours
Cost: Depends on the activity
Basic instructions: Get the team outside for some fresh air and mini-golfing, or head inside for a bowling competition. If you have a big team and enough budget, you can even rent out the whole venue so it’s private and exclusive.
Outdoor Team-Building Activities
46. Ropes or Obstacle Course
Supplies: The course will supply everything
Number of people: 2+ people
Est. time: 2–4 hours
Cost: $25–$80 per person
Basic instructions: Pick a local ropes or obstacle course and let the fun begin! It’s great for building trust, cooperation, and communication within your team too.
47. Egg Drop
Supplies: One egg for each team, straws, tape, newspaper, and paper towels
Number of people: 6–50 people
Est. time: 15–30 minutes
Cost: Depends on team size
Basic instructions: Divide your team into groups of 3–4 people and tell them to each design a structure that’ll keep their egg from breaking when it’s dropped from 10 feet above the floor. There are no rules except that they have only 15 minutes—the rest is up to them!
48. Human Knot
Supplies: None
Number of people: 6–40 people
Est. time: 15–20 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Get everyone to squish together in a circle and grab the hand of someone who isn’t directly next to them. Once everyone is locked together, the goal is to untangle the human knot without breaking the chain (crawling over each other is ok!).
49. Sports Tournament or Intramural League
Supplies: Equipment for the sport of choice
Number of people: 25+
Est. time: Depends
Cost: Depends
Basic instructions: If you’ve got a team full of eager athletes, why not take that passion onto the sports field with a company team? Or, if your group is smaller, you could join an existing local group.
50. Nature Walk and Reflection
Supplies: None
Number of people: 2+ people
Est. time: 15–30 minutes, or as long as you’d like
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Get outside and engage your senses! Take a nature walk and observe your surroundings as a group. What sights, sounds, smells, and textures do you notice? Ask each team member to jot down a few of their observations. When time’s up, compare your notes. What do different team members notice that other group members have missed?
51. Races
Supplies: None
Number of people: 2+ people
Est. time: Depends on the race
Cost: Depends on the race
Basic instructions: Another great option if you have a team full of athletes and competitors. Join a local race like a Tough Mudder, Ragnar Relay, or a 5K, and compete as a team. Bonus points for clever team names and a team shirt!
Craft and Cooking Team Building Activities
52. Craft Competitions
Supplies: Supplies for the chosen craft
Number of people: 4+ people
Est. time: 30–90 minutes
Cost: Depends on the chosen craft
Basic instructions: Pick a craft and let the competition begin: who can make the best final product out of the chosen materials?
53. Cook-Off
Supplies: Supplies for your chosen food
Number of people: 4+ people
Est. time: 30–90 minutes
Cost: Depends on the supplies and team size
Basic instructions: Pick a team favorite food: chili, guacamole, and ribs are all popular options, but the sky is truly the limit. This is a great way to break up or end meetings and trainings on a fun, friendly (not to mention delicious) note.
54. Potluck with Favorite Recipes
Supplies: Plates, utensils, etc.
Number of people: 2+ people
Est. time: 30–60 minutes
Cost: Minimal
Basic instructions: Ask some of all of your team members to bring in a favorite food, or one according to a theme, to share with everyone. You can rotate around food duties, so everyone gets a chance to show off and enjoy equally.
55. Art Class
Supplies: The venue provides supplies.
Number of people: 2+ people
Est. time: 60–120 minutes
Cost: From $25-$100 per person
Basic instructions: Choose a local art venue that offers group activities, like a paint and sip night or pottery making class, to all do together. There are even virtual options for remote teams as well!
56. Marshmallow Challenge
Supplies: Dry spaghetti, masking tape, string, marshmallows
Number of people: 6+ people
Est. time: 18 minutes
Cost: Minimal depending on team size
Basic instructions: Each team of 2–4 people has just 18 minutes to build the tallest structure they can out of 20 pieces of spaghetti, masking tape, string, and marshmallows (complete rules here). It’s surprisingly challenging and promotes lots of creative thinking and teamwork.
Work Team Building Activities
Team-building doesn’t have to be all fun and games—it can extend to strictly work-related tasks, too. These are a few of the most interesting ideas for work team building.
57. Hackathon
Supplies: None
Number of people: 10+ people
Est. time: 1 day
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Hackathons aren’t just for tech companies: anyone can devote a day to dropping their routine work and tackling a special project to benefit the company while thinking outside the box. These projects could be improving a clunky process, creating a new product feature, or ideating a new marketing approach.
58. Lunch and Learn
Supplies: Lunch
Number of people: 4–25 people
Est. time: 60–90 minutes
Cost: The cost of lunch
Basic instructions: Everyone has a special skill, so let them share it and teach everyone else while you break for lunch. This could be a work-related skill or something unrelated but interesting and accessible to everyone, like knitting.
59. Role-Play Work Situation
Supplies: None
Number of people: 5–10 people
Est. time: 45–60 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Get out of a rut by asking your team members to solve a problem as if they were a famous person or business leader, and to present their solution role-playing as that person. It’s not just funny (although it can be), but also can uncover new solutions with some creative thinking.
60. Brainstorming Session
Supplies: A whiteboard
Number of people: 3–20 people
Est. time: 60–120 minutes
Cost: Free
Basic instructions: Take a break from the mundane by asking your team to think about the bigger picture: get together to brainstorm ideas for a current challenge or future goal together.
Benefits of Team-Building Activities
Team-building activities bring a wealth of benefits to a business. They’re not just a bit of fun away from the usual grind—they’re also bona fide ways to bring your team closer, build trust, and create a more positive place to work.