10 Team Building Activities for Women (With Debrief)
Are you in search of some team building activities for women?
Female groups often have unique dynamics with diverse strengths, perspectives, and challenges. It is essential to nurture this diversity and foster an environment of trust.
In this article, let’s see 10 group activities for women in your workplace. By implementing them, you can promote collaboration and strong relationships among your female employees.
10 Team Building Activities for Women
Here are some highly effective activities specially designed for women groups.
If you are looking for some leadership books, you can read this article: The 10 Best Books for Female CEOs in 2024
So, let’s go!
#1. Word Association
This activity helps female groups think quickly and come together to solve problems.
Time: 5-10 minutes
Materials: None
Participants: Any size group
Instructions
- Begin by saying a random word aloud and have the next person in the group respond with the first word that comes to their mind.
- Continue the sequence with each person quickly saying a word associated with the previous word. For example: “apple” could prompt “fruit,” which might lead to “banana.”
- If someone hesitates too long or repeats a word, they are out for the round. Keep going until only one person is left or the chain breaks.
Debrief
During the debrief, explore how the activity required members to be attentive and think on their feet. Discuss the importance of active listening and quick decision-making in a team context.
#2. Group Cooking Class
This is a highly interactive activity that encourages collaboration and teamwork.
Time: You decide
Materials: Kitchen equipment, ingredients, recipe cards, etc.
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Divide the participants into small groups.
- Give each group a recipe card, ingredients, and kitchen equipment.
- The groups have to work together to prepare the dish following the instructions on the recipe card.
- Once all the dishes are ready, have everyone enjoy a meal together.
Debrief
Discuss how each group worked together to complete their dish. Identify areas of improvement and discuss strategies for better collaboration. Talk about the importance of communication and active participation in groups.
#3. Trust Circles
This activity helps with fostering trust and communication among female groups.
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials: An object to pass around (eg. a ball)
Participants: 3-8 people in a group
Instructions
- Have the group form a circle and stand shoulder to shoulder.
- Explain that they will be passing an object around in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, and they must trust each other to make sure it gets passed around correctly.
- When a person has the object, they should say out loud something they trust about someone else in the circle. For example, “I trust that Nastya is always looking out for the group” or “I trust that Sarah will give her honest opinion”.
- The object should be passed around until everyone has had a chance to share something they trust about others in the group.
Debrief
Figure out how each team member contributed to this exercise and discuss their observations. Reflect on how trust is built through open communication and positive reinforcement. Encourage participants to apply this exercise in their everyday work environment to strengthen team dynamics.
#4. Ranking Race
This game encourages teams to think critically and come up with a logical ranking system.
Time: You decide
Materials: None
Participants: 4-10 people in a group
Instructions
- Divide the participants into smaller groups, each with a list of items to rank. This can include movies, restaurants, books, etc.
- Give each group a time limit, and ask them to come up with a ranking system for the items on their list. For example, if there are five different movies listed then each group should assign a score from 1-5 to each movie.
- After the time is up, each group should present their ranking system and explain why they chose those rankings.
Debrief
Discuss the similarities and differences between the different groups’ rankings. Talk about how everyone can come to a consensus on rankings when it comes to team projects or other tasks.
#5. Charades
This activity helps build communication skills and encourages teamwork among female employees.
Time: You decide
Materials: None
Participants: Any number of individuals in a group (But small size is better)
Instructions
- Ask each participant to think of an object, person, or action.
- Have them show the group their idea through pantomime without using words.
- The rest of the group must guess what they’re trying to act out before the time runs out.
Debrief
Reflect on the team’s ability to communicate nonverbally and how this skill can be vital in the workplace. Discuss how understanding and interpreting non-verbal cues are crucial in everyday interactions.
#6. Would You Rather
In this activity, each participant must share their preference by choosing between two options. This is one of the easiest team building activities for women.
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials: None
Participants: Groups of any size
Instructions
- Pose a “Would You Rather” question to the group, such as “Would you rather be invisible or be able to fly?”
- Each participant must decide on their preference and explain their reasoning to their team.
- After a few minutes of discussion, switch to a different question and repeat the process.
- Encourage participants to consider the values and decisions that underlie their choices.
Debrief
Reflect on the diversity of opinions within the team and how each person’s unique perspective contributes to the richness of group discussions. Discuss how understanding and respecting different viewpoints is essential for effective collaboration.
#7. Two Truths & a Lie
This activity helps build team dynamics and get to know each other better.
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials: None
Participants: Any number of members per group
Instructions
- Ask each person to think of two true statements and one false statement about themselves.
- One by one, each member shares their three statements in random order without revealing which one is the lie. Examples: “I’ve climbed Mount Kilimanjaro,” “I used to play drums in a rock band,” “I’ve never been on an airplane.”
- The rest of the team members vote on which statement they believe is a lie.
Debrief
Reflect on the variety of experiences and the unexpected facts revealed during the game. Discuss how these insights can lead to a deeper understanding and appreciation of each person’s unique background.
#8. What’s Your Plan?
This fun exercise encourages women groups to come up with innovative ideas that can be applied in the workplace.
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials: None
Participants: 3-6 members per group
Instructions
- Give each group a simple challenge such as “You have 45 seconds to plan how you will move from one side of the room to the other without using your feet”. For example, they can use chairs, tables, ropes, and other objects to get across.
- Allow them some time to come up with a plan.
- Finally, each group should present their solutions and discuss the creativity behind them.
Debrief
Discuss the importance of brainstorming and thinking outside the box when facing challenges or obstacles in the workplace. Emphasize how important it is for teams to work together and come up with the best solutions to a given challenge.
#9. Stop-Pop
This is another fun game that encourages healthy competition among colleagues. The objective of this game is to be the last person standing when all the balloons have been popped.
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials: A large selection of balloons
Participants: 5-10 people in a group
Instructions
- Divide the participants into teams with an equal number of people.
- Place balloons, fewer than the number of players, on the floor.
- Start playing music and have each team run around the balloons. When the music stops, they must quickly sit on a balloon to pop it – no two people should be sitting on one!
- In each round, the players who don’t pop a balloon will be out of the game. Whoever is left standing at the end wins!
Debrief
Discuss the benefits of having healthy competition in the workplace. Reflect on the importance of staying focused and being aware of the surroundings.
#10. Sinking Ship
This is an interesting exercise that helps your women groups become more adaptable to change. The goal of this exercise is to make everyone stay on a ship until its size is completely reduced.
Time: Nearly 10 minutes
Materials: A blanket (or a tarpaulin) for each group
Participants: 3-8 members per group
Instructions
- Place a blanket on the floor to represent a ‘ship’, and divide participants into groups of 3-8 people.
- Ask each group to remain on their ‘ship’ for some time. After a few minutes, tell them that their ship is sinking.
- Now, reduce the size of the blanket by folding it up. Each group can stay on their ‘ship’ again, even with the reduced size.
- Continue reducing the size of the blanket and ensure all members can remain on it.
Debrief
Discuss how this game relates to the workplace, where challenges are constantly happening. Encourage the participants to reflect on how they can adapt to changing situations as a team.
Want Some Unique Team Building Activities?
If you want some unique activities (both in person and virtual) for your employees, you can get my new e-book:
Or Want Some Unique Leadership Development Activities?
If you want some unique activities (both in-person and virtual) to make your employees including managers better leaders, you can get my new e-book:
Final Words
Team building exercises are a powerful tool for empowering women. They foster an environment of trust, cooperation, and mutual respect, where everyone feels valued. So, go ahead and incorporate these activities into your routine – you’ll be amazed at the positive impact they make.