8 Creative Team-Building Activities You'll Actually Enjoy
Team-building activities can boost communication, encourage collaboration, and help coworkers learn about each other through the power of play. The tough part is choosing activities that aren’t corny or forced. (Because how many times can you really play “two truths and a lie”?!)
This list of team-building games is here to help. These Plus-Plus puzzles and 3D builds are designed to be actually enjoyable and spark creativity.
Whether you’re planning an offsite event, kicking off a workshop, or just looking for a quick icebreaker, consider this your go-to selection of games for building team morale and strengthening connections.
1. Plus-Plus telephone
A creative twist on the classic telephone game, this speed-building relay challenge encourages teams to work together on a shared design.
Time: 10–15 minutes
Players: 5–15
How to play: One person starts by building a small design with Plus-Plus pieces for 30 seconds. When time is up, they pass the build to the next person, who has another 30 seconds to add to or modify it. Continue passing the build around line until everyone has had a turn. At the end, compare the final creation with the first person’s original idea and see how much it evolved.
Benefits:
- Develop new ideas through collaboration
- Encourage quick thinking and creativity
- Spark conversation and laughter
2. Make a coaster for your coworker
Encourage team members to learn about and surprise each other with simple, creative, and useful gifts.
Time: 10–15 minutes
Players: Any group size
How to play: Assign each participant a coworker or invite them to choose someone to build for. Using Plus-Plus pieces, everyone creates a 2D coaster for and inspired by the other person. They can take the person’s favorite colors, hobbies, or drinks into account.
Benefits:
- Encourage thoughtful collaboration
- Helps coworker learn more about each other
- Create a displayable keepsake for someone’s desk
3. Silent building challenge
This activity challenges teams to collaborate on tactile projects without being able to speak.
Time: 10 minutes
Players: Multiple teams of 2
How to play: Give team members 10 seconds to confer with each other and decide what to build, like an animal, object, or structure. Once the time starts, they have 3 minutes to bring their creation to life with Plus-Plus pieces, no talking allowed. When time is up, the other teams have to guess what each build is supposed to be.
Benefits:
- Strengthen nonverbal communication
- Enhance teamwork under time limits
- Encourage creative thinking
4. Create a 3D avatar
Invite team members to express their personality in a creative way and discover more about their coworkers.
Time: 10–15 minutes
Players: Any group size
How to play: Ask each participant to build a 3D avatar version of themselves or a coworker using Plus-Plus pieces. Encourage them to include details that represent their personality, interests, or work style. Once everyone builds their figure, they can share their creation with others and explain how it represents them.
Benefits:
- Help teammates learn more about each other
- Encourage self-expression and creativity
- Spark conversation
5. 12-piece thought exercise
Challenge team members to illustrate and convey an abstract idea using limited resources.
Time: 10 minutes
Players: Any group size
How to play: Give each participant 12 Plus-Plus pieces and invite them to build something that represents a specific idea, like an obstacle their team is facing or something they love about their job. After everyone finishes, they can share their builds and explain the meaning behind them.
Benefits:
- Spark creative thinking with certain constraints
- Prompt reflection on team goals, challenges, and workplace experience
- Encourage thoughtful discussion
6. Company logo competition
This collaborative challenge blends hands-on creativity with company culture and playful competition.
Time: 15–20 minutes
Players: Teams of 2–5
How to play: Divide participants into small teams and challenge them to create a 2D or 3D version of the company logo using Plus-Plus pieces. Teams can aim for accuracy or take a more creative approach by reimagining the logo in a playful way. Once all builds are finished, share them, display them, and even vote on favorites.
Benefits:
- Promote teamwork and collaboration
- Strengthen company identity
- Encourage friendly competition
7. Build the tallest tower
Embark on a fast-paced engineering challenge that encourages teamwork and rapid problem-solving.
Time: 10 minutes
Players: Teams of 2–4
How to play: Give each team the same number of Plus-Plus pieces and ask them to build the tallest free-standing tower possible within the time limit. When time is up, measure each structure to determine the winner (and make sure it stays standing!) Teams can also debrief and discuss the strategies they used to get creative and stabilize their structures.
Benefits:
- Promote creative problem solving
- Build teamwork under time constraints
- Encourage experimentation
8. Invisible building challenge
Put communication skills to the test with a build that can’t be seen—only described.
Time: 10–15 minutes
Players: Teams of 2
How to play: Pair up participants and have them sit back-to-back so they can’t see each other’s builds. One person (the “builder”) creates a small structure using Plus-Plus pieces. The other person (the “listener”) has the same pieces but cannot see the original design.
Once the builder is finished, they must describe how to recreate the build using only verbal instructions, no gestures, no peeking. After a set amount of time, compare the two builds and see how closely they match.
For an added twist, switch roles and try again.
Benefits:
- Strengthen clear, concise communication
- Highlight the importance of perspective and interpretation
- Encourage active listening and problem-solving
- Spark laughter as teams compare results
Tips for running team-building activities
With the right approach, it’s possible to set up team-building activities that coworkers actually look forward to and have fun doing together.
To get the most out of each exercise, keep these simple guidelines in mind:
- Keep it short. Don’t take too much time out of people’s busy schedules. Make team-building a quick, breezy respite—ideally 10-20 minutes long—with challenges that are easy to complete and boost people’s energy.
- Mix up teams. Encourage coworkers across teams to work together, strengthening relationships and creating new connections.
- Try remote activities. You don’t have to be in the office to build camaraderie. Send Plus-Plus tubes to team members and set up virtual build sessions for real-time collaboration.
- Play music. As your teams are breaking the ice or focusing on their projects, have some fun tunes playing in the background to soften any quiet moments of concentration.
Power your team-building games with Plus-Plus
Team-building games for adults don’t have to be complicated or corny. In fact, the most effective ones come from simple tools that encourage people to build, experiment, and collaborate together.
With endless creative possibilities, Plus-Plus makes it easy to turn quick challenges into memorable team experiences that help teams connect and communicate—one piece at a time.
Shop Plus-Plus for your next team building activity →
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