Team building is a key component to any business that does not want to fall apart. If you have an office, it is extremely important to find effective ways to build strong relationships. If you don't handle this right, your group of employees can be at each other's throats all day long and accomplish very little work!
This article features some of the best DIY team building activities on a budget. By going through this blog, you will gather a lot of useful ideas for quick team building at your workplace.
This is a fun way to get people talking and laughing. You'll need a deck of cards, a timer, and a pen/pencil for each team member.
Deal out five cards to each person in the group, face down. Everyone should look at their own cards. Then put all the cards back on the table, face down again. One by one, take turns picking up a card from the pile, looking at the card, then replacing it with another card from your hand (this is where you will be connecting two words together). You have 30 seconds to do this before moving on to the next person in your team. The goal is to create as many phrases as possible within that time frame. When time's up, count up your points and see who comes out on top!
This activity is a great way to get people out of their comfort zone and learn how well they work together as a team. It's also a good way to see who has the best communication skills and who needs some work on their leadership skills.
The goal is for everyone on the team to make it through the maze without touching any walls or getting caught by the person who's watching them from inside the maze (often called "the guide"). You can also make this more challenging by giving each person on your team two or three different colored pieces of paper (or hats) so that you can tell who's who in the maze.
Scavenger hunts are an excellent way to get your team out of the office and into the field. They're also a great opportunity for team members to practice their communication skills, as well as their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
To help you get started with your own scavenger hunt, I've put together a list of 10 ideas to get you started:
Mystery dinner parties are a fun way to bring your team together. They're also a great way to get people outside their comfort zones, as they'll be forced to step up and think on their feet. If you have the space, consider hosting one at your office.
This activity can be done in teams or individually, but make sure everyone has a partner or team member for this activity. The idea is for each person to find clues hidden around the office (either by word of mouth or on an online forum) and then meet up with their team/partner at a certain time and place in order to solve the mystery.
The clues might include things like "Find an envelope with my name on it in the kitchen," or "Go outside and look for a tree with three red apples." This is all about having fun while also encouraging teamwork and communication skills among employees.
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Trivia night is a great way to bring some fun to your next team building activity. This game is perfect for larger groups and can be adapted to any subject matter. If you want to keep things simple, choose a theme that everyone knows a lot about. For example, if your company is in the technology industry, trivia about computers or software could be fun. However, if you’re looking for something more challenging, choose a theme that you might not know much about at all!
The key to trivia night is having enough questions prepared in advance – but this isn’t as hard as it sounds! Try Googling for free trivia printables or creating your own based on what interests your team members most. You can even create multiple rounds with different topics so that everyone has an opportunity to shine.
Storytelling is one of the oldest forms of entertainment, dating back to the dawn of civilization. It's also one of the best ways to get people talking and bonding with each other.
The first one will start with one line in a story, something like once upon a time, I saw a tiger, then the next person continued. It was dark black in color and it roared at me! Then the next person will continue with their story and so on... this activity can be done in small groups or even as an entire team if you want to make it more interesting!
The theme doesn't matter — whether it's something funny or serious will depend on your audience — but try to keep things light-hearted and entertaining!
If you are a remote team, take a look at a virtual tell a tale to experience the real power of team building beyond the borders.
Team Bingo is fun, simple and a great way to get people talking to each other. It’s also a great way to break the ice, especially if you have a group of strangers that need to get to know each other. The only supplies you will need for this activity are some bingo cards and pens. If you want to make the game more interesting, you can create your own bingo cards or download some from the internet. You can also make up your own rules for winning the game, but generally you will want to keep it simple so everyone can win!
It's also a great icebreaker for new teams or groups that don't know each other well.
The concept of team building bingo is simple: Participants are given cards with different words on them (e.g., "coffee," "laptop," "gardening," etc.). Each word corresponds with a different category, such as personality traits or interests.
When someone says something in their own speech that matches one of the categories, they put a chip on that square. The first person to get five chips in a row wins!
Must read: How To Play Virtual Bingo Team Building Activity? ( Super Fun and quick to host )
This activity is a great way to have fun and improve your photography skills. It's perfect for people who love taking photos, or for those who want to learn how to take better ones.
For this activity, you'll need:
Find a location that's interesting and beautiful — one where you could spend an hour or two without getting bored. If it's not too cold outside, try going on a hike through the woods or along the beach. If it's winter, go for a walk in the park or find another indoor location that looks nice and interesting.
The goal of this activity is to take photos of things from different angles and distances. You can do this by moving yourself around the subject, by moving the subject itself (if it's safe), or by using zoom lenses on your camera. Make sure every shot is different from the last one!
The human knot is a great team building game that can be played at any time. It's fast, fun and will bring the team together.
This game requires at least 5 people to play and can be done in large groups or smaller teams. The idea of this game is to get everyone tangled up so that they can't move. The first person who untangles themselves from everyone else wins!
The best part about this game is that it can be played anywhere! You don't need much space and you don't even need any equipment to play this fun activity.
Here are some tips for playing the human knot:
‘Never I have ever’ is a fun game that can be played by teams or individually. The game is exactly like the famous party game but you can keep it professional.
All participants must raise their hands. The first person to raise a hand has to say something they haven't done at work, like "I've never stolen another team member's snacks" or "I've never fallen asleep during a meeting." The others then do the same and the last person left standing is the winner. You don't have to tell your previous companies secrets, though it sure makes for some interesting conversation with your fellow players!
You can also make it more interesting by adding rules such as only saying things you haven't done for at least five years or only saying things other people haven't done at all
Want a bigger version of this activity that is even more fun and impactful, explore our never have I ever office edition
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Conclusion
DIY activities done correctly, in the right spirit of camaraderie and fun, can be a real bonding experience for a group of people, especially if they work together towards a specific goal. Team building that involves creativity and genuine friendships has a better chance of being something everyone involved will enjoy, which makes the time and effort more than worthwhile.
If you want to get your team away from their desks for a couple of hours, hopefully this list will give you some inspiration.
A little creativity and a lot of teamwork combined can go a long way…
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