Teamwork has been an important stage for the companies as without an efficient team, it’s difficult to achieve the business goals.
Also, teamwork improves the results, and employees can easily listen and learn from each other. Good teamwork can save the company from wasting resources and in fact using every opportunity to its fullest.
However, to achieve that, the organizations have to take more initiatives to promote teamwork in their workplace.
If you are looking for the same thing, here are some of the best games you can play for that.
But Why Does Your Business Need Games For Promoting Teamwork?
To understand why you need the games in your workplace and what they can do, here are some of the benefits that can help in understanding their importance.
- Facilitating the collaboration and motivation work culture through such games can help in improving and bringing the individuals together.
- It helps in creating an environment that helps in enhancing productivity. Such initiatives also identify as well as eliminates the obstacles by making the current way of working better.
- Fostering the manifestation and responsive communication by understanding more about the personality of your employee, strengths, and weakness.
- More people include and contribute in the process which is helpful for agile problem solving and improves decision making.
- Using creativity and out of box, ideas helps the employee to recharge and refresh their attitude for their job.
- This helps in boosting the morale of your employees as playing such games helps them know that the company is interested in knowing more about them.
- It also works as brain teasers which can help the employee stay awake during the meeting, especially in the morning. Also, it boosts the flow of creative juices which makes the meeting productive.
- It also helps in learning and insights for team building for making the working environment for becoming better in performance.
List Of Games That Can Improve The Teamwork And Make It Fun Learning
If you are planning to introduce games to your team, there are several ones that you can consider.
Not only are they effective but also enjoyable.
Here is the list of games your team will enjoy.
1. Egg Drop
Egg Drop is a classic game that is effective for team building and teamwork. This can be messy on the surface but it has high engagement and collaboration.
The game unites groups and helps in creative problem-solving.
Well, the idea is to build the package or carrier of the uncooked egg and keep it intact so it can sustain the drop from 2 or 4 stories.
Image source: meseumof scienceand industry
For this game, you will need items like –
- Straws
- Tape
- Plastic balloons
- Newspaper
- Rubber band
And the complete game can last for around 1 or 1.5 hours. Those who serve the free fall will win the game.
If the game gets stuck on a tie, you can increase the height for the egg to fall.
2. Talking In Circles
Talking in circles is a fun yet challenging game that requires strong communication among teammates.
- To play the game, the team requires you to stand in a circle. The long piece of string tied at the end forms the circle.
- The team is required to create different shapes using the strings such as rectangles, squares, and triangles.
- If you want to make this more difficult, the members can close their eyes or you can put the blindfold on. And do the exercise.
- You can add more complexity by putting random members on mute so the communication can be challenging.
- You can also use this game for testing the leadership as well as trust level in the group.
3. Dog, Rice, Chicken
Well, this game is a good idea if you are looking for something major to boost your thinking.
Dog Rice Chicken helps in encouraging creative problem solving within the team.
- To play the game, the members allot the different roles. Some of them became farmers, and the rest acted as the villagers.
- The farmers have the mission to return home after doing the three purchases which include dog, rice, and chicken. For that, they have to cross the river using a boat. However, he can carry one item at one time and then use the boat.
- There are certain rules that the farmer requires to follow which includes –
- He cannot leave the chicken alone with the dog, as the dog will eat the chicken.
- The farmer cannot leave the chicken and rice together, because the chicken will eat the rice.
- And the boat can only be used for taking one time for one item
- How the farmer is going to get all the purchases and come back safely.
- The villagers can help the farmer. However, the answer is simple if the group thinks together and uses their creativity.
4. Two Sides Of A Coin
Two sides of a coin helps in building the timeless notion of positive as well as negative based on a single experience.
- For the solution, the game requires the team to come together and think about the solution which makes their team building strong and boosts communication.
- Well to take for instance, if the team consists of two members, the partner doesn’t have to share something negative that happened in their life with Partner B.
- The partners can share memories that can be personal or professional. However, it should be true, not something which can be made up at the moment.
- Once they share the memory, the partner discusses the memory, but this time it should be focused on the positive takeaways.
- Where Partner B helps in shedding the light to highlight the silver lining of the negative experience. And then switch the roles and do the same thing again.
- Well, the game is short, however, it’s extremely effective for the team members to learn good things about each other, and create the habit of seeing both sides of an event.
5. Watch Your Step
To do this game, you are going to need an open space or areas like parks and parking lots.
- Here you are also required to prepare the space, enclose the area using tape or marks. This will be the starting and ending point.
- Put different objects throughout the route, keep it random but maintain the distance.
- Well now divide the team into 2 or 4, and blindfold the selected member.
- The others will stand outside of the area, and instruct the member who is blindfolded to navigate the route. Also to avoid the toys and stepping on the paper or outside the space.
- The teammates use verbal instruction and the blindfolded have to listen carefully. The one who successfully crosses the ending point will win the race.
- The game is highly engaging and it can be played for 15 to 30 minutes.
- With this game, the team will learn to trust, communicate and improve the active listing.
6. Blind Drawing
Blind Drawing is good for encouraging communication within the team.
Image source: twitter
It especially focuses on boosting the listening as it requires sharp listening and understands to play this game. Well, the game is simple and effective.
- To play this game, you are going to need two players who are going to sit back, and one member is given an image of the object or maybe a word.
- The members have to tell what the image or word is without telling, and the person is required to draw the image as the description without using any words.
- Also, the game requires drawing the verbal description and own interpretation.
- The final outcome is fun to see, and it shows if the members can communicate better or not.
7. Three Truth And A Lie
Well to play this game, you need no instrument or tool. It can be played anytime and anywhere without hassle.
You can have 3 or more members, they have to sit in a circle where each person takes their turn one by one.
- To play this game, the person is required to tell four facts about themselves where three will be the truth and one will be a lie.
- The rest of the members have to guess which one is true and which one is a lie.
- The lie should be realistically framed, so it can be hard to guess for the team members.
- The game works wonderfully for new teams who can learn more about their coworkers
- It can also be a little push to let people open and communicate well.
8. Tower Of Hanoi
Tower Of Hanoi is a game that boosts teamwork with a twist of mathematics which allows the group to discuss, plan and solve the problems.
The game is a puzzle that consists of three posts, towers with 5 or maybe more discs that are arranged in a conical shape. Here the smallest one is at the top.
The Tower of Hanoi‘s objective is to make another one by moving the entire stack and also retain the particular order.
However, to play this game, there are few conditions that you need to follow.
- Only one disc can be moved at a time from the tower.
- The team is not allowed to add discs that are larger than the small ones.
- Discs that are on the uppermost and on the tower are allowed to shift only.
- The tower of Hanoi requires a minimum number of moves to solve.
9. Team Birthday Line Up
Well if you are looking for a game that can be the icebreaker, this one’s for you to consider.
The game is simple and recommended highly for the training process. It also focuses on problem-solving and improving communication along with boosting teamwork.
Image source: guide
Here the participants are required to fall in line and it should be side by side.
- Then they need to rearrange their line according to their birthdays, here you need to consider the month and date only.
- Here the group members are not allowed to talk with each other. However, they can use nudges, sign language, and other techniques for knowing each other’s birthday.
- For this game, you at least need 8 participants. During the game, you might notice some of the people leading or directing each other.
- Well, you can add the variation that includes blindfolding the people, using the bench or platform.
- If someone falls, the game has to restart again.
10. Frostbite
Frostbite is a game you can play to test the instinct of your team and to understand their understanding of surviving when things get worse.
To play this game, you need to divide the team into four or maybe five.
Now the scenario that you need to share is –
- The team has lost in the arctic and they are required to build the shelter to survive in cold weather and winds.
- The team elects the leader and the chosen one would have to suffer from frostbite which makes him unable to move. Others are supposed to be stuck in the snow, the rest of the team must be blindfolded.
- The leader has to give instructions to the team, telling them how they are required to build the shelter. Here no manual help is going to be involved as the teammates are not able to see, only follow the instructions.
11. Pencil Drop
Pencil Drop is a hilarious game that you can play with your team. However, to play this game, you are going to need a string, some pencils, and a water bottle.
Image source: youtube
The game is fun and also helps in breaking the tension within the group. Also, it improves the one to one which is important for teamwork.
- To play this game, tie both ends of the strings at the erase to end of the pencil and the remaining will be two open ends around the waist of the team members, the two should be facing their backs to each other.
- Now ask them to move back and forth, so they can lower down the pencil and get into the water bottle which is placed on the floor.
- The participants are not allowed to use their hands which makes it more fun.
12. Penny For Your Thought
During training sessions or maybe even after then, some of the team members feel chestnut to open up and share their thoughts.
Penny for your thought helps loosen them up and make them feel comfortable. The game can be your ideal icebreaker.
- For this game, it includes collecting the coins or pennies with the year listed. This will be dumped in the container or box.
- However, it is important to make sure that the coin should not be dated older than the members who are the youngest in the team.
- Well, now each of the members draws out coins from the box or jar. The participants have to share something memorable, special, significant thing that happened based on the year.
- The game helps teammates involved in personal interactions. Also having an insightful each other lives helps in understanding them more which is helpful for making them feel comfortable.
13. Zoom
Well, pictures are loved by everyone and Zoom is a game that requires the exact thing.
The game can be played for around 30 minutes where 30 images are needed in sequential order. The image should form a narrative together.
- To play this game, the images will be distributed to everyone without reeling and they should not share with each other too.
- However they can talk, here they have to describe what the picture looks like, highlighting the features. The game requires you to create a story that should be unified and place the images according to the sequence.
- But make sure the teammates are not allowed to see the images.
- Well with this game, you can improve the communication in a team where they also get better patience, making sense of what information they have in hand.
- Also, it helps in appreciating each other’s viewpoints.
14. Spider Web
Well, Spider web can be a bit demanding if you consider the logistic front.
Image source: trebound
However, the game is ideal for building better teams and improving teamwork.
- With this, you can help the teammates to learn the ability of different lessons such as support, trust, persistence, cooperation, and leadership.
- Here you need to build a web with the help of a large ball of strings and duct tape. It will be used on two pillar posts or trees depending on what solid and fixed pole you have.
- The team earns the point each time someone passes through that web without touching those strings.
- Once it gets passed by someone, it will get closed for the subsequent team member.
- Here the team requires to be more strategizing in terms of making it safer as well as the suitability of different passes as well as members.
15. Salt And Pepper
It’s important that the team should know the art of asking questions.
And this game is an appealing way that can help the team members to learn facts about their teammates.
It also helps in assessing the communicating ability of each other through the game.
- To play this game, you need simple stationery which includes items like paper, tape, and a pen.
- Here thoughts will be written in pairs using different paper sheets such as Sun – moon, Bread – butter, Yin – Yang, etc.
- If you are writing salt in one pair, the pepper will be on another paper. Each paper will be taped to the person’s back, without telling them and they can’t see what’s written either.
- The team will follow the instruction of finding their partners. They can only ask the answers in yes or no to find what’s written on the back of theirs.
- Once someone figures out the answer, they can pair up together.
15. The Barter Puzzle
Well, the game can be played for 1 or 2 hours. However, it depends on the level of negotiation or cooperation, speed of decision-making that different groups show.
Image source: pinterest
- Here you need to divide the team members into different groups, each will get the jigsaw puzzle.
- Each jigsaw puzzle has some level of complexity and the team requires to put the pieces back as fast as they could.
- To make this game more complex, each member has some puzzles from other teammates mixed with their jigsaw puzzles.
- The team has to come up with different ways to negotiate, exchanging team members, or trading to get the puzzles back.
- The decision should be taken by the team, as individual decisions are not allowed.
- Here the teammates are required to focus on their ability of problem-solving and building confidence within their group.
16. Google Bag Skits
Google Bag Skits is a fun game that helps in bringing the teammates out of their comfort zone.
- It’s also helpful in making them feel more comfortable along with their colleagues.
- The skits are not only based on entertainment purposes but it requires planning as well as collaboration between members.
- The game is highly suitable if you have a large group of teams where you have at least 20 to 50 members.
- The team will get divided into groups consisting of 3 to 8 people, along with the goodie bags that will include random items.
- For playing a skit, each team will have 5 to 10 minutes to prepare and they are required to perform within 3 minutes.
- The topics of the skits can be chosen by teams or predefined using the facilitator.
- The group requires you to use the items they have in the bags. Once all the teams are done with their performance, the winner can be induced by doing the votes.
17. Human Knot
Human Knot is a fun combination of creativity which makes it interesting.
Image source: theuquowaschool
- The team members are required to stand in a circle and make sure they are shoulder to shoulder, where the faces should be inside of the circle.
- Each member was asked to extend their right arm and grab someone else’s hand across the circle.
- The same goes for the left arms too.
- Well here are two conditions they need to follow :
- Everyone should be holding two different people’s hands.
- No one is allowed to hold the hand of the person who is standing in front of them.
- The challenge is to untangle the knot without breaking the circle. If the circle breaks, they have to start again.
18. Balloon Questions
Well, you can consider the balloon questions especially when the teams are new, scattered, or virtual ones.
Here you want to learn from each other and ensure that team is comfortable. Ballon questions are a stress-free, interactive and fun game.
- To play this game you are going to need balloons, a pen or pencil, and paper.
- Each team member gets a balloon along with a paper strip.
- Ask them to write the questions they have on the paper and put them in the balloon. Then blow and tie it.
- Once everyone has completed their work, ask them to hit the balloon in the air. Keep the balloon in the air as much as it can be possible.
- Ask them to grab the balloons, it can be some others’ balloon and sit in a circle.
- Each person pops the balloons they are holding and answers the questions they have.
19. Helium Stick
Well, this game can be funny as well as frustrating. You can consider using the game for driving lessons in teamwork to achieve common goals.
Image source: teampedia
- You are going to need a group of 8 to 12 members, here break them into two lines, facing each other.
- Here they have to lower the stick on the ground without letting it fall. The stick will be placed on their index fingers, it should not be grabbing or curling at all.
- It can be daunting as the stick can rise upward even when the small pressure it gets. So the participants are required to remain in contact with the stick until it gets on the floor.
20. Scavenger Hunt
The team game is fun, amusing and encourages teams to collaborate creatively.
- Here you are going to devote your ground to two or more teams. The team will be divided based on their strength.
- Now make the list of things that require to be found or done by the team for winning. Also, put the deadline to add pressure and fun.
- Those who end up completing all the missions as a team will win the game.
- You can also add riddles, twists, clues, etc to the game so they have to solve it to find what item they need to find.
21. Scramble Puzzle
You can consider playing the scrambled puzzle game, as it’s perfect to build a high level of trust, communication, and leadership among the members of the team.
- To play the game, you are going to need a few items such as pre-school level of easy puzzles and blindfolds.
- The team has to wear blindfolds and sit in a circle.
- Those who haven’t been blindfolded, they will sit outside, with the back of the group.
- Now put the puzzle across the table in front of the group that is blindfolded. The team is required to solve the puzzle, and who is the first to win.
- And to win the game, the person who is sitting outside the circle should have the same puzzle in the same format.
- The blindfold members have to trust the guidelines and instructions and put the puzzle together.
22. Memory Wall
You can boost positive peace and create memories for building trust and teamwork.
- Here you will need a whiteboard, and distribute the post-it notes to all the members.
- Write work-related themes on the whiteboard, it can be work travel, the first day of work, team celebration, etc.
- Now ask the members to write down their related memories to the topic in the post-it note.
- You can ask about the memories they have and it will make them more connected and understanding.
23. Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower
You can consider this game for putting the best problem solvers in fix. The team is required to come up with something creative and work together as a team to put up a fragile tower.
Image source: pinterest
- To make the tower, they will need items like spaghetti sticks, masking tape, and marshmallows.
- Each team will get the items, and using them they have to build the tallest tower that can be possible.
- Also, the tower should stand on its own at least for five seconds without support from external. And the marshmallow should be sitting on the top of its structure, looking all pretty.
24. Bonding Belt
The game is perfect to consider for your team if you want to encourage more decisions and developing strategy.
- To play the bonding belt, the team needs 20 to 30 minutes and a rope or cling tape.
- The team will be divided into 5 or 6 groups, and bind them with tape or band so the movements get limited.
- Here they have to reach the A to B point. They will get 5 minutes to come up with a strategy for doing that mission.
- Then they can run and keep track of their times. Once they know the finish times, they can strategize again to beat the previous score.
25. Desert Survival
Desert Survival is a classic take on collaborating the team for achieving the common good and test the logic as well as problem-solving skills.
- Here the group will get to the senior where the plane has crashed and everyone has now left far away in the desert.
- There will be a list of items that can be helpful to survive as well as rescue other participants.
- Based on the importance as well as the relevance of the items, the team requires to prioritize as well as rank on the basis of individuals.
- This game will take around 30 to 40 minutes to reflect on the choices that have been made collectively and singularly.
- The game also shows how the team will react and fare when an individual gets the [power or makes decisions.
26. 4 Way Tug Of War
The game is an upgraded version of the classic tug of war game. Adding the multidirectional variant and it’s expensive too.
- To play this game you will need the tie ropes, and put it in such a way so it can tug around three or four teams toaster.
- This will make the team-high energy levels and make the game more competitive.
- It also works to keep the team works more installing and sportsmanship.
27. Classify This
Classifying this helps the team to reveal their view and thought process of viewing the pecs, and finding the commonalities between the non-related objects.
- To play this game, you need different objects, collect them, and put them on the table. Place the table in the center of the room and make sure it’s visible to everyone.
- You can add different things which can be toys, cake, jewelry, and umbrellas. At Least you should have the 25 pieces which require to be different from each other.
- Now every group will be given sheets of blank paper along with pens.
- They require you to classify the objects into 4 different categories which can be anything that you decide.
- Now invite the spokesperson from the groups and ask to represent what are those classified things and the logic behind them.
- This will help in giving something different from the point of view of things to the team.
28. What’s In The Room
Well, this game requires the team to pick the random items that they get in the room. And the purpose is to make it presentable for selling it.
- They have to come up with a logo, brand name, slogan, and strategy in detail to make the product a successful purchase.
- Set the deadline that every team requires to follow. And once the time is up, the project requires to present. The objective should be to make it profitable to sell.
- The one who is able to sell the product at the highest profit will win the game.
- Also after winning, the team can share their planning and teamwork to share what makes their product different so others can learn too.
29. Let Us Guess
The game is an advanced version and diversion based on the classic game of dumb charades.
- Well to play this game, you are going to need the teams, each will have at least 4 to 5 members.
- One of the members from each team will get an object which should not be seen by others.
- The member waits for turns and has to demonstrate what the object is without speaking.
- The rest of the team has to guess and discuss to find the right name for the object. Each team will get the three guesses.
- Also to keep the game fun, you can add wackily as well as challenging objects.
30. Hear Me Out
The game can help in improving the problems like partial listening and misconduct which can cause conflicts in the team.
- To make the conversation better, it requires both verbal wells as nonverbal clues along with a balance.
- To play this game. The member of the team read out the document aloud in front of the other member.
- The document should include mind-numbing but coherent jargon along with non-related phrases.
- Also, it will be read out in monotone voice without emphasizing on its real sentence.
- The remaining members have to write down what they heard in the paper. You can put the quiz to make sure who heard what.
31. Perfect Question
To play this game, you are going to divide the team members into teams, consisting of 5 or 6 members.
- Now you need to give each member a scene, for example, let’s say someone is getting married or maybe someone is starting their own restaurant.
- The rest of the team have one question that they can ask, it should be something that can make it perfect and suitable for the sensor.
- The members can write their questions for each senior and once all is covered, they can discuss later to know which one did the perfect framing of the question.
- With this game, you can understand how they think, what their motives and other abilities are regarding the same issues.
32. Last 30 Seconds
With this game, the team members can learn about each other’s desires, passion, and personality.
- Well, the game is pretty simple, the members will get a minute to think about the perfect moment that deserves their life. It can be anything that they want and anywhere.
- The search can be narrowed down when they have to answer what would be the one moment that they want to relive if they have the last 30 seconds of their life.
- This game helps the memes to connect with each other on a personal level. Also, it can help in improving the team understand and teamwork.
33. Swift Swap
You can consider this game if you want to add something for refreshment. Especially when your team feels drained and stressed.
- This can be helpful for teams who have interacted in a while or knows only remotely.
- You can have 10 or 20 people. The participants have to form equal lines and face each other.
- Both teams have 15 seconds to observe each other. Then one of the lines turns, giving the next line 30 or 40 seconds to change at least 10 things.
- It can be anything, maybe they add some clothes, jewelry, or swap the shoes. All changes require to be done before the next line turns.
- Now the first group turns and sees what things have been changed. And the same second one will do.
34. Who Am I?
You can play the Who Am I to get the team into a more fun and laughing environment. It also helps in removing the hindrance and awkwardness.
- You can make index cards or name-adding different people like Authoritative, Go-getter, Nerdy, Lazy, etc.
- Place those tags behind the members so they can’t see but others can.
- Now allot the time, so the members can interact and ask what type of card they have in their back. The answer depends on the person who reacts to the answer.
- Whoever finds out the answer will exit whereas the rest of them find out their tags.
35. Human Shapes
For this game, you are going to need at least 8 to 12 members who will work together, using the bodies of others to form the letters and words.
- Get a place that is open and has no obstacles, and now the members can spread out.
- The level goes easy to tough where the participant has to start with alphabets, then 3 or 4 letters, and then the phase.
- The members have to guess what the words are, those who get the maximum will win the game.
36. Bob The Builder
- For playing the Bob The Builder game you are going to need 10 paper cups.
- Now divide the groups into small teams, each team should have at least 4 to 6 members.
- Ask the team members to stand in line and maintain the distance between them, at least keep it 8 to 10 feet.
- Once the word ‘ go’ is announced, the first player in each team has to build the pyramid using 4 cups as a base.
- Afterward, the next member continues from that, however, they have to carry the pyramid to the place where he was standing. Here they are building the second layer. If it falls, they can build it again and it keeps continuing.
- The same cycle repeats to every member when everyone builds, moves, and tumbled. Now they have to choose how the pyramid will move to its place. It can be using support, sliding it, or carrying it.
37. Paper Plane Contest
Paper plane contest is strategizing, requires collaboration and fun games. It improves the skills needed that help the team to understand how they can work together.
Image source: glassdoor
- For this game, a long hallway is needed. Tape the marks where the launch line will be and have a measuring stick, along with a card or paper stock.
- Each team will get the card stock for building the paper plane.
- They can build different signs but it should fly the farthest to win the game.
- Also, they have to come up with the airline’s name, logo, and slogan.
38. Shoe Scrambler
If you are looking for games that can make the team loosen up and increase their camaraderie. Shoe scrambler is a fun game to consider.
- Well to play this game, all the team members have to take their shoes and put them together in a pile.
- Now mix all the shoes and ask them to stand in a straight line. Keep their distance from the pile.
- Well, now the first player has to run and wear his own pair, put them on, and tie it. And stand where he was, giving the hifive to his respective line.
- Once the next one gets the ‘ Go’, he has to do the same thing.
- When time ups, the team which has most of the footwear wearing the laced shoelace will win.
39. Zombie Escape
This game can be adventurous, fun, and a bit of horror.
- To play, you will require a room with a dim light that is big enough to hide clues, puzzles and once it’s done it can be locked.
- Now you can create more horror and distraction with visuals, sound, and light effects. It shows the zombie apocalypse scenario is going on.
- The team is required to find the solution and a hidden key for unlocking the door as well as allowing them to escape to the room.
40. Huma Spring
Huma spring can be an effective game that can boost trust, interdependence cooperation in a team.
- To play this game, the team has to divide into small groups. Now they face each other, elbow bent and hands up, keeping the palms forward to each other.
- Now after getting the next instruction, they have to touch their palms together, gradually leaning towards each other and holding each other.
- Ask to keep the feet away so they have to dupe their partners more and remain standing.
- You can switch the partners too, it will help in breaking the records.
More To Explore:
- 25 Ice-Breaker Fun Games For Remote Teams
- 15 Online Games To Play With Coworkers
- 30+ Online Games To Play At Work: Boost Your Productivity
- 15+ Fun Friday Games To Play In Office
- 50 Virtual Team Building Activities For Small Businesses
“Vision, strategy, and inspiration – these three words describe me the best. I am the founder of “TheLeaderboy” dedicated to leadership and personal development. As a self-taught practitioner, I have been studying the principles of effective leadership for the past decade and my passion lies in sharing my insights with others. My mission is to empower individuals to become better leader