31 Remote Team-Building Activities for Project Managers in 2024

29 min read

Project manager Sarah faced a daunting task: leading her diverse and remote team through a complex project. She knew building a team was essential for success, but she needed more than just meetings and spreadsheets.

In 2024, team-building had evolved, offering innovative activities that could unite her remote team like never before. 

In this article, we’ll explore 31 exceptional team-building ideas Sarah and her team discovered during their quest for success. These activities are tailored for the modern era and designed to engage, inspire, and transform remote teams into productive and creative units by conducting teambuilding online.

Whether you’re a project manager like Sarah or a team member, these activities are key to unlocking your team’s full potential. 

Let’s explore together how project managers and their remote teams can achieve remarkable results through the power of teamwork and start with the definition of team-building.

What are team-building activities?

Remote team building activities are purposeful exercises and experiences designed to foster collaboration, improve communication, and strengthen the bonds among team members. 

These activities go beyond the traditional work environment, offering a structured way for individuals to connect, learn from one another, and work together more effectively. 

Whether conducted in the office, outdoors, or virtually, team-building games aim to achieve several important goals:

• Building trust: Trust is the foundation of any successful team. Team-building activities often include elements that encourage participants to trust one another, promoting a sense of reliability and mutual support.
• Enhancing communication: Effective communication is vital for a team’s success. Many team-building exercises focus on improving verbal and non-verbal communication skills, ensuring team members can clearly convey their thoughts and ideas.
• Increasing productivity: Teams that work well together tend to be more productive. Teambuilding exercises can lead to improved workflow, better problem-solving, and increased efficiency. 

Pro tip: Discover how PPM Express’s work management can skyrocket your productivity with its AI insights! 

• Boosting morale: Corporate teambuilding activities can inject fun and excitement into the work environment, boosting team morale. When team members enjoy their time together, they are more likely to be motivated, engaged, and satisfied with their work.
• Developing problem-solving skills: Teambuilding exercises often present challenges or puzzles that require creative problem-solving. These activities encourage participants to think outside the box and work together to find solutions.
• Promoting collaboration: Successful teams thrive on collaboration. Teambuilding games promote a sense of unity and encourage team members to collaborate effectively, breaking down silos and fostering a culture of cooperation.

Pro tip: Enhance remote team collaboration with prioritization. Get our full prioritization framework guide for effective project management.

• Identifying strengths and weaknesses: Team leaders can observe how individuals contribute to the group through team building activities. This can help identify strengths and weaknesses, enabling better utilization of team members’ skills in the workplace.
• Creating lasting memories: Team-building activities often involve memorable experiences that team members cherish. These shared experiences can strengthen team bonds and provide a sense of belonging.

Understanding team-building activities for work is the first step; now, let’s explore the main types available.

What are the main types of remote team-building activities?

Fun team-building activities come in various forms, catering to different teams’ diverse needs and preferences. 

Here are the main types of team-building activities that project managers and their teams can explore in 2024:

• Icebreaker games: Icebreakers are ideal for breaking down initial barriers and creating a comfortable atmosphere within a newly formed team. These activities typically involve quick, low-pressure challenges that encourage team members to get to know each other better.
• Trust-building activities: Trust is essential in any successful team. Trust-building exercises often require team members to rely on one another, fostering mutual trust and confidence.
• Communication and collaboration exercises: These activities focus on enhancing communication skills and promoting effective collaboration. Team members work together to complete tasks that require clear communication and cooperation. These exercises can help teams utilize project management software like PPM Express at a more productive level.
• Problem-solving challenges: Problem-solving activities present teams with puzzles, riddles, or complex scenarios requiring creative thinking and teamwork. These 5-minute team building activities help improve critical thinking and decision-making skills.
• Outdoor adventures: Even when working remotely, teams can engage in virtual outdoor challenges that promote stepping out of comfort zones, teamwork, and building resilience in a natural setting.
• Creativity and innovation workshops: Creative team-building exercises encourage participants to think outside the box, generate and manage new ideas, and innovate together. These workshops are ideal for teams seeking to boost their creative problem-solving skills.
• Leadership development programs: Leadership-focused team-building exercises for work aim to develop leadership skills within the team. These programs provide opportunities for team members to take on leadership roles and practice decision-making.

Pro tip: We offer a comprehensive guide on managing remote teams. If you need assistance, please take a look.

• Community service and volunteer activities: Engaging in community service or volunteer work as a team builds camaraderie and reinforces a sense of purpose and social responsibility among team members.
• Team-building retreats: Retreats offer an immersive experience, often taking the team away from the workplace for a day or more. They provide an opportunity for intensive team bonding and skill development.
• Sports and physical challenges: Remote teams participate in online sports tournaments or online team building games, promoting fitness, friendly competition, and teamwork.
• Culinary team-building: Cooking or baking together virtually fosters collaboration and creativity, encouraging communication and synergy among remote team members within small group team-building activities.
• Mindfulness and wellness activities: These activities promote mental and physical well-being within the team. They may include meditation sessions, yoga, or wellness workshops.

The choice of teambuilding activities depends on your team’s specific goals, preferences, and desired outcomes. A well-rounded approach may involve a mix of these activity types over time to address various aspects of team development.

Now, let’s dive into specific team-building activities for you to consider.

Five senses

Difficulty: Low

Time: 45-60 minutes

Group size: 6-20 participants

Materials required: Items representing the five senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, smell), collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams)

Objective: This teambuilding exercise is a sensory exploration activity that encourages remote team members to engage their senses and share unique sensory experiences.

Description:

1. Schedule a virtual team meeting or session for the challenge.
2. Instruct each team member to find or prepare items representing the five senses (e.g., a visually pleasing object, a favorite song, a snack, a soft fabric, or a scented candle).
3. Ask participants to describe their chosen sensory item and explain why it’s meaningful to them.
4. Encourage team members to engage in discussions about the role of the five senses in their daily lives and how sensory experiences can affect mood and well-being.
5. This activity fosters mindfulness, connection, and a deeper understanding of team members’ preferences.

Virtual escape room

Difficulty: Medium

Time: 60-90 minutes

Group size: 4-12 participants

Materials required: Access to a virtual escape room platform or pre-designed puzzles and clues (can be a prebuilt world in Minecraft or other video games), collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams)

Objective: This is a challenging and engaging team-building activity that requires remote teams to work together to solve puzzles, uncover clues, and escape from a virtual room, promoting problem-solving, communication, and collaboration in a virtual environment.

Description:

1. Choose an online platform that offers virtual team building games for work or create your own puzzles and clues.
2. Divide remote team members into smaller groups (4-6 members per group).
3. Assign each group to a virtual escape room experience or provide them with access to the same set of puzzles and clues.
4. Teams must communicate and collaborate through video conferencing to solve the puzzles, uncover clues, and progress through the virtual escape room.
5. Set a time limit for each team to complete the escape room challenge (e.g., 60-90 minutes).
6. Monitor teams’ progress and offer hints or assistance if they get stuck.
7. After completing the escape room, gather all teams for a virtual debriefing session.
8. Discuss the challenges faced, the strategies employed, and the importance of effective virtual communication and teamwork.

Time capsule

Difficulty: Low

Time: Ongoing (monthly or quarterly updates)

Group size: 6-20 participants

Materials required: Collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams), interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural)

Objective: This is an ongoing activity that encourages remote team members to document their thoughts, experiences, and predictions, creating a digital time capsule for the future.

Description:

1. Create a virtual document or platform where team members can record entries.
2. Schedule regular virtual meetings or sessions (e.g., monthly or quarterly) for time capsule updates.
3. During each session, invite team members to add entries related to their experiences, thoughts, and predictions.
4. Entries can include personal reflections, achievements, current events, and future expectations.
5. Encourage team members to be creative in their entries, using text, images, or videos.
6. Discuss and reflect on the entries shared during each session.
7. Over time, the time capsule becomes a historical record of your team’s journey.
8. This activity promotes reflection, communication, and a sense of belonging.

Talent showcase

Difficulty: Low

Time: 60-90 minutes

Group size: 6-20 participants

Materials required: Collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams)

Objective: This lighthearted activity allows remote team members to share their unique talents, skills, or hobbies with their colleagues.

Description:

1. Schedule a virtual team meeting or session for the talent showcase.
2. Invite team members to prepare a short performance or presentation that showcases their talents, skills, or hobbies. These include singing, dancing, magic tricks, artwork, or other talent.
3. Allocate a specific time for each participant’s showcase (e.g., 5-10 minutes).
4. Encourage participants to be creative and entertaining during their presentations.
5. Use video conferencing to provide a platform for team members to showcase their talents.
6. Allow time for applause, feedback, and discussions after each presentation.
7. This activity promotes self-expression, appreciation of diversity, and team bonding through shared talents.

Pro tip: We believe that finding the best project management tool is a talent. To assist managers and leaders, we’ve created a comprehensive guide on how to achieve this.

Reverse charades

Difficulty: Low

Time: 30-45 minutes

Group size: 6-20 participants (remote teams)

Materials required: A list of words or phrases (related to your team-building goals or themes), an interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural), and collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams)

Objective: This fun and engaging activity promotes creativity, communication, and teamwork as remote team members work together to act out words or phrases while one team member guesses.

Description:

1. Divide remote participants into two teams: Team A and Team B.
2. Prepare a list of words or phrases (related to your team building goals or themes) and share this list digitally with all participants.
3. Decide a set time for each round (e.g., 1-2 minutes) and use a timer or stopwatch to keep track.
4. Team A selects one person to be the guesser in each round, while Team B will act out the words or phrases.
5. Team B is given the list of words or phrases they need to act out to the guesser from Team A. Share this list digitally.
6. The catch: Team B has to act out the words or phrases simultaneously, without speaking or making any noise, using their webcam and body language.
7. The guesser from Team A tries to guess as many words or phrases as possible within the set time limit.
8. After the time is up, tally the number of correct guesses.
9. Teams switch roles. Team B becomes the guessers, while Team A acts out the words or phrases.
10. Continue alternating until all words or phrases have been acted out.
11. The team with the most correct guesses wins the round.

Bingo

Difficulty: Low

Time: 30-45 minutes

Group size: 6-20 participants (remote teams)

Materials required: Virtual Bingo cards (customized with team-building goals or themes), collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams), and interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural)

Objective: This lighthearted and interactive activity encourages remote team members to interact, learn more about each other, and discover common interests or experiences while promoting team-building goals.

Description:

1. Create virtual Bingo cards with a grid of 5×5 squares. In each square, write a statement or question related to team building goals or themes. Examples include “Find a teammate who has traveled to a different country” or “Meet someone who has never skydived before.”

Pro tip: One possible question to ask is, “Someone on your team dislikes closing tasks on monday.com” If you’re not using Monday.com or seeking alternatives, we’ve got an article that discusses 37 of the best Monday.com alternatives for you to explore.

2. Share the virtual Bingo cards digitally with each participant and instruct them to use digital markers or annotation tools to mark their cards.
3. Instruct participants to mingle and interact with their fellow remote team members during the virtual meeting to find someone who fits the description in each square.
4. When they find someone who matches a description, they can ask that person to confirm it by marking the corresponding square on their virtual Bingo card.
5. The goal is to complete a row, column, or diagonal by collecting confirmations on their virtual Bingo cards.
6. The first person to complete a row, column, or diagonal virtually announces their “Bingo!” and wins the game.
7. Afterward, have a brief discussion where participants share interesting facts or stories they learned about their remote teammates during the activity.

Building a story

Difficulty: Medium

Time: 45-60 minutes

Group size: 6-12 participants (remote teams)

Materials required: A set of virtual picture cards or story prompts, collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams), and an interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural)

Objective: This is a collaborative storytelling activity that encourages creativity, active listening, and teamwork as remote team members work together to create a unique story, one sentence at a time.

Description:

1. Prepare a set of virtual picture cards or story prompts. Each card or prompt should contain a single word or a short phrase (e.g., “sprint,” “Agile,” “workload”). Share these digitally with all participants.

Pro tip: Searching for a beginner’s guide to the Agile framework? We have an article that covers all the essentials. Take a look!

2. Divide remote participants into a virtual circle using video conferencing.
3. Distribute digital blank sheets of paper and virtual markers or annotation tools to each participant through a document-sharing platform.
4. Explain the rules: The goal is to create a story together, one sentence at a time. Begin by selecting a random virtual picture card or story prompt to kick off the story.
5. The first participant starts the story with a sentence based on the selected virtual card or prompt, typing it into the shared document.
6. The next participant adds the following sentence to the document, building on the story.
7. Continue around the virtual circle, each participant adding one sentence at a time.
8. Participants must listen carefully to the previous sentences to ensure coherence and continuity in the story.
9. The activity concludes when the story reaches a satisfying ending, or after a predetermined number of rounds.
10. Read the collaborative story aloud and celebrate the creativity and teamwork that went into its creation during the virtual meeting.

Debate

Difficulty: Medium

Time: 60-90 minutes

Group size: 6-20 participants

Materials required: List of debate topics, timer, collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams)

Objective: This activity encourages remote team members to express their opinions and enhance persuasive communication skills through friendly debates.

Description:

1. Schedule a virtual team meeting or session for the debate.
2. Compile a list of debate topics or themes related to your industry, current events, or common interests.
3. Divide the team into two groups (proponents and opponents) for each debate topic.
4. Assign specific roles to team members, such as debaters, timers, and moderators.
5. Set a time limit for each debate round (e.g., 10 minutes per side).
6. During the debates, each side presents their arguments and counters the opposing arguments.

Pro tip: To support your decisions with facts and trends, consider using project management statistics. If you’re unsure where to find these insights, we have an article about current trends on our blog.

7. Encourage respectful and constructive discussions.
8. After each debate, allow time for questions, feedback, and discussions among team members.
9. Rotate roles and debate topics for multiple rounds.
10. This activity promotes critical thinking, communication, and teamwork.

Human resources

Difficulty: Low

Time: 20-30 minutes

Group size: 6-20 participants

Materials Required: Collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams), interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural)

Objective: This is a fun and interactive team-building icebreaker that encourages creativity, communication, and teamwork among remote team members as they take on imaginary roles and collaborate to solve a “human resources” challenge.

Description:

1. Schedule a virtual team meeting and gather all participants in a virtual room.
2. Explain the premise of the activity: Each participant will take on a fictitious job title, such as “Chief Happiness Officer,” “Director of Team Creativity,” or “Innovation Guru.” Encourage them to be creative with their titles.

Pro tip: HR specialists can often assist you in clearly defining your career path. However, if you find yourself torn between the roles of a project manager vs. a business analyst, we have an article that explains their differences.

3. Share a brief description of their roles via a document or presentation slide that can be shared on the virtual platform.
4. Instruct participants to introduce themselves to one another, sharing their imaginary job titles and briefly explaining what they bring to the team in their respective roles. They can also use virtual name tags or display job titles on video screens.
5. After introductions, present a hypothetical HR challenge to the group using a virtual document or slide. For example, “Our remote team is facing a productivity challenge. How can your unique roles and skills help improve team productivity while working from home?”
6. Participants must collaborate virtually to brainstorm solutions based on their imaginative job titles. Encourage them to embrace their roles and think creatively.
7. Use document sharing or collaboration tools to facilitate the discussion and capture ideas generated by teammates. Participants can contribute their thoughts in real time.
8. As a facilitator, guide the discussion, encourage collaboration, and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to participate.
9. After the discussion, debrief the activity by highlighting the importance of diverse perspectives and creative thinking in problem-solving, especially in remote work.

The dilemma

Difficulty: Medium

Time: 45-60 minutes

Group size: 6-12 participants

Materials required: Collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams), interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural)

Objective: The activity challenges participants to step into the role of a project manager, encouraging decision-making, problem-solving, and teamwork as they tackle complex project scenarios.

Description:

1. Prepare a list of fictional project scenarios, each with unique challenges and objectives. These scenarios can relate to different industries or project types.
2. Divide participants into teams of 3-4 members each.
3. Provide each team access to the online whiteboard like Miro.
4. Present one project scenario to each team, explaining the context, objectives, constraints, and challenges.
5. Teams must brainstorm and outline a project plan, addressing key aspects such as goals, timelines, budgets management, resources, and potential risks.
6. Encourage teams to use the whiteboard to sketch a visual representation of their project plan or create diagrams if it enhances communication.
7. Teams have a limited time to prepare their project plans (e.g., 30-45 minutes).
8. Each team presents their project plan to the group, explaining their decisions and justifying their approach.

Pro tip: When gathering valuable ideas while building a team, consider placing them in a backlog. We have an article that explains how to create and manage a product backlog and support the product in its life cycle.

9. After all presentations, facilitate a discussion where participants can share insights, learn from different strategies, and discuss the importance of effective project management.

Pictionary

Difficulty: Low

Time: 45-60 minutes

Group size: 6-20 participants

Materials required: Virtual pictionary platform or interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural), collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams)

Objective: This challenge is a creative and entertaining activity where remote team members engage in a game of Pictionary, promoting teamwork, creativity, and friendly competition.

Description:

1. Choose an online Pictionary platform or an online drawing (the whiteboard) tool that allows participants to sketch and guess words or phrases.
2. Ensure that all team members have access to the selected platform or tool.
3. Schedule a virtual Pictionary game session and invite team members to join a video conference.
4. Divide participants into two teams.
5. Use the Pictionary platform to create a list of words or phrases for teams to guess.
6. Teams take turns selecting a word or phrase and appointing a team member as the artist.
7. The artist sketches the chosen word or phrase using the online drawing tool while team members attempt to guess what it is.
8. Use the video conference for communication, guessing, and friendly competition.
9. Keep score and declare a winning team at the end of the game.
10. This activity provides a fun and interactive way for team members to bond and collaborate virtually.

The marathon

Difficulty: High

Time: 60-90 minutes

Group size: 4-8 participants

Materials required: A series of complex problems or puzzles (digital versions or links), a timer or stopwatch, and collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams)

Objective: This is an intensive team building activity that challenges remote team members to solve a series of complex problems or puzzles under time pressure. This activity emphasizes critical thinking, collaboration, and adaptability in a virtual environment.

Description:

1. Before the virtual meeting, gather a series of complex problems or puzzles that vary in difficulty. These include logic puzzles, riddles, math challenges, or brain teasers. Ensure these problems are available in digital format or provide links to online versions.
2. Divide participants into teams, each consisting of 4-8 members. Assign team names or numbers for clarity.
3. Using video conferencing software, explain the rules and objectives of the virtual problem-solving marathon to all participants.
4. Set up different breakout rooms or virtual channels, each with a problem or puzzle and a timer.
5. Teams start in their respective virtual rooms and have a limited time (e.g., 10-15 minutes) to solve the problem presented in their room.

Pro tip: If planning your marathon teambuilding activities seems overwhelming, we have a solution for you. Consider creating a teambuilding timeline, and you can choose one from our article featuring over 35 of these Gantt chart tools to ease this process.

6. Once the time is up, teams rotate to the next virtual room and continue to solve the following problem in the sequence. Ensure that participants move smoothly between rooms using the video conferencing features.
7. The activity continues until each team completes all the problems or puzzles. Use the timer to keep track of the time for each problem.
8. After completing all the challenges, gather the teams in the main virtual meeting room to discuss their experiences. Encourage them to share their strategies, challenges, and the importance of adaptability and teamwork when solving complex problems remotely.
9. Recognize the team that solved the most problems correctly and efficiently as the marathon winners.

Appreciation wall

Difficulty: Low

Time: Ongoing (regular updates)

Group size: 6-20 participants

Materials required: Collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams), interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural)

Objective: This is one of a low-stress team-building games kind and a continuous team building activity that allows remote team members to express gratitude and appreciation for their colleagues, promoting a positive and supportive team culture.

Description:

1. Set up a digital platform for the team.
2. Create a section on the platform where team members can post notes of appreciation or gratitude.
3. Encourage team members to regularly express their appreciation by adding notes highlighting their colleagues’ achievements, contributions, or positive traits.
4. Notes can be in the form of text, images, or even short videos.
5. Allow team members to post notes publicly or privately, depending on their comfort level.

Pro tip: Some of these thoughts could be great product/service ideas, for instance. Collect them using the ideation feature, just like PPM Express offers.

6. Encourage everyone to check the appreciation wall regularly and respond with words of thanks or support.
7. This activity helps build a culture of positivity and recognition within the remote team, strengthening connections and boosting morale.

Trivia night

Difficulty: Low

Time: 60-90 minutes

Group size: 6-20 participants

Materials required: Trivia questions and answers related to various categories, collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams), interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural)

Objective: This fun and competitive team-building activity challenges remote team members’ knowledge across different categories while promoting teamwork and friendly competition.

Description:

1. Select a host or quizmaster responsible for presenting trivia questions and keeping score.
2. Prepare a list of trivia questions spanning various categories, such as pop culture, history, science, or company-specific facts. Use ChatGPT to help you brainstorming.

Pro tip: Finding an AI tool today may seem trivial, but the abundance of options can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of AI work management tools for you to explore.

3. Divide the remote team members into smaller teams (2-4 members per team).
4. Schedule a virtual trivia night session and invite team members to join a video conference.
5. The host presents the trivia questions one by one, and teams have a limited time to discuss and submit their answers.
6. After each question, reveal the correct answer and keep track of each team’s score.
7. At the end of the game, announce the winning team and engage in friendly banter and discussions about the trivia topics.

Recipe exchange

Difficulty: Low

Time: 30-45 minutes

Group size: 6-20 participants (remote teams)

Materials required: Collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams), interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural)

Objective: This creative and collaborative activity encourages remote team members to “cook up” recipes for effective teamwork, communication, and success in a virtual work environment.

Description:

1. Before the virtual meeting, share a digital document or open a virtual whiteboard that all team members can access during the session.
2. Explain the task: Participants create “recipes” for effective remote teamwork in a virtual setting. Each recipe should outline the ingredients (qualities or skills needed for virtual teamwork), the steps (actions or strategies for effective virtual teamwork), and the cooking time (the expected duration of success).
3. Encourage participants to be creative with their virtual recipes and include serious and humorous elements. If available, they can use digital drawing or annotation tools to illustrate their recipes.
4. Give participants time to complete their virtual recipes (e.g., 20-30 minutes). During this time, team members can work on their recipes individually.
5. Once the virtual recipes are complete, gather them in the shared digital document or virtual whiteboard.
6. Mix the virtual recipes and take turns “cooking up” a virtual team-building stew by randomly selecting and reading aloud the recipes to the group using video conferencing.
7. As each virtual recipe is read, discuss the ingredients and steps involved in effective virtual teamwork and share insights as a group. Encourage team members to provide comments or additional ideas related to the recipes.
8. Use this activity as a lighthearted and engaging way to reinforce the importance of teamwork and communication in a remote work setting.

Be an artist

Difficulty: Low

Time: 45-60 minutes

Group size: 2-8 participants

Materials required: Collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams), interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural)

Objective: This creative and collaborative activity encourages remote team members to work together digitally to create artwork that reflects their shared values, goals, or team identity.

Description:

1. Utilize a video conferencing platform to gather all remote team members together.
2. Explain the objective: Each team must collaborate virtually to create a digital artwork representing their team’s values, goals, or identity. Encourage teams to use art as a means of expression.
3. Divide participants into teams, ideally with 4-6 members in each group. Assign each team a digital canvas (e.g., a shared FigJam or Miro board).
4. If applicable, provide guidelines on digital drawing software or recommend traditional methods using paper and pencils for participants who prefer that.
5. Teams have a set amount of time (e.g., 45-60 minutes) to plan and create digital or physical artwork.
6. Encourage teams to communicate through the video conferencing platform and discuss their chosen theme, colors, and artistic style.
7. After the art creation phase, each team presents their artwork to the group, explaining the meaning behind their piece using screen sharing for digital artwork or by describing the physical artwork.

Pro tip: Are you interested in crafting and utilizing project reports that are considered masterpieces? We have an article that provides guidance on creating the most compelling reports.

8. Display the digital artwork on the shared digital canvas or create a virtual gallery to showcase the physical artwork.
9. Facilitate a group discussion via video conference about the collaborative process, the symbolism in the artwork, and the shared values or goals that emerged during the activity.

The bridge

Difficulty: Medium

Time: 60-90 minutes

Group size: 6-20 participants

Materials required: Minecraft accounts for each participant, a Minecraft server, in-game materials (e.g., blocks like wood, stone, or iron), collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams)

Objective: This challenge is a virtual team-building activity that requires teams to design, build, and test bridges within the Minecraft world, emphasizing engineering, creativity, and teamwork in a digital environment. It is complex but one of the replayable virtual teambuilding activities.

Description:

1. Set up a Minecraft server where all participants can join.
2. Explain the objective: Each team must design, build, and test a bridge within the Minecraft world using in-game materials. The bridge should be sturdy enough to support a specified virtual weight (e.g., a stack of virtual blocks).
3. Divide participants into teams, ideally with 4-6 members in each group.
4. Provide teams with time (e.g., 60-90 minutes) to plan, construct, and test their virtual bridges within the Minecraft world.
5. Encourage teams to brainstorm, assign roles using RACI (e.g., architect, builder, resource gatherer), and consider the engineering principles of bridge design.

Pro tip: Concerned about the ever-increasing number of tasks while building a bridge? This is often referred to as scope creep. If you want to learn how to avoid it, we have an article about scope creep.

6. Once the construction phase is complete, teams take turns testing the strength of their virtual bridges by placing virtual weights (e.g., blocks) on them.
7. Record the number of virtual weights added before each bridge fails or collapses.
8. Discuss the results as a group, highlighting successful bridge designs and the lessons learned about teamwork, creativity, and engineering principles within the digital Minecraft environment.

The time capsule

Difficulty: Low

Time: Extended period (over several weeks or months)

Group size: 6-20 participants

Materials required: Collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams), interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural), and assorted digital items for inclusion in the virtual time capsule (e.g., written messages, photos, digital art, voice recordings).

Objective: This reflective and long-term team-building activity encourages remote team members to collaboratively create a virtual time capsule filled with digital items and messages that symbolize their shared experiences, promoting teamwork, reflection, and a sense of unity despite physical distance.

Description:

1. Introduce the concept of a virtual time capsule to the remote team members, explaining that they will work together to create a digital capsule that represents their team’s experiences and memories, even though they are physically apart.
2. Create a designated digital platform or folder (e.g., Miro or a shared online folder) to serve as the virtual time capsule.
3. Encourage remote participants to contribute digital items to the virtual time capsule over a designated extended period (e.g., several weeks or months). These items can include written messages, photos, digital art, voice recordings, or any meaningful digital mementos representing their time together as a team.
4. Encourage remote team members to reflect on their shared experiences, achievements, challenges, and personal growth within the team as they select and contribute items to the virtual time capsule.
5. Designate a date in the future (e.g., six months or a year later) for the remote team to gather virtually via video conferencing to open the virtual time capsule, share the digital contents, and reflect on the team’s journey.
6. During the virtual meeting, celebrate accomplishments, reminisce about shared experiences, and strengthen the sense of team identity and unity while discussing the digital items and messages in the virtual time capsule.

The decision dice

Difficulty: Low

Time: 30-45 minutes

Group size: 6-20 participants

Materials required: A virtual dice-rolling digital tool (e.g., an app or a website), a digital list of decision-making scenarios or team-building questions, collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams), interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural)

Objective: This creative and decision-making team-building activity challenges remote team members to make group decisions in a fun and random way, emphasizing collaboration and problem-solving through virtual means.

Description:

1. Introduce the concept of the virtual decision dice to remote team members, explaining that they will make group decisions based on randomly selected scenarios, all while being physically apart.
2. Prepare a list of decision-making scenarios or challenges relevant to your team’s goals and objectives.
3. Instruct remote team members to gather virtually via a video conferencing platform.
4. Use a virtual dice-rolling tool (e.g., a digital dice app or website) to simulate a six-sided dice roll. Share the virtual dice screen with all participants.
5. Assign each scenario or challenge to one of the six sides of the virtual dice.
6. Divide remote participants into teams, each consisting of 3-5 members.
7. Teams take turns virtually rolling the dice to determine the scenario or challenge they will face.
8. Once a scenario is rolled, the remote team must collaborate and make a decision based on that scenario.
9. Encourage teams to discuss, share ideas, and reach a consensus within a limited time (e.g., 10-15 minutes) using video conferencing features for communication.
10. Teams can present their decisions and rationale to the group via screen sharing or verbal explanation.
11. Facilitate a group discussion about the outcomes and the team’s decision-making process, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, communication, and adaptability in making group decisions in a virtual setting.

The word

Difficulty: Low

Time: 30-45 minutes

Group size: 6-20 participants

Materials required: A list of words related to teamwork, collaboration, or your industry, flipchart or whiteboard, markers or pens, collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams), interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural)

Objective: This challenge is a word-based team-building activity that encourages participants to collaborate, brainstorm, and create a word cloud or word collage related to teamwork and collaboration.

Description:

1. Prepare a list of words related to teamwork, collaboration, or your industry (e.g., trust, communication, synergy, success).
2. Divide participants into teams, each consisting of 4-6 members.
3. Provide each team with access to the whiteboard in Miro.
4. Explain the objective: Teams must collaborate to create a word cloud or word collage using the provided words. The words should be arranged creatively and visually.
5. Set a time limit for the challenge (e.g., 30-45 minutes).
6. Encourage teams to brainstorm and select words that resonate with them and represent the essence of teamwork.
7. Teams can use artistic and creative approaches to arrange the words on their flipchart or whiteboard.
8. After the time is up, have each team present their word cloud or collage to the entire group.
9. Discuss the significance of the chosen words, the visual representation of teamwork, and the collaborative process involved in creating the word cloud.

Show and tell

Difficulty: Low

Time: 5-15 minutes

Group size: 3-10 participants

Materials required: Collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams), interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural)

Objective: This is a type of quick team-building activities and a creative way for remote team members to get to know each other better by sharing personal items, experiences, or stories.

Description:

1. Schedule a virtual team meeting or session for the activity.
2. Ask each team member to choose a personal item, a meaningful object, or a memorable experience to share with the team.
3. During the session, invite each team member, one by one, to share their chosen item or story.
4. Encourage participants to explain why they chose that item or experience and how it relates to their life or personality.
5. Use a timer to ensure that each participant has a set amount of time (e.g., 3-5 minutes) to share their item or story.
6. Encourage active listening and engagement as team members take turns sharing.
7. After everyone has had a chance to participate, facilitate a discussion about the activity, highlighting what they learned about their colleagues and any commonalities or exciting stories shared.

Innovations

Difficulty: Medium

Time: 60-90 minutes

Group size: 6-20 participants

Materials required: List of innovation challenges or questions for team-building, collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams), interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural)

Objective: This challenge is a team-building activity that encourages remote teams to collaborate on creative solutions to real or hypothetical business challenges, fostering innovation, problem-solving, and teamwork.

Description:

1. Compile a list of innovation challenges or problems relevant to your industry or organization.
2. Divide remote team members into smaller groups (4-6 members per group).
3. Share the list of challenges with each group and provide additional context or information as needed.
4. Instruct each group to choose one challenge to work on during the activity.
5. Teams should use collaboration tools like virtual whiteboards or Google Docs to brainstorm ideas, outline solutions, and document their plans.
6. Set a time limit for the teams to work on their solutions (e.g., 60-90 minutes).
7. Each team presents its innovative solution to the group, explaining its approach, rationale, and potential impact.
8. Encourage open discussions and feedback from the entire group.
9. Conclude the activity by discussing the importance of innovation, creative problem-solving, and the benefits of collaborative thinking in a remote work environment.

Pro tip: If you’re seeking assistance in creating innovation challenges, consider using AI tools to assist you. For instance, we have a complete ChatGPT prompts library for project managers in our blog. Take a look!

Online gaming

Difficulty: Medium

Time: Varies (typically 1-2 hours)

Group size: 4-10 participants

Materials required: Access to an online multiplayer game (e.g., Among Us, Fortnite, Minecraft), gaming consoles, PCs, or mobile devices, collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams)

Objective: This unique and enjoyable virtual team-building allows remote teams to bond while collaborating and strategizing within the context of an online game.

Description:

1. Choose an online multiplayer game accessible to all team members and suits your team’s preferences (e.g., Among Us for deception and strategy, Fortnite for action and teamwork, Minecraft for creativity and collaboration).
2. Ensure all team members have the necessary gaming equipment and have installed the game.
3. Schedule a gaming session where team members join a voice chat or video conference to communicate during the game.
4. Form teams within the game, ensuring a mix of experienced and novice players on each team.
5. Play the game collaboratively, emphasizing teamwork, communication, and strategy.
6. After the gaming session, hold a debriefing where team members can discuss their experiences, share memorable moments, and reflect on the teamwork and communication skills utilized during the game.
7. This activity allows team members to have fun while building stronger connections in a virtual environment.

Skill swap

Difficulty: Low

Time: 60-90 minutes

Group size: 6-20 participants

Materials required: Collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams), interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural)

Objective: This is an interactive team-building activity where remote team members share their unique skills or expertise, creating opportunities for learning and collaboration.

Description:

1. Schedule a virtual team meeting or session for the activity.
2. Ask each team member to identify a skill, hobby, or area of expertise they will share with the team.
3. Create a schedule for the Skill Swap sessions, with each team member assigned a date to present their skill.
4. During each session, the team member takes the lead and provides a short workshop or presentation on their chosen skill.
5. Encourage active participation and questions from other team members.
6. Skills could range from coding, graphic design, or data analysis to personal hobbies like cooking or playing a musical instrument.
7. This activity fosters cross-functional learning, team bonding, and appreciation for each team member’s talents.

Movie night

Difficulty: Low

Time: 2-3 hours

Group size: 2-10 participants

Materials required: Access to a streaming platform or synchronized movie viewing tool, collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams)

Objective: This is a relaxed and enjoyable activity where remote team members come together to watch a movie or series episode simultaneously, followed by a discussion—one of the best team-building activities for small groups.

Description:

1. Choose a movie or series episode relevant to your team’s interests or goals.
2. Ensure all team members can access the selected content through a streaming platform or a synchronized movie viewing tool.
3. Schedule a virtual movie night session and invite team members to a video conference.
4. Start the movie or episode at the same time, making sure everyone is synchronized.
5. After watching, reconvene in the video conference to discuss the content. Encourage team members to share their thoughts, favorite moments, and relevant takeaways.
6. Use this activity as an opportunity for casual conversations and bonding, allowing team members to unwind and connect over shared interests.

World through camera

Difficulty: Low to Medium

Time: Ongoing (weekly or bi-weekly challenges)

Group size: 6-20 participants

Materials required: Cameras or smartphones with cameras, Image-sharing platform or software, collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams)

Objective: This ongoing challenge encourages remote team members to explore their creativity and share their unique perspectives through photography.

Description:

1. Assign a theme or topic for the photography challenge (e.g., “Nature,” “Home Office,” “Patterns”).
2. Announce the challenge theme during a virtual team meeting.
3. Give team members a specific amount of time (e.g., one week) to take photos related to the theme.
4. Encourage participants to use their cameras or smartphones to capture images.
5. Create an image-sharing platform or use an existing one where team members can upload their photos for everyone to see.
6. Schedule a virtual meeting where team members discuss their photos, share the stories behind them, and provide feedback to one another.
7. Rotate the responsibility of selecting and announcing future challenge themes among team members.
8. This activity promotes creativity, self-expression, and a sense of connection among remote team members.

Language exchange

Difficulty: Low

Time: Ongoing (weekly or bi-weekly sessions)

Group size: 6-20 participants

Materials required: Collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams), interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural)

Objective: This ongoing activity allows team members to learn and practice different languages, fostering cross-cultural understanding and communication skills.

Description:

1. Identify team members interested in language exchange or learning a new language.
2. Create pairs or small groups of team members with different language skills and interests.
3. Schedule regular virtual language exchange sessions (e.g., weekly or bi-weekly).
4. Team members take turns teaching and practicing their chosen languages during each session.
5. Encourage participants to prepare language-related topics or activities for each session, such as everyday phrases, cultural insights, or pronunciation exercises.
6. Emphasize that the goal is to have fun, learn, and build stronger connections through language exchange.
7. Provide opportunities for team members to share their progress and experiences with the group.

Charity drive

Difficulty: Low to Medium

Time: Ongoing (monthly or quarterly campaigns)

Group size: 6-20 participants

Materials required: List of charitable organizations or causes, donation platforms or websites, collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams), interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural)

Objective: This activity encourages remote team members to support charitable causes, fostering a sense of social responsibility and teamwork.

Description:

1. Create a list of charitable organizations or causes that resonate with your team’s values and interests.
2. Schedule regular virtual meetings where team members can discuss and select a charity or cause to support.
3. Set a fundraising goal and a time frame for the charity drive (e.g., one month).
4. Use donation platforms or websites to collect contributions from team members.
5. Encourage team members to spread the word about the charity drive among friends and family.
6. Share progress updates during virtual meetings, recognizing individual and collective contributions.
7. At the end of the drive, celebrate the team’s impact on the chosen charity or cause.
8. Discuss the importance of giving back and consider future charity initiatives.

Stay fit

Difficulty: Medium

Time: Ongoing (weekly or monthly challenges)

Group size: 6-20 participants

Materials required: Access to workout videos or fitness apps (or an interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural) for fixing results, collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams), fitness tracking app (optional)

Objective: This challenge promotes physical well-being and team bonding by encouraging remote team members to engage in fitness activities together.

Description:

1. Appoint a fitness challenge coordinator within the team.
2. Set fitness challenges regularly, such as a weekly workout session or a monthly fitness goal.
3. Share workout videos or recommend fitness apps that team members can use for their workouts.
4. Encourage team members to schedule virtual workout sessions where they exercise together via video conferencing.
5. Use a fitness tracking app to monitor and share progress with the team.
6. Celebrate achievements, share workout tips, and discuss the importance of physical activity during virtual meetings.
7. This activity promotes a healthy lifestyle and camaraderie among remote team members.

TED Talk

Difficulty: Medium

Time: 90-120 minutes

Group size: 6-20 participants

Materials required: Presentation software (e.g., PowerPoint, Google Slides), collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams), interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural)

Objective: This challenge is an activity that empowers remote team members to develop their public speaking and presentation skills by delivering short TED-style talks on topics of their choice.

Description:

1. Schedule a virtual team meeting or session for the challenge.
2. Ask team members to choose a topic they are passionate about or have expertise in and prepare a short presentation (e.g., 5-10 minutes) in the style of a TED Talk.
3. Encourage participants to use presentation software to create engaging slides or visuals for their talks.
4. During the session, invite team members to take turns delivering their “TED Talk” presentations.
5. After each presentation, allow time for questions, feedback, and discussions.\

Pro tip: Unsure about the best way to collect feedback from your colleagues and clients? Not to worry! We have an article that can help you with this.

6. Promote a supportive and constructive environment for speakers.
7. Discuss the importance of effective communication, storytelling, and public speaking skills in remote work.
8. This activity enhances presentation skills and confidence among team members.

Scrum Challenge

Difficulty: Medium

Time: 60-90 minutes

Group size: 6-20 participants

Materials required: Collaboration software (Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams), interactive online whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, Mural)

Objective: This challenge is a fun and educational activity introducing remote team members to Scrum, an agile project management framework, through a game-like experience.

Description:

1. Schedule a virtual team meeting or session for the Scrum Challenge.
2. Briefly introduce the basics of Scrum, including roles (Scrum Master, Product Owner, Development Team), sprints, and user stories.

Pro tip: The RACI framework can be a valuable tool for defining roles and establishing control. You can find an article about RACI in our blog for more information.

3. Divide the team into smaller groups, each representing a Scrum team.
4. Use a virtual whiteboard or online collaboration tool to simulate a Scrum board with columns for “To Do,” “In Progress,” and “Done.”
5. Assign each group a set of user stories (tasks or objectives) related to a fictional project.
6. Set a timer for each sprint for a fixed period (e.g., 15-30 minutes)
7. Instruct teams to work together to move user stories across the Scrum board during the sprint, aiming to complete as many as possible.
8. Use video conferencing for team discussions, sprint planning, and updates.
9. After the sprint, hold a retrospective where teams reflect on their performance and discuss ways to improve.
10. This activity promotes collaboration, time management, and understanding of Agile principles.

Now that you know the main types of corporate teambuilding activities, let’s dive into effective ways to facilitate them.

How to facilitate team-building activities

Facilitating work team-building activities effectively is essential to ensure that your team gains the maximum benefit from these experiences. Here are some critical steps to guide you as a part of the teambuilders community in facilitating successful corporate team-building activities:

• Set clear goals: Begin by defining the goals and objectives of the team-building activity. What specific outcomes do you want to achieve? Are you aiming to improve communication, build trust, or enhance problem-solving skills? Clarifying these objectives will help you choose the right activities.

Pro tip: Unlock your potential with OKRs! Need guidance? Explore our OKRs guide for expert insights.

• Choose the right activity: Select team-building activities that align with your goals and the preferences of your team members. Consider their personalities, interests, and any physical or logistical constraints, and choose from team-building icebreakers and online games.
• Prepare and plan: Thoroughly plan the logistics of the activity, including the location, timing, materials, and any safety precautions. Make sure you have everything you need to run the activity smoothly.
• Explain the purpose: Before starting the activity, communicate its purpose and the expected benefits to the team. Let them know why you’re doing it and how it relates to their work or team dynamics.
• Set ground rules: Establish clear rules for the activity to ensure safety, respect, and fairness. Encourage team members to treat each other with respect and participate actively.
• Lead by example: As the teambuilder and facilitator, lead by example and enthusiastically participate in the activity. Your involvement sets a positive tone and encourages team members to engage fully.
• Debrief and reflect: After the activity, conduct a debriefing session. Encourage team members to share their thoughts and feelings about the experience. Discuss what went well, what could be improved, and how the lessons learned can be applied in the workplace.
• Encourage feedback: Create an open and non-judgmental space for team members to provide feedback on the activity. Their insights can help refine future team-building efforts. Gather all the important team-building quotes to analyze afterward.
• Document the experience: Keep records of team-building activities, including what worked and any adjustments made. This documentation can guide future activities and ensure continuous improvement.
• Follow-up: Team-building activities should be part of an ongoing process. Follow up with team members to assess the long-term impact of the activities and plan for the next steps in team development.

After your team-building activities have strengthened your team’s dynamics, it’s crucial to have the right tools for seamless project management. 

PPM Express is the ideal project management solution to help you harness the newfound synergy within your team. With features that streamline project planning, tracking, and collaboration, PPM Express empowers project managers and their teams to work together more efficiently and effectively.

Take your team’s collaboration to the next level with PPM Express and experience a well-built team in action.