NIU's Team-building Program is focused on helping groups develop to become at their full potentials. We have numerous activities for your group to choose from but there are many other adaptations and activities up our sleeve. The activities are divided into three main categories – ice breakers, high energy games and initiatives. There are also several reflective activities to use at the end of a workshop.
Ice breaker activities are great for participants to get to know each other and for the facilitators to get to know the group. Whether or not it is the first time your group has worked together, these activities help to direct the focus, create energy and a strong foundation for participants.
Each participant starts off by introducing themselves to one other participant, stating a few simple things like name, major, favorite food, etc. They then trade identities and introduce "themselves" to another person. Participants continue trading identities until time is up, then they introduce their new selves to the group, then the actual person steps forward.
How many different handshakes do you know? In this creative ice breaker, participants will be
introduced to some silly ways to greet their peers. Each time a new handshake is learned, you'll be part of a new pair. Don't forget which handshake goes with which partner!
This activity has pairs looking for each other blindfolded, relying on communication and cooperation to locate each other.
Standing in a circle, one participant closes their eyes or leaves the room. The group chooses a leader. The leader starts an action such as clapping, waving, etc. as the first participant opens their eyes or comes back into the room. The leader changes actions and the individual tries to guess who the leader is.
The goal of this game is to get an object tossed around the circle. Using eye contact and names, the group works together to get the object around the circle as fast as possible!
With a bingo sheet in hand, the object is to get as many different people as possible to sign your card. Each space contains a different category or experience, meet and greet each other along the way.
Each participant writes their name and three interesting facts about themselves. Fold the paper into a plane and fly it into the air. Everyone picks up a plane and finds the owner.
Divided up into two teams, participants sit on either side of a tarp. Members of each team face-off to see who is able to be the first one to say the name of the person on the other side.
Pair off and play one round of rock paper scissors. The loser of the first round will follow the winner and cheer them on as they face the next opponent, who already has their own cheering team. Repeat until a final round. Being loud and raucous is highly encouraged.
The group must organize themselves in a given order without speaking, opening the door to alternative forms of communication. Categories can include birthdays, animals, names, shoe sizes and more.
Standing in a circle, everyone looks down and on command looks at one person. If the person being looked at is looking at someone else, then the looker is safe. If eye contact is made, then the two are zapped to take a moment to get to know each other before the game continues.
Using a set of special cards, participants will be able to play numerous energizing games that challenge their memory and reaction time. The group will need to listen to directions carefully!
Participants are broken up randomly into small groups and have to find three things in common amongst all of the members. This helps recognize shared interests or similarities and initiates conversation.
These activities are designed to get all participants up, moving and actively involved! We play fair and we play for fun.
A highly active game that incorporates speed, tactics and teamwork. Opposing teams compete to gain points by saying names and running, retrieving and passing around an object.
This game is just good fun, plain and simple. Everyone is it. Everyone chases each other. If you get tagged you sit down, but keep your eye on the person who tagged you because when they get tagged and sit down you get up. This activity gets the blood pumping and the endorphins flowing and puts everyone in a good mood.
Participants start by standing on spots with one person in the middle. Participants on the spots must make eye contact with another person and quickly switch places. The person in the middle is trying to "steal" a spot while other players are switching places.
Everyone gets a circle of rope to stand in. They must have their feet entirely inside the rope. When the facilitator says "move", they must move to a different rope. As the activity progresses, ropes are taken away, until there is only one rope left and the entire group must get their feet inside.
A fun dodgeball tag game starts with everyone is an anarchist except for one monarch. The monarch uses a ball to try to tag the anarchists. When tagged they become monarchs and work together until the last anarchist standing becomes the new monarch.
Teams of three try to pin clothespins on other teams without getting pinned themselves. Don't leave your team hanging out to dry.
Active listening and quick reflexes required! The facilitator will call out pirate-inspired actions. Participants must complete the correct task in order to stay in the game.
Initiatives are similar to games, but focus on learning and growth for each individual and the group as a whole. Depending on group size, experience, background and other such factors, facilitators may incorporate additional challenges.
Activity foci: Cohesiveness, Communication, Leadership
Work together as a group to transport toxic items to the decontamination zone. Be careful not to touch the toxic items or step inside the contaminated area!
Communication, Leadership
The entire group is asked to stand on a tarp or platform. As they progress the tarp is folded or a smaller platform introduced increasing the challenge.
Cohesiveness, Communication, Leadership
Without the use of vision, the group must work together to create a variety of shapes using the entire length of that rope.
Communication, Leadership
This competition promotes small group teamwork in building the largest, free-standing, tower possible using only newspapers, other objects, or plastic pieces similar to Legos.
Communication, Leadership
Each member of the group only gets one chance. Who will be the first to call out a number? This activity focuses on non-verbal cues, initiative and timing.
Cohesiveness, Communication, Leadership
Start with partners to help each other up first facing front to front and then back to back. After they have completed it in partners, have them do it with four, then eight, then try the whole group.
Communication, Leadership
Using small objects to connect partners, the object is to strategize and work together to stay connected through a variety of challenges.
Communication
No double-dutch skills required here! Work together with your group to get everyone to the other side of the rope. Challenges will be added throughout the activity to keep you on your toes.
Cohesiveness, Communication, Leadership
A board connected to strings is passed amongst the group with a pitcher of water balancing. Next challenge, holding the board suspended in the air to pour a glass of water. Customer service is the focus of this group initiative.
Cohesiveness, Communication
This seemingly simple task is harder than it sounds. The group must lower a stick to the ground, only using their fingertips but the stick seems to magically float up as they try.
Cohesiveness, Communication, Leadership
Close your eyes and imagine that you are in a maze. One by one the participants must find their way out with the help of the group.
Communication
Your group must work together to debug the "computer"! Participants must touch the numbers in specific order as quickly as possible. The trick is only one person can be in the computer at a time.
Communication, Leadership
A sight impaired person guided by a sighted person to navigate through obstacle course. Or try circle minefield in arm-linked circles the objective is to get from one point to the other.
Cohesiveness, Communication, Leadership
This activity is out of this world! As a group, try to keep a beach ball in the air for as many hits as possible. How many can you keep in the air at once?
Cohesiveness, Communication
Get the marble from point A to point B while keeping it on the track. Using a wooden pipeline, work together to transport the marble across the room and keep on rolling with a race against the clock or another team!
Communication, Leadership
The group is tasked to assemble a simple, giant-sized puzzle with few obstacles. The puzzle pieces are coated in chalkboard paint and are great for brainstorming or sharing ideas related to your group goals.
Communication, Leadership
See no..? Speak no..? Hear no..? Imagine if your senses were divided up among three different people. In this activity, groups work together to complete a simple task with a challenging twist.
Cohesiveness, Communication
If a spider were human size, he would build a human size web. An entire group must get through the web, from one side to the other without touching the string.
Communication, Leadership
One person will be blindfolded and is the "tank" in the game. The other partner is the "driver" in the game. The goal is for the two to work together to take down the other tanks.
Communication
A real, "brain buster" that requires much thinking and communication. Much like a game of chess, there are only so many places and directions in which each person may move.
Communication, Leadership
Take the leap in this activity! The only thing between you and the ground is your group. Trust the group and they will trust you.
Communication
Take turns running through your group as they raise their arms to clear a path. If the group is ready, this can be fun energizing trust activity.
Cohesiveness, Communication
A classic puzzle of getting everyone from one side to the other without losing any platforms or "turtles." This initiative challenges the group's cooperation rather than their speed.
Communication, Leadership
The group forms a circle of spotters with individuals standing shoulder to shoulder. Using the communication system, one person allows the group to pass him/her around the circle.
Cohesiveness, Communication
Using a series of pictures, the group must work together to try and put a story together in order from start to finish. There is always more than what meets the eye!
Cohesiveness, Communication, Leadership
After each initiative the group will debrief, or process their experience. At the end of the workshop we think doing something special to reflect is also important, as this creates connection back to the "real world." These are a few of our favorite closing activities.
Using cards of different human anatomy, the group can share their experience through senses and creativity.
Using a series of cards with reflection questions, group members reflect on their experiences. Each card has questions that connect with the three "big" questions of "what", "so what" and "now what."
Using a set of Ubuntu cards, group members reflect through creative story-telling as well as using a series of images to share their thoughts, ideas and strengths.
A set of different weather cards are displayed to the group who then has to come to a decision on which symbolizes their experience best.
Pass a spool of yarn around the circle as you and your group discuss activities, connections and summarize experiences.
Hold on and lean back. Trust your hands, trust the rope and trust your team. If everybody risks falling, nobody will hit the ground.