Are you in search of printable team building activities for work?
If you are a busy leader, you might want some helpful exercises for team meetings or training sessions.
In this article, let’s see 10 printable team building games that can conduct with your employees.
These activities are short and easy to execute. Moreover, each activity consists of step-by-step instructions and debrief. So, select the activity you like and print it.
10 Printable Team Building Activities for Work
Here is a list of 10 printable activities that you can use with your teams.
#1. Hot Potato
Learning Outcome: Trust building, communication, and team coordination.
In this activity, teams should keep an inflated balloon in the air as long as possible without using their hands.
Time: You decide
Materials: Inflated Balloon
Participants: Less than 10 individuals per group
Instructions
- Split the participants into small groups.
- Give each group an inflated balloon.
- Groups should stand in a circle and keep the balloon in the air without using their hands.
- The group that lasts the longest will win this game.
Debrief
- What strategy helped your group keep the balloon in the air the longest?
- How did communication shape your team’s coordination during the game?
- Where did trust matter most in this activity?
You can also read:
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#2. The Globe Game
Learning Outcome: Cultural understanding, and team collaboration.
In this activity, employees explore different cultures by spinning a globe and answering questions about several countries.
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials: A globe or world map
Participants: 4-8 people per group
Instructions
- Provide a globe or world map to each group.</p>
- Ask them to spin the globe and answer questions about different countries that they land on such as their capital, language, currency, etc.
- Give teams some time to answer as many questions as they can.
- Once the time is up, have each group review their answers with other groups.
Debrief
- How could cultural knowledge support stronger teamwork in a global workplace?
- What did your group do to collaborate well during this activity?
- Why does understanding different perspectives matter in business?
You can also read:
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#3. Surprising Fact
Learning Outcome: Break the ice, get to know each other, and diversity, equity, & inclusion
This activity is a stimulating way to get your staff to appreciate differences in their coworkers.
Time: You decide
Materials: Paper and pens
Participants: Exactly 2 members in a group
Instructions
- Split the participants into groups of 2 members each.
- Have them spend some time getting to know each other by asking personal, specific questions.
- Each person should share what they learned about their partners that surprised them.
Debrief
- What did you learn about your partner that challenged an assumption?
- How can appreciating differences improve teamwork in the workplace?
- Why does inclusion matter when building stronger team relationships?
#4. Merging Game
Learning Outcome: Get to know each other, develop team identity, and trust building
This activity, Merging Game, encourages collaboration and helps groups to come up with shared values.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Multiple index cards
Participants: Groups of 2 to 5 people
Instructions
- Provide multiple index cards to each group.
- Instruct each group member to write one personal value on a card secretly.
- Now, ask them to share their value with the group.
- Then, the group members can come up with a list of values for their group.
Debrief
- What helped your group agree on shared values most effectively?
- How did this activity shape your sense of team identity?
- Where did trust play the biggest role during the discussion?
#5. Word Association
Learning Outcome: Team collaboration, and critical thinking.
In this exercise, teams come up with words that are associated with a given word.
Time: 5-10 minutes
Materials: Pen and paper or whiteboard/marker
Participants: 4-7 people in a group
Instructions
- Provide the groups with a given word such as ‘summer’ and give them some time to come up with words that are associated with it.
- Examples of words associated with the word ‘summer’ include beach, sun, holidays, BBQs, etc.
- Groups can work together to come up with a list.
- Finally, they can compare their lists with other groups to see who had the most associated words.
Debrief
- What approach helped your group generate the most associations?
- How did critical thinking improve your team’s ideas?
- Where did brainstorming make the biggest difference?
#6. Telephone Game
Learning Outcome: Effective communication and active listening.
This classic game requires teams to pass a message from one person to the next.
Time: 10 minutes
Materials: None
Participants: Groups of 4-10 members
Instructions
- Provide each team with a word or sentence they have to remember and pass on.
- Ask them to form a line and start passing the message from one person to the next.
- The last person in line should share what they heard with everyone else.
- Compare the phrase with the original to see how much it changed.
Debrief
- What made the message clearer or more confusing as it moved down the line?
- How did listening carefully affect your team’s final result?
- Which communication habit would help your group improve next time?
#7. Forward or Backward Game
Learning Outcome: Adaptability, and change management
This game aims to assess people’s reactions toward change. Here employees will react to specific words by moving either forward or backward, corresponding to positive or negative responses.
Time: 5-10 minutes
Materials: A list of change-related words
Participants: Any number of individuals per group
Instructions
- Prepare a list of change-related words; for example, alteration, conversion, transition, etc.
- Have each team form straight lines shoulder to shoulder.
- Call out one word at a time.
- Let the team members move forward if the word they hear induces a positive response and move backward for a negative response.
Debrief
- What did this activity reveal about how your team responds to change?
- How might different reactions to change affect workplace collaboration?
- Which insights from this exercise could help your team adapt more effectively?
#8. Desert Island
Learning Outcome: Problem solving and decision making
This exercise requires employees to think critically in order to survive in the desert.
Time: 10 minutes
Materials: Prepare a list of around 10 items
Participants: Groups of 2-6 people
- Ask the groups to assume they are stranded in a desert.
- Provide the list of items; for example, 10 liters of water, a compass, a first aid box, etc.
- Instruct them to have a discussion with their group and choose only 3 items from the list for survival.
- Each group must explain which items they chose and why.
Debrief
- What helped your group make decisions most effectively during this activity?
- How did your team approach the problem of choosing the best survival items?
- Which part of the discussion revealed the strongest problem-solving skills?
#9. Building a Tower
Learning Outcome: Team collaboration, creative thinking, and planning
In this activity, teams build the tallest tower with a given set of materials.
Time: You decide
Materials: Paper clips, straws, rubber bands, etc.
Participants: 4-10 people in a group
Instructions
- Give each group some supplies like paper clips, straws, rubber bands, etc.
- Ask them to build the tallest tower within a certain time frame.
- Once the time is up, have each team measure their towers and share the results.
- Finally, award the team with the tallest tower.
Debrief
- What planning choice helped your team build the strongest tower?
- How did collaboration influence the way your group used the materials?
- Which challenge tested your team most during the activity?
#10. Picture It!
Learning Outcome: Effective communication, and creative thinking.
In this activity, teams come up with creative stories or scenes based on given photos.
Time: You decide
Materials: Various photos or images
Participants: 4-10 members in a group
Instructions
- Provide each team with an image that contains a story; or example, a photo of someone playing basketball.
- Ask them to create stories based on the given image.
- Invite them to present their stories in front of the other teams.
- Award the team that presented the most creative story.
Debrief
- What helped your team turn the image into a strong story?
- How did creative thinking shape the ideas your group shared?
- Which communication skill mattered most while building the story?
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Or Want Some Unique Team Building Exercises?
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Tips for Successful Facilitation
Facilitating these activities requires a unique blend of planning, creativity, and interpersonal skills. A skilled facilitator knows how to create an environment that fosters collaboration, creativity, and growth. Here are some expert tips to help you run winning sessions:
Clarify Your Goals
Before starting any activity, define what you want to achieve. Clearly communicate your objectives to the team to ensure everyone is working towards the same outcomes.
Foster a Positive Atmosphere
Create a comfortable and inclusive environment where team members feel valued and respected. This helps to build trust and encourages active participation from everyone.
Draw Out Quiet Contributors
Design activities that cater to different personality types and encourage quieter team members to contribute. Use strategies like small group discussions or one-on-one interviews to help them share their ideas.
Stay Agile
Be prepared to adjust your plans if the activity isn’t working as intended. Adaptability is key to keeping the team engaged and motivated.
Reflect and Learn
After each activity, take time to reflect on what worked well and what didn’t. Use this experience to refine your approach and improve future team building initiatives.
Final Words
Team building exercises can help bring people together and foster collaboration. So, take your pick from these 10 printable activities and have a fun time while working on productive skills. Make sure to debrief afterward in order to unlock the full potential of each activity.
FAQ: Printable Team Building Activities for Work
You might have these questions in mind.
What are the benefits of team building exercises?
Team building exercises strengthen bonds, promote collaboration, and build trust among employees. They boost morale and productivity, leading to a more cohesive team. By investing in team building, you can create a more positive work environment.
How long should a team building activity last?
Activities can last anywhere from 5 minutes to 1 hour. Choose activities that are long enough to be engaging, but short enough to keep everyone focused. Be sure to check the duration of each activity to fit your team’s schedule.
How many participants can take part in a team building game?
The number of participants varies depending on the game. Consider splitting participants into small teams to ensure everyone is engaged. This approach facilitates better communication among team members.
What if some team members are hesitant to participate?
If some team members are hesitant, try to understand their concerns or involve them in the planning process. Choose activities that are inclusive or cater to different personalities. This approach can help increase participation or engagement from all team members.
How do I debrief after a team building activity?
Focus on the process to get the most out of the experience. Give team members time to share their thoughts or feelings. This helps them reflect on their experiences or discuss key takeaways that can be applied to future challenges.