Let’s talk about teamwork in the age of the internet.
Gone are the days when everyone crowded around the water cooler. Today, many of us work remotely, which is awesome for flexibility, but it can also make feeling connected as a team a little tricky.
That’s where virtual team building comes in.
This blog post is packed with fun and free virtual team building activities that you can do with your team, even if everyone’s in different locations. We’re talking games, challenges, and cool ways to bond, all online.
So, grab your laptop, get ready to laugh, and let’s build a stronger, happier team, no matter where you work!
Table of Contents
Top 10 Free Virtual Team-Building Activities
Here are the top 10 Free Virtual Team Building Activities that help your virtual team bond, improve communication, and have fun together while working from different spots. Remember to adapt them to suit your virtual event and team’s preferences.
1/ Online Escape Room
Best for: Problem-solving and teamwork.
How to Play: Find a free online escape room platform or use tools like Zoom’s breakout rooms to work together to solve puzzles and “escape.”
2/ Virtual Talent Show
Best for: Showcasing team members’ talents and boosting morale.
How to Play: Encourage team members to share their talents, whether it’s singing, dancing, or a unique skill, during a video conference on platforms like Zoom.
3/ Digital Storytelling
Best for: Enhancing creativity and collaboration.
How to Play: Collaboratively write a story or create a digital comic strip using platforms like AhaSlides’ Word Cloud, Google Docs, Padlet, or Canva.
4/ Digital Art Workshop
Best for: Fostering creativity and relaxation.
How to Play: Host a virtual art session using free tools like online drawing apps or digital whiteboards such as Miro.
5/ Remote Movie Night
Best for: Team bonding and relaxation.
How to Play: Use platforms like Netflix Party or Teleparty to watch a movie together virtually and chat about it during the screening.
6/ Virtual Cooking Challenge
Best for: Encouraging culinary skills and friendly competition.
How to Play: Choose a simple recipe and have team members cook the dish simultaneously during a video call. Share your creations and discuss the results.
7/ Creative Desktop Show-and-Tell
Best for: Personal connections and team insight.
How to Play: Team members give a tour of their computer desktop, sharing their favourite apps, files, and organization tips during a video call.
8/ Online Art Gallery
Best for: Promoting creativity and self-expression.
How to Play: Assign a theme and have team members create digital artwork that can be displayed in an online gallery using free website builders or Google Slides.
9/ Digital Trivia Challenge – Free Virtual Team Building Activities
Best for: Testing knowledge and competition.
How to Play: Use free trivia quiz platforms like AhaSlides, Kahoot!, or Quizlet to create and host trivia challenges based on team interests or industry-related questions.
10/ Virtual Vacation Planning – Free Virtual Team Building Activities
Best for: Encouraging team collaboration and future goal-setting.
How to Play: Have team members take turns planning a dream vacation using online resources like Google Earth, travel websites, and maps during a video call.
Free Virtual Team Building Activities For Small Groups
1/ Short Story Writing
How to Play: Choose a topic or theme, and have team members write a short story or poem in a limited time. Share and discuss your creations during a video call.
Platform/Tool: Google Docs or any shared document platform for collaborative writing.
2/ Online Board Games – Free Virtual Team Building Activities
How to Play: Play classic board games like Chess, Scrabble, or Monopoly virtually with your team using online board game platforms.
Platform/Tool: Websites or apps dedicated to these games, such as Chess.com or Pogo.
3/ One-Word Storytelling – Free Virtual Team Building Activities
How to Play: Start a story with one team member who contributes one word. Each team member takes turns adding one word and building the story together during a video call.
Platform/Tool: Any video conferencing platform.
4/ Two Truths and a Lie
How to Play: Each team member takes turns sharing two true statements and one false statement about themselves. Others guess which one is false during a video call.
Platform/Tool: Any video conferencing platform.
5 Minute Virtual Team Building Activities
1/ Emoji Icebreaker
How to Play: In 5 minutes, ask each team member to share an emoji that represents how they’re feeling today and explain why.
Platform/Tool: Any video conferencing platform.
2/ Quickfire Questions
How to Play: One team member asks a fun or thought-provoking question, and everyone takes turns sharing their quick answers within 5 minutes.
Platform/Tool: Any video conferencing platform.
3/ Virtual High-Fives
How to Play: Team members take 5 minutes to give virtual high-fives, thumbs-ups, or positive gestures to their colleagues, expressing appreciation.
Platform/Tool: Any video conferencing platform.
4/ “Two for Tea” Share
How to Play: In 5 minutes, each team member shares two things they’ve recently learned or discovered, whether related to work or personal interests.
Platform/Tool: Any video conferencing platform.
5/ Mini Team Jokes
How to Play: Have a 5-minute round of sharing quick, light-hearted jokes or puns to add some humour to the meeting.
Platform/Tool: Any video conferencing platform.
6/ 10-Second Story
How to Play: Team members have 5 minutes to create and share a 10-second story on a given topic or theme during a video call.
Platform/Tool: Any video conferencing platform.
7/ “If I Were…” Scenario
How to Play: In 5 minutes, have team members share what they would do if they were a famous personality, a historical figure, or an animal, and why.
Platform/Tool: Any video conferencing platform.
These free virtual team building activities are perfect for quick breaks, energizing the team, or as icebreaker questions before meetings.
Final Thoughts
Free virtual team building activities offer a fantastic way to connect and strengthen your team, no matter where they are. These 21 ideas above are totally free and super creative, right? They’ll help you boost your team’s spirit, get everyone working together better, and add some fun to your remote work life.
Think of it as a way to hang out and have a good time, even if you’re all in different places!
More tips and advice about events? Pick an event that you’re concerned with, and we’ll help you!
FAQs
How do you make a virtual happy hour fun?
Add themes, play games, share interesting stories, or have a mixology session.
What team building activities can you do virtually?
One-word storytelling, Two Truths and a Lie, online board games.
What are free virtual activities for large groups?
Virtual talent shows, quickfire questions, trivia blitz, virtual art galleries.
What virtual games can you play on Microsoft Teams?
Who Am I?, Virtual charades, Virtual bingo, and trivia challenges.
Ref: Gomanda | Teambuiding Hub