Team-building activities can strengthen friendships, improve collaboration between members, and increase job satisfaction and engagement. However, team building activities can also prove to be a waste of time and money if not planned properly.
Become a better team with our top 13 team building activities that are effective and cost-effective.
13 Team Building Activities Edmonton
First, decide what you want to achieve with your activities. Focus on your goal rather than location or cost. This helps you choose activities that make sense and avoid wasting time or money. The article is divided into sections based on your common goals for team building activities Edmonton.
Improve team communication
1. Minefield
In Minefield, you walk through a space full of objects without touching them. One person is blindfolded and the other has to guide his team with words. This game helps with communication and trust.
Another version of the minefield has invisible “mines” in a grid. Players must remember where they are and guide their team. It tests memory and communication skills.
2. Pictionnaire inverse
In reverse pictionary, you should sit in pairs, back to back. A person has an image that they describe without saying their name. The other person must find the name of this image. For example, they might describe a pen without saying the word “pen.”
You can make it even more difficult by only asking yes/no questions. Use intricate images for more fun and better engagement.
3. Geocaching
Have you heard of geocaching? It’s like a big treasure hunt all over the world! There are millions of hidden “geocaches” waiting to be found.
All you need is a smartphone with GPS and an app. Divide into teams and go out to find as many as you can in a certain amount of time. It’s cheaper than other outdoor activities and gives you time to talk and bond with your team. Some caches are really hard to find, so teamwork and thinking skills are important.
Problem-solving activities
1. Sort or sort this object
This activity strengthens your team’s creative thinking skills. An organizer takes 10-20 objects from the office that don’t have obvious connections. Members are divided into pairs and work together to find a link between objects and divide them into three to five groups.
For example, a pen, paper, and clipboard should be grouped together because they are all related to writing.
In a little while, stop what you’re doing and ask the pairs to share what they’ve found. They should explain why they grouped things together the way they did. Then, let the other teams discuss whether they agree with the groups or not, and maybe determine which pair did the best job.
2. Egg Drop
Here’s another fun team-building game called the egg drop Each team gets basic things like paper, bags, and straws to make a contraption that keeps an egg safe when it falls from a height
Usually, this game is competitive, but you can try it differently:
- First of all, the teams have a lot of time, like 20 minutes, to build their contraptions and test them with a little drop
- Then, in the second round, the teams start again with only half the time, and the egg must survive a bigger drop
- Finally, during the last round, teams can change their designs or start from scratch, but the egg must survive the biggest drop yet
At each turn, teams learn from what works and what doesn’t, and they have to deal with more pressure You can make it even harder by adding rules like using only certain materials, dropping the egg from a specific height above the ground, or using more than one egg
3. Treasure hunt
Treasure hunts are awesome for team building, especially in the workplace! There are two main types: task-based and puzzle-based
In a task-based scenario, teams have a list of things to find or tasks to do within a set time They earn points based on the difficulty of the tasks Afterwards, the teams compare what they have found, and there could be a winner
Scavenger hunts based on riddles have clues leading to more clues until teams find the treasure, often a small prize like a gift card Sometimes, there are tasks to complete in order to get the next clue
Doing a good treasure hunt takes time and effort If you offer a price, make sure to plan it Furthermore, if you do a hunt based on clues, it can disrupt the work because teams can’t do everything at once
4. Escape room
Escape rooms are a great way to bond with your team and solve puzzles together All you have to do is lock a team in a room and hide the key. The team has to find the key by solving the challenges within a given time limit.
Icebreakers
1. Two truths and a lie
Here’s a classic icebreaker that’s always fun! Everyone writes two true things about themselves and one made-up thing. Real things should be really weird, and the invented ones should seem believable.
Then, read your statements one by one. Everyone is talking about them and trying to guess which one is the lie. Then, you reveal which one was the lie. It’s a great way to get to know each other!
2. A question
In this activity, the organizer asks a question to the team and expects them to respond.
They ask: If you were hiring for a job like [rôle], what’s the one question you would ask to find out if someone is good for it?
You can choose any role, like a boss or a babysitter Then, in pairs or small groups, talk about it It’s hard to pick just one question to decide if someone is a good choice for something important like a job or relationship!
The goal is to learn how to speak clearly and briefly while getting to know how your team thinks.
3. Through the keyhole
Here’s a simple activity: ask everyone to bring a few photos of their home, but hide anything too personal. Then, the team looks at each set of photos and tries to guess which house belongs to which person. Once everyone has made their guesses, reveal the answers. People may notice things in the images that spark conversations, such as if they support the same sports team or have similar hobbies.
This activity gets people talking and helps them find things they have in common.
Team morale building activities
1. Team Memory Wall
Here’s a neat team-building idea: make a memory wall! Gather everyone together and have them write down memories on post-it notes or a whiteboard. These could be funny things that happened during interviews, embarrassing moments on day one, or hilarious typos in emails.
Sharing these memories brings the team closer together and gives everyone a good laugh. You can keep the wall for a while so that people can continue to enjoy the memories.
2. Employee-led workshops and activities
Boosting team morale is great through team-building activities, and a cool way is to allow employees to choose and organize their own. All you have to do is set a budget and ask for ideas. Maybe someone loves watercolor and wants to teach others. You can pay for materials and schedule a workshop. Employees will love sharing their talents and feel valued that you let them run the business.
3. Compliments
Here’s a simple and heartwarming activity: Give everyone post-it notes and ask them to write a compliment on another person. They might mention something they admire about themselves, such as their leadership skills or how good they are at listening.
Collect the notes and put them on a large piece of paper, a whiteboard, or a wall under each person’s name. People might feel surprised and appreciated by the compliments they receive! Do this for everyone so that everyone has their own “compliment wall.” It’s a great way to spread positivity and make people feel good about their lives.
Conclusion
Team-building activities are essential for building strong bonds between colleagues and improving communication and problem-solving skills. However, choosing the right activities is the key to their success.
By focusing on clear goals and selecting activities that resonate with your team, you can ensure that your team-building efforts are effective and enjoyable. Whether it’s improving communication, solving problems, or boosting morale, these activities offer something for every team.
So, get your team together, try some of Edmonton’s team building activities, and watch your team grow stronger and more cohesive than ever!