List your business

Corporate events / Team building

12 free team building games for the office

These games need little more than paper, tape or a timer, so you can run them in a meeting room at no cost. Group sizes and timings come from published HR and training guides, and the instructions are written in our own words.

Updated 7 November 2026 · How we rank

1

Showing how teams plan, test and share roles

Marshmallow Challenge

Teams of up to 6; any number of teams · About 45 minutes (18 minutes to build)

Split into teams and give each one 20 sticks of dry spaghetti, about a metre of tape, a metre of string and one marshmallow. Teams have 18 minutes to build the tallest structure that stands on its own with the whole marshmallow on top. Measure from table to marshmallow, then spend the rest of the time talking about what strategy each team used and who took which role.

You need: Dry spaghetti, masking tape, string, marshmallows, scissors

Price

See note

Free or near free

2

A quick warm-up before a meeting or workshop

Paper Tower

4 to 20 people in teams of about 4 · 10 to 30 minutes

Give each team of about four a stack of 20 sheets of paper and nothing else. They have a set time to build the tallest tower that stands without support. Finish by asking what worked and what they would change.

You need: Paper only

Price

See note

Free or near free

3

Practising clear instructions and listening

Back-to-Back Drawing

Pairs; 6 to 16 people works well · About 20 minutes

Pair people up and sit them back to back. One person gets a simple picture and describes it using shapes and positions only, without naming the object. The other draws from the description. Compare the drawing with the original, then swap roles.

You need: Paper, pens, a few simple printed pictures

Price

See note

Free or near free

4

New teams or new joiners getting to know each other

Two Truths and a Lie

Up to about 20 people · 30 to 45 minutes for a full group

Each person shares three short statements about themselves, two true and one made up. Everyone else guesses which is false before the answer is revealed.

You need: None

Price

See note

Free or near free

5

Larger teams and all-hands sessions

Office Trivia

8 to 88 people in teams · 30 to 60 minutes

Prepare questions about the company's history, products and values, plus a few light ones about the team that people have agreed to share. Split into teams and award points for correct answers. Can be repeated monthly or quarterly with fresh questions.

You need: Question list, a way to keep score

Price

See note

Free or near free

6

Getting teams moving and mixing across departments

Office Scavenger Hunt

Any size, in teams · 60 to 90 minutes

Write a list of items to find and small tasks to complete around the office, each worth points. Teams race to finish as many as they can within the time limit, then the host checks answers and photos.

You need: Printed lists, phones for photo proof

Price

See note

Free or near free

7

Building trust and practising precise instructions

Minefield

Pairs; 6 to 20 people · About 15 minutes

Scatter soft objects across an open floor. One partner is blindfolded and must cross without touching anything, guided only by their partner's voice from outside the area. Swap roles after each crossing.

You need: Blindfolds, soft objects such as cushions or cones

Price

See note

Free or near free

8

Quick physical energiser; skip it for teams uncomfortable with contact

Human Knot

5 to 8 per group · 15 to 20 minutes

Stand in a circle, reach across and hold two different people's hands. Without letting go, the group untangles itself back into a circle.

You need: None

Price

See note

Free or near free

9

Testing how well information passes through a team

Copy the Structure

Teams of 3 or 4

Build a small structure from blocks or Lego out of sight. One person from each team looks at it for a few seconds, returns and describes it while the rest of the team builds without seeing the original. Rotate who looks until a team gets an exact copy.

You need: Two matching sets of blocks or Lego per team

Price

See note

Free or near free

10

Low-prep fun for any team, including mixed languages

Charades

5 to 20 people · 30 to 45 minutes

Write words or phrases on slips of paper. A player from one team acts one out without speaking while their team guesses before time runs out. Teams take turns and keep score.

You need: Paper slips, a timer

Price

See note

Free or near free

11

Groups that enjoy party games and in-jokes

Fish Bowl

8 to 15 people · 30 to 45 minutes

Everyone writes names of people, places or things on slips and puts them in a bowl. Teams play three rounds with the same slips: first describe the word, then act it out, then give one word only. Points for each correct guess.

You need: Paper slips, a bowl, a timer

Price

See note

Free or near free

12

Breaking the ice at the start of an offsite or meeting

What's My Name?

4 to 20 people · 15 to 20 minutes

Stick a famous person's name on each player's back or forehead where they cannot see it. Players mingle and ask others yes or no questions until they guess who they are.

You need: Sticky notes, pens

Price

See note

Free or near free

Common questions

What is a quick team building game for a meeting?

Paper Tower takes 10 to 30 minutes and needs only paper, and Two Truths and a Lie needs no materials at all.

Which games work for big groups?

Office Trivia works for 8 to 88 people in teams, and an office scavenger hunt has no upper limit if you split people into teams.

How do you run the Marshmallow Challenge?

Give teams of up to 6 a kit of 20 spaghetti sticks, tape, string and one marshmallow, allow 18 minutes to build the tallest freestanding structure, then debrief on strategy and roles. The whole activity takes about 45 minutes.

Are there games that avoid physical contact?

Yes. Back-to-Back Drawing, Office Trivia, Charades and Fish Bowl need no contact. Human Knot and Minefield involve touch or blindfolds, so check your team is comfortable first.

How we rank

Published prices, how well each suits company events, and track record shown on their own site. Prices are checked on each vendor's site on the date shown. Sponsored listings are labelled and never change the order.