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22 Unbeatable Team Building Problem Solving Activities

Problem-solving is a critical skill for professionals and with team building problem-solving activities, you can sharpen your skills while having fun at the same time.

Updated: March 1, 2024

In the professional world, one thing is for sure: problem-solving is a vital skill if you want to survive and thrive. It’s a universal job skill that organizations seek in new potential employees and that managers look for when considering candidates for promotions.

But there’s a problem.

According to Payscale, 60% of managers feel that new grads entering the workforce lack problem-solving abilities – making it the most commonly lacking soft skill.

Problem-solving skill needs to be practiced and perfected on an ongoing basis in order to be applied effectively when the time comes. And while there are tons of traditional approaches to becoming a better problem-solver, there’s another (much more interesting) option: team building problem-solving activities.

The good news? This means learning and having fun don’t have to be mutually exclusive. And you can create a stronger team at the same time.

16 In-Person Team Building Problem Solving Activities for Your Work Group

1. cardboard boat building challenge, 2. egg drop , 3. clue murder mystery, 4. marshmallow spaghetti tower , 5. corporate escape room, 6. wild goose chase, 7. lost at sea , 8. domino effect challenge, 9. reverse pyramid , 10. ci: the crime investigators, 11. team pursuit, 12. bridge builders, 13. domino effect challenge, 14. hollywood murder mystery, 15. code break, 16. cardboard boat building challenge, 6 virtual team building problem solving activities for your work group , 1. virtual escape room: mummy’s curse, 2. virtual clue murder mystery, 3. virtual escape room: jewel heist, 4. virtual code break , 5. virtual trivia time machine.

6. Virtual Jeoparty Social

There are a ton of incredible team building problem solving activities available. We’ve hand-picked 16 of our favorites that we think your corporate group will love too.

a cardboard boat building challenge for problem solving team building

Split into teams and create a cardboard boat made out of just the materials provided: cardboard and tape. Team members will have to work together to engineer a functional boat that will float and sail across water without sinking. Once teams have finished making their boats, they will create a presentation to explain why their boat is the best, before putting their boats to the test. The final challenge will have teams racing their boats to test their durability! Nothing says problem-solving like having to make sure you don’t sink into the water!

egg drop is a great team building problem solving activity

Every day at work, you’re forced to make countless decisions – whether they’re massively important or so small you barely think about them.

But your ability to effectively make decisions is critical in solving problems quickly and effectively.

With a classic team building problem solving activity like the Egg Drop, that’s exactly what your team will learn to do.

For this activity, you’ll need some eggs, construction materials, and a place you wouldn’t mind smashing getting dirty with eggshells and yolks.

The goal of this activity is to create a contraption that will encase an egg and protect it from a fall – whether it’s from standing height or the top of a building. But the challenge is that you and your team will only have a short amount of time to build it before it’s time to test it out, so you’ll have to think quickly!

To make it even more challenging, you’ll have to build the casing using only simple materials like:

Newspapers
Plastic wrap
Rubber bands
Popsicle sticks
Cotton balls

Feel free to have some fun in picking the materials. Use whatever you think would be helpful without making things too easy!

Give your group 15 minutes to construct their egg casing before each team drops their eggs. If multiple eggs survive, increase the height gradually to see whose created the sturdiest contraption.

If you’re not comfortable with the idea of using eggs for this activity, consider using another breakable alternative, such as lightbulbs for a vegan Egg Drop experience.

solving a crime is a great way to practice problem solving skills

With Clue Murder Mystery, your team will need to solve the murder of a man named Neil Davidson by figuring out who had the means, motive, and opportunity to commit the crime.

But it won’t be easy! You’ll need to exercise your best problem-solving skills and channel your inner detectives if you want to keep this case from going cold and to get justice for the victim.

do a spaghetti tower for team building problem solving activity

Collaboration is critical to problem solving.

Why? Because, as the old saying goes, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This expression reflects the fact that people are capable of achieving greater things when they work together to do so.

If you’re looking for a team building problem solving activity that helps boost collaboration, you’ll love Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower.

This game involves working in teams to build the tallest possible freestanding tower using only marshmallows, uncooked spaghetti, tape, and string.

The kicker? This all has to be done within an allotted timeframe. We recommend about thirty minutes.

For an added dimension of challenge, try adding a marshmallow to the top of the tower to make it a little more top heavy.

Whichever team has the highest tower when time runs out is the winner!

corporate escape rooms are unique team building problem solving activities

If you’ve never participated in an escape room, your team is missing out! It’s one of the most effective team building problem solving activities out there because it puts you and your colleagues in a scenario where the only way out is collaboratively solving puzzles and deciphering clues.

The principle is simple: lock your group in a room, hide the key somewhere in that room, and have them work through challenges within a set time frame. Each challenge will lead them one step closer to finding the key and, ultimately, their escape.

At Outback, we offer “done-for-you” escape rooms where we’ll transform your office or meeting room so you don’t have to worry about:

Seeking transportation for your team
Capacity of the escape rooms
High costs
Excessive planning

That way, you and your team can simply step inside and get to work collaborating, using creative problem solving, and thinking outside the box.

wild goose chase is a great scavenger hunt problem solving team building activity for work

In this smartphone-based scavenger hunt team building activity , your group will split into teams and complete fun challenges by taking photos and videos around the city. Some examples of challenges you can do in this activity are:

Parkour: Take a picture of three team members jumping over an object that’s at least waist-high.
Beautiful Mind: Snap a photo of a team member proving a well-known mathematical theorem on a chalkboard.
Puppy Love: Take a photo of all of your team members petting a stranger’s dog at the same time.

It takes a ton of critical thinking and problem-solving to be crowned the Wild Goose Chase Champions!

your teammates will love lost at sea team building activity

Can you imagine a higher-pressure situation than being stranded at sea in a lifeboat with your colleagues?

With this team building problem solving activity, that’s exactly the situation you and your group will put yourselves. But by the time the activity is over, you’ll have gained more experience with the idea of having to solve problems under pressure – a common but difficult thing to do.

Here’s how it works.

Each team member will get a six-columned chart where:

The first column lists the survival items each team has on hand (see the list below)
The second column is empty so that each team member can rank the items in order of importance for survival
The third column is for group rankings
The fourth column is for the “correct” rankings, which are revealed at the end of the activity
The fifth and sixth columns are for the team to enter thee difference between their individual and correct scores and the team and correct rankings

Within this activity, each team will be equipped with the following “survival items,” listed below in order of importance, as well as a pack of matches:

A shaving mirror (this can be used to signal passing ships using the sun)
A can of gas (could be used for signaling as it could be put in the water and lit with the pack of matches)
A water container (for collecting water to re-hydrate )
Emergency food rations (critical survival food)
One plastic sheet (can be helpful for shelter or to collect rainwater)
Chocolate bars (another food supply)
Fishing rods (helpful, but no guarantee of catching food)
Rope (can be handy, but not necessarily essential for survival)
A floating seat cushion (usable as a life preserver)
Shark repellant (could be important when in the water)
A bottle of rum (could be useful for cleaning wounds)
A radio (could be very helpful but there’s a good chance you’re out of range)
A sea chart (this is worthless without navigation equipment)
A mosquito net (unless you’ve been shipwrecked somewhere with a ton of mosquitos, this isn’t very useful)

To get the activity underway, divide your group into teams of five and ask each team member to take ten minutes on their own to rank the items in order of importance in the respective column. Then, give the full team ten minutes as a group to discuss their individual rankings together and take group rankings, listed in that respective column. Ask each group to compare their individual rankings with those of the group as a whole.

Finally, read out the correct order according to the US Coast Guard, listed above.

The goal of this activity is for everyone to be heard and to come to a decision together about what they need most to survive.

If your team works remotely, you can also do this activity online. Using a video conferencing tool like Zoom , you can bring your group together and separate teams into “break-out rooms” where they’ll take their time individually and then regroup together. At the end, you can bring them back to the full video conference to go through the answers together.

colleagues thinking outside the box with a domino effect challenge team building problem solving activity

Many problems are intricately complex and involve a ton of moving parts. And in order to solve this type of problem, you need to be able to examine it systematically, one piece at a time.

Especially in the business world, many problems or challenges involve multiple different teams or departments working through their respective portions of a problem before coming together in the end to create a holistic solution.

As you can imagine, this is often easier said than done. And that’s why it’s so important to practice this ability.

With a collaborative team building problem solving activity like Domino Effect Challenge, that’s exactly what you’ll need to do as you and your group work to create a massive, fully functional chain reaction machine.

Here’s how it goes.

Your group will break up into teams, with each team working to complete their own section of a massive “Rube Goldberg” machine. Then, all teams will regroup and assemble the entire machine together. You’ll need to exercise communication, collaboration, and on-the-fly problem solving in order to make your chain reaction machine go off without a hitch from start to finish.

reverse pyramid is a team building activity that makes colleagues think about problems in new ways

Being a great problem-solver means being adaptable and creative. And if you’re looking for a quick and easy team building problem solving activity, you’ll love the reverse pyramid.

The idea here is simple: break your group out into small teams and then stand in the form of a pyramid.

Your challenge is to flip the base and the peak of the pyramid – but you can only move three people in order to do so.

Alternatively, rather than doing this activity with people as the pyramid, you can do another version – the Pyramid Build – using plastic cups instead.

This version is a little bit different. Rather than flipping the base of a pyramid to the top, you’ll need to build the pyramid instead–but in reverse, starting from the top cup and working down.

With this version, you’ll need 36 cups and one table per group. We recommend groups of five to seven people. Give your group 20 to 30 minutes to complete the activity.

To get started, place one cup face down. Then, lift that cup and place the subsequent two cups underneath it.

The real challenge here? You can only lift your pyramid by the bottom row in order to put a new row underneath – and only one person at a time can do the lifting. The remaining group members will need to act quickly and work together in order to add the next row so that it will balance the rest of the pyramid.

If any part of your pyramid falls, you’ll need to start over. Whichever team has the most complete pyramid when time runs out will be the winner!

solving a crime is a great way for team members to use problem solving skills

The value of being able to approach problems analytically can’t be overstated. Because when problems arise, the best way to solve them is by examining the facts and making a decision based on what you know.

With CI: The Crime Investigators, this is exactly what your team will be called upon to do as you put your detective’s hats on and work to solve a deadly crime.

You’ll be presented with evidence and need to uncover and decipher clues. And using only the information at your disposal, you’ll need to examine the facts in order to crack the case.

Like many of our team building problem solving activities, CI: The Crime Investigators is available in a hosted format, which can take place at your office or an outside venue, as well as a virtually-hosted format that uses video conferencing tools, or a self-hosted version that you can run entirely on your own.

team pursuit team building is great for problem solving skills

Each member of your team has their own unique strengths and skills. And by learning to combine those skills, you can overcome any challenge and solve any problem. With Team Pursuit, you and your team together to tackle challenges as you learn new things about one another, discover your hidden talents, and learn to rely on each other.

This team building problem solving activity is perfect for high-energy groups that love to put their heads together and work strategically to solve problems as a group.

Collaborate with your colleague to design and build different segments of a bridge. At the end, see if the sections come together to create a free-standing structure!

domino effect challenging is a brain busting winter team building activity

Together as a group, see if you and your colleagues can build a gigantic “chain-reaction” machine that really works!

In smaller groups, participants work together to solve the challenge of creating sections of the machine using miscellaneous parts, and at the end, you’ll have to collaborate to connect it all together and put it in motion.

The case is fresh, but here’s what we know so far: we’ve got an up-and-coming actress who’s been found dead in her hotel room following last night’s awards show.

We have several suspects, but we haven’t been able to put the crime on any of them for sure yet. Now, it’s up to you and your team of detectives to crack the case. Together, you’ll review case files and evidence including police reports, coroners’ reports, photo evidence, tabloids, interrogations, and phone calls as you determine the motive, method, and murderer and bring justice for the victim.

You’ll need to put your problem-solving skills to the test as you share theories, collaborate, and think outside the box with your fellow investigators.

code break is a cerebral indoor team building activity

Using Outback’s app, split up into small groups and put your heads together to solve a variety of puzzles, riddles, and trivia. The team who has completed the most challenges when time is up, wins!

Can you stay afloat in a body of water in a boat made entirely of cardboard? Now that is a problem that urgently needs solving.

With this team building problem solving activity, you and your colleagues will split into groups and create a cardboard boat made out of just the materials provided – cardboard and tape.

Team members will have to work together to engineer a functional boat that will float and sail across water without sinking. Once teams have finished making their boats, they will create a presentation to explain why their boat is the best, before putting their boats to the test. The final challenge will have teams racing their boats across the water!

colleagues doing a virtual team building problem solving activity

If you and your team are working remotely, don’t worry. You still have a ton of great virtual team building problem solving options at your disposal.

In this virtual escape room experience, your team will be transported into a pyramid cursed by a restless mummy. You’ll have to work together to uncover clues and solve complex challenges to lift the ancient curse.

team members doing a fun virtual clue murder mystery

You’ve probably never heard of a man named Neil Davidson. But your group will need to come together to solve the mystery of his murder by analyzing clues, resolving challenges, and figuring out who had the means, motive, and opportunity to commit a deadly crime.

This activity will challenge you and your group to approach problems analytically, read between the lines, and use critical thinking in order to identify a suspect and deliver justice.

escape rooms are fun and unique team building problem solving activities

If you and your team like brainteasers, then Virtual Escape Room: Jewel Heist will be a big hit.

Here’s the backstory.

There’s been a robbery. Someone has masterminded a heist to steal a priceless collection of precious jewels, and it’s up to you and your team to recover them before time runs out.

Together, you’ll need to uncover hidden clues and solve a series of brain-boggling challenges that require collaboration, creative problem-solving, and outside-the-box thinking. But be quick! The clock is ticking before the stolen score is gone forever.

try virtual code break as a way to use problem solving skills with teammates

With Virtual Code Break, you and your team can learn to be adaptive and dynamic in your thinking in order to tackle any new challenges that come your way. In this activity, your group will connect on a video conferencing platform where your event host will split you out into teams. Together, you’ll have to adapt your problem-solving skills as you race against the clock to tackle a variety of mixed brainteaser challenges ranging from Sudoku to puzzles, a game of Cranium, riddles, and even trivia.

Curious to see how a virtual team building activity works? Check out this video on a Virtual Clue Murder Mystery in action.

trivia is a great problem solving activity for colleagues

Step into the Outback Time Machine and take a trip through time, from pre-pandemic 21st century through the decades all the way to the 60’s.

This exciting, fast-paced virtual trivia game, packed with nostalgia and good vibes, is guaranteed to produce big laughs, friendly competition, and maybe even some chair-dancing.

Your virtual game show host will warm up guests with a couple of “table hopper rounds” (breakout room mixers) and split you out into teams. Within minutes, your home office will be transformed into a game show stage with your very own game show buzzers!

And if your team loves trivia, check out our list of the most incredible virtual trivia games for work teams for even more ideas.

6. Virtual Jeoparty Social

Virtual Jeoparty Social is a fun high energy virtual team building activity

If your remote team is eager to socialize, have some fun as a group, and channel their competitive spirit, we’ve got just the thing for you! With Virtual Jeoparty Social, you and your colleagues will step into your very own virtual Jeopardy-style game show—equipped with a buzzer button, a professional actor as your host, and an immersive game show platform! Best of all, this game has been infused with an ultra-social twist: players will take part in a unique social mixer challenge between each round.

With the right team building problem solving activities, you can help your team sharpen their core skills to ensure they’re prepared when they inevitably face a challenge at work. And best of all, you can have fun in the process.

Do you have any favorite team building activities for building problem-solving skills? If so, tell us about them in the comments section below!

Learn More About Team Building Problem Solving Activities

For more information about how your group can take part in a virtual team building, training, or coaching solution, reach out to our Employee Engagement Consultants.

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I love how this blog provides a variety of problem-solving activities for team building. It’s a great resource for anyone looking to foster teamwork and collaboration!

14 Best Team Building Problem Solving Group Activities For 2024

The best teams see solutions where others see problems. A great company culture is built around a collaborative spirit and the type of unity it takes to find answers to the big business questions.

So how can you get team members working together?

How can you develop a mentality that will help them overcome obstacles they have yet to encounter?

One of the best ways to improve your teams’ problem solving skills is through team building problem solving activities .

“86% of employees and executives cite lack of collaboration or ineffective communication for workplace failures.” — Bit.AI

These activities can simulate true-to-life scenarios they’ll find themselves in, or the scenarios can call on your employees or coworkers to dig deep and get creative in a more general sense.

The truth is, on a day-to-day basis, you have to prepare for the unexpected. It just happens that team building activities help with that, but are so fun that they don’t have to feel like work ( consider how you don’t even feel like you’re working out when you’re playing your favorite sport or doing an exercise you actually enjoy! )

Team Building Problem Solving Group Activities

What are the benefits of group problem-solving activities?

The benefits of group problem-solving activities for team building include:

Better communication
Improved collaboration and teamwork
More flexible thinking
Faster problem-solving
Better proactivity and decision making

Without further ado, check out this list of the 14 best team-building problem-solving group activities for 2024!

Page Contents (Click To Jump)

2. Problem-Solving Templates

Problem-Solving Templates are popular problem-solving activities that involve a group of people working together to solve an issue. The challenge generally involves members of the team utilizing pre-made templates and creating solutions for a given problem with the help of visual aids.

This activity is great for teams that need assistance in getting started on their problem-solving journey.

Why this is a fun problem-solving activity: Problem-Solving Templates offer teams an easy and stress-free way to get the creative juices flowing. The visual aids that come with the templates help team members better understand the issue at hand and easily come up with solutions together.

This activity is great for teams that need assistance in getting started on their problem-solving journey, as it provides an easy and stress-free way to get the creative juices flowing.

Problem Solving Group Activities & Games For Team Building

3. coworker feud, “it’s all fun and games”.

Coworker Feud is a twist on the classic Family Feud game show! This multiple rapid round game keeps the action flowing and the questions going. You can choose from a variety of customizations, including picking the teams yourself, randomized teams, custom themes, and custom rounds.

Best for: Hybrid teams

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Coworker Feud comes with digital game materials, a digital buzzer, an expert host, and a zoom link to get the participants ready for action! Teams compete with each other to correctly answer the survey questions. At the end of the game, the team with the most competitive answers is declared the winner of the Feud.

How to get started:

Sign up for Coworker Feud
Break into teams of 4 to 10 people
Get the competitive juices flowing and let the games begin!

Learn more here: Coworker Feud

4. Crack The Case

“who’s a bad mamma jamma”.

Crack The Case is a classic WhoDoneIt game that forces employees to depend on their collective wit to stop a deadly murderer dead in his tracks! Remote employees and office commuters can join forces to end this crime spree.

Best for: Remote teams

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: The Virtual Clue Murder Mystery is an online problem solving activity that uses a proprietary videoconferencing platform to offer the chance for employees and coworkers to study case files, analyze clues, and race to find the motive, the method, and the individual behind the murder of Neil Davidson.

Get a custom quote here
Download the app
Let the mystery-solving collaboration begin!

Learn more here: Crack The Case

5. Catch Meme If You Can

“can’t touch this”.

Purposefully created to enhance leadership skills and team bonding , Catch Meme If You Can is a hybrid between a scavenger hunt and an escape room . Teammates join together to search for clues, solve riddles, and get out — just in time!

Best for: Small teams

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Catch Meme If You Can is an adventure with a backstory. Each team has to submit their answer to the puzzle in order to continue to the next part of the sequence. May the best team escape!

The teams will be given instructions and the full storyline
Teams will be split into a handful of people each
The moderator will kick off the action!

Learn more here: Catch Meme If You Can

6. Puzzle Games

“just something to puzzle over”.

Puzzle Games is the fresh trivia game to test your employees and blow their minds with puzzles, jokes , and fun facts!

Best for: In-person teams

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Eight mini brain teaser and trivia style games include word puzzles, name that nonsense, name that tune, and much more. Plus, the points each team earns will go towards planting trees in the precious ecosystems and forests of Uganda

Get a free consultation for your team
Get a custom designed invitation for your members
Use the game link
Dedicated support will help your team enjoy Puzzle Games to the fullest!

Learn more here: Puzzle Games

7. Virtual Code Break

“for virtual teams”.

Virtual Code Break is a virtual team building activity designed for remote participants around the globe. Using a smart video conferencing solution, virtual teams compete against each other to complete challenges, answer trivia questions, and solve brain-busters!

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Virtual Code Break can be played by groups as small as 4 people all the way up to more than 1,000 people at once. However, every team will improve their communication and problem-solving skills as they race against the clock and depend on each other’s strengths to win!

Reach out for a free consultation to align the needs of your team
An event facilitator will be assigned to handle all of the set-up and logistics
They will also provide you with logins and a play-by-play of what to expect
Sign into the Outback video conferencing platform and join your pre-assigned team
Lastly, let the games begin!

Learn more here: Virtual Code Break

8. Stranded

“survivor: office edition”.

Stranded is the perfect scenario-based problem solving group activity. The doors of the office are locked and obviously your team can’t just knock them down or break the windows.

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Your team has less than half an hour to choose 10 items around the office that will help them survive. They then rank the items in order of importance. It’s a bit like the classic game of being lost at sea without a lifeboat.

Get everyone together in the office
Lock the doors
Let them start working together to plan their survival

Learn more here: Stranded

9. Letting Go Game

“for conscious healing”.

The Letting Go Game is a game of meditation and mindfulness training for helping teammates thrive under pressure and reduce stress in the process. The tasks of the Letting Go Game boost resiliency, attentiveness, and collaboration.

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Expert-guided activities and awareness exercises encourage team members to think altruistically and demonstrate acts of kindness. Between yoga, face painting, and fun photography, your employees or coworkers will have more than enough to keep them laughing and growing together with this mindfulness activity!

Reach out for a free consultation
A guide will then help lead the exercises
Let the funny videos, pictures, and playing begin!

Learn more here: Letting Go Game

10. Wild Goose Chase

“city time”.

Wild Goose Chase is the creative problem solving activity that will take teams all around your city and bring them together as a group! This scavenger hunt works for teams as small as 10 up to groups of over 5000 people.

Best for: Large teams

Why this is an effective group problem solving activity: As employees and group members are coming back to the office, there are going to be times that they’re itching to get outside. Wild Goose Chase is the perfect excuse to satisfy the desire to go out-of-office every now and then. Plus, having things to look at and see around the city will get employees talking in ways they never have before.

Download the Outback app to access the Wild Goose Chase
Take photos and videos from around the city
The most successful team at completing challenges on time is the champ!

Learn more here: Wild Goose Chase

11. Human Knot

“for a knotty good time”.

The Human Knot is one of the best icebreaker team building activities! In fact, there’s a decent chance you played it in grade school. It’s fun, silly, and best of all — free!

Why this is an effective group problem solving activity: Participants start in a circle and connect hands with two other people in the group to form a human knot. The team then has to work together and focus on clear communication to unravel the human knot by maneuvering their way out of this hands-on conundrum. But there’s a catch — they can’t let go of each other’s hands in this team building exercise.

Form a circle
Tell each person to grab a random hand until all hands are holding another
They can’t hold anyone’s hand who is directly next to them
Now they have to get to untangling
If the chain breaks before everyone is untangled, they have to start over again

Learn more here: Human Knot

12. What Would You Do?

“because it’s fun to imagine”.

What Would You Do? Is the hypothetical question game that gets your team talking and brainstorming about what they’d do in a variety of fun, intriguing, and sometimes, whacky scenarios.

Best for: Distributed teams

Why this is an effective group problem solving activity: After employees or coworkers start talking about their What Would You Do? responses, they won’t be able to stop. That’s what makes this such an incredible team building activity . For example, you could ask questions like “If you could live forever, what would you do with your time?” or “If you never had to sleep, what would you do?”

In addition to hypothetical questions, you could also give teammates some optional answers to get them started
After that, let them do the talking — then they’ll be laughing and thinking and dreaming, too!

13. Crossing The River

“quite the conundrum”.

Crossing The River is a river-crossing challenge with one correct answer. Your team gets five essential elements — a chicken, a fox, a rowboat, a woman, and a bag of corn. You see, the woman has a bit of a problem, you tell them. She has to get the fox, the bag of corn, and the chicken to the other side of the river as efficiently as possible.

Why this is an effective group problem solving activity: She has a rowboat, but it can only carry her and one other item at a time. She cannot leave the chicken and the fox alone — for obvious reasons. And she can’t leave the chicken with the corn because it will gobble it right up. So the question for your team is how does the woman get all five elements to the other side of the river safely in this fun activity?

Form teams of 2 to 5 people
Each team has to solve the imaginary riddle
Just make sure that each group understands that the rowboat can only carry one animal and one item at a time; the fox and chicken can’t be alone; and the bag of corn and the chicken cannot be left alone
Give the verbal instructions for getting everything over to the other side

14. End-Hunger Games

“philanthropic fun”.

Does anything bond people quite like acts of kindness and compassion? The End-Hunger Games will get your team to rally around solving the serious problem of hunger.

Best for: Medium-sized teams

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Teams join forces to complete challenges based around non-perishable food items in the End-Hunger Games. Groups can range in size from 25 to more than 2000 people, who will all work together to collect food for the local food bank.

Split into teams and compete to earn boxes and cans of non-perishable food
Each team attempts to build the most impressive food item construction
Donate all of the non-perishable foods to a local food bank

Learn more here: End-Hunger Games

Q: What kind of skills do group problem solving activities & games improve?

A: Group problem solving activities and games improve collaboration, leadership, and communication skills.

Q: What are problem solving based team building activities & games?

A: Problem solving based team building activities and games are activities that challenge teams to work together in order to complete them.

Q: What are some fun free problem solving games for groups?

A: Some fun free problem solving games for groups are kinesthetic puzzles like the human knot game, which you can read more about in this article. You can also use all sorts of random items like whiteboards, straws, building blocks, sticky notes, blindfolds, rubber bands, and legos to invent a game that will get the whole team involved.

Q: How do I choose the most effective problem solving exercise for my team?

A: The most effective problem solving exercise for your team is one that will challenge them to be their best selves and expand their creative thinking.

Q: How do I know if my group problem solving activity was successful?

A: In the short-term, you’ll know if your group problem solving activity was successful because your team will bond over it; however, that should also translate to more productivity in the mid to long-term.

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15 Best team-building puzzles for your team

Positive interactions within the workforce can empower and engage your team . In fact, team-building activities like games, puzzles, or exercises can make your organization more productive and even more loyal. Puzzles tend to be more thought-provoking and encourage critical thinking skills more than some other exercises.

There are so many puzzle options for teams of all sizes, ranging from simple and fun to complex and collaborative. In this article, we’re exploring some of the most impactful puzzle activities that you can use to not only bond your team, but encourage them to use new parts of their brains.

Team-building puzzles for inside the office

1. jigsaw puzzles.

Don’t underestimate the power of an old-fashioned jigsaw puzzle. A jigsaw is a puzzle in which individual pieces must be put together to form one larger picture. The great thing about this type of puzzle is that you can use a physical puzzle or complete a digital one online, which is perfect for virtual teams. Working on jigsaw puzzles is good for concentration, patience, and creativity, and groups of any size can do them. You can even make it competitive by setting up different puzzle stations, breaking people into groups, and setting a timer to see who can complete the puzzle first.

These linguistic puzzles challenge not only a person’s general knowledge, but how they process words and phrases. Typically, a riddle has a more complex set up with a very simple answer. Critical thinking is important in finding the answer. You can find plenty of riddles online and then give everyone on your team a list of identical riddles to answer in a certain period of time. You can allow people to work together to brainstorm, problem-solve, and evaluate ideas, or make it a competition. You can also break larger teams up into smaller ones if you want to create a competitive atmosphere.

3. “Minefield” puzzles

In these puzzles, there is an imaginary “minefield” that players must navigate through to find a “safe” spot. You can set up a physical version or you can take advantage of a digital version. You’ll give each person a timer and a set of clues that will help them to identify this safe spot. Since there is a distinct timeline and pressure to finish before the timer goes off, this can help with problem-solving under pressure as well as teamwork and cooperation.

4. Rebus puzzle

This type of exercise involves a visual puzzle that uses pictures, symbols and letters to represent a word or phrase. They may use pictures or symbols to spell out a message, or perhaps brainteasers that use words to spell out a common phrase. These puzzles require players to guess each word using only visual clues and creativity. You can set up a sequence of puzzles if you want a timed competition. See how many your team can get through in a certain amount of time. Or, make it an individual competition between people if your team is smaller. These activities are good if you want to focus on creativity and communication.

5. Imposter puzzle

There are some modern video games that can facilitate group team-building. For example, an imposter puzzle is one where your team works together to find clues that reveal which person is an “imposter”. While everyone tries to find the imposter, they work to foil the efforts and mislead the group. These puzzles require a range of skills from observation to communication and many more. Do some online research to find a digital solution that can offer a template for such a game.

Almost everyone needs a bit of help honing math skills. Math is so important for building critical thinking and problem solving skills, and is an important part of learning how the world around you works. Perform some research to find the sorts of math problems or puzzles that would benefit your team the most. Then you can set up a timed competition for individuals or smaller groups, or simply gather everyone and tell them they have the singular goal of finishing all the problems. Going this route can help your team to bond over a common goal. They may even decide to divide up the problems according to strengths or tasks, which is an important part of cooperation and learning to delegate. For more problem-solving games and ideas , check out Surf Office resources.

7. Bartering puzzle

For more advanced jigsaw puzzle exercises, try selecting a few puzzles and then dividing up the pieces so they are spread across a few different groups. That means that in order to complete the puzzle, they’ll first need to make sure they have all the right pieces. Team members will need to go around viewing all the puzzle piece groups and use critical thinking to figure out which pieces they need to take back to their puzzle station. This is often more challenging than it looks!

8. Create an economy

Think of the various skills required to set up a unique economy! To do so, your team will need to decide on a currency, trade options, and other economic attributes. There should be a facilitator that questions everything, and asks about things like gross domestic product, trade routes, the international value of currency, etc. This can be an important exercise for helping your team to get smarter on overall finances and the business environment, in addition to general problem-solving, presentation, and public speaking skills.

9. Fill out the map

This is an especially helpful exercise if you have a geographically diverse team. Try setting up a static, blank world map and seeing how quickly your team can fill it out. Have them enter the names of as many countries as they can, as quickly and accurately as possible. You can use one large printout placed on a wall, or you can print individual papers and hand them out to everyone allowing them to collaborate. This is a great puzzle because it doesn’t take much time to set up, doesn’t require many special supplies, and can be added to any other activities you already have planned. For other quick team-building activities , make sure to keep up with our blog.

10. Name that quote - In order to challenge memory, you can try to stump people and see what they recall. Start by pulling a list of quotes that should be fairly recognizable in popular culture. You can find quotes from books that most people have read, popular movies, political speeches, or music. Make a list of such quotes and then see how many your team can guess accurately. You can do this as an active group event, or pass out individual sheets and make it a competition. Plus, everyone may learn something new!

You can also visit our blog to get more indoor team-building activity ideas .

Offsite team-building puzzle ideas

11. escape room.

These fun activities have become more popular, and for good reason. These challenging, puzzle-themed events require a team to work together in order to escape a building or room. They typically involve a series of hidden clues or riddles which lead to the next step in achieving the goal of escaping. They offer a valuable opportunity for teamwork, cooperation, creativity, and even concentration. They’re also helpful for modeling efficient teamwork. Many cities offer a variation of an escape room; you can do some online research and find one that can accommodate your team as a standalone event or as part of a larger retreat.

12. Scavenger hunt

Scavenger hunts are fun and versatile events that can be used indoors or outdoors, in a variety of formats. You can make almost anything into a scavenger hunt, and invest as much time or as many resources as you’d like. To get people outside the office, create a series of clues that take people outdoors or encourage them to explore the area around them. An outside scavenger hunt is a good idea for helping people to explore the town your office is in, especially if you are part of the head office and hosting colleagues or partners from other areas.

13. Outdoor maze

A maze is a physical puzzle that requires players to navigate through a series of tunnels or walkways that connect and sometimes lead to dead ends. While in a maze, the goal is to find the exit and be the first one out. When working in a team, players need to focus on navigational skills along with communication and patience. A maze is a great option for encouraging teamwork and can make for a fun, outdoor activity. Try a corn maze in the autumn for a unique team-building activity.

14. Murder mystery

These events are one of the best team-building options out there. Hosting or attending a murder mystery is a great way to bring your team together for some fun, while also engaging in valuable critical thinking and problem-solving skills. You can create one internally, but it’s usually easier to find a company who hosts such events. They often have a venue, menu, script, and all the necessary props. You can even find an organization that will set up a virtual murder mystery for teams that are scattered. For example, this company provides a personalized murder mystery game generator that makes the activity simple to include in your agenda, even online. If you have the budget, it’s a great idea to explore third-party options who can help put together and execute a compelling murder mystery game.

15. Large outdoor puzzles

If you have access to green space, get people outside and into some fresh air. There are a variety of large format puzzles that are too big for a usual indoor space, but great for spreading out on a lawn or in a park. You can set up these puzzles for any event from a backyard barbeque to an outdoor field day-style event. You can buy a few options of puzzles with big foam pieces on Amazon or another online retailer and set them up in whatever outdoor space you’ll use. If you’re working with a large group, break the puzzles into stations and have everyone rotate through them. Never underestimate the effect of sunshine and fresh air on creativity and motivation! For other ideas for team-building in large groups , check out some of our past lists.

For more variations on team-building games or team-building activities for work , make sure to follow our blog.

Puzzles: An important piece of team-building retreats

All of these puzzles or exercises are great for overall team cohesion and collaboration. You can use them individually to promote creativity, concentration, and critical thinking. That being said, you’ll get more traction on your team-building efforts by planning an entire retreat.

A team-building retreat is an important tool for bringing together groups of all sizes - from your entire company to a specific department or an inter-departmental work group. Plan a team retreat that includes learning and training, interesting presentations, team-building exercises - and of course, make sure to include some time for fun and socializing!

If you have concerns about planning an event that would encompass all of these elements, reach out to Surf Office . We can help with all of the logistics of a highly impactful retreat that your team will talk about for years.

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Team Building Exercises – Problem Solving and Decision Making

Fun ways to turn problems into opportunities.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Whether there's a complex project looming or your team members just want to get better at dealing with day-to-day issues, your people can achieve much more when they solve problems and make decisions together.

By developing their problem-solving skills, you can improve their ability to get to the bottom of complex situations. And by refining their decision-making skills, you can help them work together maturely, use different thinking styles, and commit collectively to decisions.

In this article, we'll look at three team-building exercises that you can use to improve problem solving and decision making in a new or established team.

Exercises to Build Decision-Making and Problem-Solving Skills

Use the following exercises to help your team members solve problems and make decisions together more effectively.

Exercise 1: Lost at Sea*

In this activity, participants must pretend that they've been shipwrecked and are stranded in a lifeboat. Each team has a box of matches, and a number of items that they've salvaged from the sinking ship. Members must agree which items are most important for their survival.

Download and print our team-building exercises worksheet to help you with this exercise.

This activity builds problem-solving skills as team members analyze information, negotiate and cooperate with one another. It also encourages them to listen and to think about the way they make decisions.

What You'll Need

Up to five people in each group.
A large, private room.
A "lost at sea" ranking chart for each team member. This should comprise six columns. The first simply lists each item (see below). The second is empty so that each team member can rank the items. The third is for group rankings. The fourth is for the "correct" rankings, which are revealed at the end of the exercise. And the fifth and sixth are for the team to enter the difference between their individual and correct score, and the team and correct rankings, respectively.
The items to be ranked are: a mosquito net, a can of petrol, a water container, a shaving mirror, a sextant, emergency rations, a sea chart, a floating seat or cushion, a rope, some chocolate bars, a waterproof sheet, a fishing rod, shark repellent, a bottle of rum, and a VHF radio. These can be listed in the ranking chart or displayed on a whiteboard, or both.
The experience can be made more fun by having some lost-at-sea props in the room.

Flexible, but normally between 25 and 40 minutes.

Instructions

Divide participants into their teams, and provide everyone with a ranking sheet.
Ask team members to take 10 minutes on their own to rank the items in order of importance. They should do this in the second column of their sheet.
Give the teams a further 10 minutes to confer and decide on their group rankings. Once agreed, they should list them in the third column of their sheets.
Ask each group to compare their individual rankings with their collective ones, and consider why any scores differ. Did anyone change their mind about their own rankings during the team discussions? How much were people influenced by the group conversation?
Now read out the "correct" order, collated by the experts at the US Coast Guard (from most to least important): - Shaving mirror. (One of your most powerful tools, because you can use it to signal your location by reflecting the sun.) - Can of petrol. (Again, potentially vital for signaling as petrol floats on water and can be lit by your matches.) - Water container. (Essential for collecting water to restore your lost fluids.) -Emergency rations. (Valuable for basic food intake.) - Plastic sheet. (Could be used for shelter, or to collect rainwater.) -Chocolate bars. (A handy food supply.) - Fishing rod. (Potentially useful, but there is no guarantee that you're able to catch fish. Could also feasibly double as a tent pole.) - Rope. (Handy for tying equipment together, but not necessarily vital for survival.) - Floating seat or cushion. (Useful as a life preserver.) - Shark repellent. (Potentially important when in the water.) - Bottle of rum. (Could be useful as an antiseptic for treating injuries, but will only dehydrate you if you drink it.) - Radio. (Chances are that you're out of range of any signal, anyway.) - Sea chart. (Worthless without navigational equipment.) - Mosquito net. (Assuming that you've been shipwrecked in the Atlantic, where there are no mosquitoes, this is pretty much useless.) - Sextant. (Impractical without relevant tables or a chronometer.)

Advice for the Facilitator

The ideal scenario is for teams to arrive at a consensus decision where everyone's opinion is heard. However, that doesn't always happen naturally: assertive people tend to get the most attention. Less forthright team members can often feel intimidated and don't always speak up, particularly when their ideas are different from the popular view. Where discussions are one-sided, draw quieter people in so that everyone is involved, but explain why you're doing this, so that people learn from it.

You can use the Stepladder Technique when team discussion is unbalanced. Here, ask each team member to think about the problem individually and, one at a time, introduce new ideas to an appointed group leader – without knowing what ideas have already been discussed. After the first two people present their ideas, they discuss them together. Then the leader adds a third person, who presents his or her ideas before hearing the previous input. This cycle of presentation and discussion continues until the whole team has had a chance to voice their opinions.

After everyone has finished the exercise, invite your teams to evaluate the process to draw out their experiences. For example, ask them what the main differences between individual, team and official rankings were, and why. This will provoke discussion about how teams arrive at decisions, which will make people think about the skills they must use in future team scenarios, such as listening , negotiating and decision-making skills, as well as creativity skills for thinking "outside the box."

A common issue that arises in team decision making is groupthink . This can happen when a group places a desire for mutual harmony above a desire to reach the right decision, which prevents people from fully exploring alternative solutions.

If there are frequent unanimous decisions in any of your exercises, groupthink may be an issue. Suggest that teams investigate new ways to encourage members to discuss their views, or to share them anonymously.

Exercise 2: The Great Egg Drop*

In this classic (though sometimes messy!) game, teams must work together to build a container to protect an egg, which is dropped from a height. Before the egg drop, groups must deliver presentations on their solutions, how they arrived at them, and why they believe they will succeed.

This fun game develops problem-solving and decision-making skills. Team members have to choose the best course of action through negotiation and creative thinking.

Ideally at least six people in each team.
Raw eggs – one for each group, plus some reserves in case of accidents!
Materials for creating the packaging, such as cardboard, tape, elastic bands, plastic bottles, plastic bags, straws, and scissors.
Aprons to protect clothes, paper towels for cleaning up, and paper table cloths, if necessary.
Somewhere – ideally outside – that you can drop the eggs from. (If there is nowhere appropriate, you could use a step ladder or equivalent.)
Around 15 to 30 minutes to create the packages.
Approximately 15 minutes to prepare a one-minute presentation.
Enough time for the presentations and feedback (this will depend on the number of teams).
Time to demonstrate the egg "flight."
Put people into teams, and ask each to build a package that can protect an egg dropped from a specified height (say, two-and-a-half meters) with the provided materials.
Each team must agree on a nominated speaker, or speakers, for their presentation.
Once all teams have presented, they must drop their eggs, assess whether the eggs have survived intact, and discuss what they have learned.

When teams are making their decisions, the more good options they consider, the more effective their final decision is likely to be. Encourage your groups to look at the situation from different angles, so that they make the best decision possible. If people are struggling, get them to brainstorm – this is probably the most popular method of generating ideas within a team.

Ask the teams to explore how they arrived at their decisions, to get them thinking about how to improve this process in the future. You can ask them questions such as:

Did the groups take a vote, or were members swayed by one dominant individual?
How did the teams decide to divide up responsibilities? Was it based on people's expertise or experience?
Did everyone do the job they volunteered for?
Was there a person who assumed the role of "leader"?
How did team members create and deliver the presentation, and was this an individual or group effort?

Exercise 3: Create Your Own*

In this exercise, teams must create their own, brand new, problem-solving activity.

This game encourages participants to think about the problem-solving process. It builds skills such as creativity, negotiation and decision making, as well as communication and time management. After the activity, teams should be better equipped to work together, and to think on their feet.

Ideally four or five people in each team.
Paper, pens and flip charts.

Around one hour.

As the participants arrive, you announce that, rather than spending an hour on a problem-solving team-building activity, they must design an original one of their own.
Divide participants into teams and tell them that they have to create a new problem-solving team-building activity that will work well in their organization. The activity must not be one that they have already participated in or heard of.
After an hour, each team must present their new activity to everyone else, and outline its key benefits.

There are four basic steps in problem solving : defining the problem, generating solutions, evaluating and selecting solutions, and implementing solutions. Help your team to think creatively at each stage by getting them to consider a wide range of options. If ideas run dry, introduce an alternative brainstorming technique, such as brainwriting . This allows your people to develop one others' ideas, while everyone has an equal chance to contribute.

After the presentations, encourage teams to discuss the different decision-making processes they followed. You might ask them how they communicated and managed their time . Another question could be about how they kept their discussion focused. And to round up, you might ask them whether they would have changed their approach after hearing the other teams' presentations.

Successful decision making and problem solving are at the heart of all effective teams. While teams are ultimately led by their managers, the most effective ones foster these skills at all levels.

The exercises in this article show how you can encourage teams to develop their creative thinking, leadership , and communication skills , while building group cooperation and consensus.

* Original source unknown. Please let us know if you know the original source.

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15 Team Building Problem Solving Activities

In this article you will find:

15 problem-solving activities for your team to master
Frequently asked questions about team building

Here are 15 problem-solving activities for your team to master:

15 Problem-Solving Activities

1. a shrinking vessel.

Why adaptability is important for problem-solving:

Adaptability is highly associated with cognitive diversity, which helps teams solve problems faster, according to the Harvard Business Review. Innovation and disruption are happening faster than ever before. People, teams, and organizations that can adapt will come out on top.

What You'll Need:

A rope or string

Instructions:

1. Using the rope, make a shape on the floor everyone can fit into.

2. Slowly shrink the space over a time period of 10-15 minutes.

3. Work together to figure out how to keep everyone within the shrinking boundaries.

2. Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower

Helps with: Collaboration Why collaboration is important for problem-solving: “Collectively, we can be more insightful, more intelligent than we can possibly be individual,” writes Peter Senge in The Fifth Discipline. We can solve problems better as a team than we can alone, which means developing your team's collaboration skills will lead to better problem-solving outcomes.

What You'll Need (per team):

20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti

1 roll of masking tape

1 yard of string

1 marshmallow

1. The goal of this exercise is to see which team can use the materials provided to build the tallest tower within an allotted time period. The tower must be able to stand on its own.

2. To make this exercise more challenging, try adding a marshmallow to the top of the tower. This team problem-solving exercise helps teams think on their toes while building camaraderie and leadership.

3. Egg Drop

Why decision-making is important for problem-solving:

Making decisions isn't easy, but indecision leads to team paralysis, stagnant thinking, and unsolved problems. Decision-making activities help your team practice making quick, effective choices. Train your team's decision-making muscle and they will become more adept at problem-solving.

A carton of eggs

Basic construction materials such as newspapers, straws, tape, plastic wrap, balloons, rubber bands, popsicle sticks, etc., tarp, or drop cloth

A parking lot, or some other place you don't mind getting messy!

1. Each team gets an egg and must select from the construction materials.

2. Give everyone 20-30 minutes to construct a carrier for the egg and protect it from breaking.

3. Drop each egg carrier off a ledge (i.e. over a balcony) and see whose carrier protects the egg from breaking.

4. If multiple eggs survive, keep increasing the height until only one egg is left.

4. Stranded

Helps with: Communication and Decision-Making Why communication is important for problem-solving:

More employees work remotely than ever before. Good communication skills are vital to solving problems across increasingly virtual teams. Working on communication skills while your team is together will help them better solve problems when they're apart.

Your team has been stranded in the office. The doors are locked, and knocking down the doors or breaking the windows is not an option. Give your team 30 minutes to decide on 10 items in the office they need for survival and rank them in order of importance. The goal of the game is to have everyone agree on the 10 items and their ranking in 30 minutes.

1. Divide everyone into small teams of two or more.

2. Select an overseer who isn't on a team to build a random structure using Lego building blocks within 10 minutes.

3. The other teams must replicate the structure exactly (including size and color) within 15 minutes. However, only one member from each group may look at the original structure. They must figure out how to communicate the size, color, and shape of the original structure to their team.

4. If this is too easy, add a rule that the member who can see the original structure can't touch the new structure.

Collaboration

A lockable room

5-10 puzzles or clues (depending on how much time you want to spend on the game)

The goal of this exercise is to solve the clues, find the key, and escape a locked room within the time allotted.

Hide the key and a list of clues around the room.

Gather the team into the empty room and "lock" the door.

Give them either 30 minutes or 1 hour to find the key using the clues hidden around the room.

7. Frostbite

Decision Making, Adaptability What You'll Need:

A blindfold

1 packet of construction materials (such as card stock, toothpicks, rubber bands, and sticky notes) for each team

An electric fan

Picture this... Your employees are Arctic explorers adventuring across an icy tundra! Separate them into teams of 4-5 and have them select a leader to guide their exploration. Each team must build a shelter from the materials provided before the storm hits in 30 minutes. However, both the team leader's hands have frostbite, so they can't physically help construct the shelter, and the rest of the team has snow blindness and is unable to see. When the 30 minutes is up, turn on the fan and see which shelter can withstand the high winds of the storm.

8. Minefield

An empty room or hallway

A collection of common office items

1. Place the items (boxes, chairs, water bottles, bags, etc.) around the room so there's no clear path from one end of the room to the other.

2. Divide your team into pairs and blindfold one person on the team.

3. The other must verbally guide that person from one end of the room to the other, avoiding the "mines." 4. The partner who is not blindfolded can't touch the other.

5. If you want to make the activity more challenging, have all the pairs go simultaneously so teams must find ways to strategically communicate with each other.

9. Blind Formations

1. Have the group put on blindfolds and form a large circle.

2. Tie two ends of a rope together and lay it in a circle in the middle of the group, close enough so each person can reach down and touch it.

3. Instruct the group to communicate to create a shape with the rope a square, triangle, rectangle, etc.

4. If you have a very large group, divide them into teams and provide a rope for each team. Let them compete to see who forms a particular shape quickest.

10. Line up Blind

1. Blindfold everyone and whisper a number to each person, beginning with one.

2. Tell them to line up in numerical order without talking.

3. Instead of giving them a number, you could also have them line up numerically by height, age, birthday, etc.

11. Reverse Pyramid

1. Have everyone stand in a pyramid shape, horizontally.

2. Ask them to flip the base and the apex of the pyramid moving only three people.

3. This quick exercise works best when smaller groups compete to see who can reverse the pyramid the fastest.

12. Move It!

Chalk, rope, tape, or paper (something to mark a space)

1. Divide your group into two teams and line them up front to back, facing each other.

2. Using chalk, tape, rope, or paper (depending on the playing surface), mark a square space for each person to stand on. Leave one extra empty space between the two facing rows.

3. The goal is for the two-facing lines of players to switch places.

Place these restrictions on movement:

Only one person may move at a time.

A person may not move around anyone facing the same direction.

No one may not move backward.

A person may not move around more than one person on the other team at a time.

13. Human Knot

1. Have everyone stand in a circle, and ask each person to hold hands with two people who aren't directly next to them.

2. When everyone is tangled together, ask them to untangle the knot and form a perfect circle without letting anyone's hand.

Our last two problem-solving activities work best when dealing with an actual problem:

14. Dumbest Idea First

Instant Problem Solving What You'll Need:

1. "Dumb" ideas are sometimes the best ideas. Ask everyone to think of the absolute dumbest possible solution to the problem at hand.

2. After you have a long list, look through it and see which ones might not be as dumb as you think.

3. Brainstorm your solutions in Wrike. It's free and everyone can start collaborating instantly!

15. What Would X Do

1. Have everyone pretend they're someone famous.

2. Each person must approach the problem as if they were a famous person. What options would they consider? How would they handle it?

3. This allows everyone to consider solutions they might not have thought of originally.

Looking for more team building games? Check out these virtual icebreaker games Ultimate Guide to Team Building Activities that Don't Suck.

What is the team building process?

This process of learning to work together effectively is known as team development. Bruce Tuckman, an educational psychologist, identified a five-stage development process that most teams follow to become high performing. He called the stages: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning.

What is team building?

The Oxford English Dictionary defines team building as: “The action or process of causing a group of people to work together effectively as a team, especially by means of activities and events designed to increase motivation and promote cooperation.”

How often should you schedule team-building activities?

One of the most important aspects of team building is that it is an ongoing process. One team-building session can be effective, but your team could benefit more from multiple sessions. In fact, it may be beneficial to make it a part of your regular program. For team building to be effective, you should repeat it as often as you feel it is useful. This largely depends on the activity you choose. You can do quick activities on a more regular basis since they don't interfere with the regular work schedule. You will probably conduct longer, more elaborate activities less frequently so the team can get work done.

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45 team building games to improve commu ...

45 team building games to improve communication and camaraderie

Team building games bring everyone together without the added pressure of work. Here, we’ve listed 45 of the top team building activities broken down by icebreaker, problem solving, indoor, and outdoor games.

As Ashley Frabasilio, Employee Engagement Manager at Asana puts it, “Creating a shared experience for teams to build relationships is one of the best ways to increase trust and encourage collaboration."

Whether you’re looking for indoor or outdoor activities, quick icebreaker games, or activities to bond with your remote team members, we compiled a list of over 45 team building games that you’ll actually enjoy.

How to make team building inclusive

Teams with an inclusive culture tend to be more transparent, supportive, and happy because everyone feels accepted. It’s essential to make any team activity feel productive and enjoyable for the entire group, regardless of personalities or skill sets. Whether you’re working on building an inclusive remote culture or want in-person teams to feel more comfortable together, consider the following for an inclusive team building experience:

Inclusive team building means including everyone. Depending on the type of team building activity, you may benefit from hiring an outside expert to facilitate a team building event that everyone can participate in. Plus, the activity may feel more authentic because a professional is guiding you.

If you have introverts on the team, they may not be as excited about an exercise that involves lots of social interaction and do better in small groups.

Teammates with speech, sight, or hearing impairments may feel left out during a game that involves blindfolding players and communicating without looking at each other.

Physically active games could exclude physically impaired teammates.

Before choosing one of the team building games from this list, take stock of everyone's abilities. Find an activity that everyone on your team can participate in. Maybe even send out an anonymous poll to see what kinds of activities your team would be willing to partake in. Ultimately, the best team building activity will be the one that everyone can enjoy.

Team icebreaker games

Icebreaker questions and activities are the perfect “getting to know you” games but they’re also fun to play with teammates you’ve known for a long time. You can play them to get everyone up to speed for a meeting (especially on those 8am calls) or use them to introduce new team members.

1. Two truths, one lie

Team size : 3+ people

Time : 2–3 minutes per person

How to play : Ask everyone in the group to come up with two facts about themselves and one lie. The more memorable the facts (e.g., I went skydiving in Costa Rica) and the more believable the lies (e.g., I have two dogs), the more fun the game will be! Then, ask each team member to present their three statements and have the group vote on which one they think is the lie.

Why this exercise is great : This game is perfect for groups who don’t know each other well yet. The details you share can be used as building blocks for late conversations (“What else did you do in Costa Rica?”) to give you a better idea of who you’re working with.

2. Penny for your thoughts

Team size : 5+ people

How to play : You’ll need a box full of pennies (or other coins) with years only as old as your youngest team member (not the time to brag about your 1937 collector’s penny). Ask every team member to draw a coin from the box and share a story, memory, or otherwise significant thing that happened to them that year. This can be anything from learning how to ride a bike to landing your first job.

Why this exercise is great : This is a fun twist on a stress-free and simple icebreaker that gives everyone the chance to share a personal story with their team. You can play multiple rounds if the stories are on the shorter side or let team members elaborate on their stories to gain deeper insight into their lives.

3. Mood pictures

How to play : Prepare a variety of images before you play. You can collect newspaper clippings, magazine cutouts, postcards, and posters or print out different images from the internet (Pinterest is a great spot). The images should show landscapes, cities, people, shapes, or animals in a variety of colors and perspectives.

Lay all the images out and ask team members to each pick one that resonates with their current mood. Once everyone has picked an image, ask them to share what they resonated with, how it makes them feel, and why they picked it.

Why this exercise is great : This exercise is a great way to get a meeting or a workshop started because it allows you to get a feel of the room in a creative and unexpected way. You don’t always have to ask your team to pick an image that reflects their mood—it can also be their expectations for a workshop, their feelings about a current project, or how they hope to feel at the end of the day. As they say, a picture’s worth a thousand words, so this exercise makes talking about feelings easier for a lot of people.

4. One word exercise

Time : 5–10 minutes

How to play : Pick a phrase related to the meeting topic and ask everyone to write down one word that comes to mind on a post-it. Then, gather these words on a whiteboard or put them in a presentation. For example, if you’re hosting a meeting about your annual holiday event. Everyone would take a moment to respond with the first word that comes in their head. If the team is responding with words like stress or exhaustion, you might want to rethink your process.

Why this exercise is great : This is a way to collect opinions, thoughts, or feelings about a meeting that’s well within most people’s comfort zone. You’ll have the chance to read the room before diving into the topic and may uncover some concerns or questions to focus on, which will make the meeting more beneficial to everyone.

5. Back-to-back drawing

Team siz e: 4+ people

Time : 5–10 minutes

How to play : Split your team into groups of two and make them sit back to back. Hand one person a pen and piece of paper and show the other person a picture of something that’s fairly simple to draw (e.g., a car, a flower, a house). This person now has to describe the picture to their teammate without actually saying what the item is so they can draw it. They’re allowed to describe shapes, sizes, and textures but can’t say, “Draw a lily.” Once the blind drawing is finished, compare it with the original to see how well you communicated.

Why this exercise is great : This activity is a fun way to polish your communication skills, especially your listening skills. It also gives your team a chance to get creative and innovative by thinking outside the box to describe the image to their teammate.

6. Birthday line up

Team size : 8+ people

Time : 10–15 minutes

How to play : Ask your entire team to form a line in order of their birthdays without talking to each other. You can encourage other forms of communication like sign language, gestures, or nudges. If you want to add a little bit of pressure and excitement to the exercise, add a time limit!

Why this exercise is great : Besides learning everyone’s birthday (which can always come in handy as a conversation starter later on), this exercise encourages your team to learn to communicate towards a common goal without using words. Although this can be a challenge and get frustrating, this exercise promotes problem framing skills, cooperation, and non-verbal communication skills.

7. Charades

Team size : 8–10 people

Time : 10–25 minutes

How to play : Divide your team into groups of four or five people. The person who goes first is given or shown a random object (e.g., printer, stapler, keyboard) in private. They then have to demonstrate how to use the object without actually showing it in front of their team. Their team gets 30 seconds on the clock to shout out the correct word (you can adjust the time depending on the difficulty of the objects).

Then it’s the other team’s turn. You’ll keep playing until every team member has had the chance to demonstrate an object to their team.

Why this exercise is great : This classic game is a nice way to break up a mentally taxing day and get your team to do a creative exercise that isn’t work-related.

8. Swift swap

Team size : 10–20 people

How to play : Split your team into two groups and line them up facing each other. Team A gets a quick observation period (15–30 seconds) in which group members have to memorize as many things about the people in front of them as possible. Then team A turns around while team B changes as many things about their appearance as possible.

Anything from changing the line up order to swapping shoes with someone or changing your hairdo is fair game. After about 45 seconds, team A turns back around and gets 5–10 minutes to find out what’s changed. You can adjust the time depending on the size of your group.

Why this exercise is great : This game is a great way to break up a long day and take everyone’s minds off work for a little while. Your team also gets to practice time-sensitive non-verbal communication during the swapping phase.

9. Code of conduct

Time : 20–30 minutes

How to play : This game is a great way to tune into a new project or workshop. Write the two categories “meaningful” and “enjoyable” on a whiteboard and ask the group to share what they believe is needed to accomplish these two things for your project or workshop. This can be anything from “regular breaks'' to “transparency and honesty,” which could fall under either category.

Everyone will choose ideas that they agree are both meaningful and enjoyable . Record these values in a shared tool to establish the code of conduct for your upcoming project or workshop. This list will function as a reminder for the team to uphold these values.

Why this exercise is great : Whether it’s the first day of a workshop, the beginning of a new project, or simply a Monday morning, this exercise is great to get everyone on your team on the same page. By establishing group norms and values early on and holding everyone accountable with a written code of conduct, you can create a sense of cohesiveness. If you’d like to do this exercise virtually, use our team brainstorming template to collect everyone’s thoughts.

10. Common thread

Team size : 10+ people

Time : 30 minutes

How to play : Divide your team into groups of three to five people. Then ask your team to find things everyone in their group has in common. This can be a favorite TV show, an ice cream flavor nobody likes, or a common hobby. Encourage your teammates to find common threads that aren’t too superficial or obvious. The more things they can find that everyone in the group has in common, the better! If you have the time, bring everyone together afterward and ask the teams to share their experiences.

Why this exercise is great : This fun game allows your team to find commonalities that they may not get a chance to discover otherwise. It’s also a great way to reunite teams that feel a bit divided. Talking about shared likes and dislikes can be helpful to reconnect you with teammates.

Remote or virtual team building games

Bonding with your teammates can be more difficult when you’re working remotely. Remote or virtual team building games can improve remote collaboration , motivate teams , and create a sense of community even though you’re physically apart. You can use Zoom to connect with your teammates or do quick team building exercises via your remote work software during the day.

If your team is located across multiple time zones, you may have to get creative with scheduling. Ashley Frabasilio, Employee Engagement Manager at Asana encourages leaders to schedule these activities during normal work hours. Ensure that the activity is appropriate for all participants in all time zones so no one feels excluded. Using work hours for these exercises can also increase the participation rate because you’re not interfering with personal time.

11. Show and tell

How to play : Ask everyone in your team to bring something they’re proud of or that brings them joy to your next meeting. This can be anything from a pet to a plant, a painting they did, or a certificate they received. Everyone gets two to three minutes to show off their item and answer questions from the team if they have any.

Why this exercise is great : Show and tell isn’t just fun for kids, it’s also a great way to connect with your team. You’re probably going to learn something new about your teammates and may get a couple of conversation starters for your next meeting from this game.

12. Photo caption contest

How to play : Collect a few funny photos—for example a few memes that have recently been circling the internet. Send these to your team before the meeting and ask everyone to submit their best photo caption for each image. You can put these together in a quick presentation and present them to your team during the call. You can have a good laugh together and even vote for the best captions.

Why this exercise is great : This exercise is a fun way to get creative as a team and have a good laugh together.

13. Morning coffee

Time : 15–30 minutes

How to play : Schedule regular coffee calls for your remote team to give everyone a chance to get to know each other like they would in an office setting. You can schedule team calls with four to five people or randomly assign two people to each other that switch every time. You can offer these casual calls once a week, bi-weekly, or once a month, depending on your team size and the interest in this opportunity.

Why this exercise is great : Remote teams don’t often get a chance to just chit-chat and get to know each other without talking about work or feeling like they’re wasting meeting time. By designating 15–30 minutes on a regular basis to a casual call, your team members will have a chance to bond with people they might not typically interact with.

14. Lunch and learn

How to play : Hold a weekly or monthly “lunch and learn” where one team member presents a topic to the whole team during their lunch break. This presentation can be on a tool everyone uses at work, on a lesson learned from a recent project, or even on a book they read that everyone can learn from.

Why this exercise is great : These events are a great opportunity for your team to connect in a more casual yet educational setting. If your team budget allows, send restaurant gift cards to your team members so they can order lunch for the call.

15. Online group game

Time : 30–60 minutes

How to play : Invite your team to play a game online together. This can be an actual video game if everyone happens to use the same console at home or you can download an interactive game (like Jackbox ) which you can screen share with the rest of the group.

Why this exercise is great : Playing a video game or an interactive game that has nothing to do with work can be a fun way to switch things up, create a more casual work environment, and get to know each other better. It will also give people with great sportsmanship a chance to shine!

16. Trivia games

Team size : 6–20 people

Time : 30–90 minutes

How to play : Start a meeting with a quick game of trivia or host a regular virtual trivia night at the end of the work day. You can play a game of office trivia (e.g., facts about the company) or pick random other themes like TV shows, music, or national parks. To mix things up, ask other team members to host trivia night.

Why this exercise is great : Whether you’re making the trivia game office-themed or creating a regular team activity that takes everyone’s minds off of work, you’ll get to spend time with your team playing a competitive, educational, and entertaining game that gives everyone a chance to bond.

17. Quarterly challenge

Time : One month

How to play : Create an optional challenge for your team to participate in. The challenge can be centered around healthy eating, meditation, journaling, or reading. Create a chat or thread where your teammates can exchange their experiences, wins, and questions to keep each other motivated and accountable throughout the month.

Make sure your team knows that participation is optional. It never hurts to ask for feedback to spark future team challenge ideas.

Why this exercise is great : Creating a challenge like this for your team shows them that you care about their work-life balance. By offering a quarterly challenge, you provide your team with the opportunity to share an experience together. Plus, it’s always easier to complete a challenge when you have a team who supports you and an incentive to work toward.

18. Personality test

How to play : Send a personality test to your team and ask everyone to share their results in a chat or during your next team meeting. This can be a formal test like the Enneagram or StrengthsFinder . For something more lighthearted, you can send a fun quiz like the Sorting Hat to find out which Hogwarts house you belong in or a Buzzfeed quiz (e.g., “ What Kitchen Appliance Are You? ”).

Why this exercise is great : Depending on the type of quiz your team takes, this can become a funny icebreaker before you start a meeting or turn into a discussion on your team’s combined strengths and challenges.

Problem solving games

Playing problem solving games with your team helps them level up their teamwork skills, resolve issues, achieve goals, and excel together. Whether you’re using new brainstorming techniques or going out for a team adventure, these fun team building activities are the perfect way to improve your team's problem solving skills.

19. Your first idea

Team size : 5–12 people

Time : 10–20 minutes

How to play : Ask everyone in your team to write down the first idea that pops into their head when they’re presented with the problem. Compile the list and review it as a team.

A fun twist on this game is to ask everyone to write down their worst idea. After reviewing with the team, you may realize that some ideas aren’t that bad after all. You can play this game with a real-life problem, a fictional one, or when you’re brainstorming new ideas to pitch.

Why this exercise is great : We often get too much into our heads about problems and solutions. By writing down the first solution that comes to mind, we can uncover new perspectives and fixes.

20. Back of the napkin

Team size : 6–24 people

Time : 15–20 minutes

How to play : Divide your team into groups of two to four and present them with a variety of open-ended problems. These can be work-related, imaginary, or even environmental problems. Every team gets a napkin and pen that they have to sketch or write their solution on after they’ve discussed the issue as a group. These will then be presented to the rest of the team.

Why this exercise is great : Some of the best ideas have allegedly been recorded on napkins (hey, when creativity strikes you’ll write on anything). This game imitates this scenario while challenging your team to collaborate on solving a creative problem.

21. Create your own

How to play : Each team member will create an original problem-solving activity on their own and present it to the group. Whether this entails a physical, mental, or creative challenge is up to your team. If you have the time, play some of the games afterward!

Why this exercise is great : Coming up with your own games is fun and a real creative challenge. It also allows your team members to showcase their strengths by creating challenges they’ll be prepared to tackle.

22. Spectrum mapping

Team size : 5–15 people

How to play : Present your team with a few topics that you’d like their opinions and insight on. Write them down on a whiteboard and give everyone sticky notes and pens. Ask them to write down their thoughts and pin them on the whiteboard underneath the respective topic.

Now arrange the sticky notes as a team. Try to group similar ideas together to the left of the topic and post outliers toward the right side. This will create a spectrum of popular thoughts and opinions on the left and more extreme ideas on the right.

Why this exercise is great : This game will help you map out the diversity of perspectives your team has on different topics. Remember that unpopular opinions don’t have to be wrong. Embracing this diversity can help you uncover new perspectives and innovative ideas to solve problems you’re facing as a team.

23. What would “X” do?

Team size : 5–10 people

Time : 45–60 minutes

How to play : Present your team with a problem and ask everyone to come up with a famous person or leader they admire. This can be a celebrity, a business person, or a relative. Challenge your teammates to approach the problem as if they were that person and present their solution (extra points for playing in character).

Why this exercise is great : Getting stuck in your own head can often keep you from solving a problem efficiently and effectively. By stepping into the shoes of someone else, you may uncover new solutions. Plus, it’s fun pretending to be someone else for a little while!

24. Team pursuit

Time : 1–3 hours

How to play : Form groups of two to six people that will compete against one another in a series of challenges. You can buy a team pursuit package online or create your own game, which will take a good amount of prep time.

You’ll want to create a set of challenges for your team: cerebral challenges that test logic and intelligence, skill challenges like aptitude tests, and mystery challenges which usually ask for creativity and out-of-the-box thinking (e.g., come up with a unique handshake, take a fun picture, etc.).

Why this exercise is great : A solid game of team pursuit will create a fun challenge that gives everyone a chance to shine and show off their talents. Whether you’re a good runner, a quick thinker, or a creative mind, everyone will be able to contribute to the success of the team. This game will bring your team closer together and show them new sides of their teammates that they may not have been aware of.

25. Code break

Team size : 8–24 people

How to play : This brain teaser is a fun activity that you can play indoors or outdoors to challenge your team. Outback Team Building offers self-hosted, remote-hosted, and on-site hosted events that include several codes your teammates have to find and break to make it through the course.

Why this exercise is great : This challenge requires creative thinking, creates a competitive environment, and works with large groups because you can break off into smaller groups.

26. Escape room

Time : 2–3 hours

How to play : Visiting an escape room is always a unique experience and a great way to spend an afternoon with your team. If you have multiple escape rooms nearby, ask your team if they have a general idea of what theme they’d like to explore (e.g., history, horror, sci-fi) and try to pick something you’ll think everyone will enjoy.

If you’re super creative and have the time and resources, you can put together an escape room on your own!

Why this exercise is great : Solving the mysteries of an escape room with your team will reveal the strengths and weaknesses of your teammates, foster communication and collaboration, build trust, and become a shared memory that connects you together.

Indoor team building games

Most of these indoor games can be played in an office, conference room, or a hallway with a small team, but you may need a bit more space if you’re inviting a larger group to join in.

27. Perfect square

Team size : 4–12 people

How to play : Divide your team into groups of four to six and ask them to stand in a tight circle with their group. Ask everyone to blindfold themselves or close their eyes and give one person a rope. Without looking at what they're doing, the teams now have to pass the rope around so everyone holds a piece of it and then form a perfect square. Once the team is sure their square is perfect, they can lay the rope down on the floor, take off their blindfolds (or open their eyes) and see how well they did.

Why this exercise is great : This game is about more than perfect geometric shapes, it’s an amazing listening and communication exercise. Because no one can see what they're doing, your team members have to communicate clearly while figuring out how to create a square out of a rope. Besides, it’s often really funny to see how imperfect the squares come out.

28. Memory wall

How to play : You’ll need a whiteboard and sticky notes for this game. Write different work-related themes on the whiteboard such as “first day at work,” “team celebration,” and “work travel.” Hand each teammate a few sticky notes and ask them to write down their favorite memories or accomplishments associated with one or more of these themes. Invite everyone to share these with the team to take a walk down memory lane and post the notes on the whiteboard as you go.

Why this exercise is great : This is a nice way to end a week, long day, or workshop because you’ll share positive experiences with one another that will leave your teammates smiling. If you’re finishing up a work trip or multi-day workshop, you can also do a slimmed-down version of this by asking everyone to share their favorite memory or biggest accomplishment of the last few days.

29. Turn back time

How to play : This team building exercise works best in a quiet atmosphere with everyone sitting in a circle. Ask your team to silently think of a unique memory in their lives. You can give them a few minutes to collect their thoughts. Then, ask everyone to share the one memory they’d like to relive if they could turn back time.

Not everyone may be comfortable opening up at first, so be sure to lead with vulnerability and make everyone in the room feel safe about sharing their moment.

Why this exercise is great : This exercise is a great way to help your team members remember their priorities and bond on a deeper level. In a team that’s facing disconnection or stress, sharing personal highlights that aren’t work-related can help create a sense of togetherness. Although the exercise doesn’t take too long, it’s best to do it toward the end of the day so your team has a chance to reflect on what’s been said.

30. Paper plane

Team size : 6–12 people

How to play : Split your team into groups of two to four and hand out card stock. Give each team 10–15 minutes to come up with the best long-distance paper plane design (they’re allowed to do research on their phones or computers) and a name for their airline.

When the paper planes are done, have a competition in a long hallway or outside to see which plane flies the farthest.

Why this exercise is great : This exercise requires team members to collaborate on a project with a tight timeline. It is a great activity to practice communication skills, delegation, and time management.

31. Build a tower

Team size : 8–16 people

How to play : Divide your team into groups of four or five and provide them with 20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow. Challenge each team to build the tallest tower possible using only the supplies you gave them. When finished, the tower has to support the marshmallow sitting on top. Set the timer for 20 minutes and ask everyone to step away from their masterpiece when it runs out so you can crown a winner.

Why this exercise is great : This challenge is a great way to improve problem solving skills and communication within your team. Your team members will have to prototype, build, and present the tower in a short amount of time, which can be stressful. The better they work together, the more likely they are to succeed.

32. Flip it over

Team size : 6–8 people

How to play : Lay a towel, blanket, or sheet on the floor and ask your teammates to stand on it. The goal is to flip the piece over without ever stepping off of it or touching the ground outside of the fabric. You can make the challenge more difficult by adding more people to the team or using a smaller sheet.

Why this exercise is great : This exercise requires clear communication, cooperation, and a good sense of humor. It’s a great way to find out how well your teammates cooperate when presented with an oddly difficult task.

33. Sneak a peek

Team size : 4–20 people

How to play : Create a structure out of Lego pieces and hide it in a separate room. Divide your team into groups of two to four people and give them enough Legos to replicate the structure in 30 minutes or less.

One player per team is allowed to sneak a peek at the original structure for 15 seconds, then run back and describe it to their team. The person who gets to sneak a peek rotates so everyone gets to see the original at some point during the game. The team that first completes the structure as close to the original wins!

Why this exercise is great : During this game your team gets to focus on teamwork and communication. Since only one person at a time is allowed to look at the original, team members may see and describe different things. The more complex the structure is, the harder this game will be.

34. Pyramids

How to play : Pick a large open area for this game like a hallway, a meeting room, or the cafeteria. Divide your team into groups of four to six and give each team 10 paper cups. Ask the teams to stand in a line with about 8–10 feet between the team members. Now it’s a race against time!

The first person in each line has to build a pyramid with four cups at the base. Once they’re done, the second player has to help them carry the pyramid to their station (this can be on the floor or at a table). They can slide it on the floor or carry it together but if the pyramid falls apart, the players have to reassemble it on the spot before continuing their journey. At the next station, the second player has to topple the pyramid and rebuild it before the third player gets to help them carry it to the next station. This continues until the pyramid reaches the last station. The team that finishes first wins the game

Why this exercise is great : This game is fun to play during a mid-day break, fosters communication skills, and promotes teamwork.

35. Shipwrecked

Team size : 8–25 people

How to play : The premise of the game is that you’re stranded on a deserted island and only have 25 minutes to secure survival items off the sinking ship. Place items like water bottles, matches, food, etc., in the “shipwreck area.” You can also print pictures on index cards to make things a bit easier. The quantity of each item should be limited, with some items having more than others (e.g., more water than food, fewer tarps than teams, more knives than ropes, etc.).

Divide your team into groups of two (or more if it’s a large team). Once the clock starts, they have to gather as many items as they deem worthy from the shipwreck and rank them in order of importance. Since the items are limited (some more than others), the teams will not only have to prioritize the items within their own group of people but also negotiate, trade, and exchange items with other teams.

Why this exercise is great : This game will challenge problem-solving abilities, encourage collaboration, and enable your team to flex their leadership skills. Typically, teams with strong leadership qualities will have the most success in making these quick decisions.

36. Team flag

Time : 30–45 minutes

How to play : Divide your team into groups of two to four people and provide them with paper and pens. Each group now has to come up with an emblem or flag that represents their team. Once everyone has completed their masterpiece, they have to present it to the rest of the teams, explaining how they came up with the design. This exercise is also a great opportunity to discuss how each group identified their common values and created alignment during the design process.

Why this exercise is great : This is a great way to get the creative juices flowing. Your team will not only have to come up with a unique design that represents their collective identity but they’ll also have to collaborate on putting pen to paper and presenting their flag or emblem at the end of the game.

37. Salt and pepper

How to play : You’ll need a list of things that go well together like salt and pepper, left sock and right sock, day and night, peanut butter and jelly, or yin and yang. Write these words on individual pieces of paper and tape one sheet of paper on every team member's back.

Ask your team to mingle and find out what’s written on their back by asking questions that can only be answered with yes or no (e.g., “Am I sweet? Do you wear me? Am I cold?”). Once the participants find out who they are, they have to find their match!

Why this exercise is great : Your team can use this game to bond with one another and improve their communication skills. If you have a large team, this exercise also gives them a chance to interact with people they may not usually get to talk to.

38. Sell it

Time : 45–90 minutes

How to play : Ask your teammates to each bring a random object to the meeting. Everyone then has to come up with a logo, slogan, and marketing plan to sell this object. After 30 minutes, each team member has to present their new product to the rest of the team. If you have a larger team, divide them into groups of 2–4 people and ask them to collaborate on their product pitch.

Why this exercise is great : This game is great to switch things up if you don’t already work in marketing or sales. It’s also fun to play with others as it allows your team to get creative and have fun with everyday objects.

39. The barter puzzle

Time : 1–2 hours

How to play : Divide your team into groups of three or four people and give each a different jigsaw puzzle of the same difficulty level. Ask them to complete the puzzle as a team. The twist: each puzzle is missing a few pieces that are mixed in with an opposing team’s puzzle. The teams have to figure out ways to get the pieces they need from the other teams by negotiating, trading pieces, or even exchanging teammates. Every decision has to be made as a team. The first team to complete their puzzle wins.

Why this exercise is great : Every decision made will have to be a group decision which challenges your team to improve their problem solving skills.

Outdoor team building exercises

If you want to get a larger group together for a team building exercise, why not take things outside? Outdoor team building is also a great way to get your teammates to interact without the distractions of screens or smartphones. Whether you want to catch a breath of fresh air or get some sunshine together, these exercises will help you bond with your teammates outside of the office.

40. The minefield

Team size : 4–10 people

How to play : Create a minefield in a parking lot or another large, open space by sporadically placing objects like papers, balls, cones, and bottles. Split your team into groups of two and ask one person to put on a blindfold. The other person now has to guide the blindfolded teammate through the minefield only using their words. The blindfolded person is not allowed to talk and will be eliminated if they stop walking or step on anything in the minefield.

The objective of the game is to make it to the other side of the minefield. The teams can then switch so another person will be blindfolded and guided through the field on their way back. You can also distribute pieces the blindfolded person has to pick up on their way through the field to add another difficulty level.

Why this exercise is great : This game is not just a trust exercise for your teammates but also a fun way to practice active listening skills and clear communication.

41. Earth-ball

Team size : 5–20 people

Time : 15–45 minutes

How to play : You’ll need a balloon, beach ball, or volleyball for this activity. Ask your team to stand in a circle and keep the balloon or ball in the air for as long as possible. To make it a real challenge, no one can touch the ball twice in a row. The bigger your team, the more fun this game will be!

Why this exercise is great : This fun challenge is a great way to get your team moving. If you’re struggling to keep the ball up for longer, try to come up with a strategy to improve your time.

42. Scavenger hunt

How to play : Put together a scavenger hunt for your team. This can be in the form of a list of photographs they have to take (e.g., something red, all teammates in front of the company logo, the CEO’s car, etc.), items they have to collect (e.g., company brochure, yellow sticky note with manager’s signature on it, ketchup packet from the cafeteria, etc.), or other activities they have to complete on a designated route.

Why this exercise is great : The more people that tag along, the more fun this game will be. You can group people together who don’t know each other very well to allow them time to bond during this exercise. Try to come up with company-specific quests for your team so they learn a few fun facts along the way. You can offer prizes for the most creative team or the first to finish the challenge to boost motivation.

43. Egg drop

Time : 60–90 minutes

How to play : Divide your team into groups of two or three people and give each team a raw egg (keep some extras in case they break before the grand finale). Then put out supplies like tape, straws, rubber bands, newspapers, and balloons so the teams can build a structure for the raw egg that will protect it from a fall out of a second or third story window.

Each team has 60 minutes to complete their structure. When the time is up, ask your teams to gather their eggs and egg cages to drop them out of the window. This grand finale will reveal which team engineered and built the best cage.

Why this exercise is great : Collaborating on a design and building a cage will challenge your team’s problem solving and collaboration skills.

44. Team outing

Team size : Any

How to play : Plan an outing for your team. You could attend a cooking class or go to a museum together. If you want to have something your teammates can work toward, plan to run a 5K together or host a ping pong tournament. You can also do something more casual like inviting your team to hangout at a bowling alley after work where you can play a few games in a casual and fun setting.

Why this exercise is great : Taking your team somewhere new will help break down some of the walls we often build in a professional setting. While you’re still at a company function, you’re more inclined to connect through casual conversation at a restaurant or park than you would at the office.

45. Volunteer as a team

How to play : Organize a team event during your regularly scheduled workday. This can be a charity event, yard sale, or fundraiser for a cause your team cares about. Even though these are enjoyable, scheduling them during work hours makes this feel like more of a perk than an obligation.

If your team members have a few causes they’re truly passionate about, consider making this a monthly or quarterly event. You can also rotate the charities that you’re helping out to accommodate your team’s different interests.

Why this exercise is great : Experiencing helper’s high can improve your personal health and mental state. Sharing this rush that doing good can give you will help your team bond on a deeper level.

Benefits of team building

Team building is more than a fun break from your everyday routine at work. It also:

Improves communication, trust, and collaboration skills

Promotes a collaborative culture by bringing teammates together

Fosters agile decision making and problem solving skills

Boosts team productivity and morale

Uses creativity and outside-of-the-box thinking

Ashley Frabasilio believes that:

A common goal is to create a memorable and meaningful experience for folks to connect. Some questions to consider when planning an impactful team-building activity include: What do I hope folks walk away with? I.e., a new skill, a deeper connection to one another, personal development, a moment of delight, etc.”

Ask yourself these questions before proposing a team building activity so you can reap the full benefits of the exercise.

Bring your team together, creatively

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to build your team’s confidence, connection, and teamwork skills. While team building is fun, it’s also important to connect with your team on an everyday basis. To build one of those connections in your day-to-day work, the right collaboration software is key.

Looking for the right collaboration tool? See how Asana keeps your team connected, no matter where you’re working.

Related resources

Fix these common onboarding challenges to boost productivity

30-60-90 day plan: How to onboard new hires with ease

15 types of employee performance reviews

What is self-management? (7 skills to improve it)

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Corporate Games

Team Building

The Puzzling Team Challenge

The Puzzling Team Challenge is one of the best ways to illustrate how each person and each team is part of a larger whole. Each team starts with a 100 piece jigsaw puzzle that they must try to complete– before any other team completes theirs. Another goal for each team is to “find the hidden message” on the back of their completed puzzle- by flipping it over once completed. There are a couple of factors that make this seemingly easy task more difficult, and force them to really organize and communicate. These factors include:

The puzzle pieces they start with come from all the other puzzles as well as their own.

All teams will be told to get up and shift tables at two different times during the exercise– so each team is working on a different puzzle, and has “inherited” someone else’s “problem.” (In real life, we all are required to drop what we’re doing and “shift gears” at some point. This is a test of how the teams handle this.)

The “hidden message” is on the back of each puzzle, and actually, it is one big message, that can only be read when all teams have flipped over their finished puzzles and placed them side by side (the proverbial “Big Picture”). There is a full debriefing on the meaning of the activity.

The Puzzling Team Challenge Image Gallery

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38 Team Building Games That You Will Actually Enjoy

Why do team building activities.

Team building games and activities are a great way to bond and bring your employees together. Whether they're done in-person or virtually, team building activities aid with coworker connections, communication and relationship formation in addition to brightening your team's day.

Not all team building games are suitable for all teams, which is why we've put together a list of some of our favorite team-building activities that are both exciting and insightful.

Quick Team Building Games and Activities

Team building games and activities for time strapped teams. All activities should take less than 30 minutes of participants' time.

#1 Magic Cane (Helium Stick)

Number of Participants: 6-14 People

Items Needed: Tent Pole (or similar --- the stick must be long, thin, and light)

Goal: The group must lower the stick until it is touching the ground.

Split your group into two lines facing each other. Ideally, you should have an even number of people on both sides, however it is still possible to play with an uneven number.

Ask your group to raise their arms and point their index fingers out. Lay the magic cane or helium stick across their fingers. The stick should be at the chest level height of the tallest participant to start. Once the stick is laying across participants fingers, tell them that their challenge is to lower this stick to the ground.

Everyone's finger must remain in contact with the stick at all times during the challenge. If it slips, they have to start from the beginning. Pinching or grabbing the stick with other fingers is considered cheating. Everyone must be standing on their feet when you start.

It sounds like a simple task, but it is deceptively challenging. At first, people will likely lift the stick or set it off balance. This can lead to confusion or perhaps even frustration among the team.

The tendency of the stick to float can lead group members to begin blaming others for the group failure. However, the group won't be able to succeed unless they shift from blaming to asking questions. The more open-minded and collectively responsible the group is, the more quickly they'll succeed.

This simple activity encourages communication and problem solving, since every member of the group is needed to complete the task. It also reinforces the idea that everyone is equally important, valuable and necessary for the team to succeed.

Follow Up Questions:

What was the groups initial reaction?

What we're their biggest challenges?

Did team work come easily or was it a struggle to get through?

What skill were used to succeed in the challenge?

Were any creative solutions purposed? How were they received?

#2 The Barter Puzzle

Time: 20 Minutes

Number of Participants: 9-25 People

Items Needed: At least 3 puzzles with 50 pieces or fewer.

Goal: The group must complete a puzzle.

Split team members into equal groups of 4 or 5 people (though not ideal, it is possible to play with groups of 3). Give each group a different jigsaw puzzle. It is their tasks to solve the puzzle, however, there is a catch.

Each puzzle has had pieces of the other puzzles mixed in at random. Explain to all the groups that other teams may have the pieces they need. Members have to strategize, assign roles and barter with other teams to get pieces they need to complete their puzzle first.

This activity offers a dual challenge: firstly they need to solve the puzzle in a short period of time, secondly they need to convince the other team to trade them the necessary pieces. This is a particularly good activity if you want to strengthen your sales team or get team members to practice negotiating and strategizing skills.

Did you assign people on your team specific roles? Was there a leader? A negotiator?

What was your thought process?

Did you plan at the beginning? Did the plan change as time passed?

What was contributed to your success/ failure?

#3 Electric Fence

Number of Participants: 5-15 People

Items Needed: Rope, shoe string, or pole

Goal: The entire team must cross over the top of the "electric fence."

In this activity, you will create an "electric fence" that teams must cross over without touching. To create the fence, tie a rope or shoe string to two chairs or other objects. The rope should be elevated to about waist-height. Position the team on one side of the rope.

To get from one side to the other, members must go over, not under, one at a time. They also must be touching another member of the group with at least one hand at all times. Participants should not make any contact with the electric fence at anytime. If they violate a rule, they must start the exercise all over again.

Because of the physical nature of this game (often team members will need to lift each other over the rope) it is not well suited for people with back, knee, or ankle injuries.

This activity motivates people to brainstorm ideas, problem solve and put their proposed plans into action. It also requires a high degree of trust and communication due to its physical demands.

What was your biggest challenge crossing the fence?

What did the group have to do or believe to be successful?

What was one positive thing you learned about your teammates in the course of this exercise?

What would you do differently next time?

#4 Blind Drawing

Time: 25 minutes

Number of Participants: 4-30 People

Items Needed: Paper, writing utensils, A selection of everyday items (bottle cap, coin, key etc.) or pictures.

Goal: The artist must draw an item based only on the team's description of it.

Similar to Charades, but with a twist. Blind Drawing is a team-building activity that can be done in groups of 4-6. Each team must appoint one artist. Give the artist drawing materials and sit them with their back facing the rest of the team so they're not able to see the group.

The group then picks an item or picture from those supplied. They must successfully get the artist to draw this item or picture in 3 minutes. However they aren't allowed to tell the artist what the item is; they can only give indirect descriptions.

Say the team chose a photo of a bee. They can't say 'draw a bee' however they can give hints like 'buzz', 'yellow and black,' 'honey maker,' etc. The artist can not ask any questions and must draw only based on the descriptions.

When times up, groups should compare their drawings. It can be comical to see how badly they can turn out. The game can get people laughing and highlights how difficult giving instructions can be and how important it is to communicate clearly.

Was the artist confused? What was their thinking process?

Was there any descriptions that confused the artist?

What methods of communication worked the best for your team?

What leadership was demonstrated during the challenge?

What did you learn from the challenge?

#5 Reverse Charades

Time: 30 Minutes

Number of Participants: 4-20

Items Needed: Smart phone, Reverse charades application or board game Goal: Teams use 60 second rounds to act out as many words as possible while only one person guesses.

In a normal game of charades, one person from a group stands up and acts out a word or phrase while the rest of the team tries to guess. However, in reverse charades, the scenario is flipped. The rest of the team must work together to act out a word or phrase while one person has to guess. You can play the box game version or download the mobile app.

In Reverse Charades, it is necessary for team members to communicate with each other. Because there is one person is guessing and everyone else is acting, everyone is involved throughout the entire game, making it a good pick for shyer or attention avoidant team members. No one can sit back while a few take on the challenge.

Did you work as a team to act out the phrase?
Was it hard to get everyone on the same page?

#6 Sneak a Peek

Number of Participants: 2-20

Items Needed: Building materials (clay, toothpick, plasticine, legos) Goal: Recreate an object out of building materials only going off a verbal description.

In this game, divide the group into multiple teams. One person from each team is selected to view a hidden object or sculpture. They only have 10 seconds at a time to peek at the sculpture and must relay the information that they see to the rest of their group. The group must try to recreate the sculpture based on the peek person's description.

Players must trust the team member to describe it accurately and listen to their instructions. It can help break down management barriers if you select a lower-level person as the person to view the sculpture. In a different position than they are accustomed to, it pushes them to adjust, direct a team and communicate clearly.

Did you successfully recreate the object?
Was there any bit of the description that confused you?
When did you benefit most from working as a team?

#7 Conducted Story

Time: 15-20 Minutes

Number of Participants: 4-25

Items Needed: None

Goal: Create an interesting story one sentence at a time.

To do a Conducted Story, groups stand in a circle. One person may act as the conductor, who is responsible for moving the story along. The first person starts the story with a sentence like, "Mike went to the supermarket because..." The next person continues the story, "He needed eggs to bake a cake for.." The story continues on like this until it reaches the last person in the circle or goes around the circle a few times, depending on your group size.

The conducted story is a listening exercise that requires every team member to pay attention to what the others have said. It also stresses the importance of telling a seamless story and that unity and strong communication are needed to do that.

Did you find it difficult to come up with sentences?
When the story didn't go the way you thought it would, how did you pivot?
Was it hard to keep the story continuous?

#8 Swedish Story

Time: 15-30 Minutes

Number of Participants: 3-25

Items Needed: None

Goal: To tell an entertaining story while incorporating team suggestions.

This is another activity that combines storytelling and teamwork but with a twist. People work in pairs or small teams of no more than four. One person is the storyteller while the others are the word givers. The word givers start off by giving a title that the storyteller must start talking about.

Then, as they are speaking, givers yell random words that storytellers must incorporate. The key is that the words should be unrelated to the topic to make it more challenging and interesting. For instance, in a story about, "Visiting the City," word givers should avoid relevant words like, "taxi", "skyscrapers", and "subway". Instead, they shout out unrelated words like, "coconuts", "T-Rex", "Big Foot", or "lumberjacks". You can see a combination of Swedish Story and Conducted Story here:

Storytellers will be put on the spot and have to think fast. It drives them to actively listen to the words the other members say and insert them into the storyline.

Did coming up with a story come naturally or did you find it to be a struggle?

Did your teammates suggestions help or hinder?

Do you prefer being the story teller or the word giver?

Number of Participants: 3-15

Items Needed: Rope/String/Bandanas

Goal: Complete a goal while team's hands are tied together.

In this activity, divide groups up into teams of 2 to 4. Form members into circles facing each other and use rope or shoe strings to tie their wrists to their neighbours wrist. Then, give them a task that they must complete together with their hands tied.

A few examples of tasks that you can use are:

Make a sandwich.

Tie a ribbon.

Navigate through an obstacle course.

Complete a jigsaw puzzle.

Wrap a gift.

Because everyone's hands are tied, it will require the effort of each person to complete the task. The constraints can increase their creativity and push them to think outside-of-the-box. This will also require good and constant communication.

Was it difficult to complete the task?
How did everyone contribute to achieving the task?
What didn't work in terms of communication? What did work?

#10 Bounden

Time: 5-20 Minutes

Number of Participants: 2

Items Needed: 1 smart phone for 2 people

Goal: Complete a dance with another person.

Bounden is a mobile dance game designed to be played with partners with choreography by the Dutch National Ballet. A pairs holds a smartphone or tablet while instructions appear on the screen.

Holding opposite ends of the device, you tilt the phone around a virtual sphere following a path of rings, resulting in players swinging their arms and twisting their bodies. Sensors in the phone detect if the right moves are made.

This can be used as a great icebreaker for small groups. It also requires people to pay close attention and follow the instructions. As they continue, the moves can get more fast-paced or difficult, so they'll have to stay in sync and keep communicating to win.

Did you struggle as it got faster?

What types of communication did you use?

Was there anything you picked up on from your partner's non-verbal communication?

#11 Game of Possibilities

Time: 10-15 Minutes

Items Needed: Various random objects, one per each participant

Goal: Come up with alternative uses for everyday objects and have team members guess said uses.

Each participant is given an object and must demonstrate an alternative use for it. You can use anything from a basketball or plastic bag to a hula hoop or stapler.

Give the participant one-minute to silently act out their alternative use for the object; for example, a stapler could be used as a fork or a trumpet. While they're acting, others in the group try to guess what they're mimeing. Every person who correctly guesses the alternative use gets a point. Once the minute is over, the next person will do the same and so on.

The Game of Possibilities is a great way to bring out your team's creativity and quick thinking as well as a fun way to boost team creativity and innovation.

What was the most creative use someone came up with?

Did you struggle to come up with alternative uses?

Did it get easier over time?

#12 Dance Party

Time: 30 minutes

Number of Participants: 2-16

Items Needed: iPhone, Dance Party ™ Application

Goal: Closely mimic movements of dancers to get points.

Although one of the most effective and quickest ways to bring someone out of their comfort zone is to get them to dance, dancing can be uncomfortable for people who shy away from attention. Dance Party solves this issue by having up to 4 participants dance at once.

You can download the Dance Party app from the App Store and set it up in your office. Players mimic the dance moves that the avatar performs on the screen. Encourage members to form teams and compete.

Dancing as a group takes the pressure and embarrassment out of dancing. Dance Party fosters healthy competition and energizes teams. Plus, the physical activity can help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Follow Up Questions:

Was there anyone who felt uncomfortable dancing?

Did it help to dance with others?

What's something you learned playing this game?

#13 Heads Up!

Time: 20-50 Minutes

Number of Participants: 2-10

Items Needed: Smartphone

Goal: Guess the word displayed on participants phone

You may have seen "Heads Up!" being played on the Ellen Show. It is a mobile app available for download on Android and iOS devices, in which one player puts the phone on their forehead, the rest of the players can see the word, celebrity, or other category on the card, but it is hidden from the person holding it. He or she has to guess the item on the card based on clues from their team.

Although it is a fun app usually associated with parties, it can be perfect for office team-building. The best part about the game is that you can use the preloaded decks or you can create your own decks. Make a deck that relates to your company or industry and test their knowledge while having some fun.

Outdoor or Large Indoor Space Team Building Games and Activities

#14 minefield.

Time: 20-30 Minutes

Items Needed: Blindfold, masking tape, random assortment of items (for the mine field)

Goal: Team members must guide a blindfolded person through a minefield with only their words.

Minefield can be set up inside or outside, but make sure to clear the area to avoid any accidents. Place "mines" or objects in an obstacle area and mark a finish line with masking tape. Mines can be anything from styrofoam cups to cones, as long as they are soft with no rough edges.

The member that is going through the field, or obstacle area must be blindfolded. The other members of the team direct them through the minefield by giving them verbal instructions. If they hit an object, they must start over. The first team with all members across the minefield wins.

It can be difficult for some to trust their team members or to rely on someone else to help them reach a goal. Some may think they have to do it on their own. Minefield is an activity designed to foster trust in teams. It can help members that are resistant to collaboration become more open.

What was the most difficult part about giving instructions? What about receiving instructions?

How important was trust and communication?

What style of communication was the most effective? What didn't work?

#15 Hole Tarp

Time: 14-45 Minutes

Number of Participants: 8-20

Items Needed: Tarp, 1-3 Balls

Goal: Guide a ball around tarp without letting it fall into a hole

Thought it may remind you of an activity you did in gym class, Hole Tarp can be a lot of fun, even for adults. It can be done with a tarp or plastic sheet and a few tennis balls.

First you must cut one or a few holes into the tarp. Once this is done, place your team evenly around the tarp. Have each member hold the edge with both their hands. Instruct your team to shake the tarp so it begins moves around like a wave. Once it is moving, throw in a ball.

Participants must navigate the ball around the tarp for the longest possible period without having the ball fall through one of the holes. If the ball falls through a hole or off the side of the tarp, your team must restart the game.

Alternatively, you can have the team guide the ball, circling each hole. The team wins the game when they successfully navigated the ball around the circumference of each tarp without having it fall into any of the holes.

Everyone on your team has to keep moving to keep the ball rolling. If someone stops, the ball will drop. This game relies on constant communication to achieve its final goal

How successful do you think you were?

Was there any forms of communication that worked better than others?

Did you assign a leader (formally or informally)? Did that help or hinder your progress?

#16 Lava Flow

Time: 25 Minutes

Number of Participants: 6-14

Items Needed: Items that can be used as platforms (milk crates, fabric square, tires, baseball base), 2 ropes or 4 cones

Goal: Cross the floor or ground by maneuvering across different objects.

If the phrase "the floor is lava!" brings back happy memories of your childhood, you'll like this team-building game. Lava Flow, also called River Crossing, is a game in which a group must cross the river of lava by jumping and maneuvering across different objects.

It's the team's task to figure out how to get the entire group from one side of the lava field to the other without touching the ground. The group should be given a limited number of objects, 2 or 3, that way they have to be moved and shared each time someone crosses.

If someone touches the floor at any point, then they will get burnt and must start over. The first team to cross the river with all members intact are the winners.

What was the hardest part of completing the task?

Did you have to start over at any point?

What could you have done to cross the Lava faster?

#17 Scavenger Hunts

Time: 1-3 Hours

Number of Participants: 6-50 People

Items Needed: Scavenger hunt list, smartphones (optional)

Goal: Gather as many items on the list within a set period of time.

Scavenger hunts are one of the oldest ways to get people to interact and collaborate. But, there are still one of the most effective and fun. Smartphones and apps have made it possible to do scavenger hunts anywhere. You can even add in photo or video challenges and share an album within the organization.

You can do a simple scavenger hunt and keep it in the office or take it outdoors, which can be much more exciting. Create a list of items that groups must collect or tasks that they have to complete. They can be goofy, as long as it's possible to complete.

Some examples are: "Take a selfie with someone wearing a cat shirt" or "Grab a take-out menu and a fortune cookie from a Chinese restaurant." Set a checkpoint for people to meet when they finish.

Did anyone get all the items?

What was the most difficult item to get?

What was the most fun item to get?

#18 Spider Web

Time: 40 Minutes

Number of Participants: 5-16 People

Items Needed: Twine/Rope , 2 vertical poles (2 trees, soccer posts, etc.)

Goal: Get everyone through a web of rope without touching the rope

Do you remember all those spy movies with the intricate laser security systems people had to maneuver through? Spider Web is kind of like that.

Create a maze of lines and shapes by stringing twine between vertical 2 poles. The end result should resemble a spider's web with some larger, easier holes and some smaller more difficult gaps. Teams must cross the spider web to reach the other side without touching the string or going in the same shapes as anyone before them.

The challenge gets harder as more people cross to the other side and requires everyone to remember and communicate with each other.

Did you start off with a strategy?

What did you learn as you got more people through the web?

Did your strategy change as you went along?

#19 Balloon In Water

Number of Participants: 4-40 People

Items Needed: Buckets, Balloons, Bricks, Disposable straws, Binder clips, Plastic Bags, String, Tape, Scissors

Goal: Submerge a ballon in a bucket of water using only the supplies given

Balloon in water is a great way to see how your team solves problems together, particularly when faced with limited resources. Each group must immerse an inflated balloon in a bucket of water for a minimum of 5 seconds. They can only use the provided materials to complete the activity.

Each group gets:

Bucket of water
5 disposable straws
5 paper clips
3 binder clips
1 plastic bag
String (20 cm)
Tape (20 cm)

The brick goes in the bottom of the bucket of water. Teams have a minute to strategize and flesh out their plan and only 5 minutes to do the activity.

Only the provided materials can be used during the challenge. The 3 binder clips and inflated balloon given to the team cannot be altered in any way. Before starting the activity, the team has one minute to plan and they have to plan without touching the materials.

After planning, the team is given 5 minutes to execute their plan. The balloon must be fully immersed in the water before the 5 minutes is over. The balloon must remain immersed for at least 5 seconds, and the team must notify the trainer(s) when they are ready to be timed.

Did your first plan work?

How did you change your plan as time went along?

Did you have a leader? How were decisions made?

Did you have any disagreements? How did you resolve them?

#20 Leaky Pipe

Items Needed: Water, Buckets, Several cups, 2 Pipes with holes drilled in them, and 2 Ping pong balls

Goal: Teams must retrieve a ping pong ball from the pipe by filling it up with water and floating the ball to the top.

This game can get a little messy, so it's recommended for outside. Leaky Pipe is a highly interactive activity that requires groups to work fast and efficiently together. You'll need water, buckets, several cups, 2 pipes with holes drilled in them, and 2 ping pong balls.

To win, teams must retrieve a ping pong ball from the pipe by filling it up with water and floating the ball to the top. Participants will need to work together using the cups to carry the water from the bucket to the pipe, relay race style with cups of water to fill it.

The pipe has holes drilled in it, so they will have to plug the holes as the water gets higher. To complete the challenge, each team will receive a bucket of water (which is placed 10 metres away from the pipe) and several cups. Remember to set a countdown, so they are racing against the clock.

Did you make a plan before you went to the bucket?

How did you decide who was doing what task?

What was the hardest part of this activity?

Photo of a group of bodyguards at the beach

Ice Breaker Team Building Games and Activities

#21 group juggle.

Time: 10-15 Minutes

Number of Participants: 15-20

Items Needed: Ball Goal: Have every participant say their name

For new groups, check out an icebreaker and memory game called Group Juggle. Participants form a large circle facing each other. If you have a large group, break into groups so there are no more than 20 people in each.

Throw a ball to one person. They will throw it to someone else, but must say that person's name first. The ball goes around the group like that until a pattern starts. Once the group seems comfortable, throw in more balls to increase the difficulty.

Does anyone remember everyones name?

Is there anyone who's name you still don't remember?

#22 Grab Bag Skits

Time: 50 Minutes

Items Needed: Bags, Random objects

Goal: Create a 10 minute skit based on random items in a bag

Acting and improv exercises can be a humorous and energizing way to bring your team together. Grab Bag Skits is a short activity in which teams will get out of their comfort zones by creating fun skits.

Split the group into teams of 3 to 8 and have each team choose a bag. They don't know what is inside, but it is stuffed with unrelated and random objects.

Each team is given 10 minutes to put together a 2 to 3 minutes skit that uses each of the items. Every person in the group must take on a speaking role. Encourage groups to be as creative as possible. For example, they can use an apple as a meteor or a paintbrush as a witch's broom. Each team will preform their skit for the group.

Although some individuals may be more introverted, Grab Bag Skits can encourage them to get out of their comfort zone and connect with colleagues.

What did you enjoy about this activity?

Did you learn anything about others in your group?

Was someone acting as a director? How about a story writer?

#23 Group Order

Time: 15 Minutes

Number of Participants: 5-35

Goal: Have the team correctly line up in order of a specific criteria.

Ask the group to line themselves in order based on certain criteria. Make it more challenging by setting a rule that members can't speak to each other. You can do this as a get-to-know-you-better activity. Some examples are by:

As members move around the room to organize themselves in order, you'll notice how they communicate to complete the task and who takes on the role of organizers or leaders.

Follow Up Questions

Did you make any assumptions when you were lining yourself up?

Did you learn anything new about your team members?

Did anyone take on the role of leader?

Virtual Team Building Games and Activities

#24 evil apples.

Time: 25 minutes to an hour

Items Needed: Smart phone (one per each participant)

Goal: To make others laugh while collecting 7 cards to win the game.

Evil Apples is a mobile app inspired by the party game, Cards Against Humanity. If you are unfamiliar with Evil Apples/ Cards Against Humanity, the idea is that one person has a game card that has a sentence which missing a word. Other players submit cards anonymously to fill in the blank. The person with the game card chooses the best, and often the funniest response.

Players will bond over laughs and may appreciate the creativity of other group members. You will need to be cautious how you use it --- some cards can be considered inappropriate or offensive (which for many is the fun of the game). However, you can download different decks that are more work-appropriate or use other card apps to create your own decks.

#25 Drawful

Number of Participants: 3-8 Players

Items Needed: Smart phone or tablet, Jackbox games , video calling software

Goal: Every player will make a drawing based on a prompt. Players then submit a title for these drawings and try to pick out the real title from the fake ones.

Drawful is the perfect solution for remote teams. It can easily be played over Zoom or other video calling software, as well as in person.

In Drawful, each player receives an unusual prompt they need to try and draw on their phone in a limited amount time. After someone finishes and submits their drawing, everyone else submits a title anonymously that could fit the other player's drawing. These titles can be humorous or serious, it's up to each player. The goal is to find the correct drawing prompt while fooling others into selecting decoy answer. Bonus points are awarded to the decoys that are particularly clever or funny.

To play, buy and install Jackbox Party Games or Drawful in Steam. Create a video meeting with team members and share your screen. Start the game! Every player uses their phone or tablet as a controller, so it's important that everyone has access to a device. The game will run everyone through the instructions before playing so everyone viewing the screen share will get the gist.

#26 Pandemic

Time: 1 Hour

Number of Participants: 2-5

Items Needed: Each participant needs a mobile device.

Goal: Work together to save the world from a growing pandemic.

Based on the cooperative board game, the Pandemic mobile app centres around teams working together to fight and cure deadly diseases. Each player has a specific role that they must fill in order to succeed. Roles can be anything from an engineer building satellites so the CDC can communicate to a scientist collecting data and samples to test for a cure.

The premise for the game is the perfect setup to teach risk management and foster teamwork. It shows that every role is needed to reach the long-term and tough goals.

Did you assign a leader?

Was there any disagreements? How did you resolve them?

Could you have done anything better?

#27 Carcassonne

Number of Participants: 2-6 People

Items Needed: PC/Mac or Mobile Device or Nintendo Switch

Goal: Score the highest number of points while laying tiles.

Another board game turned mobile app, Carcassonne focuses on laying tile to strategically gain control of map's cities, fields and other terrain with the end goal of earning the most points. The game is best played in groups of four players and as a pass-and-play for teams. Everyone can also play together or remotely on their own device.

With each new tile that is laid, individuals must adjust their strategy. It can get people thinking about how to formulate strategies and use logic to reach long-term goals.

Did you follow a short or long term strategy?

Did other player's moves change your strategy?

What do you think you need to do to be able to win the next game?

#28 Among Us

Time: 5-50 Minutes

Number of Participants: 4-10 People

Items Needed: Smart phone, tablet or PC/MAC (one per each participant)

Goal: To complete all tasks before being killed by the imposter.

Among Us is a multiplayer game that combines strategy with sci-fi. Individuals are assigned roles: either as one of the crew members on a spaceship whose goal is to complete their assigned tasks or an imposter who poses as a crew member and whose goal is to kill the majority of the crew members while sabotage the mission.

Similar to games like Mafia and Werewolf, the crew will gather after a dead body is fond to discuss who everyone believes may be the imposter. At the end of these gatherings, someone will be voted off the spaceship.

Players will find there's a strategy to sticking together with other crew members and collaboration is necessary to complete all tasks and find the imposter. Communication is also key to winning the game.

What strategy worked? Which one didn't?

What role did trust play in your game?

How important do you think communication is to winning the game?

#29 Order & Chaos 2: Redemption

Time: 1-100 Hours

Number of Participants: 2-Unlimited

Items Needed: Smart phone or table, Order & Chaos 2: Redemption

Goal: Team up and go on quests.

A fantasy MMORPG game like Order & Chaos 2: Redemption can bond your team together as they go on quests and develop strategies to overcome challenges. It can be download on Android or iOS devices. People can communicate, barter, form alliances and show what they are capable of when they work as a team.

Playing a fantasy multiplayer RPG game may seem like an unconventional way to build your business team, but it can foster real-world teamwork. It also taps into the imagination of your members and their ability to communicate.

Team Building Games and Activities

Team building games and activities for teams with more time available. All activities should take between 30-60 minutes of participants time.

#30 Bridge Build

Number of Participants: 8-16 People

Items Needed: Anything they could use to build a bridge. Some suggestions: tape, paper, marshmallows, straws, Legos, popsicle sticks or Jenga blocks.

Goal: Have two groups independently build bridge halves that must fit together.

To tap into your team's creativity and communication skills, try bridge build.

Divide into two different teams. Each must build half of a bridge with the materials provided. The goal is for the two bridges to have similar or identical design and be able to fit together when finished. The challenge is that the teams must be separated so that they can't see the other team or what they are building. But, they are allowed to communicate verbally or through chat (e.g. through Slack).

You can give them anything as building materials including: dry noodles & marshmallows, straws, Legos, popsicle sticks or Jenga blocks. Depending on what you use, you may want to also supply them with tape, paper and pens.

This exercise is good for developing communication, creative thinking, and leaderships skills.

What was the hardest part of this challenge? How did you overcome that?

Who was responsible for communicating designs between the teams?

When it came to communication, what worked the best?

Did you miscommunicate at any point? How did you fix miscommunications and get back on track?

#31 What's my name?

Time: 40 minutes

Items Needed: cue cards, post-its or scraps of paper, pens

Goal: Participants must guess the name on their forehead using only yes or no questions.

If you have ever played the game "Heads Up", you'll be familiar with What's My Name.

Create a set of names, which can be celebrities and icons like Beyonce or Mickey Mouse or types of professions like actor, football player or doctor. You can use Post-It notes or tape and small slips of paper.

Have each person place a name on their forehead. Make sure that they can't see who it is. Set a timer and instruct everyone to move around the room asking different people yes or no questions until they guess correctly or time runs out.

This gets people to move around the room and interact with people they may not spoken with before. It also makes them more aware of stereotypes and categorizing others based on certain characteristics.

Was there anyone who didn't guess their name?

Did you talk to someone you hadn't spoken with before?

#32 Company Concentration

Time: 45-60 Minutes

Number of Participants: Unlimited

Items Needed: Cue or index cards

Goal: Find pairs

Similar to "Concentration", in which you flip over cards two at a time to try to find matching pairs, this activity focuses on learning and memory.

You can create cards with photos and names of team members or with company information like products, logos, and values. Face these cards down on a table and then break into teams.

Each team must find the pairs in the cards while only facing 2 cards up at a time. Time each group and whichever finds all the matches the fastest is declared the winner. Company concentration teaches employees more about your business while playing a fun game.

#33 All the News

Number of Participants: 5-20

Items Needed: Flip cart or white board, Markers

Goal: Come up with newspaper headlines that describe company or department achievements in the future.

With this team-building exercise, you can boost creativity and get an inside look at how your employees see the future of your business. To do All the News, you just need a few newspapers, whiteboards, markers, pens and paper. Each team is given a newspaper and asked to come up with different headlines that cover what the company or department will be doing in the near future. They can create as many as they want and as far in the future as they want.

Groups share their headline ideas with the rest of the team and get feedback. All the News is useful for entrepreneurs and business owners that want to get an idea of the company's future direction and start setting some new goals.

Did you all agree on the headline?

Did anyone have a conflicting view of the future?

What steps do you think the company/department would need to take to make this headline a reality?

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#34 Murder Mystery Dinner

Time: 1-4 Hours

Number of Participants: 5-50

Items Needed: Character descriptions, Clues, Dinner

Goal: Work together to find who the murderer was

A Murder Mystery Dinner is an interactive activity that will require everyone to get involved. There are several companies that will design murder mystery dinners specifically for business groups. Actors will provide an entertaining story and set clues in place for your team to decipher.

But, you can also host your own murder mystery dinner party which may be more cost-effective and intimate. Learn more about Murder Mystery Dinners here . Either way, your group will rally around the main goal─solving the mystery and finding the culprit. It's ideal for problem-solving and critical thinking.

Did you suspect the murder?

Was there anything you thought gave them away?

When did teamwork help you the most?

#35 PowerPoint Karaoke

Number of Participants: 6-30 People

Items Needed: Powerpoint karaoke slides, projector or screen

Goal: Create a presentation on the spot from slides participants have never seen.

If you want to test your team's presentation skills and see how they react in fast-paced or high-pressure situations, play PowerPoint Karaoke (also called Powerpoint Roulette or Battledecks). Groups are given a set of slides that they haven't seen before and must give a presentation based on those slides.

This is a more intense version, but you can adjust it so that groups are given a few minutes to view the slides and prepare before giving the presentation. It requires groups to think quickly and work together to pull off a difficult task with a short time to plan.

What was the hardest part about presenting?

Was this more difficult than a regular presentation? Why or why not?

Who do you think did the best presentation?

#36 Slideshow

Time: 30-50 Minutes

Goal: Act out a impromptu slideshow

Similar to Power Point Karaoke, slide show is a improv game which involves a group presentation. One person in a team will tell a story of an adventure or process. This could be anything from traveling through the jungle or navigating around a city to building a house or planning a large dinner party.

The other team members must act as the slideshow or visuals for the presentation. With each section that the presenter says they must demonstrate the scene. Add in random props to make it more exciting.

Slideshow sparks creativity and pushes members to think on their feet. It also shows how they support each other throughout the process.

Did you enjoy the activity?

What was the best moment?

How did you use team work in your presentation?

#37 Culture or Common Book/ Pizza Toppings

Time: Long Term

Items Needed: Notebook, Pens

Goal: Get to know employees over a long term period of time

Some businesses may do team-building activities once for new employee orientation or once or twice a year for a company retreat. Although team-building activities help to bring your group together, you don't have to limit them to only one time a year. Doing team-building games more often prevents your team from drifting apart over time.

Companies like Zappos have incorporated a culture book. It is a long-running team-building activity that can be done every day. In a common area like a break room, leave a book with markers or pens. On each page, you can leave a prompt or ask a question for each day. Encourage employees to leave quotes from movies they are watching or books they have recently read.

This can also be done virtually in work chat apps like Slack by using Geekbot's Pizza Toppings preset, which brings up a fun question for your team to answer once a week

#38 All Adrift

Items Needed: Team Brief, scoring sheet

Goal: Rank items given based on a hypothetical scenario.

Want to see how your team makes decisions? Set up a hypothetical scenario, in which an accident strands the group in a body of water. The traditional team brief in All Adrift is that your boat catches on fire and you have to abandon it. You only have a few minutes to grab items. Some examples are: First Aid Kit, rope, canned food, water, a bucket, a knife, a compass and a blanket.

First, individuals should write down the items that they would grab from 1-10 in the order of most important. Then as a team, they have to decide and agree on which 10 are the top priorities.

Groups should have about 30 minutes to complete the entire activity and come to a consensus. There is also a scoring sheet that they should use to rate their decisions. All Adrift helps you see that you can often make smarter decisions as a team with combined knowledge than on your own.

These activities may give you the inspiration and motivation to build stronger and more successful company teams. But, remember there are other opportunities to bond your team, so don't stress too much about planning out everything in exact detail.

It could be as simple as holding monthly team Happy Hours. Focus on creating shared memories and finding common ground.

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8 Best Problem-Solving Activities To Build A Successful Team

What are problem-solving activities, why are problem-solving activities essential, how to measure the effectiveness of problem-solving activities for team building, 5 best fun problem-solving activities for employees.

Other Related Blogs

Encourages critical thinking: Every individual must think critically about a scenario, analyze data and evaluate different possibilities while participating in problem-solving skills activities. Through this, the individual develops a problem-solving mindset that can be effective in both personal and professional contexts.
Develops creativity: These activities are compiled with complex problems that require creative solutions. So to solve these problems, individuals need to think out of the box and think creatively to find an innovative and effective solution.
Improves collaboration: Problem-solving group activities encourage collaboration and teamwork . This can improve communication skills, build trust , and increase motivation among team members.
Builds confidence: Successfully solving problems can give individuals a sense of accomplishment and develop confidence in their abilities.
Prepares individuals for real-life situations: Most problem-solving skills activities are based on real-life scenarios, so these activities can help you develop skills that you can utilize in your daily life situations, including workplace and personal life settings.
Self-Assessments: It is an effective technique for measuring problem-solving activities; participants can share their experience as feedback , such as how engaging it was, what they learned, and how they can implement it in their work.
Observations: Observations by trainers or facilitators can help assess the effectiveness of problem-solving activities. Trainers can observe how the team interacts during the exercise, how well they work together, and how they approach the problem-solving process.
Surveys: Surveys can collect participant feedback on the effectiveness of problem-solving activities by asking questions about the perceived value of the activities, the impact on teamwork, and whether the exercises helped to build problem-solving skills.
Metrics: It can include assessing improvements in productivity, quality of work, or customer satisfaction, which can be attributed to developing problem-solving skills .
Follow-up Sessions: It is an adequate method for measuring the effectiveness of problem-solving activities. This is a discussion on the experiences of both the organizers and participants on how they have applied the problem-solving skills they learned in their work, what challenges are faced, and how they overcame them.

1. Escape Room

2. Lego Challenge

3. Scavenger Hunt

4. Paper Tower Challenge

Paper tower challenge Problem-solving activity

5. Mind Mapping

6. blind drawing.

7. 5 Whys Technique

8. Kaizen Events

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What activities promote problem-solving?

What is the purpose of problem-solving activities, what are the benefits of problem-solving activities for employees.

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August 24, 2021
Featured , Management Tips , Mental health , Team Building , Virtual Experiences

Post: The 13 Best Team Building Problem Solving Activities

Employees playing reverse pyramid a team building problem solving activity

This post was last updated on, August 13th, 2022

There is a team-building problem-solving activity for everyone. Whether you’re looking to have fun and make new friends or sharpen your team’s skills, team-building activities are the perfect solution!

In this blog post, we will cover 13 team-building activities that can help improve problem-solving skills while increasing productivity and morale.

Benefits of problem solving activities team building

We all know the importance of team building . It’s how we build relationships, foster creativity, and innovate in order to succeed. One way that team building is done today is through problem-solving activities.

Problem-solving activities:

Build stronger teams, improve morale and encourage employees to work together. Collaboration is improved because teams are better able to solve problems together when they’re more engaged with each other
Foster better communication skills among team members, especially amongst remote teams.
Provide an outlet for creative thinking and increase confidence in employees who may not otherwise speak up or participate in departmental meetings.
Group problem-solving activities help your team increase productivity and motivation within the workplace and can align employees with company goals and objectives.
Improve mental health of team members by reducing stress and improving the moods of team members.

Problem solving team building activities are hands-on, creative, and collaborative. They help team members trust each other more in order to grow their relationship as teammates.

Oftentimes problem-solving team-building activities can be done virtually which is important for virtual teams or remote companies who don’t have the opportunity to interact face to face.

What is problem solving in team building?

Rather than having so-called frivolous fun with ice breaker questions and virtual happy hours (those types of team building activities do have their place) problem solving games are about identifying leadership and decision-making skills by solving problems.

The more efficient a team is at problem-solving activities, the more successful they can be at actually solving real-world problems in the workplace.

Quick and easy team building problem solving activities

It’s time to have some problem-solving fun! Here are some quick and easy team-building games for your next event.

The blind drawing game challenge

In this creative problem solving challenge, team members have to rely on their teammates for input when drawing an object from a list.

Each team chooses one participant to wear a blindfold while another member describes the item they must draw without telling the “artist” exactly what that item is.

The team whose drawing is closest to the actual item at the end of the activity wins!

Ideal for small groups of up to six.

Stumped for ideas on what to draw? Ask teams to draw your company logo.

Pro tip: to make this simple team building exercise even more challenging, have each non-drawing team member provide just one clue as to what the item is.

Inspired by the Jodie Foster Panic Room movie, group members of this team-building activity must take refuge in a boardroom, but before they do each participant must take with them just one item they feel will help their team’s survival before locking the door.

Once inside each participant must present to the rest of the team why they choose their specific item and then work together to rank the items in order of importance to their overall survival.

Pro tip: Each team must decide in 30 minutes or less whether or not their goal is to either survive in the panic room for a long period of time or to break free! In those same 30 minutes, teams must also collect their 10 items so time is of the essence.

Reverse Pyramid

While using copious amounts of red plastic cups is not ideal, nor environmentally friendly, playing with glass cups or ceramic mugs may potentially be dangerous.

In ‘Reverse Pyramid’, teams must build the tallest pyramid from the ground up. Starting with just a single cup (recyclable paper cups are also another great alternative) teams must work together to lift the top of the tower to add to the base below.

Hard to imagine? Watch this YouTube video of a ‘Reverse Pyramid’ in action.

Classic team building problem solving activities

The famous high school egg drop experiment.

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall … Humpty Dumpty had a great …(sorry we couldn’t help ourselves).

The egg drop team building exercise, also known as ‘Defend the Egg’ is a problem solving skills game that involves building a structure out of random ordinary items such as masking tape, rubber bands, sticky notes, etc that will protect a raw egg from breaking when dropped from a high elevation.

The goal is to have each team build a structure that they can agree upon that will not only protect the egg but also allow it to be retrieved afterward.

The team with the highest percentage of successful drops wins!

Ideal for groups of up to six people.

The Lego challenge

The Lego challenge is one of the best team-building activities out there. In this activity, groups have an hour to complete a piece with their given number of LEGO bricks (which may vary depending on complexity).

After time runs out, everyone will get together and show off what they made!

The goal? Improve communication among team members by refining methods for problem-solving through creative thinking.

Domino effect challenge

Though it may sound like a simple game, the Domino effect challenge is an initiative that has been used in schools and businesses all over the world.

The challenge? To create the largest chain reaction contraption possible using whatever materials you wish including dominos should you choose to.

In this collaborative and creative problem solving exercise, participants are split into teams, and each work together on building their own individual section of the challenge.

Once group members agree on their final design, or time is up, all teams will then come together to either join their sections together to create one cohesive chain reaction, or to compete against each other.

Ideal for teams of up to five people.

Fun fact: The Guinness World Record of the most dominoes toppled by an individual is 321,197 by Liu Yang (China). And the Guinness World Record for the largest human mattress chain of dominoes was 2,019 people by Ortobom Globo of Sao Paulo Brazil #truestory!

Fun team building problem solving activities

Organizational jenga.

Think of the board game Jenga, with a twist. Divide your group into small teams and give them equal numbers of blocks, either wooden blocks or an actual Jenga set!

After everyone has built their structure as per company hierarchies, divide resources evenly between each group so they are balanced in size and type.

Now comes the fun part: take turns removing one block at a time without destroying any other pieces on that level- if there is too much weight on top then it will collapse!

This exercise gets people thinking about what happens when we don’t have the right personnel for every position.

This team building activity is great for groups of up to six people.

Pro tip: Use colored blocks instead of regular ones and get ready for laughter when someone knocks down another person’s block.

The marshmallow & spaghetti tower

The spaghetti tower is a classic team-building game and a great way to use up leftover spaghetti in your kitchen cupboards.

Participating people gather uncooked spaghetti and marshmallows, to build the tallest tower possible.

Besides the structural integrity of the tower, teams are then evaluated on three major factors: the amount of towers, tower height, and uniformity.

Got a remote team? In the virtual team building version, participants create their own towers, rather than building one grand freestanding tower.

Escape room

Escape rooms are excellent group problem solving exercises that usually take place in an hour or so.

Players have to solve puzzles and riddles based on a theme to escape the room.

Teams are usually split into groups of six and have an hour to solve the puzzles in order to escape from the room. If they fail, then they are locked inside until their time expires!

They’re quite difficult to create on their own, so you may need to team up with an escape room company for this. Ideal for groups of up to six people, with one or two facilitators, present along the way, and reasonably priced at approximately $25+ per person.

Best Virtual Problem Solving Games & Activities for Groups

Geocache adventure.

This treasure hunt will require a GPS device, in the form of an app on your phone or built into it. The clues you hide are part of a bigger question that needs to be solved by finding and locating Geocaches within different locations.

One variation is using QR codes around the office or home where we can mix geographic coordinates with other hidden treasures which could be identified through any smartphone-enabled camera (i.e., scanning for riddles).

This activity promotes creative problem solving while working together as teams towards accomplishing specific aims at designated times!

Online escape rooms

Being “trapped” in an escape room is a satisfying challenge for any puzzle solver. With digital versions, you can now enjoy the experience from anywhere with just your computer!

Players are given a set of puzzles or clues and have to use their problem solving skills in order to escape.

This team building activity is great for groups of up to four people, with one team member as the team leader who can allocate tasks so everyone feels involved.

Virtual scavenger hunt

A virtual scavenger hunt is perfect for a team that is working remotely and wants to have a little bit of fun while problem solving. It also makes for a great team building event if you’re looking to change things up while increasing your sense of teamwork. Here are the basics:

Your group will be given a list with different items, locations, or actions written on it.

Each item has been assigned a point value so teams (or individuals) can compete against each other by trying to collect as many points before time runs out.

As the world becomes increasingly more competitive, businesses are looking for new ways to keep their small teams happy and productive. One way of doing this is through problem solving activities that present novel tasks in a fun environment.

Working with others on challenges can help build better communication skills with remote teams as well as make teams more cognizant of team roles.

Businesses all over are starting to realize how important group interaction is for improving morale while also making work environments less stressful since it’s always nice having peers there who will support you.

Team building problem solving activities like these provide an excellent opportunity for teams from various departments to interact easily without feeling overwhelmed by unfamiliar circumstances—while also getting comfortable with taking risks and thinking outside the box.

In the professional world, one thing is for sure: problem solving is a vital skill if you want to survive and thrive. It is a universal skill sought by employers and managers alike.

Problem solving activities are perfect opportunities to explore different aspects of what it means to be an effective team while still being a collaborative team.

Staying Connected While Working Remotely

The best wfh productivity tips for remote workers in 2024 .

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Team Building Riddles: Enhance Collaboration with Engaging Puzzles

Team building riddles are a dynamic tool used in workplaces to foster cooperation and communication among team members. These puzzles serve not just as icebreakers, but as a means of challenging employees to think critically and collaboratively. Through engaging with riddles, teams can practice problem-solving in a fun and light-hearted environment , which in turn can boost motivation and morale .

A group of people solving riddles together, with smiles and laughter, showing teamwork and collaboration

The utilization of riddles in a team setting promotes a shared experience that can break down barriers and encourage a culture of teamwork. By presenting a common obstacle, riddles necessitate diverse thinking and collective effort to arrive at a solution. This experience reinforces the value of each member’s contribution to the team’s success, thereby enhancing overall group dynamics.

Key Takeaways

Riddles enhance team communication and problem-solving skills.
They serve as engaging activities that promote teamwork and motivation.
Successfully solving riddles as a team reinforces the importance of collaboration.

Exploring the World of Riddles

A group of people working together to solve challenging riddles in a fun and engaging team-building activity

Riddles have long served as a means to bring people together, challenging their minds and fostering camaraderie. They are an interactive way to enhance cognitive abilities within a team setting .

Types of Riddles for Team Building

The use of riddles in team building can vary broadly, from simple word puzzles that require a straightforward answer to intricate brain teasers that necessitate creative thinking. Common types of riddles include:

Trivia Riddles: These riddles are based on general knowledge and facts. They work particularly well to integrate learning into team-building activities.
Clever Riddles: Often requiring lateral thinking, clever riddles engage team members in deeper analysis and deduction.
Easy Riddles: Perfect for warming up or introducing team members to the concept of riddle-solving, these riddles are less complex but still enjoyable.
Humorous Riddles: Using humor, these riddles lighten the mood and can help break the ice amongst team members.

The Role of Riddles in Improving Problem-Solving Skills

Riddles act as a compact form of problem-solving exercises. They stimulate the brain, making one contemplate various possible solutions before arriving at the correct answer. There are two essential ways riddles improve problem-solving skills:

Enhancing Analytical Skills: Participants must pay close attention to the details within the riddle. They learn to extract key elements and assess how these might lead to the solution.
Encouraging Creative Thinking: Since many riddles do not have an obvious solution, they require unconventional thinking. This bolsters a team’s ability to approach real-world problems with innovative solutions.

Implementing Riddles in Team Building Activities

Implementing riddles into team building activities can ignite creativity, foster better communication, and enhance problem-solving skills within a group. This strategy leverages the inherent fun and challenge of riddles to boost collaboration in a light-hearted yet effective manner.

Icebreaker Riddles for Meetings

Icebreaker riddles serve as an excellent tool for warming up meetings. By posing a thought-provoking riddle, participants are encouraged to think creatively and engage with one another. For instance, “What has keys but can’t open locks?” (The answer is a piano.), immediately sparks interactions as team members share their guesses and reasoning. This interaction not only breaks the ice but also sets the tone for open communication throughout the meeting.

Scavenger Hunts and Puzzles

Scavenger hunts incorporating riddles can elevate the traditional team building experience. Incorporate riddles that lead to physical locations or objects; for example, “I’m full of keys but I can’t open any door. What am I?” with the answer leading to a map or next clue at a piano. This method combines teamwork, problem-solving, and physical activity, making for a dynamic and engaging team building puzzle adventure.

Creative Ways to Use Riddles

Teams can also use riddles in more innovative ways, such as incorporating them into regular workflows or meetings to foster ongoing team development. One practice might be starting each project with a riddle that metaphorically represents the project’s goals or challenges. Many teams find success in embedding riddles into team-building workshops to emphasize learning points on collaboration or adaptability. For instance, a riddle that requires multiple areas of knowledge to solve can underscore the value of diverse skills within a team.

Curating a List of Engaging Riddles

A table with a variety of riddle books, a laptop open to a list of riddles, and a group of people discussing and brainstorming ideas

When selecting riddles for team building, it’s crucial to tailor them to the audience. Riddles for adults may contain more complex problem-solving elements, whereas those for kids should combine simplicity with fun. Riddles with provided answers promote learning and validation for teams.

Riddles for Adults

Adults often appreciate riddles that challenge their intellect and require a bit more cognitive effort. Here’s an example of a mind-bender suited for an adult audience:

Question : What has keys but can’t open locks?
Answer : A piano.

For a comprehensive list of riddles that provoke adult teams to think outside the box, explore the Team Building Riddles: 17 Fun Examples .

Fun Riddles for Kids

When engaging kids, it’s important to spark their interest with riddles that are fun and easier to solve. An example of a kid-friendly riddle would be:

Question : I’m tall when I’m young, and I’m short when I’m old. What am I?
Answer : A candle.

For ideas that resonate with younger audiences, one could visit the section on interesting team riddles to test your brain , tailored for a younger demographic.

Team Building Riddles with Answers

Providing answers along with the riddles helps in validating efforts and learning. Here’s a riddle that can be used in a team-building context, complete with its answer:

Question : A word I know, six letters it contains, remove one letter and twelve remains. What is it?
Answer : Dozens.

For a varied compilation of riddles designed for team bonding, with included solutions, teambuilding.com offers 73 Best Workplace Riddles for Adults , a resource that can be used to swiftly integrate riddles into teamwork exercises.

Facilitating Effective Team Dynamics Through Riddles

A group of diverse individuals solve riddles together, laughing and bonding as they work through challenging team-building exercises

Integrating riddles into team building activities can significantly enhance cooperation and foster an environment ripe for creativity. This method leverages laughter and collaborative problem-solving to improve communication and innovation among team members .

Promoting Cooperation and Collaboration

Riddles are a unique tool in promoting cooperation among team members. When faced with a challenging riddle, individuals must pool their knowledge and skills to arrive at a solution. This collaborative effort not only leverages the diverse perspectives within the team but also encourages each member to contribute actively. For example, the riddle “What has a heart that doesn’t beat?” is simple but requires team members to think together and share ideas, leading to the answer: an artichoke. Team building riddles from various sources demonstrate that the process of solving riddles requires collective reasoning, inherently strengthening the bonds of cooperation within a team.

Enhancing Creativity and Innovation

Creativity and innovation are quintessential for problem-solving and progress within a team. When a riddle challenges the status quo of thinking, it necessitates creative solutions . Riddles introduce complex problems that can often have multiple angles of approach, encouraging members to think outside the box and propose innovative solutions. For instance, contemplating how a cowboy can leave town on Friday, stay for three days, and still leave on Friday propels team members to reconsider assumptions and realize that Friday is in fact the name of the cowboy’s horse.

Laugh and Learn: The Power of Humor

Laughter is a powerful vehicle for learning and can make the process of team building significantly more enjoyable. Through the use of humorous riddles, team members can experience joy and amusement, easing stress and creating a positive atmosphere. Riddles that end with a punchline can lighten the mood and improve morale, which in turn facilitates better communication . Teams that laugh together are more likely to work better together, establishing strong relational ties and a healthy work environment. Humorous riddles not only make learning more engaging but also reinforce collaboration through shared experiences.

How Can Riddles and Trivia Games Enhance Team Building and Collaboration?

Engaging in team building trivia games boost morale within a group by fostering collaboration and communication. Riddles and trivia challenges encourage teammates to work together, problem-solve, and think creatively. This shared experience creates stronger bonds and fosters a sense of unity among team members.

Frequently Asked Questions

Riddles are not only a source of fun but also a brain-engaging tool for team building. They can enhance critical thinking and create a sense of camaraderie among participants. Below are frequently asked questions that cover various aspects of using riddles for team building.

What are some challenging riddles suitable for team building activities?

Challenging riddles stimulate problem-solving and team cooperation. One example is the classic brain teaser: “What has keys but can’t open locks?” The answer, “a piano,” encourages teams to think laterally and discuss collectively.

Can you provide examples of riddles that are appropriate for use in a corporate setting?

In a corporate environment, it is essential to use riddles that are engaging yet professional. Riddles such as, “I’m light as a feather, yet the strongest person can’t hold me for five minutes. What am I?” The answer, “your breath,” is suitable as it is work-appropriate and thought-provoking.

How can riddles be effectively incorporated into adult team building exercises?

Riddles can be integrated into team building activities by using them as icebreakers or transitional elements between exercises. They can be presented as challenges where teams compete to solve them, which aids in building group cohesion and communication skills.

Could you suggest some humorous riddles that can also serve as team building exercises?

Humor can break down barriers and foster a relaxed atmosphere. A humorous riddle like, “What has to be broken before you can use it?” with the answer being “an egg,” can incite laughter and bring team members closer together.

What types of brain teasers are beneficial for enhancing collaboration in the workplace?

Brain teasers that require collective reasoning, such as puzzles involving sequencing or categorization, often compel teammates to collaborate and share diverse perspectives. This kind of activity can improve mutual respect and teamwork.

How can riddles and brain teasers facilitate better team dynamics during team building sessions?

Riddles and brain teasers challenge teams to pool their intellect and problem-solving abilities. The process of trying to solve these puzzles can lead to improved team dynamics, as individuals learn to communicate more effectively and leverage each other’s strengths.

Team Building Puzzles Online: Engage and Empower

Written by Lisa Lawrence

Game show themes | team building events | team collaboration | team communication, november 19, 2023.

As a professional Facilitator, I understand the importance of team building activities in fostering a collaborative and productive workplace environment.

Team building puzzles, in particular, have become increasingly popular as an online solution for engaging and empowering teams.

These problem-solving activities, group puzzle games, collaborative challenges, and teamwork exercises are not only fun but also effective in improving team dynamics and inspiring creativity.

By engaging in interactive puzzles, teams can enhance their problem-solving skills, promote collaboration, and ignite creativity.

These activities offer an opportunity for team members to work together to accomplish a common goal, breaking down barriers and building stronger relationships in the process.

Furthermore, team building puzzles can be tailored to the unique needs and goals of each team, providing a customized experience that fosters growth and development.

Engage & Empower Teams with Team Building Puzzles Online

Key takeaways:.

Team building puzzles can engage and empower teams.
These online activities improve problem-solving skills, promote collaboration, and ignite creativity.
Team building puzzles can be tailored to the unique needs and goals of each team.
These activities break down barriers and build stronger relationships within the team .
Team building puzzles offer a fun and effective solution for fostering a collaborative and productive workplace environment.

Boost Collaboration with Team Building Puzzles

As I mentioned earlier, one of the key benefits of team building puzzles is that they enhance collaboration within teams.

These collaborative challenges and teamwork exercises can be incorporated into a variety of interactive puzzles that engage team members and promote communication and trust.

One effective way to boost collaboration is through group puzzle games.

These brain teasers require team members to work together and pool their collective problem-solving skills.

By solving problems together, team members learn how to communicate more effectively, share ideas, and build trust.

Another way to boost collaboration is through interactive puzzles that require teamwork to complete.

For example, an online escape room game would challenge teams to work together to solve a series of puzzles and escape within a certain time frame.

These types of puzzles encourage team members to share their ideas and rely on each other’s strengths to succeed.

Teamwork exercises can also be incorporated into these puzzles.

For instance, team members may be required to complete a puzzle together, with each member responsible for a different part of the puzzle.

By coordinating their efforts, team members can learn how to work together more effectively and collaborate towards a common goal.

game-shows-for-team-building-NYC-METRO

Ignite Creativity with Group Puzzle Games

When it comes to team building puzzles, group puzzle games are a great way to ignite creativity among team members.

These brain teasers can help stimulate innovative thinking, encourage out-of-the-box solutions, and inspire team members to explore new perspectives.

Through interactive puzzles, teams can tap into their collective creativity and generate fresh, innovative ideas.

Group puzzle games are designed to challenge team members to think differently and solve problems creatively.

These games include activities such as jigsaw puzzles, tangrams, and riddles.

By working together on these puzzles, team members can develop their problem-solving skills and learn to approach complex problems from new angles.

One popular group puzzle game is the “Escape Room” challenge. Teams are locked in a room and must use clues and puzzles to solve a mystery and escape before time runs out.

This game requires teamwork, communication, and critical thinking to succeed.

Another example of a group puzzle game is the “Word Play” challenge. In this game, teams divided into three teams.

It’s a replica of the very popular television game show “Wheel of Fortune”.

This game requires collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving skills as they are given hints and clues for each puzzle, but have to guess the right answer quickly in order to win the grand prize. .

Brain teasers are also a popular type of group puzzle game. These puzzles challenge teams to think creatively and solve problems using logic and critical thinking.

Some examples of brain teasers include Sudoku , crossword puzzles, and brainteasers like the “Rubik’s Cube”.

Improve Problem-Solving Skills with Team Problem-Solving Tasks

Team building puzzles with problem-solving activities are integral to any team’s progress.

By engaging in teamwork exercises and interactive puzzles, teams can become more adept at identifying and solving complex problems efficiently.

Team problem-solving tasks can enhance critical thinking, decision-making abilities, and analytical skills.

These activities help teams to approach problems from different angles, and brainstorm innovative solutions.

The collaborative nature of these puzzles encourages communication, trust-building, and accountability within the team.

One of the most popular problem-solving puzzles is the jigsaw puzzle .

Team members must work together to fit the pieces of the puzzle together and create a complete image.

This activity requires attention to detail, critical thinking skills, and communication to ensure each puzzle piece is in the right spot.

Example of a Team Problem-Solving Task:

Another example is the “Escape Room” puzzle. This puzzle requires teamwork to solve a series of challenges and escape from a locked room.

Participants are put in a time-sensitive situation where they must collaborate, communicate effectively, and think creatively to succeed.

This type of puzzle is ideal for bringing team members together and showcasing their individual strengths.

Enhance Group Bonding with Icebreaker Activities

As a Facilitator who specializes in team building puzzles, I firmly believe that icebreaker activities are an essential tool for enhancing group bonding and facilitating effective teamwork.

These interactive puzzles are designed to break the ice and promote open communication among team members.

The Importance of Icebreaker Activities

Icebreaker activities help to create an atmosphere of camaraderie and cooperation, strengthening relationships between team members.

These group bonding games can help to break down barriers and promote a sense of belonging within the team.

By engaging in these interactive puzzles, teams can build trust and establish a solid foundation for future collaboration and success.

The Role of Interactive Puzzles in Icebreaker Activities

Interactive puzzles, such as team building puzzles, are an effective way to engage teams in icebreaker activities.

These puzzles are designed to be fun, engaging, and challenging, encouraging team members to work closely together to solve problems.

By playing these group puzzle games, team members can develop a sense of shared accomplishment, enhancing group bonding and improving collaboration.

The Benefits of Icebreaker Activities

Icebreaker activities have several benefits for team building, including improving communication, promoting teamwork, and fostering creativity.

These group bonding games promote open communication, encourage team members to share their ideas and opinions, and establish a sense of trust and understanding between team members.

By engaging in icebreaker activities, teams can develop the skills they need to work together effectively, improving collaboration and enhancing productivity.

FAQ – Team Building Puzzles

frequently asked questions

What are team building puzzles?

Team building puzzles are problem-solving activities and group puzzle games that are designed to engage and empower teams.

These collaborative challenges and teamwork exercises promote teamwork, improve problem-solving skills, and inspire creativity.

How can team building puzzles boost collaboration?

Team building puzzles can boost collaboration by providing interactive puzzles that require teams to work together to solve.

These puzzles encourage communication, foster trust, and develop effective problem-solving strategies among team members.

How do group puzzle games ignite creativity?

Group puzzle games ignite creativity by stimulating innovative thinking and encouraging out-of-the-box solutions.

These brain teasers inspire team members to explore new perspectives and tap into their collective creativity to generate fresh ideas .

What role do team problem-solving tasks play in improving problem-solving skills?

Team problem-solving tasks are essential in improving problem-solving skills.

They enhance critical thinking, decision-making abilities, and analytical skills among team members.

Engaging in interactive puzzles helps teams become more adept at identifying and solving complex problems efficiently.

How can icebreaker activities enhance group bonding?

Icebreaker activities enhance group bonding by breaking down barriers, promoting open communication, and creating a sense of camaraderie among team members.

These interactive puzzles establish a solid foundation for future collaboration and success.

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What are problem solving activities?

The success of a company or organization depends heavily on the managers’ ability to help workers develop their problem solving skills. Problem solving activities that address areas such as teamwork and cooperation, adaptability or reinforcement of decision-making strategies help.

All processes of problem solving begin with the identification of the problem. The team will then evaluate the possible course of action and select the best way to tackle it. This needs a profound understanding of your team and its core strengths.

Not only among corporates, but problem solving activities find their use in educational settings as well. Students who are good at solving problems will become much more successful than those who are not. Remote work and education are on the rise.

Enabling smooth interpersonal communication to solve problems can become a task in these situations. However, engaging all the people concerned in problem solving activities before shifting to the remote space can ease the process.

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Key skills evaluated in problem solving activities

Problem solving skills refer to the necessary thinking skills that an individual or group uses when met with a challenge. Many issues require the use of several skills; others are easy and may require only one or two skills. These are some skills that help to solve problems,

Communication skills
Decision-making skills
Analytical thinking
Negotiation skills
Logical reasoning
Persistence
Lateral thinking

Problem solving skill examples

Several problems occur at the workplace. Problem solving skills can be technical problems that occur on websites or apps or addressing client concerns. Problems could be simple or complex. Business managers spend time and resources to solve problems.

They encourage their team to improve their analytical and logical abilities. Common issues in companies can be exploding data or changing technology, or financial management.

Did you know? Emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in problem solving!

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Problem solving scenarios

Many problem solving scenarios occur at work. The basis to solve any problem is to evaluate and arrive at a solution. Analytical skill or problem solving ability is a skill many employers evaluate while hiring candidates.

Strong problem solving skills can be an asset to any organization. Organizations organize problem and solution activities to improve the problem solving abilities in the workplace.

1. Decision making games

Businesses are looking for new and innovative ways to stimulate their staff. Decision making games help employees to learn new skills and work effectively as a team. Decision making activities help to improve the creative problem solving and decision-making skills of the team. Here are some best Decision-making games,

1. Dumb Idea first – This game gives a hypothetical problem that could occur in your company. Ask each manager to think of the dumbest solution to the problem. After compiling the list of the ideas, the team reviews them.

You have a brainstorming session to make the “dumb ideas” feasible. This problem solving exercise underlines the importance of out-of-box thinking.

Benefits: Decision-making skill

Time duration: 10 to 15 minutes

Team size: 2 to more team managers

Material: Paper and pencil

2. Egg Drop Idea – The objective of the game is to build a container to protect the egg when dropped from a specified height using the material provided. Each team nominates a presenter who explains why the egg will survive the fall.

Once they have presented the idea, the team drops the egg to check if the idea has worked. Egg drop pyramid activities like the marshmallow challenge help teams to think on their feet.

Benefit: Decision-making skill and is a top problem solving skill example

Time duration: 15 – 30 minutes

Team size: 6 or more

Material: A cartoon of eggs, aprons to protect clothes, material for packing (cardboard, tape, elastics, plastic straws, etc.), material to clean up.

Instructions:

Every team gets an egg and should choose from the building materials.
Grant everyone 20-30 minutes to build an egg carrier and guard against breaking.
Remove each egg carrier from a ledge (that is, over a balcony) to see which carrier prevents it from cracking.
If several eggs survive, continue to heighten until only one egg remains.

3. Dog, Rice, and Chicken – The dog, rice, and chicken game can be fun decision-making activities for adults. In this game, one team member plays the farmer, and the other team members are villagers who advise him. The farmer has to take three items chicken, dog, and rice across the river by boat.

There are the following constraints:- only one item can be carried on the boat. He cannot leave the chicken and dog alone because the dog will eat the chicken. He cannot leave the chicken alone with the rice because the chicken will eat the rice grains.

Benefit: creative problem solving examples that are applicable at work.

Time duration: 10-15 minutes.

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2. Teambuilding puzzle

Team building exercises are fun and creative ways to get your team to work together and improve problem solving skills.

1. Lost at Sea – In this game, you and your friends have chattered a yacht to sail across the Atlantic Ocean. Since you do not have any navigation experience, you hire a captain and a two-person crew. Unfortunately, the crew and captain die when a fire breaks out on the yacht.

The yacht is severally damaged and is sinking. You and your friends have managed to save 15 items and a lifeboat. Your task is to rank the 15 items while you are waiting to be rescued. The activity lost at sea team building underlines the importance of problem solving skills in the workplace.

Benefits: Team building exercise and interaction

Time duration: 30 to 40 minutes

Team size: 4 to 6

Material: Lost in sea ranking for interaction chart for each member

2. Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower – The marshmallow team-building activities have the goal of building the tallest tower as quickly as possible. To make the task more challenging the marshmallow is placed at the top of the tower. This is a fun puzzle activity for team building.

Benefit: Teambuilding puzzle

Time duration: 30 minutes

Material required: 20 sticks on raw uncooked spaghetti, a marshmallow, masking thread, and yarn of thread.

3. Go for Gold – This is an example of a marshmallow challenge similar to activities. The objective of this exercise is to create a structure using pipes, rubber tubing, and cardboard to carry a marble from point A to point B using gravity.

Benefit: team building problem solving scenario examples

Team size: Minimum 6 persons

Material required: Each member has different material

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3. Work Problem Solving

Work problem solving activities help to use the skills you used in problem solving activities in your workplace.

1. Create your own – this game aims to create a brand new problem solving activity for the organization. The team can brainstorm for 1 hour. After one hour each team has to give a presentation about their activity outlining the key benefits.

Benefit: Understanding the problem solving process. Build creativity, improve negotiation, and Decision-making skills

When the participants arrive, you declare that they will create an original problem solving activity on their own, rather than spending an hour on an existing problem solving team-building exercise.
Divide members into teams and encourage them to develop a new problem solving team-building exercise that will fit well with the organization. The activity should not be one they have engaged in or heard of before.
Every team has to show their new activity to everyone else after an hour and outline the main benefits.

2. Shrinking Vessel – make a shape on the floor using a rope where all the team members can fit. Reduce the size every 10 -15 minutes. The real challenge for the team is figuring out how to work together and keep everyone together.

Benefits: Adaptability and cognitive diversity

Material: Rope and large room

Place on the floor a big circle of rope. Position your whole team inside the circle.
Lessen the circle size steadily. When it gets smaller, advise the team to keep the entire team inside the circle. Nobody must move out of the loop. See how small you can make the area until it cannot remain inside.

3. Legoman – the team is divided into groups of two or more people. Select an impartial individual who will make a structure in 10 minutes. Each team will compete to recreate it in fifteen minutes. Only one person is allowed to see the structure. They need to communicate vital parameters like color, shape, and size.

Benefits: Communication

Tools: Lego

4. What Would X Do – This problem solving activity stimulates teams to think of new ideas.

Benefits: Instant problem solving
Time Duration: 10-15 minutes
Materials Required: N/A
Let every team pretend to be someone famous.
Every team needs to address the issue as if they were a famous person. Which are the choices they would consider? How will they do this?
It helps all to consider options they may not have initially thought of.

Tip: Before you decide, a problem is worth solving, weigh the risks of solving it versus not solving it.

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4. Team building riddles

Team building riddles are a great way to show the team group problem solving is usually more effective.

1. Barter puzzle – the team is broken into groups. Give each team a different jigsaw puzzle to solve. The groups have to complete the puzzle at the same time. The twist in the game is that some pieces of their puzzle belong to other puzzles.

The goal is to complete the puzzle before the other teams. Each group has to come with their method to convince other teams to handover the pieces they need, either by bartering pieces or donating time to the other teams. This puzzle piece team-building activity helps teams to collaborate.

Benefit: Team building and negotiating.

Material: Jigsaw puzzle for each team

Time: 30 minutes

2. Scavenger Hunt – in this game, each team has a list of the article to locate and bring back. The goal of the game is to finish the assigned list first. In the scavenger hunt, the team has a time limit to make the game more challenging. You have the flexibility of having the hunt outside or within the premises. The team-building puzzle game helps the team to look for creative solutions.

3. Escape – the goal is to solve clues and find the key to unlock the door in a limited time. Hide the key and a list of clues around the room. The team has 30 to 60 minutes to figure out the clues and unlock the door.

Benefit: Team building exercise

Material: Rope, key, lockable room, 5 to 10 puzzles

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5. Work together problems

Work together on problems helps to underline the need to collaborate while solving issues at work. Group challenge activities help the team work well together.

1. Bonding belt – each group is divided into 5 to 6 participants, who are bound together with rope or tape so that their movements are limited. The team has to reach from point A to point B, and the time is recorded. The teams collaborate to beat their previous score.

Benefits: Helps the team to collaborate and skills for problem solving scenario/

Time: 20 to 30 minutes

Material: Cling film, belt, or rope

2. Scramble puzzle – the team members with blindfolds sit in a circle with the puzzle. The teammate without the blindfold sits outside the circle, with their back to the group. The blindfolded group tries to assemble the pieces of the puzzle. The outsider who has the same puzzle gives the team instructions to solve it.

Benefits: trust, leadership, and communication

Material: Preschool-level puzzles and blindfolds.

3. Flip it over – this is a classic work-together problem. In this game, 6 to 8 participants stand together on a blanket/towel/tarp. The challenge is to flip over the blanket or reverse it. The rule is that none of the participants can leave the blanket.

Benefit: Work together exercise

Duration: 30 minutes

Material: Blanket

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6. Team building survival games

Team building survival games helps to fine-tune problem solving scenarios that may occur at work. The activities encourage creative problem solving and decision making.

1. Stranded – Stranded helps in building effective communication. In this setting, the team is stranded in an office. The rooms will be locked, and doors and windows cannot be broken down. The team is asked to make a list of 10 items that they need to survive.

They need to rank items in the order of their importance. The team has to agree on the items and the order. Stranded is one of several popular survival team-building exercises.

Benefit: Team building and Decision-making exercises

Your team is stuck inside the building. Doors are closed, so there is no option to kick down the doors or smash the windows.
Grant the team 30 minutes to determine what ten things they need to thrive in the office and list them in order of importance.
The goal of the game is to get everyone to agree in 30 minutes about the ten things and their ranking.

2. Minefield – you randomly place items around the room or hallway and there is no clear path from one end of the room to another. The team is divided into pairs. One team member is blindfolded, and the other team member is the guide.

The guide navigates the blindfolded person across the minefield. The two partners cannot touch. This survival team-building activity underlines the need for clear communication.

Benefits: Communication and collaborative problem solving

Duration: 10-15 minutes

Material: Blindfold, empty room or hallway, and collection of random items.

3. Frostbite – in this survival scenario team-building exercise the team is trapped in Siberia. Each team has to elect a team captain. The team has to build a storm shelter with the material provided.

The twist in the game is the team captains cannot help physically since they have frostbite. Other team members are suffering snow blindness and are blindfolded. The electric fan will be turned on in 30 minutes to see if the shelter built will survive the storm.

Benefit: Leadership, skills action plan, and team building survival games

Team size: 4 to 5 members

Material: An electric fan, blindfold, simple building materials like cardboard paper, rubber bands, toothpicks, masking tape, straws, sticky notes, etc.

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7. Group decision making games

Group decision making games help encourage creative problem solving and decision making at work. Here is a bunch of group decision making games

1. Reverse Pyramid – the team members stand in a pyramid shape. The next step is to flip the base and apex of the pyramid. The limiting factor in only three persons can move.

Benefits: Group Decision-making and collaboration

2. Tower of Hanoi – in this game, there are three towers/posts/rods with 5 or more discs arranged conical shape with the smallest shape at the top. The objective of the game is to move the entire stack to another location retaining the shape. Some conditions of the games are only one disc can be moved at a time. Only the top disc can be moved. Another rule of the game is larger disc cannot be put on a smaller disc.

Benefits: This team-building exercise helps problem solving within the participants.

3. Human Knot – the team stands in a circle every person holds hands with a person not standing next to them. When everyone is cross-connected, the aim is to untangle the structure without letting go of anybody’s hand.

Benefit: group problem solving

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8. Funny problem solving games

We need to solve problems for personal and professional lives. Funny problem solving exercises are a light way. Funny problem solving can help reduce stress levels.

1. Pencil drop – in the pencil drop challenge, one end of the pencil is tied to a pencil and the other is tied around the waist of a team member. The other team member puts the pencil into the bottle placed below. The participants are not allowed to use their hands.

Benefit: Team bonding

Team size: 2 members each

Material: Some pencil and bottle

2. Blind drawing – this game requires two players to sit back to back. One participant describes an image in front of them without giving stating anything obvious. The other participant needs to draw it using the description. The outcome can be fun.

3. Be the character – in this activity, you pretend to be an imaginary character while trying to solve a problem. This game gives a unique perspective on your solution and whether the solution is feasible for other members.

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9. Group problem solving activities for adults

Group problem solving activities are very efficient, especially for adults. These can be used in any setting to enhance problem solving skills.

1. Human Knots

Benefits: Communication skills, collaboration
Time Duration: 10 – 15 minutes.

This is one of the most straightforward group problem solving activities that can be done with any group. It facilitates communication and critical thinking in the face of a challenging and complex question. Various group members will possibly suggest a variety of solutions, and each will need to be reviewed and adopted by the organization as a whole.

Have the group stand in a small circle (make several circles when you are a larger group). Every person in the loop will hold the hands of 2 other people who are not directly next to them. That would make a messy crossed arms knot.
Ask the group to disentangle themselves without moving their hands at any point in time. They may be unable to disentangle completely to form a circle again. Still, they would have begun to work together to solve the problem by the end of the activity.

2. Frostbite

Benefits: Leadership, decision-making, trust, adaptability
Time Duration: 30 minutes.
Materials Required: An electric fan, blindfold, simple building materials like cardboard paper, rubber bands, toothpicks, masking tape, straws, sticky notes, etc.

Your group is trapped in the barren deserts of Siberia, and a sudden winter storm is approaching. You have to create a shelter with only the materials in hand that can survive the storm’s harsh winds. The leader of your expedition was afflicted with frostbite in both hands, sadly, and all the others experience severe snow blindness.

Divide the group into clusters of 4-5. Every group will have to elect a chief.
Group leaders are not allowed to use their hands to support the group in any way, and group members should be blindfolded during the exercise.
The groups have 30 minutes to build a small tent structure that can withstand the wind from the fan’s highest location.

3. Dumbest Idea First

Benefits: Critical thinking, creative problem solving, quick problem solving
Time Duration: 15 – 20 minutes
Materials Required: Pen or pencil, a piece of paper.

Dumbest Idea First is one of the most creative problem solving activities for groups. This can encourage your creativity by thinking out of the box and lead you to ideas that would typically sound too insane to work. You can broaden the possibilities by looking at these crazy solutions first, and find potential alternatives that might not be as obvious.

Present your team with a question. It could be a real-world dilemma facing the group, or it could be a created scenario. For example, your company attempts to beat a rival to win a high-paying customer contract, but the customer bends to your competitors. You have a short period before they make the final decision to change their mind.
With the given question, advise your group to come up with the dumbest ideas to tackle the issue. Anything can be written down.
After each person has put forward a few ideas, go through the list, and analyze each plan to see which are the most feasible. List them from the highest level of feasibility to the lowest level.

4. Wool Web

Benefits: Leadership, communication
Time Duration: 30 minutes
Materials Required: Some balls of yarn.

As hard as replicating the magnitude of the real-world problems is, that is no excuse not to try! Wool web creates a dilemma that appears complicated at first, but groups will learn to break down complicated challenges into solvable problems one move at a time.

This happens by using the right strategy and working together. Undoubtedly, this is one of the most stimulating problem solving activities for adults.

Split the group into similarly large teams. Every time, it receives a yarn ball.
Tell each team to turn the yarn ball into a vast web. Give them around 5-10 minutes to do this. When done, rotate all the teams so that every team is on a yarn web they have not set up.
Every group must choose one person to untangle the web. That individual would be blindfolded and be guided by the rest of the team on how to unwind the web using only verbal instructions. The first team to achieve it wins the game.

5. Tallest Tower

Benefits: Creative thinking, collaboration
Materials Required: 1 bag of marshmallows, one packet of uncooked spaghetti.

Simple building projects can help group members create strategies to overcome box issues. Tallest Tower is another one of the most creative problem solving activities. Groups will compete with only two materials to make the tallest tower in a fixed period.

Divide the group into two, which have an equal number of players. Provide 20 – 30 uncooked spaghetti noodles and 3-4 marshmallows to every team.
Groups must compete in the provided period to build the tallest tower using only the materials supplied. A marshmallow has to be set at the top of the tower.

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10. Problem solving activities for students

Below is a bunch of problem solving activities for students and kids,

1. Brainstorm Bonanza – Brainstorm Bonanza is one of the best problem solving activities for students. As a teacher, making your students create lists relevant to something you are teaching at the moment can be a fantastic way to help them expand their knowledge of a subject when learning to solve problems.

Benefits: Problem solving
Materials Required: Pen and paper

1. If you are discussing a real, current, or fictional occurrence that did not work out well, let your students imagine ways that the protagonist or participants might have produced a better, more favorable result.

2. They can brainstorm independently or in groups.

2. Clue Me In – this is one of the most enjoyable problem solving games. It facilitates logical thinking and cognitive development.

Benefits: Cognitive development, logical thinking
Time Duration: 20 minutes
Materials Required: A bag, clues, items as necessary
Select a collection of things relating to a specific occupation, social phenomenon, historical incident, object, etc.
Assemble individual objects (or pictures of things) commonly linked to the target response.
Place all of them in a bag (five-10 clues ought to be enough).
Then, have a student reach into the bag and take out clues one by one.
Select a minimum number of clues to draw before they make their first guess (two-three).
After that, the student should guess, pulling each clue until they think it is right.
See how quickly the student can solve the riddle.

3. Survivor Scenario – Create a hypothetical situation that allows students to think creatively to make it through. One example may be being stuck on an island, realizing that three days of help would not come.

The community has a small amount of food and water and has to establish shelter from the island’s objects. This would undoubtedly be one of the fascinating problem solving activities for students.

Benefits: Logical thinking, collaboration
Encourage working together as a group.
Listen to each student who has an idea about making it safe and secure across the three days.

4. Moral Dilemmas – Create several potential moral dilemmas that your students can face in life, write down, and place each object in a bowl or container. These things may include items like, “I’ve seen a good friend of mine shoplifting. What is it that I would do?” or “The cashier gave me an additional $1.50 in change after I purchased candy from the shop. What is it that I would do?”

Benefits: Logical thinking
Time Duration: 5 minutes per student
Materials Required: Container, bits of paper with moral dilemmas written
Ask every student to draw an item from the bag one after the other and read it aloud.
They must then tell the class the response on the spot as to how they would handle the situation.

5. Problem solving box – this is an activity that will help on both cognitive and emotional levels for students.

Benefits: Logical thinking, decision making
Materials Required: Box, paper, pen
Have your students design and decorate a medium-sized box with a top slot. Name it as the “Problem Solving Box.”
Invite students to write down anonymously and apply any concerns or problems they may have at school or at home, which they do not appear to be able to work out on their own.
Let a student draw one of the things from the box once or twice a week, and read it aloud.
Finally, as a group, let the class work out the best way students can approach the problem and eventually solve it.

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11. Problem solving activities for kids

Below is a bunch of problem solving activities for kids,

1. Puzzle-solving – Solving puzzles is one of the best problem solving activities for kids out there. Essentially, every puzzle is a big collection of muddled-up items to figure out and bring back together again.

Kids must be introduced to puzzles with regularity. These are useful for improving skills in reasoning. The best kinds to choose from are wooden puzzles with a wooden frame. They last long, and the structure serves as the foundation to direct children during construction.

Benefits: Reasoning skills
Time Duration: Varies
Materials Required: Puzzles according to the age level

Instructions:

Show the kids a demo of how a particular puzzle can be solved.
Then, let them choose a puzzle of their liking from the available choices.
Ask them to solve their chosen puzzles.

2. Memory Games – Memory games will improve memory and attention to detail for your child.

Benefits: Attention to detail
Materials Required: Matching pairs of images
Using matching pairs of images and turn them all face down, shuffled, on a table.
Take turns to pick any two cards, and face them on the table.
You hold the cards if you turn over a similar pair, and if the pair does not match, turn the cards over before it is your turn to try again.
A teacher/parent must encourage the kids to concentrate on where the pictures are, and seek to find a matching pair on each turn.

3. Building games – Construction toys like building blocks, wooden blocks, or legos should be a staple in a kid’s home every day. Playing with them is one of the most fun problem solving activities for kids. Anything that your child builds is a challenge as it involves thinking about what to create and how to put together the parts to get a workable and usable design.

Benefits: Decision making
Materials Required: Construction toys.

1. Let your child build a challenge openly and often, and ask him/her to build a particular structure, with conditions. For instance:

Create two towers with a bridge that connects them.
Create a creature that stands alone and has three arms.

2. Observe how your child uses trial-and-error before finding a way to bring the idea into motion.

4. Tic-Tac-Toe – this is an excellent game for teaching decision-making skills. It encourages kids to think before they act and weigh the potential consequences.

Materials Required: Pencil, paper
Draw a simple tic-tac-toe table on paper or chalkboard.
Take turns to add a nought or a cross to the table to see who is the first to make a line of three.
Your kid will likely catch on in no time before placing their symbol and start thinking carefully.
Coloured counters or different items can be used to play this game as well.

5. Building a Maze – This activity is fun and fits for any age. It will also be a lot more enjoyable than doing a maze in an activity book, particularly for younger kids.

Materials Required: Chalk
Draw a big maze with jumbo chalk on the paving. Make passages, including one or two, which end in an impasse. Teach your kid how to get out of it.
Make the maze more complicated and add more dead-end passages as your child gets better at figuring out a path and finding the way out.

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What is a problem solving process?

When a team or person faces an issue or obstacle, it can be tempting to quickly track a potential solution and set up a fast fix. This could happen without understanding the complexity of the problem and pursuing a systematic approach to seeking a solution.

The attempts to address issues or obstacles may become unstructured and frustrating without a consistent method. End-to-end processes for problem solving offer a mechanism for a community to tackle any size or nature, and see results. Problem solving activities for adults, kids, and students can help make the problem solving process very useful.

Army problem solving process

There are 7 steps to problem solving army model,

Recognize and define the problem – The first step army problem solving process is defining the problem precisely and determining the root cause.
Gather facts and make assumptions – You need to gather all information you have at your disposal. Common resources for information may be documentation and policies. Assumptions are unsubstantiated facts. Use facts rather than assumptions when you need to analyze the scope of the problem.
Generate alternatives – One of the key steps in military problem solving is finding ways to solve the problem. Ideally, it best to have multiple approaches to solve the problem. Take input from peers and subordinates if possible.
Analyze possible solutions – Analyze each possible solution with advantages and disadvantages. You evaluate each solution according to screening and feasibility criteria. Reject the solution when it fails in the screening process.
Compare Alternatives – Another crucial step in the army problem solving model is to evaluate alternatives for cost and benefits. You need to consider your experience and immediate future. Tabulating each solution with the pros and cons will help clear the picture.
Make an executive your decision – Make a decision and prepare an action plan, and put it in motion.
Assess the result – You need to monitor the implementation of the plan and modify it if required. Establishing critical steps and milestones will help to ensure success.

Army problem solving games

Capture the flag – the game helps in team building and army problem solving. Two teams compete against one another to retrieve a flag or object from the opposing team camp base and get into their camp base. This game is flexible, and ground rules need to be set before the game starts.
Paintball – Paintball is a fun military problem solving activity. You can have many modifications and variations of the paintball game. The aim is to fire paint pellets at the opposing team. Laser tag is another variation of the game.
Firing blind – Firing blind is a game where each team has a large number of water balloons. At the other end of the field has to hit the target is protected by a tarp from direct firing. The team has to hit the target that is covered. One team member acts as the observer and directs the team to hit the target with the water balloons.

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Obstacles to problem solving

Problem solving can take time and patience, one of the best ways to solve any problem is pausing and evaluating the problem. Obstacles to problem solving are,

Misdiagnosis – Misdiagnosis is a common problem can occur due to preconceived idea, biases or judgments. Defining and having a concrete understanding of the problem is the first step in the problem solving activity. This can be difficult. If you are not careful, you may spend your time and resources solving the wrong problem and finding the wrong solution.
Communication bias – Communication barriers are caused when we are unable to explain the problem to the team, or presuming we know more than everyone else. Everyone on the team must be on the same page. You may need to acknowledge you have a limited understanding of the problem.
Solution bias – A common obstacle in problem solving is thinking there may be a universal solution or thinking the same solution can solve multiple problems. You need to evaluate a problem independently than try to force-fit a solution that worked previously.
Cognitive bias – One of the barriers to finding an effective solution is cognitive bias, or the tendency to jump to conclusions. To find solutions fast firms often end up with an irrelevant solution. This may cause more problems down the line.
Lack of empathy – Every problem is associated with human emotions or abilities. It is important to identify and recognize people affected by the problem or it will be difficult to find a solution that will solve help.

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Famous virtual problem solving software

Traditionally watercoolers chat is a great way to bring people together and help team members interact with one another. A virtual water cooler has a similar concept where people interact in a similar virtual setting or a dedicated virtual room. It allows remote teams to bond. Software that offers virtual water coolers services,

unremot.com – provides users with a unique water cooler experience. The app provides unique solutions to remote teams.
Microsoft Teams
Informal Whatsapp group
Donut over slack channels

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Strengthen Teamwork and Collaboration: Puzzles are a great way to encourage your team to communicate, collaborate, and work together towards a common goal.
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14 Brain-Tickling Team Building Problems
Teammates must analyze, discuss, and execute team strategies to include every member within the perimeter. Shrinking Feeling underscores adaptability and group response to change. 9. Trading Pieces. Trading Pieces is a spin on the barter puzzle, one of the most well-known team building problems.
12 Team Building Puzzle Games to Solve With Groups in 2024
Here is our list of the best team building puzzles. Team building puzzles are exercises where your team works together to solve problems. For example, Rube Goldberg Machines and Escape rooms. ... So get ready to showcase your problem-solving prowess with Murder in the Speakeasy! Learn more about Murder in the Speakeasy. 2. Espionage! (Popular)
22 Unbeatable Team Building Problem Solving Activities
Problem-solving is a critical skill and team building problem solving activities can help your team have fun while sharpening their skills. Phone 1-800-565-8735. Request a Quote. ... split up into small groups and put your heads together to solve a variety of puzzles, riddles, and trivia. The team who has completed the most challenges when time ...
14 Brain-Boosting Problem Solving Group Activities For Teams
Jeopardy. Problem-solving activities such as Virtual Team Challenges offer a great way for teams to come together, collaborate, and develop creative solutions to complex problems. 2. Problem-Solving Templates. Problem-Solving Templates are popular problem-solving activities that involve a group of people working together to solve an issue.
Problem Solving Games, Activities & Exercises for Adults
4. Sudoku. Sudoku is one of the most popular free problem solving games for adults. The objective of this game is to fill each box of a 9×9 grid so that every row, column, and letter contains each number from one to nine. The puzzle makes a great team challenge. To play Sudoku on Zoom, screen share the game board.
15 Best team-building puzzles for your team
Math is so important for building critical thinking and problem solving skills, and is an important part of learning how the world around you works. Perform some research to find the sorts of math problems or puzzles that would benefit your team the most. ... Offsite team-building puzzle ideas 11. Escape room. These fun activities have become ...
Best 20 Problem-Solving Activities to Challenge Your Team
Quick and easy problem-solving activities 12. Unpuzzled (in-person, virtual, hybrid) Activity Focus Areas: Communication, reasoning, collaboration under time pressure. Objective: Unpuzzled is an engaging team-building game that combines problem-solving and trivia elements. The goal is for each team to work collaboratively to solve a series of puzzles and then unscramble them to uncover a meta ...
10 Team-Building Puzzles To Challenge Your Team Members
A team-building puzzle is an activity where the team must work together to solve a problem. Sometimes referred to as lateral-thinking exercises, team-building puzzles can offer a fun and refreshing way for teams to get to know one another, eliminate barriers between management and employees and encourage communication through team problem-solving.
Team Building Exercises
In this article, we'll look at three team-building exercises that you can use to improve problem solving and decision making in a new or established team. Exercises to Build Decision-Making and Problem-Solving Skills. Use the following exercises to help your team members solve problems and make decisions together more effectively.
15 Team Building Problem Solving Activities
15 Problem-Solving Activities. 1. A Shrinking Vessel. Why adaptability is important for problem-solving: Adaptability is highly associated with cognitive diversity, which helps teams solve problems faster, according to the Harvard Business Review. Innovation and disruption are happening faster than ever before.
45 Team Building Games to Psych Up Your Team [2024] • Asana
Team size: 8-16 people. Time: 20-30 minutes. How to play: Divide your team into groups of four or five and provide them with 20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow. Challenge each team to build the tallest tower possible using only the supplies you gave them.
PDF A Mini Mystery Puzzle
A creative Learning Society Team Building tool ©Creative Learning Society 2020 A Mini Mystery Puzzle . Purpose: This team building Activity will assist in developing problem solving skills and team cooperation. Use this as an energizer for well performing team and a development exercise for troubled teams. Materials: • Paper and Pens
7 Great Team Building Brain Teasers for Work in 2024
Spot the Difference: Office Edition is a fun brain teaser for teams because it transforms the office from a workplace to a puzzle. Also, any number of people can play, and you do not need specialized skills to win. Best of all, when team members rack their brains together, it facilitates team bonding. 2. Rebus or Bust.
The Puzzling Team Challenge
The Puzzling Team Challenge. The Puzzling Team Challenge is one of the best ways to illustrate how each person and each team is part of a larger whole. Each team starts with a 100 piece jigsaw puzzle that they must try to complete- before any other team completes theirs. Another goal for each team is to "find the hidden message" on the ...
38 Team Building Games That You Will Actually Enjoy
An ultimate list of team building games (and apps) ... This simple activity encourages communication and problem solving, since every member of the group is needed to complete the task. ... Goal: The group must complete a puzzle. Split team members into equal groups of 4 or 5 people (though not ideal, it is possible to play with groups of 3 ...
8 Best Problem-Solving Activities To Build A Successful Team
Scavenger Hunt. It is like a treasure hunt, where participants have to solve the puzzles and riddles with the help of clues they got and find the required item. It is a fun outdoor activity, developing problem-solving skills while exploring the environment. 4. Paper Tower Challenge.
13 Team Building Problem Solving Activities
The egg drop team building exercise, also known as 'Defend the Egg' is a problem solving skills game that involves building a structure out of random ordinary items such as masking tape, rubber bands, sticky notes, etc that will protect a raw egg from breaking when dropped from a high elevation. The goal is to have each team build a ...
Team Building Riddles: Enhance Collaboration with Engaging Puzzles
Team building riddles are a dynamic tool used in workplaces to foster cooperation and communication among team members. These puzzles serve not just as icebreakers, but as a means of challenging employees to think critically and collaboratively. Through engaging with riddles, teams can practice problem-solving in a fun and light-hearted ...
Team Building Puzzles Online: Engage and Empower
Team building puzzles with problem-solving activities are integral to any team's progress. By engaging in teamwork exercises and interactive puzzles, teams can become more adept at identifying and solving complex problems efficiently. Team problem-solving tasks can enhance critical thinking, decision-making abilities, and analytical skills.
Team Building Riddles: 17 Fun Examples
Generally, team building problem solving riddles are challenging, but not impossible to answer. Since colleagues work together to come up with responses, you can use these riddles to connect and build shared memories. These riddles are a type of problem-solving challenge and similar to team building puzzles and team building jokes. Specifically ...
Top 50 problem solving activities, games & puzzles for remote teams
2. Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower - The marshmallow team-building activities have the goal of building the tallest tower as quickly as possible. To make the task more challenging the marshmallow is placed at the top of the tower. This is a fun puzzle activity for team building. Benefit: Teambuilding puzzle.
Solving Fun
Scavenger Hunt + Puzzles. Collaborate with friends and family to solve puzzles. Filled with a variety of wordplay, logic, math, reasoning, and creative thinking. Find clues by solving puzzles. Clues lead to locations (in person or virtual). Put together clues and solve a meta puzzle for final answer (s). Puzzle hunts are a fun way to bring your ...
Team Building With Puzzles
Strengthen Teamwork and Collaboration: Puzzles are a great way to encourage your team to communicate, collaborate, and work together towards a common goal. Enhance Problem-solving Skills: Improve your employees' critical thinking abilities as they tackle our challenging puzzles. Reduce Stress and Boost Creativity: Puzzles have been proven to ...

22 Unbeatable Team Building Problem Solving Activities

Problem-solving is a critical skill for professionals and with team building problem-solving activities, you can sharpen your skills while having fun at the same time.

16 In-Person Team Building Problem Solving Activities for Your Work Group

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What are the benefits of group problem-solving activities?

Popular Problem Solving Activities

2. Problem-Solving Templates

Problem Solving Group Activities & Games For Team Building

4. Crack The Case

5. Catch Meme If You Can

6. Puzzle Games

7. Virtual Code Break

8. Stranded

9. Letting Go Game

10. Wild Goose Chase

11. Human Knot

12. What Would You Do?

13. Crossing The River

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15 Best team-building puzzles for your team

Team-building puzzles for inside the office

3. “Minefield” puzzles

4. Rebus puzzle

5. Imposter puzzle

7. Bartering puzzle

8. Create an economy

9. Fill out the map

Offsite team-building puzzle ideas

12. Scavenger hunt

13. Outdoor maze

14. Murder mystery

15. Large outdoor puzzles

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Team Building Exercises – Problem Solving and Decision Making

Exercises to Build Decision-Making and Problem-Solving Skills

Exercise 1: Lost at Sea*

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Exercise 2: The Great Egg Drop*

Exercise 3: Create Your Own*

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15 Team Building Problem Solving Activities

In this article you will find:

15 Problem-Solving Activities

2. Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower

3. Egg Drop

4. Stranded