Team building activities are exercises designed to improve teamwork, communication, trust, and problem solving skills.
15-minute team building activities are short, simple activities that can be done during a quick break or as an icebreaker.
They help bring teams together and foster collaboration.
Here is a guide on 15-minute team building free activities for every team and their role in building teamwork in the workplace.
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Background on 15-Minute Team Building Activities
15-minute team building activities have many benefits for teams in the workplace:
- Break up routine and monotony.
- Energize and motivate teams.
- Improve communication and listening.
- Encourage creativity and thinking outside the box.
- Strengthen relationships and trust between team members.
- Identify strengths and weaknesses.
- Promote collaboration and teamwork.
These quick activities are great for morning meetings, after lunch, or as pick-me-ups during long meetings or projects.
They can be used with any team – cross-functional teams, project teams, departments, remote teams, and more.
The key is choosing activities that align with your team’s needs and dynamics. We hear this from customers that have ordered our full set of courses.
Maximizing 15-Minute Team Building Activities
To get the most out of short team building activities:
- Set objectives – What do you want to accomplish? (e.g. improve trust, spark creativity, etc).
- Pick activities that align with your goals and team.
- Explain the purpose of the activity to participants.
- Keep it simple – Avoid complex instructions or materials.
- Make it fun and energizing.
- Debrief after the activity to discuss takeaways.
- Be consistent – Use activities regularly to see ongoing benefits.
The ideal times to use 15-minute activities are at the start of meetings or projects, after lunch or coffee breaks, or when the team needs an energy boost.
The Value of 15-Minute Team Building Activities
While short, 15-minute team building activities offer many advantages:
- Require minimal time investment.
- Increase engagement, morale, and motivation.
- Improve working relationships and communication.
- Promote creativity and problem-solving.
- Identify team strengths and areas for improvement.
- Energize and inspire team members.
- Are fun and enjoyable for participants.
- Easy to implement regularly.
Features and Benefits of 15-Minute Team Building Activities
Features:
- Short duration (15 minutes or less).
- Minimal supplies/preparation needed.
- Simple instructions.
- Engaging and interactive.
- Variety – many options available.
- Can be done anytime/anywhere.
Benefits:
- Improve teamwork and collaboration.
- Strengthen trust and relationships.
- Spark creativity and innovation.
- Increase communication skills.
- Break up routine and monotony.
- Energize and motivate team members.
- Promote laughter and fun.
- Easy to make a regular habit.
5 Tips for Using 15-Minute Team Building Activities
- Set objectives – What do you want to accomplish?
- Pick activities suited for your team.
- Explain the purpose and rules.
- Keep it fun and positive.
- Debrief after to discuss takeaways.
5 Examples of 15-Minute Team Building Activities
- Two Truths and a Lie – Each person shares 3 statements about themselves – 2 true and 1 lie. The team guesses which statement is the lie. This helps team members learn interesting facts about each other.
- Drawing Game – Teams split into pairs. One person describes a simple picture while the other draws it without looking. This builds communication skills.
- Word Associations – One person says a random word. The next person has to say the first word that comes to mind. This sparks creativity and gets people thinking on their feet.
- Human Knot – The group stands in a circle and randomly grabs hands with others across from them, twisting and tying themselves into a “human knot”. They must then communicate and problem solve to untangle the knot.
- Categories – Call out a category like “ice cream flavors”. Team members take turns naming items that fit in the category until time runs out. This promotes quick thinking and teamwork.
Step-by-Step Instructions for 5 Activities
1. Two Truths and a Lie
- Gather in a circle.
- Each person shares 3 statements about themselves – 2 true statements and 1 lie.
- The statements should be interesting facts about their life, interests, accomplishments, etc.
- After each person shares their 3 statements, the rest of the group votes on which one they think is the lie.
- At the end, the person reveals which statement was the lie.
- This helps team members learn interesting things about each other.
2. Drawing Game
- Split into pairs – one “describer” and one “drawer”.
- The describer is given a simple image (a shape, animal, object, etc).
- Without revealing what it is, they describe it to the drawer, giving step-by-step verbal instructions on how to draw it.
- The drawer cannot look at the image – they can only draw what is described to them.
- This activity highlights communication, listening, and problem solving skills.
3. Word Associations
- Gather in a circle.
- One person starts by saying any random word that comes to mind.
- The person to their left has to quickly respond by saying the first word that the initial word makes them think of.
- Go around the circle with each person saying whatever word pops into their head based on the previous word said.
- The pace moves quickly to encourage fast thinking and creativity.
- See how long the chain can go within the time limit!
4. Human Knot
- Stand in a circle, shoulder to shoulder.
- Everyone puts their right hand up and grabs the hand of someone across the circle from them.
- Next, everyone puts their left hand up and grabs a different person’s hand across the circle.
- Without letting go, twist and turn and maneuver yourselves into one giant “human knot.”
- Communicate and problem solve to untangle the knot without letting go of hands.
5. Categories
- One person calls out a category – such as animals, food, cities, etc.
- Going around the circle, each person quickly names something that fits into the category.
- Challenge yourself to avoid repeating anything already said.
- When time is up, call out a new category and repeat.
- See how long the team can go naming unique items in each category.
Conclusion
Incorporating quick, 15-minute team building activities into the workday is an easy and effective way to increase collaboration, communication, creativity, identify problem statements, and morale among teams.
With minimal time and resources required, these activities can be done regularly to energize teams, strengthen relationships, and promote problem-solving skills.
There are many options to choose from – the key is picking activities suited for your team and its needs.
Even short team building exercises can yield meaningful benefits for workplace teams when done consistently.
Alternative activities include all tied up activity and the loop de loop activity for team workshops.
With 30+ years of experience, Catherine Fitzgerald, B.A., M.A., PGDip, founded Oak Innovation in 1995. Catherine received her Bachelor’s degree and Master’s from University College Cork. She holds qualifications in Professional Development And Training from University College Galway. She is completing a second Master’s from University College Cork. Since 1995, clients include Apple, Time Warner, and Harvard University.