Theoretically, you can turn just about any activity into a team building event. But wouldn’t you rather choose an activity that fosters creativity while encouraging participants to think outside of the box? These five creative team building ideas will get your creative juices flowing and help you nail down a few team building ideas of your own.
Tips for Choosing Creative Team Building Ideas
The most important way to prepare for a team building activity is to try to determine your needs. Why are you scheduling a team building day? Does your team need better communication skills? Do you want to help some of your corporate wallflowers shine? Do you want your crew to bond?
Try to choose a team building activity that will help yield your desired results. Also, ask your team what types of activities interest them. If one of your team members feels super uncomfortable with athletic activities, you might not want to book a rock-climbing class.
1) Humanitarian / Charitable Team Building
Skills: communication, bonding, empathy
Help your team help themselves by scheduling a humanitarian team building event. These events could include working in a soup kitchen, building homes for the homeless or cleaning up a public park.
Your team will create or transform something while working together for the greater good.
2) TV Style Challenge
Skills: communication, bonding, talent finder
There’s a reason why millions of viewers tune in to the Amazing Race every week: the challenges are exciting and there’s always so much drama. While we don’t encourage steeping that level of drama or competitiveness into your team building event, we do recommend doing the emotional work many contestants complete.
3) Escape Room
Skills: communication, bonding, talent finder
Escape rooms have become increasingly popular date nights over the years. The downside is you might just learn way more than you’d ever want to about your significant other at one of these events!
Yet they are great team building events in the sense that success is dependent on thinking outside the box and collaborating. These types of events can also uncover special skills you never knew your co-workers possessed as you work through any variety of puzzles and challenges.
If you’re in a metropolitan area, there should be plenty of options to head to a dedicated escape room. Or if your group isn’t mobile, have the escape room brought to you.
4) Stand-Up Comedy Routine/Improv
Skills: communication, talent finder
Improv is all about saying yes and supporting your teammates. Which basically means it’s the perfect activity for a team building event.
In lieu of teaching your team improv, you could also ask them to create a stand-up comedy routine that revolves around a single topic (like a challenge in the office).
5) Build Something
Skills: communication, talent finder, bonding
What better way is there to bond with your co-workers than building something you can proudly hang in your office? Whether you want to build airplanes, a food truck or team clubhouse, you’ll be forced to work together to solve small problems that add up to big results!
Typical outcomes may include a sense of accomplishment, inner-office bonding and appreciation.
