If you’re a busy leader looking for an entertaining way to unite your employees, balloon team building activities may be the answer.
These games are fun whether it’s an office party or corporate event. Plus, they don’t require much setup or resources – just a few balloons!
In this article, let’s see 10 interesting activities that you can play with your employees using balloons.
10 Balloon Team Building Activities for Your Employees
Here are some of the amazing balloon activities for team building. You can conduct these activities both indoors and outdoors. So, get ready to have fun with your employees!
#1. Balloon Tower
This game is a great way to encourage collaboration between employees. Its objective is to build the tallest tower possible within a predetermined time limit, using only balloons.
Instructions
- Initially, divide the employees into teams, and give each team the same number of balloons.
- Now, instruct them to start building a balloon tower within the specified time limit.
- At the end of the time limit, check each team’s tower. The team with the tallest tower can be declared the winner.
Learning Outcome
Groups must use communication, problem solving, and strategizing skills to build the tallest tower.
Debrief
- What strategies did you use to build the tallest balloon tower?
- How did your group work together to complete this task?
- Do you think you could have better results if you communicate more effectively and why?
#2. Unusual Pass
This is a challenging and engaging team building activity that makes employees work together, coordinate, and solve problems. The goal of the game is to pass the balloon around without using hands!
Instructions
- Firstly, divide players into teams, and give an inflated balloon to each of them.
- Now, ask the teams to stand in a circle, and pass the balloon around without using their hands.
- Then, let them pass the balloon around as quickly as possible. You can set a time limit for this activity.
- Finally, see which team has completed the task in the fastest time.
Learning Outcome
This game encourages teamwork, communication, and critical thinking skills as players must come up with strategies to win.
Debrief
- As a group, how did you plan this activity?
- Was there anything that made it difficult for your group to pass the balloon quickly? Please explain.
- How did employing critical thinking skills improve the speed and efficiency of your team’s performance?
#3. Popping Game
This is a fun exercise that can challenge your teams to collaborate and use their problem-solving skills. The objective of the game is to pop as many balloons before the time is up.
Instructions
- Firstly, divide the employees into teams, and give an equal number of balloons to each of them.
- Now, instruct them to start popping as many balloons as possible within the specified time limit.
- Finally, count how many balloons each team has popped, and see who has the highest number of popped balloons.
Learning Outcome
This activity helps the groups to collaborate, think quickly, and use their problem-solving skills in order to be successful.
Debrief
- How did working together as a group help you achieve the goal?
- What were some of the creative solutions you brainstormed to pop the balloons?
- During this activity, did any of your colleagues disagree on something and why?
#4. Keep Away
This is an interesting game that pushes teams to work together, strategize, and practice their communication skills. The objective of the game is to keep possession of the balloon without letting any opponents take control.
Instructions
- Start by dividing the participants into teams, and give a balloon to each of them.
- Now, instruct them to start passing the balloon within their team without letting any other opponents take control of it.
- After a certain time, count how many times each team successfully passed the balloon. The winner must be the team with the highest number of successful passes.
Learning Outcome
This game inspires the teams to work together, practice their coordination skills, and think strategically in order to be successful.
Debrief
- What strategies did your group use to keep possession of the balloon?
- How did you handle your opposition when they tried to try to take control?
- How would you describe your group’s level of coordination?
#5. Tag It
This is an entertaining team building activity that encourages employees to collaborate, practice their coordination skills, and think quickly. The goal of the game is for the designated “It” to tag all other players with the balloon before time runs out!
Instructions
- Initially, divide the employees into teams, and designate one person on each team as “It”.
- Now, ask the players to start running around trying to avoid being tagged with the balloon by “It”. Set a time limit for this activity.
- Once the time is up, award points to each team depending on how many players managed to avoid being tagged by “It”. Then, see which team scored the most points.
Learning Outcome
This activity is great for improving creativity and problem solving skills as the players should find a way to avoid being tagged.
Debrief
- What strategies did you use to stay away from the balloon?
- How did you use your critical thinking skills while playing this game?
- What new insights into group collaboration and problem solving did this game provide?
#6. Balancing Game
This activity is a great way to promote communication and collaboration between coworkers. The objective of the game is to balance a balloon on the forehead without using one’s hands.
Instructions
- Start by dividing the participants into groups. Next, provide an equal number of balloons to each of them.
- Now, they can take turns balancing a balloon on their forehead without using their hands.
- The group that holds the balloon for the longest time wins!
Learning Outcome
This exercise encourages groups to work together, practice their communication skills, and think strategically in order to be successful.
Debrief
- What strategies did you use to keep the balloons balanced without any other objects?
- How did your group collaborate during this activity?
- Did you ever feel frustrated with this task and why?
#7. Hot Potato
Hot Potato is one of the balloon team building activities that promotes communication among coworkers. The goal of the game is to keep the balloon in the air as long as possible without touching it using one’s hands!
Instructions
- First off, split the participants into teams, and give each group an inflated balloon.
- Now, instruct the teams to stand in a circle and keep the balloon in the air as long as possible without touching it using their hands.
- Finally, the team that lasts the longest will win this game.
Learning Outcome
This activity encourages group coordination, communication, and trust as players must work together in order to win.
Debrief
- What strategies did you use to keep the balloon in the air without using your hands?
- How did your group’s communication and listening skills impact its performance?
- Do you think team coordination is vital in the workplace and why?
#8. Balloon Pictionary
This is a creative team building activity that encourages problem-solving and communication skills among colleagues. The goal of the game is to draw pictures with balloons, and ask others to guess it!
Instructions
- Initially, split the players into groups, and give an inflated balloon to each of them.
- Now, the groups can stand in a circle and draw pictures with the balloon that represents different words. Then, the others should guess it.
- Finally, see which team has guessed the most correct answers.
Learning Outcome
This game encourages creative thinking, problem solving, teamwork, and communication skills as players must come up with ideas and strategies to do well.
Debrief
- As a group, how did you approach this activity?
- Were you able to come up with a unique idea and why?
- How did your team make use of non-verbal cues to effectively communicate?
#9. The Artwork
This is a team building activity that encourages collaboration and creativity among players. The goal of the game is to use balloons in different colors to create a unique piece of art together!
Instructions
- First off, divide players into teams. Next, give lots of inflated balloons in different colors to each team.
- Now, ask them to create a unique piece of art using the balloons. Set a time limit for this exercise.
- Finally, see which team created the most impressive artwork.
Learning Outcome
This exercise encourages collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, and communication skills as groups must work together to create an artwork within a set time limit.
Debrief
- How did you think outside the box when creating this artwork?
- Do you believe your colleagues had better ideas than you and why?
- How did your group divide up tasks to complete the artwork?
#10. Stop-Pop
This is a fun team building game that encourages healthy competition among colleagues. The objective of this game is to be the last person standing when all balloons have been popped.
Instructions
- Initially, divide players into teams with an equal number of members.
- Now, place balloons on the floor, fewer than the number of players.
- Start playing music and have the teams run around balloons. When the music stops, they must quickly sit on a balloon and pop it – do not allow two people to sit on one!
- In each round, the players who fail to pop the balloon will be out of the game. Finally, the last person standing wins.
Learning outcome
This game encourages creativity, problem solving, and communication among team members as they collaborate to beat each other.
Debrief
- What strategies did you use in order to pop your balloon first?
- How was the sense of competition between your colleagues?
- What lessons did you learn about listening during this game that you can apply in other areas of life?
Want Some Unique Team Building Activities?
If you want some unique activities for all the team building stages, you can get my new e-book:
Or Want Some Unique Leadership Development Activities?
If you want some unique activities to equip your employees with leadership skills, qualities, and mindset, you can get my new e-book:
Final Words
Team building activities using balloons can be a fun and engaging way to promote collaboration, communication, and problem solving skills among your staff. Through these exercises, employees learn about the importance of teamwork while also having fun! With these games in your arsenal, you are sure to have a successful team building experience.
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