9 Awesome Team Building Activities for Small Groups

The idea of team-building activities can send reverberations of boredom and contempt across an entire staff. Even if unfounded, these activities are often seen as a waste of time or indifference at best, resulting in unengaged participants. It’s a problem that companies of all sizes face.

However, a better path to the team-building engagement conundrum is right in front of you: small groups. When you break your staff into smaller groups, engagement and camaraderie can expand exponentially. This tightens bonds between team members and acts as an enticing icebreaker between new team members or uninitiated employees.

Team building activities for small groups offer the opportunity to improve communication and problem-solving skills, build trust, and make the workday more fun for everyone. Learn more about how these team building exercises can improve team dynamics, employee engagement, and team collaboration in one fell swoop.

Why Team Building Activities for Small Groups Are the Better Option

As the old adage goes, too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth. The proverb couldn’t be truer in the comparison between small groups and large groups. For both in-person and remote teams, small groups forster a level of teamwork, team bonding, collaboration, cohesion, and effective communication that large groups can’t compete with.

A recent Gallup poll finds that the smaller companies tend to have a higher level of engagement and improved company culture compared to larger organizations, so the idea reasonably extends to team building activities.

Team building activities for small groups also allow equal participation from group members — promoting team chemistry, as well as crucial new skills vital to professional development:

• Creative thinking
• Critical thinking
• Decision-making
• Collaboration
• Communication skills, especially nonverbal communication promoted by certain activities
• Listening skills

The Qualities of Effective Team Building Activities

Despite the fun aspect, onsite and virtual team building activities should be more than a happy hour or social gathering. They need focus and direction to maximize interaction and learning.

Have a Facilitator

Similar to large groups, team building activities for small groups should always have a facilitator. A manager or assertive team member works well for this position, keeping the rest of the team on task.

Choose the Right Team Building Games

Not every game is ideal for small groups. If you’ve used large-scale games or activities for a larger group, you may need to rethink your approach or selections. See the next section for some motivation.

Select a Learning Objective

Team building activities for small groups should have a fun element, but they’re also integral to learning a skill or reinforcing ideas. Teaching leadership skills, soft skills, cultural objectives, or simply getting team members out of their comfort zone are all viable examples.

The learning angle can also be geared toward icebreaker games or onboarding. These allow new hires to get to know each other while working together toward a specific goal.

Keep It Lighthearted

Though you may have a hidden or conspicuous agenda or learning objective, don’t turn your team building activity into a rigid training regimen or staff meeting. Maintain a laidback atmosphere that encourages team spirit and a fun work environment while also reaching your team-building goals or lessons.

9 Exciting and Fun Team Building Activities for Small Groups

Suitable for three to 10 participants, these team building activities for small groups offer a plethora of opportunities for mutual collaboration and constructive dialogue. Don’t be afraid to choose more than one activity to keep the event fresh and invite multiple layers of engagement and intrigue.

1. Scavenger Hunt

Few team building activities for small groups have the winning combination of teamwork and problem-solving in a competitive format. Perfect for indoors or outdoors, a scavenger hunt is a quest where team members find objects, solve riddles, or complete tasks.

Split into two teams or two-person teams, depending on how many participants you have. Then, give them a set of clues or worksheets to complete within a time limit. Award the first team to finish the scavenger hunt with a spot award for teamwork accompanied by gift cards to sweeten the deal and heighten the competition.

2. Blindfold Obstacle Course

If outdoor activities are your style, obstacle courses are the ideal team building activity for small groups. However, you don’t need to up your liability insurance to involve your staff. Instead, opt for a blindfold.

Rather than climbing ropes and diving over hurdles, a blindfold obstacle course is an area filled with chairs, string, or cones. After breaking into teams, a person puts on the blindfold. Their teammates then use verbal directions to guide them through the course — hopefully, untouched. The team that hits the least obstacles wins the game.

Follow the game with some outdoor socializing. Don’t forget the drinks and marshmallow, graham crackers, and chocolate for some tasty s’mores.

3. Human Knot

An oldie but a goodie, the human know has been a long-time mainstay of team building activities for small groups. Focused on collaboration and communication, this activity is perfect for groups of five to 10 people.

Have your team stand in a circle. Each team member then grabs the left hand of a person directly across from them and the right hand of another person — but never the person standing next to them. The goal is to untangle the knot so that everyone’s holding hands at their sides rather than jumbled in the middle.

4. Legos

Who doesn’t love playing with Legos? This ageless toy is great for team building, regardless of whether you want to build something specific or let your creativity fly.

For example, team building activities for small groups during the holiday season could consist of each team constructing a gingerbread house out of Legos. Or for a regular day at the office, see who can build the most impressive house or skyscraper.

5. Board Games

From classic options to newfound creations, board games combine wit and strategy into hours of fun. Pictionary, Jenga, and Charades are always excellent choices for communication and camaraderie, but a slew of new games can become ubiquitous in team-building circles. Try out Codenames or Wavelength for some fresh board game excitement.

6. Trivia

A battle of wits and useless information is a surefire winner of team building activities for small groups. Nominate a manager or team member to act as the host and read the questions while your group splits into two teams. You can use a Jeopardy-style format where each team rings in to answer the question, or you can add to team dynamics by allowing each group to confer before answering.

To promote learning, add a few work-related questions to the mix while including topics like geography, science, sports, culture, and history. Ask questions about individuals, company information, or general knowledge related to your business. This allows you to see who has widespread knowledge — but more importantly — who makes the extra effort to learn more about each other and the company.

7. Escape Room

Escape rooms have been all the rage over the past 10 years throughout the country. The concept is simple. A team is locked in a room and then gathers clues to solve problems. If done correctly, the team can finally emerge from the room. Even small cities or large towns typically have an escape room, but if you can’t find one, virtual escape rooms are a superb alternative.

8. Improv Games

If you have a shoestring budget, improv games are one of the best team building activities for small groups. These quick-thinking games enable teams to interact on a personal level and engage in storytelling or roleplaying.

While you could act out improv scenes based on a theme, not every person is a great actor or improv specialist. Instead, try something like “One Word at a Time.” In this game, everyone gets in a circle. Select a theme and go around the circle with each person saying one word at a time to form sentence. You never know where this game will take a story, and your team will have fun doing it.

9. Memory Wall

Learning more about each other is a cornerstone of team building and camaraderie. But let’s face it. The “go around the circle and say something about yourself” angle is played out. So, add some intrigue and mystery to these interactions with a memory wall.

Using sticky notes or a piece of paper, have each person write down something interesting about themselves. A facilitator can then stick them to the wall or write them down on a whiteboard. Afterward, the group has to guess who wrote each memory. It’s fun, intriguing, and enables even the shyest worker to open up to the group.

The Final Touch on Your Activity Plans

The best team building activities for small groups are made all the better by fine-tuning the details. With smaller teams, you can gather everyone to decide what activities you want to do. This brainstorming and planning session is a fun way to share ideas and kick off the event.

Supplies, drinks, and food are also a vital part of team building activities, but you shouldn’t bog yourself down with expense reports and approving purchases. Instead, opt for the easier final touch: a Hoppier gift card.

These digital gift cards are quick and easy, allowing you to choose the amount and expiration. Anything left on the card after the team building event goes back into your account. It’s the smart, waste-free way to create the best atmosphere possible. Your team will surely notice.