15 Best Team-Building Exercises for Small Groups

In the US, 5.7 million small businesses have between one and 19 employees, meaning that many workplaces are intimate. This can be helpful in terms of employee relationships, as it creates more one-on-one situations.

However, that’s not always the case. Depending on the nature of work, there may be few bonding opportunities, and this can have an overall negative effect on the company. Without meaningful work relationships, a business may become disjointed and inefficient.

Luckily, there are team-building exercises for small groups that can help. Read on for 15 ideas that’ll have your workers forming lasting connections.

15 Teamwork Exercises for Small Groups

1. Escape Room Challenge

Escape room challenges are perfect for small groups since they’re done in groups no bigger than four. Together, you have to work out clues to “escape” a room within a set time.

This doesn’t have to be in a physical escape room, either. There are also online ones that let you involve remote workers!

2. Murder Mystery Game

This is a classic “whodunnit” activity that’ll have everyone working their brains. Participants can even adopt their favorite Clue personas and live their best lives being Colonel Mustard or Miss Scarlett.

The point is that the team will have to work together to solve a fictional crime with the clues they’re given. Find the murderer and the murder weapon before it’s too late!

3. Blind Drawing

This is one of the best team-building exercises for small groups since you just need a pen and paper to play.

One person will think of an image and describe it to the person with the pen and paper. They’ll have to draw it without any other clues, which can result in some hilarious results.

4. Silent Line-Up

For communication team-building activities for small groups, this one is challenging since no one can speak. Instead, they’ll have to use non-verbal communication to line up in a specific order, such as by:

• Birth month and date
• Age
• Height

Silent Line-Up gives workers a chance to experience communication and teamwork without the need for words.

5. Memory Wall

Memory Wall can be fun, and it’ll make a lasting impression, too. In this activity, each person shares a positive memory about working with the team. They can write it out and/or illustrate the memory, and then everyone will take turns explaining. 

Afterward, after reminiscing on those fond memories, they can pin those memories on a section of a wall so everyone can see and remember them whenever they wish.

6. Lego Build-Off

Get in touch with your inner child by having a Lego Build-Off. Empty a bucket of these blocks on the floor and then set the timer. Everyone will have to build something creative within the time limit.

You can keep things simple by having an open-ended competition. Or you can set themes so participants have some direction and focus.

7. Paper Tower Challenge

This challenge will also take you back to your elementary school days. It’s a simple activity involving just paper and tape, but it’ll have each participant getting in touch with their competitive sides.

The goal is to make the tallest paper tower without it collapsing. Your employees will have to exercise their engineering knowledge, added in with a bit of luck.

8. Marshmallow Spaghetti Challenge

This one’s similar to the previous challenge, but with more silliness. It may sound like an odd combination, but competitors will use spaghetti, tape, string, and just one marshmallow for this activity.

Like with the Paper Tower Challenge, team members will have to build the tallest tower with the above materials. May the most creative person win!

9. Reverse Brainstorm

Typically, in a brainstorming session, we’ll try to come up with wonderful solutions to problems. But what if we did the opposite?

In Reverse Brainstorm, teams will think about how to make a problem worse. Then, they’ll reverse those ideas into solutions. As a result, they’ll explore avenues to problem-solving they never knew existed.

10. Commercial Pitch

We’ve all seen infomercials on TV before; they may be cheesy, but they’re certainly interesting!

Commercial Pitch is one of the most fun teamwork exercises for small groups since they get to create their own infomercials. Together, they’ll create and present an interesting commercial for a fake product.

Who knows, you might even happen upon a creation you want to pursue!

11. Two Truths and a Lie

This is a common party game, and for good reason. There’s an air of intrigue, where you’re giddy to learn what exactly someone has or hasn’t done.

You don’t have to play Two Truths and a Lie with actual personal facts though. You can make it more PG-13 by having participants limit the statements to workplace situations so it’s safer to play.

12. Compliment Circle

Has your day instantly felt brighter because someone said something nice about you? Well, that’s the power of a compliment. Now, imagine what could happen if you gave out compliments with a purpose!

Compliment Circle aims to do exactly that. Everyone will sit down and take turns giving genuine compliments to one another. When you recognize each person’s strengths, there’s nothing you can’t tackle together.

13. Minefield

As far as small group activities go, this one can be quite exciting! One person in the group is blindfolded, and the rest of the group has to guide them through an obstacle course.

Be careful, as you don’t want to risk injury to your teammate. It’ll take lots of trust and clear communication to get through.

14. Office Trivia

Office Trivia is excellent for presenting facts in an exciting and engaging way, as your workplace will be transformed into a game show stage.

Each “contestant” will get to compete by answering trivia questions about individuals and the company. You can even include inside jokes to keep people laughing.

15. Desk Safari

This game gives everyone the chance to have their goofy side shine.

One person will choose an image to hold up to the camera, such as an animal like a bunny. Everyone else will have to position their heads for a funny composite picture. We’ll bet that you won’t stop laughing long enough for a non-blurry picture!

Team-Building Exercises for Small Groups Are Super Effective!

If you’ve seen that your workforce isn’t gelling well, then it’s time to take action. Sometimes, it takes an outside force to get employees to mingle and strike up conversations.

The above team-building exercises for small groups can be a great place to start, as they motivate teams to work towards common goals. In the process, not only will they learn about one another, but also themselves.

If you’re interested in any of these small team-building activities or have ideas of your own, then request a quote from us today. Grupo Events can put together a special, fun-filled day here in Mexico for your company.