60 Virtual Team Building Activities & Games for Fun [2024]
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As more and more organizations embrace remote and hybrid work systems, the effort to build a highly connected and cohesive workforce becomes overwhelming.
Unlike brick-and-mortar offices, where employees can socialize at the office desks and have fun at work events, the surge of remote work is widening the gap between employees and managers, leading to isolation and negatively affecting team morale.
Organizations need to get proactive about keeping their distributed workforce aligned. Virtual team building is the way out.
To help you bring your team together and create a fun and positive virtual workplace, we've created a list of 60 virtual team-building activities and games. From icebreakers to online team-building activities, games, and trivia, there's something for every team and every occasion on our list.
Why is virtual team building important?
Virtual team-building is an ongoing effort to foster cohesion among geographically dispersed teams through exercises and games aided with virtual communication tools and technologies.
Since communication is not in person, online team building simulates the face-to-face interactions of a traditional office setting.
According to the Remote Work Report by GitLab, 25% of the global workforce relies 100% on virtual team-building solutions. Virtual team building is a must for any remote team to build a cohesive unit. Here are five reasons:
Improves communication and productivity: Effective communication is crucial for the success of remote teams. Virtual team-building can break communication barriers, build trust, and increase productivity.
Boosts team morale: Remote workers can sometimes feel disconnected from the rest of the team. Virtual team-building activities make them feel engaged, which increases their motivation. As such, they are more likely to contribute better to the team's success.
Fosters a sense of connection: Virtual team-building allows remote team members to get to know each other and build relationships without face-to-face communication, promoting a sense of camaraderie.
Encourages creativity and innovation: Remote teams often face challenges when it comes to generating new ideas and innovative solutions. Virtual team gatherings can inspire creativity and creative thinking among team members.
Now that you’ve understood what virtual team building means and why it’s important for remote teams, below are 60 of the best virtual team building activities and games successful managers use to get the best out of their distributed workforce.
Virtual icebreaker activities to ease the atmosphere
1. Virtual icebreaker quizzes
Get ready to guess, laugh, and learn new things about your colleagues through an interactive and engaging experience. Virtual icebreaker quizzes are perfect for teams of 3 to 1000+ participants, and each round lasts anywhere between 2 to 10 minutes, making it a quick and easy way to amuse the team.
Instructions
Create a list of open-ended questions ranging from personal questions such as their work-life balance, family, and hobbies to career growth and development plans. The point is to make them see that the conversation is solely about them, not any other thing.
Once you have questions, set them up on your chosen platform. If you use a third-party quiz app, ensure everyone knows how to access it.
After the quiz, share the result and take some time to discuss. Ask your team members how they felt about the quiz and what facts and Insight they learned about themselves. This game is guaranteed to break the ice and bring your team closer in a fun and gamified way.
2. Two Truths and One Lie
Ready to learn some juicy secrets and interesting tidbits about your colleagues? Two Truths and One Lie is the perfect icebreaker game for that.
It's so simple and versatile that you can play it with 4 -10 people in less than 20 minutes.
Instructions
In this timeless classic game, each player shares three statements about themselves, two of which are true and one false. The rest of the team guess which statement is the lie. For an added twist, set a theme for the statements, such as "things I’ve done this week" or "my childhood memories."
3. Virtual Truth or Dare
Virtual Truth or Dare is the online version of Truth or Dare - an electrifying virtual team-building exercise to ignite creativity, challenge comfort zones, and bring everyone together in a blast of laughter and fun.
With its straightforward rules, this classic party game is a great way to break the ice among remote employees.
Instructions
All players get ready with their cameras on and brace themselves for the first prompt. The game master announces the challenge: it could be a daring dare such as "Perform a funny dance" or a daring truth like "What is your most embarrassing moment?"
Players leave their cameras on or off, signaling their willingness to participate. The game master selects one or more players to complete the challenge, and the fun begins.
4. Virtual Bingo
Virtual Bingo is a great choice whether you want to break the ice or just have fun. If you have a team of 10-20 members, this is one of the fun virtual team-building activities to induce 15 to 20 minutes of pure excitement in your next virtual team gathering.
Instructions
Create a Bingo card that has some statements or action items on it and share it with the team via email or Slack.
The host will give a statement written on the card. Players will put a cross in the box if they fit the prompts. The first person to get a full row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) calls out "BINGO!" and wins the round. You can play multiple rounds, changing the pattern each time to keep things fresh and exciting.
5. Donut Conversation
Donut Conversation, an innovative Slack extension, offers a unique approach to virtual team building. It helps address the disconnection challenge that remote and virtual teams face. These conversations are designed to help teams of any size build relationships and foster a sense of community.
Instructions
To play, encourage all your employees to add the Donut extension to their slack apps. Once done, the extension randomly pairs employees within your organization and encourages them to engage in work-related conversations.
In case team members aren’t sure what to talk about, Donut offers predefined conversation prompts to get the conversation started and keep it flowing. It also has other engaging features such as virtual gifts, emojis, and animations that make the conversation never dull.
6. Guess the Baby
Cute and chubby baby photos are always hilarious. If you're looking for a fun virtual activity for remote teams that brings back childhood memories, Guess the Baby is just that and more - a fun way to break up the monotony of remote work and foster stronger connections between team members.
If your team size is below 10 members, you’ve got the ideal fun event for the first 10 minutes of your virtual meetings.
Instructions
The host collects and shows participants’ childhood photos or recent photos of their kids via video conferencing or Slack, and the rest of the team will try to match the baby photo with the correct team member. You can assign points for each correct match, and the player with the highest number of correct matches wins.
7. 5 Second Rule
Want to make your team think creatively on their feet? The 5 Second Rule has the pressure to push remote teams' creative limits while having fun.
With its fast-paced nature, the 5 Second Rule is a great way to energize a team of 5 to 20 members and last 5-10 minutes.
Instructions
Name a specific category, and the participants are given five seconds to think and provide three items, such as “three types of fruits” or “three countries in Europe.”
The game can be played in sub-groups or individually and adjusted for varying difficulty levels. For each prompt, participants must provide three responses within five seconds. Keep track of how many rounds each participant wins to pick the overall winner. Celebrate the winner, and you can also consider offering a prize.
8. Whose Office Is It Anyway?
In this remote team building game, team members are given a virtual tour of each other's home office spaces and guess which workplace belongs to whom.
Instructions
The game starts with each member submitting a photo of their workspace; it can be their desk, chair, computer, or other items unique to their setup. Each image shared must be free of any clues that can let participants easily identify the workplace owners. They must use their intuitions to pick which setup belongs to whom.
The winner is the team member with the highest number of accurate guesses. To up the fun, you can instruct team members to vote for the best workspace setup and listen to the story behind it from the owner.
You can even get the team pumped up by creating playful awards, such as the most organized desk, unique decor, comfortable chair, etc. The goal is to learn more about team members, which may spark new ideas for other members to improve their home office setup.
9. The Price is Almost Right
The Price is Almost Right is another classic game show that can easily be adapted for remote teams. With this fun and interactive team-building activity, any team of up to 35 members will have a solid laugh event to reminisce about going forward.
Instructions
To start, gather your team in a video conference room, and assign one person to be the host. This person will present items to bid on, including everyday household items, office equipment, or luxurious products.
Players take turns bidding on the item each round, and the host announces the retail price once all bids have been placed. The player closest to the actual price without going over wins the round and earns points.
Anyone who goes over the price either loses some points or gets evicted. The game can continue for several rounds, or you can play until one team reaches a certain number of points.
10. Wordle
Wordle is for language lovers and wordsmiths who want to flex their verbal muscles while having fun with their remote colleagues. It is suitable for large teams of up to 40 members.
Instructions
To play, the game master creates a list of words or phrases. These words are then displayed randomly on the screen for everyone to see. Each team has a set amount of time to use as many words from the list to create sentences, one word per sentence.
The sentences can be silly, serious, or anywhere in between. The only rule is that the team must use each word in each sentence correctly.
Once the time is up, each team member reads their sentences, and the team member with the most words used in correct sentences wins.
11. Spill the Bucket
Spill the Bucket is an awesome game that provides insight into team members' personalities and interests, which can help facilitate better communication and collaboration in the future. It is a team-building exercise ideal for 5-15 participants. You can play with your team in less than 15 minutes.
Instructions
Ask each team member to create a list of 3-5 items they would like to accomplish or experience in their lifetime, commonly known as a "bucket list." This list can include personal or professional goals, such as learning a new language, traveling to a specific destination, or volunteering for a cause.
By sharing their bucket lists, team members get to know each other better. They may also find they have common dreams and aspirations and can start working on them together.
12. Read My Lips
What could be more fun than pitting teams against each other in a battle of lip-reading prowess? If you need a highly engaging game to break the ice and bring smiles to every face on your team, try Read My Lips.
This game is perfect for a team of 5-10, with each round taking about 2 minutes, and you can play a few rounds.
Instructions
Get your team on a virtual call and designate one person as the "speaker" and the others as the "listener." The speaker will say a word or phrase by mouthing it silently or muting their microphone.
The listener must then try to guess what the speaker is saying by reading their lips. The listener earns a point for every correct guess. If wrong, the speaker gets the point. After each round, switch roles and keep playing until everyone has had a chance to be both the speaker and listener.
13. Pancakes vs. Waffles
Are you looking to add some sense of humor and lighthearted debate to virtual team building? Pancakes vs. Waffles is the way.
In this game, the goal is to reach a unanimous decision on which one of two items to keep and which one to eliminate. The game is perfect for a small group of 10 or fewer participants and lasts 5+ minutes.
Instructions
Start the game by choosing one between pancakes or waffles, and the other should be eliminated. After the first round, you’ll pit a new contender against the surviving option.
Say “Waffles” was eliminated in the first round. The game may become Pancakes vs. Salads, Salads vs. Kittens, Kittens vs. Puppies, Puppies vs. Ski resorts, Ski resorts vs. Festivals, and so on. You get the point. You can play until you're ready to move on.
14. Guess the Emoji
Emojis have come a long way from being just a fun and quirky aspect of the internet. In today's digital age, emojis in professional communication are not uncommon.
If the emoji infection has found its way to your team, wouldn’t it be nice to put your team's emoji-decoding knowledge to the test? Guess the Emoji can be a great team-building activity. Let’s see.
Instructions
In this game, your team has to guess the correct phrase or word represented by a combination of emojis. You can even deduce a theme, for example, the Disneyland princess.
You can decide to let them play in groups or individually. Each group will carefully study the emojis: Look for clues and think about what each one might represent.
To up the excitement, let participants play against the clock. Say 2 minutes for each round. You can play as many rounds as you like. In the end, reveal the answers, and the team with the most number of correct guesses wins.
15. Personal Fact Guessing Game
Want to break down barriers in your remote workforce? Personal Fact-guessing is a simple yet effective game for building a stronger and more cohesive team. This is a great icebreaker for a large team of 15-30 members.
Instructions
The manager or facilitator asks each team member to share three to five personal facts about themselves. These facts can be anything from a unique talent to a strange phobia or an interesting life experience.
Then the compiled list is shared with the entire team, and each member guesses which fact belongs to which team member. As team members gain a deeper understanding of their colleagues, they forge a more meaningful relationship based on shared experiences and interests.
16. ABC Game
Want to energize your virtual team and bring some friendly competition to your remote workday? The ABC Game is a simple and dynamic team-building exercise that will inject some excitement into your virtual meetings. Any small team with 3-9 members can play and enjoy the ABC. You only need 15 minutes.
Instructions
The facilitator gives a category, and each participant takes turns saying words that fit the category and starting with the next letter in the alphabet.
For example, the category might be "types of fruits," and the first person would say "apple", the next person "banana", the next person “carrot," and so on.
This activity can be adapted for different themes and subjects, making it a versatile option for all teams.
17. Team Crosswords
Team Crosswords is a challenging remote team-building activity that promotes teamwork and healthy competition among colleagues. This activity is ideal for a team of 10+ and can be completed in under 30 minutes, depending on the difficulty level.
Instructions
Create a crossword puzzle on paper or use an online crossword puzzle generator.
Gather your team on a video conferencing platform that allows screen sharing.
Divide the players into teams of 2-4 people. Share your screen displaying the crossword puzzle and set a timer to let each team begin working together to solve the crossword puzzle.
Once the time is up, ask the team to submit their completed crossword puzzle. You can send a screenshot or communicate their answers verbally. Declare a winner based on the number of correct answers.
Whether you opt for a pre-made crossword puzzle or create your own, team crosswords are a surefire way to bring your remote team together.
18. Tongue Twisters
How often have you been stuck on a word or phrase while speaking? That's exactly what makes tongue twisters a fun team-building building activity. If your team has 10 members or fewer and you can spare 15 minutes of your event hour, here’s an opportunity to challenge and laugh at your colleagues live on screen.
Instructions
Simply prepare a list of tongue twisters and present them to the team members; anyone can take a challenge.
Interesting, right? Here are some for your remote team.
How much dew did a dewdrop drop if a dewdrop did drop dew?
Try to tie tulips in a tornado's trail tonight.
The sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick.
Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager managing an imaginary menagerie.
She sells Seashells by the Seashore.
You can play this game in different formats. The winner can be crowned based on the number of correct repetitions or the time it takes to recite the phrase. The possibilities are endless, and the fun is guaranteed.
19. Let's Face It
The human face has the magical ability to convey emotions. Putting your team's facial expression interpretation skills to the test can be a funny yet effective route to bond and connect. You only need around 20 minutes to face it.
Instructions
Compile a list of common facial expressions and split your team into groups of 3 to 5. Choose one member from each to emote an expression. Other teams must work together to decode the hidden emotions behind their teammate's facial expressions.
Each round will have a team member put on an unusual face. The first team to get the expression right wins the round. You can play as many rounds as time permits.
Let team members put on their best poker faces and enter the world of a hilarious, expressive challenge. Who knows, you may discover a hidden talent for acting among your colleagues.
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Virtual team-building games to engage employees
1. Virtual Scavenger Hunt
Nothing brings a team together like the good ol’ scavenger hunt. The days of running around the park with a piece of paper and a pen are not long gone. But since your team works remotely, you can give the scavenger hunt a virtual spin if you can get up to 30 members on call at a time and enjoy.
Instructions
First, create a list of quirky, random objects that participants can find around their homes. It could be anything from a book with a blue cover to a kitchen utensil used once a week.
Once the list is made, all team members join a video call, and you can kick off the game by announcing the first item. And the hunt begins. Each team member has to search for that item in their house, and the first person to bring it back on camera wins a point.
The excitement builds with every round as new items are announced, and everyone races to find them. The adrenaline rush and the crazy antics of running around the house add to the fun.
2. Virtual Escape Room
A virtual escape room is a fun and challenging virtual team-building activity. The game's objective is to escape the virtual room by finding hidden clues and solving a series of puzzles and riddles within a set time, usually around 60 minutes.
Whether you run a small team of 4 members or large teams of 50+, this is an immersive remote team-building activity.
Instructions
To set up a virtual escape room, you'll need a platform to host the game, such as Zoom or Google Meet. Then, you'll need to choose an online escape room game. There are many options available online, ranging from free to paid.
Once you have your game and platform set up, divide your team into groups. Team members will work together to crack codes, decode messages, and solve puzzles and riddles to unravel the secrets of the virtual escape room. The game promotes teamwork, communication, and creative problem-solving skills.
3. Virtual Clue Murder Mystery
The Virtual Clue Murder Mystery is a thrilling and engaging team-building activity that will keep your team on the edge of their seats. The game typically requires a group of 4 to 10 participants and can last 60 minutes. Apart from being a fun activity, this game improves team communication and collaboration skills.
Instructions
To play, get your team on a video conferencing platform. The game's dynamics depend on the Murder Mystery game you choose among hundreds. It can be free or paid.
In this game, your team will become amateur detectives tasked with solving a mysterious crime by unraveling hidden clues, suspicious characters, red herrings, and false leads.
Each team must work together to gather clues and examine evidence to identify the murder weapon, the location of the murder, and the killer. The first team that solves the mystery within time gets the trophy.
4. Virtual Team Riddles Time
Riddles have a timeless charm. And when it comes to remote team building, they can provide the needed platform to strengthen bonds as remote employees collaborate to find solutions for them. This is a perfect icebreaker game for new teams of 20+ members.
Instructions
To play, you first need to curate a list of thought-provoking riddles. After that, gather your team on a video conferencing platform, divide them into smaller groups of 2-4 members, and create a breakout room for each group.
Share the riddles with your team via a virtual whiteboard, a shared document, or a group chat. You can share them all at once or one at a time. Set a time limit for each riddle to prevent the game from dragging on too long.
Group members will work together to solve the riddles. They can use the chat feature to share ideas, ask questions, and collaborate on solutions. At the end of the game, the team with the highest number of correctly solved riddles wins.
5. Photo of the week
Photos of the Week is another powerful team builder that creates a sense of connection and camaraderie among team members as they share glimpses into their daily lives and interests. This exercise is perfect for small and medium-sized teams (10- 30 members). Depending on the team size, you’ll only need 15-30 minutes each week to play.
Instructions
Each week, team members are given a theme or prompt, such as "nature," "food," or "hobbies," and asked to take a photo that fits the theme. Once all the photos are submitted, the team gathers for a virtual meeting to share their photos and the stories behind them.
As each photo is shared, the team learns more about each other's interests and hobbies, and the conversations flow naturally. At the end of the meeting, the group votes on their favorite photo of the week.
The activity promotes a positive and lighthearted atmosphere, making it a great addition to any remote team's virtual lineup.
6. Virtual Scattergories
Unleash the power of creativity and critical thinking within your team with Virtual Scattergories. This fun-filled game challenges players to name objects within a given category and an initial letter. It is good for 5-20 players and can last up to 30 minutes without boring participants.
Instructions
To play, divide your team into groups of 2-5 participants each. Start a timer for a set time limit (e.g., 60 seconds) and then share the categories and letters with the teams. For instance, the category may be fruits, while the letter is A.
In this case, each team has to mention as many fruits as possible that start with the letter A in under 60 seconds. The game can be played in multiple rounds, with the team with the most points at the end being declared the winner.
7. Create Accountability Groups
Accountability groups are a great way to increase team productivity and motivation. With no cost involved, creating accountability groups can be a simple and effective solution for promoting healthy competition in your virtual workplace. This continuous activity is perfect for any team size, from less than 10 to 200+.
Instruction
In this activity, team members are paired up and work together to achieve specific goals and targets. The goal is to hold each other accountable and provide support and encouragement toward achieving their personal and team goals.
A reward system, such as friendly competition and recognition of milestones, can add a fun and motivating element to the accountability group. Breakout groups can also be formed based on specific goals, allowing like-minded individuals to support and encourage each other.
8. Tree or Bob Ross
The Tree or Bob Ross game is an interactive and engaging virtual activity perfect for remote teams of 5-20 participants. The game mechanics are similar to 20 Questions or Eye Spy and can be played in less than 20 minutes.
Instructions
One player is designated as the "Post" and chooses an identity to be kept a secret from the other players. The other players must use a series of questions, such as "Is it more like a tree or more like Bob Ross?" to guess the identity. The "Post" must answer only with either "tree" or "Bob Ross".
For example, if the identity is a sunflower, the answer would be "more like a tree." As the game progresses, the questions become more specific and incorporate new words, gradually leading the players closer to uncovering the identity of the post.
This virtual team builder is an excellent way to foster relationships and bring out creative thinking within a remote team. This free game requires no special equipment or technical setup – simply log in to your preferred video conferencing platform and start playing.
9. Weekly Trivia: By Water Cooler Trivia
Jeopardy has been gracing our screens for half a century, and it's no secret why. Trivia brings people together, ignites their competitive spirits, and satisfies their thirst for knowledge. If you have a large team of 50+ members, Weekly Trivia Contests by Water Cooler Trivia is the perfect virtual activity.
Instructions
Teams receive weekly automated quizzes filled with questions ranging from pop culture to science and technology. The quizzes arrive via email every Monday morning, with responses due the night and results announced the next morning. The contest schedule is flexible and customizable, allowing teams to choose the day and time that works best for them. Additionally, teams can select their preferred categories and difficulty level, making the contests enjoyable for participants of all levels.
10. Show and Tell
Do you ever feel something is missing in your virtual team meetings? Why not bring a touch of childhood nostalgia and inject it with some adult creativity? Since elementary school, “Show and Tell” has been a fun, easy, and effective way to build morale and create a more connected team. You can play it in less than 30 minutes with a team of 5-15 members.
Instructions
Get your team on a virtual call and let them take turns to show and talk about something funny they own or even something intangible. It could be anything – such as your favorite straws, a tug-of-war trophy, or even a passion project.
As you travel down memory lane, the team will ask questions, offer insights, and laugh together. By sharing these intimate possessions, you get a glimpse into their world which will help you develop trust.
11. Virtual Campfire
Gather 'round the virtual campfire, folks! This team-building activity is perfect for large and small remote teams looking to bond while they relax and unwind. Think of it as a digital version of the classic campfire setup. Play with a team of any size and enjoy fun-filled 45-minute tales of adventure, laughter, and occasional ghost stories.
Instructions
First, create a cozy and intimate atmosphere by setting your virtual background to a campfire or nature scene; then, encourage everyone to mute their microphones when not speaking.
Team members share their favorite story, joke, or song. If you have a team of musically talented individuals, you can even have a virtual sing-along session. You could also make it a themed night, like a "spooky" night or a "memorable moments" night, to bring a fun twist to the activity.
Leave work worries behind and indulge in a night of laughter and lasting fun memories. No bug spray, tent setup, or hiking is required - just sit back, relax, and let the good times roll.
12. Alice Escapes Wonderland
Alice finds herself lost in Wonderland. It’s your team's job to help her navigate through a maze of strange creatures and obstacles to find her way back home. The game is a unique blend of logic, strategy, and collaboration, making it an excellent team-building activity for any team with less than 30 members. It takes 30-45 minutes.
Instructions:
Divide your team into smaller groups of 2-4 members and create a breakout room for each. A member from each team will have the game on their device, sharing the screen with other members. Team members must use their collective problem-solving skills to overcome the challenges that stand in their way.
Each team member will take on a unique role, such as the Navigator, the Word Weaver, or the Mathemagician, to help Alice escape. Together, you'll use your skills to decipher riddles, solve puzzles, and navigate through the strange and wondrous world of Wonderland. The first team to get Alice home wins the game.
13. Virtual Book Club
A virtual book club is a perfect way to bring your remote team together and broaden their literary horizons, one page at a time. From agreeing on books to discussing the plot twists and character arcs, the team spirit grows stronger as the literary journey progresses. You can have more than one book club within your team. This is a great team-building activity for a large team of 100+ members. The team can meet for 15 minutes once or twice weekly to discuss.
Instructions
To play, select a book and ensure everyone has it. Next, set some ground rules to make the game run smoothly. Make sure that each member completes the assigned reading before the virtual meeting. If not, they're excluded for the next one or two sessions. This may sound extreme, but it works as a great accountability measure.
It’s good to start with shorter reads to ensure everyone can keep up. You can switch to longer and more challenging texts as the club progresses. Running a virtual book club fosters open-mindedness, effective communication, and productive socializing.
14. Something in Common
Want to uncover hidden connections and interests while promoting teamwork and togetherness in your remote team? There’s no better virtual team-building activity to get you there than Something in Common. You can take on this fast-paced exercise in 20 minutes, irrespective of your team size.
Instructions
Divide your team into small groups and ask each group to identify their three most distinctive shared interests, experiences, or traits. Whether it's a shared passion for Shakespeare's Macbeth, childhood violin lessons, or aversion to fiery Cheetos, this game encourages team members to delve deeper into each other's lives. The first team to come up with these three shared traits wins the game and must come out to talk about them.
To make the activity more challenging, you can eliminate broad categories like movies, books, and food and focus on more personal life. This activity is a great way to bring your remote team closer and promote communication and trust.
15. Virtual Chubby Bunny
While Chubby Bunny is a classic, it's also a game that can easily be adapted for a small remote team with less than 10 members. All you need are a few marshmallows or other small treats and a video conferencing platform, and you are ready to play in 15 minutes. The game will get your team laughing and chatting, providing a much-needed break from work.
Instructions
Team members take turns putting marshmallows in their mouths and saying, "Chubby Bunny." The players who can say the phrase with the most marshmallows in their mouths move to the next round. Any player who cannot say the phrase is out for that round. Continue playing until you have one man standing. The last man standing wins the game.
Whether playing for bragging rights or a sweet reward, this game will bring laughter and excitement to your virtual team-building session.
16. Virtual Team Charades
Virtual Team Charades is an entertaining way to build team spirit and collaboration among remote employees. For teams with 5-25 members, this lighthearted activity, 15 minutes at the start of your week, can inject a positive team dynamic that lasts the whole week. Get your team on a video conferencing platform and play. Here’s how.
Instructions
Like traditional charades, in Virtual Team Charades, one person acts out a word or phrase while others guess what they act out. The acted-out words or phrases can be related to popular culture, movies, books, or even work-related topics, such as common office expressions or specific job duties.
The player acting out the word or phrase cannot speak but can use gestures, facial expressions, and body movements to help their team guess the word or phrase. The first player to correctly guess the word or phrase earns a point, and the player with the most points at the end of the game wins.
17. Virtual Team Pictionary
Another zero-barrier entry entertaining and interactive remote team-building game any team (10-25 members) can start playing right away is Virtual Pictionary. This classic drawing and guessing game guarantees 45 minutes of playfulness and all-inclusive fun. All you need is a video conferencing platform with a whiteboard shareable screen.
Instructions
Divide the players into teams. Each team can have 3-5 members. Next, announce categories for the game, such as animals, sports, movies, food, or fruits. Open the whiteboard on the virtual platform, and select the appropriate drawing tools, such as pens, pencils, or brushes. The first player from the first team selects a category and starts drawing. The player's teammates must guess the word within a specified time limit, such as 60 seconds.
If the teammates guess the word correctly, the team earns a point. If the team cannot guess the word, the other team gets a chance to guess it. At the end of the game, the team with the most points is declared the winner.
18. Poetry Improv
Be it a simple rhyme about office life or a more serious reflection on the challenges of remote work, Poetry Improv provides a fun and engaging outlet for employees to express themselves.
This activity encourages team members to think on their feet and work together to craft an entertaining poem with random keywords. Poetry Improv is a good team-building game for a team with less than 20 members and can be played in 30-45 minutes.
Instructions
Ask participants to submit random words to be used to create poems; they should include verbs, nouns, and adjectives.
Players can take turns adding lines to the poem using the unrepeated words and share them in the chat box or speak their lines out loud using video conferencing software. Remember to set a time limit for each turn, such as 10-15 seconds.
Share the poems during the last five minutes of this activity and you can have a discussion.
19. Synonym Memory
If you wouldn’t mind putting your team’s vocabulary skills and cognitive ability to the test, Synonym Memory is a fun, high-energy game to get them laughing, thinking fast, and working together.
For a team of 10-25 members, this virtual team-building activity encourages creativity and can be adapted for different language levels and skill sets.
Instructions
Divide your team into groups. Ideally, each group should have at least three participants, but this can be adjusted based on your group size.
Choose a word and provide the definition. For example, if the word is "happy," you might say "feeling or showing pleasure or contentment."
Each group then has 30 seconds to compile as many synonyms for the word as possible. For example, for the word "happy," synonyms might include "joyful," "ecstatic," "elated," and "pleased." After 30 seconds, all groups submit their synonyms. The team with the least number of synonyms is out for the round. The game continues with a new word for each round. In the end, the last team standing wins the game.
20. Jigsaw Puzzle Race
Jigsaw Puzzle Race is an incredible way to encourage team building and boost morale. Whether you want to strengthen existing relationships or create new connections, this fun and challenging game will invoke unity.
Whether your team is as small as under 10 or as big as over 50 members, you can play this game in 30 - 45 minutes. There are many online resources where you can find jigsaw puzzles suitable for virtual play.
Instructions
To set up this race, create a jigsaw using an online application like im-a-puzzle.com. Or, you can use a website that offers pre-made puzzles like jigsawexplorer.com.
Once you have the puzzle, divide your team into smaller groups of 3-5 members and provide each team with a link to the online puzzle. Teams work to complete the puzzle. Each team collaborates to solve the puzzle.
Participants can communicate using video conferencing software, messaging apps, or other communication tools. The first team to complete the puzzle wins. The winning team should share their screen with the other teams to confirm that they have completed the puzzle.
21. Online Photo Challenge
The Online Photo Challenge is a fun and engaging team-building activity where team members are tasked with finding specific photos online. The photos must meet specific criteria, such as capturing a specific object, location or emotion.
It is suitable for any team size and playtime is approximately 10-15 minutes.
Instructions
First, spell out the photo criteria clearly for all participants to understand. Set a time limit for the challenge and let the hunt begin. The players must collect and submit the best photographs that meet the set criteria.
Once the time is up, the players can submit their photographs, and 2-3 team members acting as a panel of judges can then evaluate the photos and declare a winner based on the quality of the images and how close they match the criteria.
22. Memory Game
If you pride your team as a group of brainy with mammoth memories, there might not be a better way to challenge their wit and entertain them than throwing the Memory Game at them.
If you have a team of 20 or so members, and you think you are blessed with an Einstein in them? Then let’s put the theory to the test. It will only take 30 minutes.
Instructions
To play, the team leader will divide everyone into equal groups. One person from each group will take a turn playing the game.
The leader will display a series of items, and the player will have 60 seconds to memorize as many as possible. Once the timer runs out, the player must recall as many items as possible.
The game can be played in multiple rounds, and the team with the highest points at the end of all the rounds is declared the overall winner.
23. Shark Tank
Inspired by the popular TV show "Shark Tank", this remote team-building activity allows teams to showcase their innovative ideas and entrepreneurial skills. Participants are tasked with developing and pitching a new business idea.
This exercise is ideal for a team of at most 30 members. You can play it in 45-60 minutes.
Instructions
Each team or participant is assigned a specific product or service idea and must present it to a panel of "sharks" (team members playing the role of investors) in the most compelling and convincing way. The sharks will then provide feedback and offer investment opportunities.
This activity encourages them to think on their feet and create compelling pitches that shine a light on a fictional product's unique selling points and market potential. To up the ante, you can award prizes to the team members with the most successful pitches and deals.
24. Can You Hear Me Now
Are you looking for a fun and engaging online team-building activity? "Can You Hear Me Now?" is a proprietary drawing game that sparks conversation among your remote team.
Perfect for a large team of 100+ members, this game won’t take more than 30 minutes.
Instructions
Divide your team into groups of at least three people per group. One person will be the "speaker," and the others will be "the artists."
The speaker will use a random image generator to select and describe an image to their group using only definite geometric shapes.
For example, if the image is a cat, the speaker might describe it as a circle for the head, two triangles for the ears, and a rectangle for the body. The artists must draw the image based on this description. Once they finish drawing, compare the drawings to the original image. The team with the drawing closest to the original image wins.
25. Typing Speed Test
If you're looking for a fun and competitive team-building activity for a team of fewer than 30 members, why not challenge your team members to a typing skill contest?
Typing speed is a valuable skill for anyone who works with computers. You can put it to the test in healthy competition. This game can take less than 15 minutes.
Instructions
To get started, use an online typing test tool to measure your typing speed. Many free tools are available.
Once you have measured your typing speed, send the score to your team and challenge them to beat it. You can make it more challenging by conducting a series of competitions and maintaining a leaderboard to track progress. Encourage your team members to compete against each other and try to beat their own personal best.
The winner can also share tips and tricks for improving typing speed and accuracy.
26. Sing Your Heart Out In Karaoke
Are you ready to unleash your team's inner pop star, rock god, or Broadway diva? "Sing Your Heart Out In Karaoke" will have your team members show off their vocals, belting out their favorite tunes and creating unforgettable memories. This virtual team-building activity can work for a large team of 100+ members and can be completed in under 45 minutes.
Instructions
Select a theme for your virtual karaoke party, such as 80s hits, Disney songs, or songs about friendship. Several free and paid virtual karaoke platforms can help you, such as Karafun, SingSnap, and Smule.
Encourage team members to participate and dress up related to the theme to make a more realistic karaoke party.
Add challenges to make it more exciting and let team members vote. For example, you can have contests like "Most Entertaining Performance" or "Best Vocal Performance".
27. Simulated Problems
Simulated problems are a popular virtual team-building activity where teams are presented with a hypothetical scenario and must work together to solve it. This activity helps to develop teamwork, problem-solving skills, and communication.
These simulated problems can be adapted to suit different team sizes and interests and take 45-90 minutes.
Instructions
Choose a problem that is relevant to your team's work or industry. It could be a common challenge your team faces or a hypothetical situation. Here are two examples of simulated problems for virtual team building:
Virtual Product Launch: Teams are tasked with launching a new product into the market and must work together to develop a comprehensive marketing and sales strategy. This could include conducting market research, developing marketing materials, and planning product demonstrations.
Virtual Disaster Response: Teams are tasked with responding to a simulated natural disaster, such as an earthquake or hurricane. They must plan to evacuate and save as many people as possible.
Next, break the team into smaller groups of 3-5 members. Each group will be given the same problem to solve within a specific time to add a sense of urgency and keep the activity moving.
Once the time limit is up, have each group present their solution. The presentation can be done via video conferencing or a shared document. After that, have a group discussion to evaluate the solutions and determine the best one.
28. Picture Sharing
A picture is worth a thousand words, they say. A picture can inspire a thousand memories and talking points for your remote team. If you have a small or medium team (5-25) whose members are fairly new to each other, you can use 15 minutes of your virtual meetings to bond using the Picture sharing exercise.
Instructions
Each team member is asked to share a picture. The team members then take turns sharing their stories. These stories can include sharing why the picture is special to them, the associated memories, or any other interesting facts or details.
Whether it's a family photo, a picture of a special trip, or a picture of a beloved pet, pictures hold special meaning for each of us. Picture sharing is a great way to create a personal connection with each other that transcends the virtual workspace.
29. Live Remote Office
Working remotely can be isolating, which can impact team integration and productivity. However, there are ways to overcome this. With a live remote office, remote employees can experience the dynamics of a traditional office while enjoying the comfort of their homes. Setting up a Live Remote Office works, no matter how big or small your team is. And you can do it every day.
Instructions
Each morning on every workday, your team logs into a bustling virtual office, ready to tackle the day ahead. The first member to arrive starts a video chat that everyone can join. They then stay online in the video call while working, allowing occasional banters and discussions. No more feeling disconnected from your team, no more struggling with motivation, and no more distractions from your work environment.
And, just like that, the monotony of remote work disappears. You now have a virtual hub of productivity and collaboration.
30. Your Scariest Story Game
Looking for a new way to bring your remote team together and create lasting memories? Then, it's time to embark on an epic adventure down memory lane with Your Scariest Story.
This game takes you through the twisted tales of terror and suspense, where the goal is to outwit, outlast, and out-scare your competitors. And it’s simple to play. 20 minutes for a team with less than 15 members is perfect for this game.
Instructions
Get your team on a virtual call and let each team member take turns to share their scariest story. From heart-pumping thrills to shivers down your spine, the room will be filled with gasps, laughter, and sheer excitement as the tales unfold.
But that's not all. This game also serves as a platform for team members to connect and get to know each other better as they open up and reveal their innermost fears.
31. A Peep into the Future
Do you have a team of fewer than 50 members? Have you ever wondered what the future holds for you and your team? Nope? Then it’s time to put on your time-travelling hats and embark on a journey to discover the future together. You only need 30 minutes to get there.
Instructions
In this virtual team-building activity, members take turns imagining their future 5, 10, or 20 years from now. They can picture their careers, personal lives, or any other aspect of their future and present it to their colleagues in a video chat.
Alternatively, the team can discuss the future together, considering how their careers might progress, how technology might change, and how their lives will be different.
Not only is this an interesting way to build team rapport. It also allows you to see the potential future possibilities and work towards making them a reality. Perhaps, you’ll look back one day and see that the future you peep into came true.
32. Virtual Werewolf
If you’ve ever played Werewolf at summer camp, in college, or on a company retreat, you’ll agree that Werewolf is a game of wits, deceit, and skilful manipulation and can be a great online team building game for medium and large remote teams.
You’ll need up to 120 minutes to play this game, but it’s worth it. Your team will enjoy it.
Instructions
In this game, players are divided into four groups, werewolves, villagers, medics, or seers. The objective of the werewolves is to eliminate all the villagers, while the villagers must work together to identify and lynch the werewolves.
You can play in a virtual conference room like Zoom or Google Hangouts and send each person the role in a private message for a remote game. And the playing rules are the same as Werewolf offline. Enjoy!
33. Aliens Have Landed
In this virtual team-building game, your team is in for a wild ride as aliens have just landed on Earth and want to learn about your company's dealings and culture. But Aliens don’t speak English. So your team is tasked with communicating with them. You can play this game with a team size of 20-200 in under 30 minutes.
Instructions
Break your team into smaller units and task each group to create five pictures or symbols to describe your company culture and products. The groups meet in a breakout room to discuss and brainstorm before picking their five symbols.
The groups then present their plans to the rest of the team in a virtual meeting to interpret what the images mean, just as the alien would. This innovative virtual team-building game enhances non-verbal communication skills and can give managers employees' perceptions regarding the company.
34. Never Have I Ever: Rated E-Edition
How about adding a spin to the classic "Never Have I Ever" game and making it a "Rated E-Edition"? As the name suggests, this remote team-building game requires players to make statements about something they've never done with a work-appropriate twist.
For example, instead of saying, "Never have I ever had a one-night stand," they could say, "Never have I ever stayed up all night to finish a work project." This game is good for a team of 5-40 members.
Instructions
Gather your team members on a video call and have each person take turns making a statement. If someone has done what the statement says, they can check in by raising their hand or clicking a button. The player who makes the most unique and creative statement, or who has the fewest "checks in" at the end of the game, wins.
35. DIY Craft Challenge
Do you want a virtual team-building activity that allows team members to tap into their creative side and let their inner artists run wild? The DIY Craft Challenge for the remote team does that and more. This Challenge is a fun and creative game suitable for a remote team of 10-30 members. And it doesn’t require any investment other than a video conferencing tool and the material sourced by team members in their homes.
Instructions
Choose a theme such as upcycling, green living, or paper art, and give each team member time to gather the materials they need and create their craft. You can inform them 2 or 3 days before the event. On the event day, each team member puts their video on as they create their craft from scratch in real time.
Once all the crafts are completed, the team can come together for a show-and-tell session where everyone showcases their masterpieces and briefly explains the creative process behind them. To select a winner, the team can vote for the best crafts.
36. Guess Whose Fridge
Why settle for some plain old guessing game when there’s this- Guess Whose Fridge, the virtual team-building game where remote teams take a playful peek into each other's kitchens? If your team count is between 5-20 and you can spare 10-20 minutes of your meeting time, you’ve got the best team-building activity to try out.
Instructions
Here's how it works: each team member takes a photo of their fridge, hiding any identifying marks, and then submits it to the game host. Then, the host randomly displays the fridge photos on a video platform, and the rest of the team has to guess the owners. The player with the highest number of correct guesses wins the game.
Instead of just guessing the owner, you can step it up by challenging participants to guess the owner's eating habits, food preferences, favorite snacks, and meal prep rituals.
This lighthearted game adds a touch of humor to your team-building effort. And you know what, everybody likes humor. We don’t think your team will be an exception.
37. Paris! Here We Come
How about giving your remote team a tour of the world's most romantic city? A virtual trip to Paris can be just what your team needs to unwind. From a team as small as 5 members to one as large as 500+ members, visiting virtual Paris is a fun-filled exercise that can take 60 minutes. You only need a virtual tour guide to enjoy this.
Instructions
It’s simple. Gather your team on a video conference and let the virtual tour guide lead your team to famous landmarks in Paris, such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and the Louvre Museum in Paris. Here are a few ideas for your Paris trip.
Encourage your team to set up their workspace with a Parisian flair. Think beret-inspired hats, Eiffel Tower decorations, and croissant-scented candles.
Get your team in the groove of Parisian culture through virtual visits to cafes, street markets, and gardens.
In between visits, they can sample traditional French cuisine, learn to make pastries, or even participate in a virtual wine tasting.
Introduce your team to some classic French games such as boules and pétanque.
End the virtual trip to Paris with a bang by enjoying a virtual French classical concert at the Opéra Garnier or a cabaret performance at the famous Moulin Rouge.
What could be more fun than bringing the City of Love to your remote team? Unleash your inner Parisian and get ready to witness the charm of this romantic city while enjoying various other team-building activities.
38. Five Finger Showdown
A variation of the popular "Never Have I Ever" game, the Five Finger Showdown is a simple but highly engaging virtual team-building activity that can be enjoyed with teams of various sizes, 10-50 members. Depending on the team size, it can take as little as 15 minutes or as long as 45 minutes.
Instructions
The game master lists general topics related to personal experiences, habits, or interests, like “Never have I ever stepped on Lego” or “Never have I ever eaten an entire pack of marshmallows.”
Everyone starts with five fingers up and must put a finger down for each activity they have done. The last person with a finger up wins the game. The Five Finger Showdown can be a great way for remote teams to bond over shared experiences.
39. Virtual Coffee Session
Whether your remote team is spread across the country or scattered across the globe, this casual catch-up session is a great way to build rapport and foster a sense of community. Virtual Coffee Session is a team building exercise for any team size, from 5-200+ members, and can be done in 15 minutes.
Instructions
You and your team members will log into a virtual room, grab a cup of coffee and chat about the latest news, current events, or life in general. Simply set a time each day or week, choose a virtual platform, encourage team members to join with their coffee, and let the conversation flow.
Not a coffee drinker? No problem. Swap out the coffee for tea, hot cocoa, or a glass of water. What matters is that everyone has a drink in hand and is ready to catch up.
This activity provides a much-needed break from the monotony of work and allows everyone to recharge and refocus.
40. What Would You Do if…?
"What Would You Do if...?" is a classic game of ethical and moral dilemmas that will get everyone talking, laughing, and sharing their unique perspectives. In this game, teams are given an uncomfortable circumstance and must work together to devise a solution. A team of 5-15 members will enjoy this. And it only takes 15 minutes or less.
Instructions
This game is best played individually. Get your team on a virtual conference and give every participant an ugly scenario, such as;
You are stranded on a deserted island with limited resources. What would you do to survive?
You're in a store, cash-strapped, and accidentally break a valuable item. What would you do?
You're running late for a rescheduled interview with a CEO, but you see someone who needs help. What would you do?
The players have a few minutes to brainstorm and prepare a response, usually 1-2 minutes. Once the time is up, they present their response and explain their motive. The player with the most compelling argument wins the round.
You can play many rounds with different scenarios for each round. The goal is not to necessarily have the "best" or "right" solution but to encourage everyone to think outside the box and appreciate the diversity of thoughts, mindsets, and opinions.
41. Letter Hunt
Do you remember playing the alphabet game on long car rides as a kid? The letter hunt is a virtual twist on that classic game perfect for remote team building. Letter hunt is a great team-building exercise for a team with less than 35 members. You don’t need more than 30 minutes to play it.
Instructions
Have everyone stand up before their webcam, and the host announces a random letter. Each participant will then scramble around their home to find an item that starts with that letter and bring it back to the screen. The first person to hold up their item wins that round and stays in the game, while the last person to show their item is eliminated and must sit down.
The game continues with the host calling out different letters until only one participant remains, who is declared the winner! This fun and simple game will bring a lot of laughs and excitement to your virtual team-building event.
6 most-recommended online team building tools & apps
There are many online team-building tools and apps that can help teams build relationships, improve morale, and stay connected. Let’s look at some of the most recommended ones.
#1 Slack
Slack is a popular team communication app that allows teams to chat, share files, and record video clips.
It offers numerous Slack apps that simplify customizing and tailoring your team's needs. Slack is great for fostering real-time collaboration and communication among remote team members.
#2 Zoom
Zoom is a video conferencing tool that has become a go-to platform for remote teams. It provides high-quality video and audio, screen sharing, and virtual backgrounds, making it ideal for virtual meetings, webinars, and remote presentations. With breakout rooms, remote teams can also participate in small group discussions and activities.
#3 Kahoot!
Kahoot! is an online learning platform that enables teams to create and participate in interactive quizzes and games. It promotes learning, teamwork, and competition among remote teams. With Kahoot!, remote teams can engage in fun and interactive activities that help them learn and bond simultaneously.
#4 Donut
Donut is a virtual coffee break tool that randomly pairs team members for informal chats. It is a great way for remote teams to socialize and connect personally. Donut's user-friendly interface and automated pairing make it easy to use and promote team bonding.
#5 Miro
Miro is a collaborative whiteboard tool that enables remote teams to work on visual projects in real-time. It offers features like sticky notes, flowcharts, and mind maps, making it ideal for brainstorming sessions and visual collaboration. Miro also integrates with other project management tools, such as Trello and Jira, making it a versatile tool for remote teams.
#6 Water Cooler Trivia
Water Cooler Trivia is a virtual team-building app providing daily trivia questions and challenges. It offers a fun and engaging way for remote teams to connect and build relationships. Water Cooler Trivia also provides real-time analytics and reports, allowing team leaders to monitor engagement and track progress.
Want the convenience of automated note-taking and AI summaries? Try Notta for your upcoming meetings.
FAQs
What is virtual team building?
Virtual team building is a way to build and maintain team connections and foster a sense of belonging among remote or distributed teams. It involves various online activities and games to promote collaboration, communication, and team spirit.
What are virtual team-building activities?
Virtual team-building activities are games, challenges, and exercises designed to help remote or distributed teams build rapport, communicate effectively, and improve team dynamics. These activities are often designed to be interactive, engaging, and inclusive and can be tailored to the team's interests, goals, and preferences.
How can I make virtual team building successful?
Creating a positive and supportive team culture is the key to successful virtual team building. It's important to choose engaging, interactive, and inclusive activities. Here are some tips to make your virtual team-building activities effective.
Encourage team members to participate and provide feedback on activities.
Be open to new ideas and suggestions. Introducing new challenges and games keeps the activities fresh and exciting.
Celebrate successes and milestones together.
Define what you want to achieve from your virtual team-building activities. Having clear objectives can help you choose the most effective activities for your team.
Follow up with your team members after the virtual team-building activities to get feedback and use it to improve future virtual team-building activities.
Make your virtual team building more enjoyable
Virtual team-building activities or games can make team-building simple, whether you're a small startup, a medium-sized business, or a large corporation. From virtual escape rooms to online trivia games and virtual campfires, explore the many options available and choose the activities that work best for your team.
Investing in virtual team building makes it fun and easy to build a motivated and more cohesive team to overcome challenges, achieve goals, and thrive in today's ever-dynamic work setup.
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