Team Building Games: 36+ Fun Games for Work in 2026

There are many effective team building games for adults that can bring levity to the workplace and strengthen your team’s efficiency and chemistry in the long run. This guide is a compilation of our favorite team building games for the office!

Top Team Building Games for Work

• ⏰ Best Quick Team Building Game: Embrace Quirky Game
• 🥚 Small Group Game: Egg Drop Game
• 🥇 Best Large Group Game: Office Olympics
• 📸 Best Virtual Team Game: Photo Challenge
• 🚩Best Outdoor Team Building Game: Capture the Flag
• 5️⃣ Best Team Building Icebreaker: 5 Things in Common

Why Trust Us about Fun Team Building Games?

We have been creating the best team building experiences since 2011. Our clients have brought their teams on our walking food tours, to our interactive meals, and have hired us to entertain their teams and clients with interactive bars because we know the recipe for team-bonding is one part interactive and engaging experiences and another part leaving space for conversation and deepening connection. Five-star team building is what we do, so we are uniquely qualified to cultivate this list of good team building games!

Quick Team Building Games

Looking for a quick and simple game to get your team meeting off to a great start? Here are our favorite fast (but still totally fun) team building games.

1. Embrace Quirky Game

One of our Core Values at Avital is to #EmbraceQuirky. This means embracing the little things that make us unique! We invented the #EmbraceQuirky game and play it on most of our team building events because it is always such a hit, plus it’s super simple: Ask everyone to write something a little quirky about themselves on a card. Then the leader will read each card without giving away who wrote it, and everyone guess whose “quirk” it is. It always creates conversation and lets our guests know each other a little better.

2. One Word at a Time Story

The One Word at a Time Story game never fails to achieve absolutely ridiculous results. Your team stands around in a circle and says one word at a time in an attempt to create a story. Encourage your team to get into a rhythm and not take too long to choose their word. This encourages improvisation, off-the-cuff thinking, and always ends with a lot of laughs.

3. Take a Personality Test

Whether your team takes something diagnostic like the Myers Briggs Test or something ridiculous like Buzzfeed’s “Which State Do You Actually Belong In” Quiz, personality tests are a fun way to find the differences and similarities between members of your team. It’s a quick and easy way to strike up a conversation between team members and get to know each other better.

4. Paper Tower

This is a great, quick team-building game because everything you need to play can be found in the office. Provide each team with an equal amount of paper, tape, and a pair of scissors. The challenge is to create the largest free-standing tower among all the teams. This game encourages teamwork, imagination, and can be done in under 10 minutes!

5. Name that Tune

Name That Tune is a fun way to challenge your team’s music knowledge and get the energy up quickly in the middle of the workday. Websites like Song Trivia make playing this game easy by letting you select pre-made quizzes by artist, decade, or genre. And the best part is that you can play for however long or short you’d like!

6. Human Bingo

Human bingo is a fun and quick ice breaker game where your teammates can learn something new about each other. Each team member gets a bingo sheet with prompts like “plays on a sports team”, “speaks a second language”, and “has a dog”. Their task is to find another team member who has done one of those things so they can cross off that square and eventually get bingo. Add on the rule that you can only check off one square per person to further encourage mixing and mingling between team members.

7. Two Truths & a Lie

Chances are you’ve played this game before. It’s a lot of fun, super easy, and makes for a perfect icebreaker. Each person states three “facts” about themselves—two true and one false—and the group guesses which is the lie.

Team Building Games for Small Groups

There are so many great team building games for small groups that allow for intimate connections and lots of laughs. Whether you’re a team of 2 or 10, these games will be loads of fun.

8. Human Knot

This game gets your team up and out of their chairs for some hands-on (literally) fun. The group stands in a circle, then reaches in to grab the hands of two different people. Once everyone is ready, the group works together to untangle themselves without letting go of hands.

9. Show & Tell

This game takes us back to our Kindergarten-selves! Ask you team to bring an item that is meaningful to them and explain its significance. You could do one long session where everyone shares, or each week you pick someone to show and tell for more of a series. It helps your team get to know one another more and builds connection.

10. Egg Drop

This is a classic team building game that is fun for all ages. It harkens back to the type of experiment you did in science class growing up. All you need to provide is one egg for each team, and a variety of components they can use to try to protect their egg, like balloons, straws, newspaper, string, and plastic bags. Then everyone drops their egg from 10+ feet off the floor, and you see whose survives the fall!

11. Throw Axes

Throwing axes takes a bit of strength and a lot of trust. This is a great team building game because it’s high stakes and gets the adrenaline pumping. It’s also a good pick because of its uniqueness, which will create unforgettable memories for your team to reminisce on.

12. Solve a Murder Mystery

This is one of our favorite team building games for small groups because it encourages collaboration, imagination, and helps exercise problem solving skills. Playing With Murder has a great party kit for corporate groups that can accommodate 8-100 participants.

13. Mafia

Mafia is a game that combines storytelling, strategy, and a little bit of detective work. Your team will sit in a circle and close their eyes. Someone who’s playing the “Narrator” will tap two people to be members of the “Mafia”; they will select a target to “kill” that night from the people in the circle. Everyone who is not the mafia works together to find out who is committing the “murders” and hopefully save the people of the town! Here is a more detailed explanation of Mafia gameplay.

14. Escape Room

Escape rooms are perfect for team building because in the room together, you are all forced to communicate, solve problems, and build trust in each other’s abilities. Most cities have a place where you can try out an escape room with your team. Check out big companies like Escapology and The Escape Game to start your search.

Team Building Games for Large Groups 

If you have a big team finding team building games where everyone can participate might feel like a challenge. So we’ve rounded up our favorite team building games for large groups, where everyone can enjoy!

15. Office Olympics

The Office Olympics are a great opportunity to get scrappy, think outside the box, and use every resource at your disposal. Events like paper toss into the trash can, desk soccer, paper plane flying contest, and rubber band archery are classics! Teamland has a great list of Office Olympic Games to help get your creative juices flowing!

16. Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt is an awesome indoor or outdoor game for team building because it introduces some healthy competition to the workplace and encourages out-of-the-box thinking! City Hunt can create a customized scavenger hunt for you in any city, which makes your job a whole lot easier! But if the scavenger hunt you come up with is as simple as hiding candy or gift cards around the office, I don’t think your team will be complaining!

17. Arcade

Arcades are nostalgic places for many of us and are great environments for team bonding. Most major cities have a Dave and Busters or, even better, a local arcade that’s been around for the last 50 years, where you can take your team and spend the day playing Pac-Man, Skeeball, Whack-a-Mole, and decompressing together.

18. Bowling

Bowling is a classic team building game for a reason! You can play tournament style across multiple lanes, which can accommodate a large group. Winners from each lane will come together for an ultimate championship round at the end of the night. You’ll be surprised how competitive people get!

19. Rock Paper Scissors Tournament

A Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament is a great choice for large group team building because it works for groups of any size and goes pretty quickly. Pair everyone off and start with the best two out of three rounds of Rock, Paper, Scissors. Then the winners of each pair play each other, and so on and so forth until there is an ultimate office Rock Paper Scissors champion!

Virtual Team Building Games

If you have a remote team, chances are you’re always on the lookout for great team building games to break the Zoom meeting model.

20. Rose/Thorn Icebreaker

Not so much a game as much as an icebreaker, the Rose/Thorn prompt is on my list because it gets people talking. Everyone has to go around and share their positives for the week, their rose. And then their thorn, or something negative. You can ask them to share something work-related or personal. It’s nice to hear what’s going on in your colleagues’ lives, especially when you’re calling in from different places. 

21. Photo Challenge 

Pick a theme or challenge for your team like “recreate your prom photo” or “take a picture of yourself doing an outdoor activity indoors.” Make sure to give your team enough time to complete the challenge and then marvel in the creativity. It will make people laugh, it will show off some photography skills, and it will keep the conversation flowing. It’s a lot of fun to see what people come up with! 

22. Casino Night

Bring your best poker face to a Virtual Casino Night. Upon joining the table, each player will have their chips and digital name presented on the table. A professional Croupier will then explain the proceedings of the evening and the rules of the game(s). These games encourage friendly competition and strategic thinking, which are essential to team building.

23. Participate In A Game Show Extravaganza

Why choose one game when you can choose them all? With the Virtual Game Show Extravaganza, you’re getting Family Feud, Random Trivia, and Minute to Win It-style games. The best part is that these games can be customized to include questions about your company, industry, and even individual participants, which makes this one of the most all-encompassing virtual games for team building.

24. Jackbox Party Games 

No one has ever had a bad time playing Jackbox. It’s a little bit ridiculous, very silly, and super fun. Out of all of the virtual team-building games out there, this one is guaranteed to bring the most laughs and engage everyone. Caution: It can get a little inappropriate at times, so make sure this is part of an after-work team-building activity. 

25. Escape Room Virtual Adventures 

Virtual escape rooms are just as fun as the in-person ones. A host guides you over Zoom as you try to escape a virtual room by solving riddles and puzzles. The stakes are just as high as being in an escape room venue. It keeps everyone engaged, involves working together, and most importantly, is a lot of fun. 

Outdoor Team Building Games

On sunny days, you can take your team outside for unique outdoor team building games. The change of scenery and fresh air creates a unique experience to help your team connect.

26. Lawn Games

There are so many fun lawn games you can set up in a public park to create a chill team building experience. We recommend bringing classic games like cornhole, beer pong, and bocce ball. Enjoy a little friendly competition while you breathe in the fresh air and drink a few brews.

28. Mini Golf

Mini golf is a great team building game because it is a slow-moving experience with light competition and plenty of time to talk and get to know each other better. There has been an increase in indoor mini golf facilities over the past few years, so even if your city doesn’t have the right weather to play at an outdoor course, you may still be able to find a place. 

29. Relay Race

A relay race is a perfect game for strengthening teamwork, and you don’t need to be a group of track stars to make it work. Your relay race can have many components that play to your team’s different skills. The first person can run, the next can complete a puzzle, the third can shoot hoops, or whatever challenge you want to invent!

30. Capture the Flag

Capturing the flag was fun in high school, and trust me, it’s still fun now (I may or may not have played a few rounds with my friends a couple of weeks ago). Each team will hide their flag and designate defensive and offensive team members to protect the flag or try to steal the other team’s flag. This game strengthens strategic thinking and gets your team’s blood pumping!

31. Paintball

Paintball is a fun way to throw your team into an environment that feels high-pressure and high stakes, but is, in actuality, a totally safe and fun game! Your team will run around an outdoor area with minimal cover and try to hit each other with paintballs. They’ll have to balance defending themselves with being decisively offensive, and, in this game, quick thinking and reacting are the only ways to come out on top!

Team Building Ice Breaker Games

If you’re looking for a quick conversion starter versus a full-on game, we have some great recommendations for that as well.

32. Emoji Check-In

This is a quick icebreaker, specifically for remote groups, to gauge how your team is feeling going into the meeting. Sometimes you don’t want to spend time on a longer icebreaker, which is totally fine. It’s an easy way to see how your team is doing and empathize that everyone may be having a different day than you. Just have everyone put an emoji in the chat the best represents how they’re feeling. It will lead to some laughs (🍕), but more importantly it will help meet each other where you’re at that day.

33. This or That

You may think this is a simple icebreaker but sometimes you just need something simple to get everyone engaged. Little to no effort is required and it’s a great solution for larger meetings when people don’t know each other well. Just say two things, and people can vote on which they prefer. A few example: chocolate or vanilla, mountains or beach, pizza or burgers.

34. Rose, Thorn, and Bud

Start your meeting off with gratitude and it can set the tone for a happy and productive meeting. Go around the room and have everyone share their rose (something they are thankful for this week) their thorn (something they’re having trouble with), and their bud (something they’re working on or looking forward to). It’s also a great way to celebrate your team and help them through any issues they may be having.

35. Five Things in Common

Work together with your team to find five things in common. These can be personality traits, foods, attire, anything. Maybe you’re all drinking coffee instead of tee, or maybe you’re all wearing one white clothing item. It may seem like a small task, but it builds camaraderie and definitely amps up the energy.

36. Would You Rather

As far as icebreakers go, this one is a classic – because it works! It’s a great way to quickly warm your team up for the meeting ahead. It can also be customized to suit your goal for the meeting. You can start easy, would you rather live at the beach or mountains? Or you can go for something more specific like, would you rather email or phone call? Short meetings weekly or long meetings bi-weekly?

More Team Building Ice Breakers

• Team-Approved Icebreakers for Virtual Meetings
• Holiday Icebreaker Questions for Work
• Food-Themed Team Building Icebreakers
• Team Building Icebreakers About Food And Why To Ask Them
• Spookiest Halloween Icebreakers About Food for Team Building

Tips and FAQ for Organizing Team Building Games

Come in with a Plan: A little bit of structure goes a long way! Map out the order of games you want to play with time estimates beforehand.

Keep it Inclusive: Pick games that cater to all skill and ability levels. This is meant to bring your team closer, not single anyone out.

Don’t Forget the Group Photo: You’re going to want to remember this day! Make sure to get some pictures.

Pick teams at random: Find a random way to generate teams rather than letting people pick. This prevents anyone from being left out or “picked last”.

Plan Opening and Closing Remarks: It can be helpful to start each game with an explanation of why it was chosen, and end each game with a reflection on what your team members gained from the experience.

Why Team Building Games Matter

The data shows us that team building games for adults enhance productivity and communication in your workplace. Group Dynamix, a team-building experience company whose been innovating the field since 1998, has found that: 

“Recent industry analysis reveals that companies with robust team-building programs can achieve extraordinary returns. One documented case study showed a 7.5x return on investment through a layered program that included nature immersion, somatic learning, and conscious communication activities. The tracked outcomes included 25% improvement in retention, 5.6% increase in productivity, 29.5% reduction in stress, and 9.5% improvement in collaboration.” 

Clearly, incorporating these activities into the work day, week, or at the end of the quarter is worth it!

More Guides With Corporate Team Building Activities

• Best Team Building Events
• NYC Team Building Events
• San Francisco Team Building Event
• Los Angeles Team Building Events
• Virtual Team Building Events
• 35+ Awesome NYC Team Building Activities for 2026
• Best Corporate Team Building Events in San Francisco
• Top Team Building Activities in San Francisco for 2025
• 41 Cool & Unique Virtual Team Building Activities
• I’ve Tried Countless Virtual Team Building Games. Here Are 5 That Teams Like Best!

Why Organizers Love Working with Avital 

Professional & Reliable: We have a full support team to ensure a turnkey booking and seamless experience that’ll make you look like a rockstar.

Expertly Hosted: All of our team building experiences include a vetted and trained Avital Host or Guide to facilitate, so you can sit back and enjoy!

Interactive & Hands-On: Your team will create lasting memories as they get hands-on and interact with cocktail-making, flavor tripping, food and drink trivia, and more. 

Easy Payment: We’ve been working with corporate team building groups since 2011, so we know the ins and outs of split payments, POs, and all that jazz.

No Forced Fun: Sharing food and drink is the ultimate way to connect. Our experiences create an authentic setting designed to connect all kinds of teams.