Getting your company’s team excited for team-building activities can be challenging. But it doesn’t have to be. Check out part one to discover great indoor exercises if you haven’t already, and read on for some excellent activities that’ll get you excited to hang out with the team.

Team-Building Activities That Take a Bit More Space or Planning

You won’t be able to do these on the fly, but with some proper planning, these are the perfect choice to build up your company culture.

Office Jeopardy

This will require a team to set up the question board for denominations with trivia on the back of each tile. 

Equipment: The jeopardy board. 

People: This can be played in teams for larger groups. But you definitely need an announcer who has the answers and 3 players (or teams).

How To Play: Players or teams of players take turns picking categories and amounts and answering the corresponding questions. To make it even more interesting, have a prize for the winner. If you want to see how jeopardy is played, you can see an actual episode to get an idea of how this game works. This is perfect for teaching your team about the company.

Cook-Off

This creativity-infused activity is excellent for team-building and the taste buds — if all goes well. 

Equipment: Groceries and cooking supplies.

People: Best played in small groups of 4-5 people with a minimum of 3 groups.

How to Play: Have your teams whip up a dish in a specific category. Think nachos, sundaes, or a sandwich. Then, for some added difficulty, have one ingredient that MUST be used that probably has no business being in that recipe. Each team has to make their dish using what is available and the special ingredient within a time limit. Judges then pick the winner. This is great for creativity, communication, and teamwork. 

Scavenger Hunt

Oh, the Scavenger Hunt, a beloved party game that we all miss from childhood. This can be as elaborate or as clear-cut as you choose.

Equipment: Clues and pen and paper for teams

People: Best played in teams of 2-5 with a minimum of 3 teams

How to Play: You can make this as elaborate or as simple as you choose. Some scavenger hunts are simply lists of items to find, and teams must document this with photos or actually bringing each item if possible. You can also make a scavenger hunt difficult by hiding “clues” at each place that leads to the next clue. Think Amazing Race style. This is fantastic for team bonding, problem-solving, and communication. 

 

Off-Site Team-Building Activities That Require Reservations

These activities all involve a bit of an off-site trip and some pre-planning. For these activities, you don’t need to worry about equipment or setup. All you have to worry about is making the reservation and getting your team there for a fun-filled day.

Escape Rooms

If you thought some of the previous activities were hard, wait until you lock your team in a room and tell them to get out within a time limit using only the clues and each other. Escape rooms are great for team building thanks to the communication and problem solving needed to complete these fun challenges. We recommend groups of 5-8. For larger teams, just book multiple escape rooms at your local Escape Room location. 

Paint Nights

Want to bring out the creativity in your team in a low-pressured social situation? Try painting or even a pottery class. Each person has something beautiful to take home, and you’ve sparked the creative side of their brain into action. 

Volunteering

We all know how good giving back can feel. When you get your team together and give back to the community, it can bond a team together like nothing else. Not to mention they’ll have something to talk about in the lunchroom for weeks to come. Perhaps some members of your team will continue volunteering together even after that team-building activity. 

Outdoor Activities (e.g. Kayaking)

Guided nature walks, obstacle courses, kayaking, horseback riding — these are all enjoyable activities that get your team out and physically moving. For those in office jobs, getting outside can be a welcome treat. If you’re looking for a team-building activity that everyone will be dreaming about for months after, we always recommend something active and outdoors for a change of scenery. 

Sports Game or Movie Nights

Renting out a theatre for a company movie night can be a blast for a large company. This is something that all children dream of — a private movie party! That dream didn’t go away when we became adults, we just got too busy to remember it. Even if you have a small company, taking everyone to the movies is a fun afternoon activity to end a Friday early. Don’t want to sit in a dark room and quietly decompress? Take everyone to a sporting event and listen to your colleagues cheer on their favourite team on the field or court. Team building doesn’t always have to be about communication skills and problem solving. Sometimes, it’s about popcorn and cheering loud. 

Planning these team-building activities doesn’t need to keep you up at night. The trick is not to over-plan and to find something that’s fun while being informative. If all else fails, ask your team for suggestions or reach out to another company to see what worked for them. We have loads of ideas at Genesa, and we’d love to share them with you. For all of your team-building needs, we’re here to help. Get in touch today.