Our Favorite Team Building Games for 2023
Team building activities are a great way to bring a group of coworkers together, improve communication and collaboration, and boost morale in the workplace. Whether you're looking to break the ice with new team members or simply want to foster a stronger sense of community among your colleagues, there's a team building game out there for you.
In this post, we'll share some of our favorite team building games and activities that are sure to make a positive impact on your team in 2023 and beyond. From classic trust exercises to more interactive and high-energy games, these activities are sure to get your team bonding and having fun in no time. So, let's dive in and explore some of the best team building games for 2023. But before that, let’s understand why you need team building exercises.
Why is team building important?
Team building is an important aspect of modern workforce management because it helps to foster a sense of unity and collaboration among team members. When team members feel connected to one another and are able to work together effectively, it can lead to increased productivity and better overall results for the organization.
There are several ways that organizations can promote team building, including:
Providing opportunities for team members to get to know one another outside of work.
Encouraging open communication and collaboration among team members.
Establishing clear roles and responsibilities for each team member, as well as establishing clear goals and objectives for the team.
Recognizing and rewarding team members for their contributions to the team and the organization.
What is a fun team building activity?
Two truths and a lie
Scavenger hunt
Egg drop challenge
Trust falls
Marshmallow challenge
Escape room
Telephone Pictionary
Improv games
Paperclip chain
Virtual trivia
The Minefield
Hula hoop pass
Communication games
Silent game
Marble maze
Collaborative drawing game
Puzzle challenge
Scattergories
Charades
Bingo
Read more about these easy team building games that can be adapted for different types of teams, including in-office, virtual, and hybrid teams:
1. Two Truths and a Lie
Two truths and a lie is a classic party game that involves each person in a group sharing three statements about themselves, with two being true and one being false. The group must then try to guess which statement is the lie. This activity helps teams learn more about their colleagues and practice their communication and problem-solving skills.
2. Scavenger Hunt
Create a list of items or tasks for teams to find or complete within a set timeframe. This activity promotes teamwork and communication as team members must work together to complete the task. Because the items can be physical or an answer found on the Internet, it’s an activity that can be played by hybrid, office, or 100% virtual teams.
3. The Egg Drop Challenge
Remember egg drops from your school days? In this challenge, teams must design and build a structure using materials provided to them, with the goal of protecting an egg that will be dropped from a set height. This is especially great for in-office teams and can serve as an activity to ignite team spirit.
4. Trust Falls
In a trust fall, a team member falls backwards, trusting that the rest of the team will catch them. This activity can help build support within the team. Trust falls are a popular exercise that can be used to build trust in the workplace. They allow people to get out of their comfort zone, while at the same time feeling more connected to their teammates.
5. The Marshmallow Challenge
Teams must build the tallest structure possible using only marshmallows and uncooked spaghetti (or you can use toothpicks!) in a set amount of time. This activity helps teams learn to work together, communicate effectively, and think creatively under time pressure.
6. Escape Room
Teams work together to solve puzzles and escape from a virtual or physical room within a set time limit. If you're looking for an exciting activity that will help you build teamwork and utilize problem-solving skills, playing an escape room game with your team is the perfect choice.
7. Telephone Pictionary
Telephone Pictionary is a classic party game that is guaranteed to bring loads of laughs! To play, each player should take a paper and pen (or you can use a virtual platform) and draw a picture based on a word or phrase that is given to them. Then, they should pass their drawing to the person next to them. That person should interpret the drawing and write a word or phrase to describe it. This should be passed to the next person and so on until the drawing has gone all the way around the circle. At the end, the drawing should be compared to the original word or phrase.
8. Improv Games
Play improvisation games to encourage teamwork and creative problem-solving. Improv games involve improvisation and acting, and can be a fun way for teams to bond and practice their communication and collaboration skills. You’ll certainly share a few laughs while learning something new about your teammates.
9. Paperclip Chain
In this challenge, teams must create the longest chain of paperclips possible within a set amount of time. This activity promotes teamwork and problem-solving as team members must work together to come up with a strategy and execute it efficiently.
10. Virtual Trivia
Playing virtual trivia is a great way to have fun with your team while learning new things and boosting morale. To start, gather your team via a video conferencing platform. Select a trivia host to create and lead the game, or use a professional game company like Bar None Games to do the work for you. Teams can compete against one another or work together to answer the questions. At the end, reward the winning team with a virtual high five or some other token of appreciation. Virtual trivia is an excellent way to break the ice and encourage collaboration among team members in a relaxed atmosphere.
11. The Minefield
Players navigate a physical or virtual minefield by giving and following verbal instructions. One player is blindfolded and must make their way through the maze, while the other members of their team give them verbal instructions. The Minefield promotes teamwork, clear communication, and trust as team members must rely on each other to navigate the course successfully.
12. The Hula Hoop Pass
In this activity, teams must pass a hula hoop around the group using only their feet, without letting it touch the ground. This fun, quick activity helps promote teamwork, communication, and problem-solving as team members must work together to figure out how to pass the hula hoop around their bodies effectively.
13. The Communication Game
Players work together to build a structure using only verbal instructions, without being able to see the materials or each other. The game promotes teamwork, effective communication, and clear problem-solving as team members must find creative ways to communicate and work together to complete the task.
14. The Silent Game
The opposite of the communication game, in the silent game, players are to communicate without speaking and try to complete a task within a set timeframe. This is a fun way to engage your team members while also helping them stay creative.
15. Marble Maze
The Marble Maze is a game where teams will have to guide a marble through a maze by rotating the board and using blocks to stop the marble. The goal of the Marble Maze game is to get your ball from start to finish. You can do this by rotating the board and using blocks to stop the ball. The Marble Maze game is an excellent way for teams to engage in teamwork, communication, and collaboration.
16. The Collaborative Drawing Game
A collaborative drawing game is a game where each player takes turns drawing a line to the next player who has to draw the next line. The goal is to create an image collaboratively. The game is often played in teams of two or more people. It’s a great way for people to get creative and think outside of their comfort zone. This game is an easy activity that can be played in many different settings, whether it’s a quick meeting break or a team bonding activity.
17. The Puzzle Challenge
The puzzle challenge is a great way to break the ice, have some fun, and get to know your team. Participants will be split into teams of 3-4 people and each team will receive a box with a set of puzzles. The puzzles are all different shapes and sizes, with different levels of difficulty. Teams need to work together to solve the puzzles as quickly as possible and then shout out their answers in order to win the game!
Some tips for playing the puzzle challenge:
Make sure you have enough space for everyone on your team so that they can work together in solving the puzzle.
Work together as a team - it's much more fun that way.
18. Scattergories
Scattergories is a word game in which players try to come up with words that fit a certain category using the same starting letter, but that don't overlap with the words that other players have come up with. To play, you will need a list of categories (such as "animals," "countries," or "things you eat with a fork") and a timer (such as a phone app or a sand timer). Each round, players have a set amount of time (e.g., two minutes) to come up with as many words as they can that fit the given categories.
19. Charades
This is a classic party game in which players act out words or phrases without speaking. To play, you will need a list of words or phrases (such as movie titles, famous people, or common phrases) and a timer. One player acts out the word or phrase while the other players try to guess what it is. Players can use gestures and facial expressions, but they are not allowed to speak or make any sounds.
20. Bingo
Bingo is a game of chance in which players try to get a "Bingo" by getting five squares in a row on a grid. To play, you will need a set of Bingo cards (which can be physical or created using a virtual Bingo card) and a set of Bingo markers (such as chips or beans). One person (the "caller") draws a card with a number on it and calls out the number to the group. Players mark the number on their card if they have it, and the first person to get five squares in a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) calls out "Bingo" and wins the game. This game is great for large groups.
How do you get started?
are a great way to bring your team together, improve communication and collaboration, and boost morale in the workplace. Whether you're looking for classic trust exercises or more interactive and high-energy games, there are plenty of options to choose from. Remember, the key is to find something that is fun and engaging for everyone, and that helps to foster a positive and supportive team culture. So, the next time you're looking to bring your team together, consider trying out one of our team building games and see the positive impact it can have on your team.
If you don’t know where to start, or aren’t sure which team building game to choose for your team, Bar None Games can help you out! With a variety of engaging games live-hosted by a professional host, we have something for every team.