critical thinking activities for team building

10 Critical Thinking Team Building Activities for Work

Are you looking for some critical thinking team building activities ?

Employees who can think critically and solve complex problems are valuable assets to any company. With this skill, they can objectively analyze data and make informed decisions.

This will ease your job as a leader, right?

In this article, let’s see 10 critical thinking activities for your employees.

What are the Main Benefits of Critical Thinking in the Workplace?

Critical thinking helps employees to assess situations accurately and make sound decisions. When it is incorporated into the workplace, it can help teams become more collaborative and productive. Moreover, they can think strategically under pressure.

Here are 10 activities that will help your teams develop their critical thinking skills:

#1. Debate It Out

This activity requires teams to debate a controversial topic and come to a consensus.

Time: You decide

Materials: None

Participants: 3-10 people per group

Instructions

• Break the participants into small groups and assign each group a controversial topic to debate.

• Give them some time to research their topics and discuss possible arguments.

• During the debate, encourage all group members to participate and cooperate while developing their arguments.

• Finally, each group should come up with a consensus.

Discuss how the groups reach a consensus. Ask them how they overcame disagreements to come to an agreement.

#2. The Challenge Quest

This activity requires employees to answer questions and solve puzzles to reach a common goal.

Materials: Questions, puzzles, and clues about the given subject.

Participants: 3-10 people in a team

• Break the participants into teams and give each one a set of questions, puzzles, and clues related to a given topic. For example, the topic could be sustainability in the workplace.

• Give the teams time to discuss and answer each question or puzzle.

• Once they’ve answered all the questions, they must come up with a plan to reach a common goal.

During the debrief, see how each team worked together and what strategies they used to solve the puzzles. Encourage them to think strategically and in an orderly manner.

#3. Fishbowl

This team building activity requires employees to come up with solutions to a given problem.

Materials: Questions, topics, and discussion prompts

Participants: 5-15 people per group

• Choose a person to be in the center of the circle that everyone else can see. Everyone else stands around them in a circle.

• Ask the group a question or provide a discussion prompt, and allow the person in the center to begin discussing their thoughts.

• Everyone else takes turns providing input and suggestions, helping the individual in the center reach a solution or conclusion.

Discuss how the group worked together to come up with ideas and solutions. Talk about what strategies were used, how people communicated, and any key points that came up during the discussion.

#4. Elimination Match

This exercise requires employees to use their strategic planning skills. Here groups must complete tasks quickly in order to win the game.

Time: 15-30 minutes

Materials: Cards with various tasks, such as creating a budget or developing a marketing plan

Participants: 5-10 people divided into teams of 2-3

• Ask teams to pick one card from the deck and assign each team the task indicated.

• Give them some time to complete their tasks.

• After the time is up, ask each team to present their results.

• Award points to the teams based on how well they completed the task, and choose the winner!

Discuss how each group planned and worked together to complete the task. Also, talk about the importance of thinking critically and strategically under pressure.

#5. Quick Brainstorming

In this activity, employees must quickly brainstorm ideas in order to come up with solutions.

Time: 5 minutes

Materials: Problem and discussion prompts

Participants: 4-10 people per team

• Initially, present a problem to the group. Next, give them 2-3 minutes to brainstorm as many solutions as possible.

• Have each team present their ideas.

• Ask the teams to discuss each solution and vote on the best one.

Have employees reflect on the ideas that were generated during the activity. Discuss how open and honest communication can help groups come up with creative solutions in a short amount of time.

#6. Creative Writing

This team building exercise encourages employees to think creatively while crafting a story.

Materials: Story prompts and writing utensils

Participants: 4-10 people in a group

• Give each group a short story or scenario to work with.

• Have the groups discuss potential plot points, character traits, and other creative aspects of the story.

• Each group should write the completed story collaboratively.

Evaluate the effectiveness of teamwork and recognize any biases or patterns noticed while writing the stories. Talk about how important it is to communicate openly and consider different perspectives while solving problems.

#7. The Exchange

This exercise requires teams to work together by exchanging and reallocating items.

Time: 10-20 minutes

Materials: Any items needed to complete the task such as cards, balls, puzzles, etc.

Participants: At least two teams of any size

• Give each team a different task to complete. For example, building the highest tower or creating the most complex puzzle.

• Provide a set of items to each team.

• Allow them to exchange items with the other teams until they have created their final product.

Evaluate the team members’ problem-solving abilities and recognize any biases that may have impacted their decisions. Also, assess what they learned about communication and collaboration during the exercise.

#8. Idea Generation Game

This team building activity encourages groups to think creatively by generating ideas for a particular challenge.

Time: 5-10 minutes

Materials: Any items needed to complete the task such as construction paper, tape, scissors, etc.

Participants: 3-10 members in a team

• Assign each team a set of items and ask them to come up with an innovative idea or invention using the materials provided.

• Encourage them to brainstorm and generate ideas with their team members.

• Allow each team to create prototypes or models of their idea if desired.

Evaluate the creative problem-solving skills displayed by team members. Also, identify any potential areas for improvement.

#9. The Case Study

This activity encourages employees to collaborate and think critically in order to solve a case study.

Materials: Case study, research materials, and discussion prompts

Participants: Any number of members per group

• Present the groups with a case study that requires critical thinking to solve.

• Provide them with research materials and discussion prompts to come up with solutions.

• Each group should present their findings and solutions to the other groups.

Assess how well the teams worked together, and evaluate their strategies for problem-solving. Also, discuss which solution was the most effective.

#10. Desert Survival

This exercise encourages employees to work together and think critically in order to survive in the desert.

Materials: A list of items, paper, and pen

Participants: Teams of 3-8 members

• Each team should assume that they are stuck in a desert. Their goal is to come up with solutions for survival.

• Now, provide a list of 10 items to each team. Some of the items can be food, shelter, water, etc.

• Instruct them to choose five items from the list that they value the most.

• After a few minutes, ask each team to present their solution.

• Award points to the teams based on how effectively they used the items to survive.

Discuss how the teams used their problem solving skills to come up with solutions and ask them what other strategies they could have used in this situation. Also, talk about the importance of being able to think critically and strategically under pressure.

Want Unique Team Building Exercises?

If you want some unique team building exercises for your employees, you can get my new e-book:

The Busy Leader’s Guide of Unique Team Building Activities: 30 Fully Customizable Exercises That You Can Conduct with Any Group of Employees, Anywhere

Final Words

Teams can enhance their critical thinking skills by taking part in the above-mentioned activities in a fun and collaborative environment. Since everyone has varying viewpoints, you must exercise patience and respect while exchanging ideas. Finally, conducting a debrief after each activity is essential to help everyone gain insight from the experience and incorporate it into future scenarios.

FAQ: Critical Thinking Team Building Activities

You might have these questions in mind.

What are critical thinking activities?

These are exercises that can help your teams to think outside the box and solve complex problems. They will help your employees work under pressure and make the right decisions.

What are some critical thinking 5-minute team building activities?

Some 5-minute activities that can help your employees think critically are Idea Generation Game, Quick Brainstorming, and The Challenge Quest.

How does improving critical thinking skills increase workplace performance?

Having good critical thinking skills helps employees think strategically and analyze data efficiently. They also become better problem solvers and are able to generate innovative solutions more quickly. All of this helps to improve overall workplace performance and productivity.

Like this article on “10 Critical Thinking Team Building Activities for Work”? Feel free to share your thoughts.

Educationise

11 Activities That Promote Critical Thinking In The Class

52 Critical Thinking Flashcards for Problem Solving

Critical thinking activities encourage individuals to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information to develop informed opinions and make reasoned decisions. Engaging in such exercises cultivates intellectual agility, fostering a deeper understanding of complex issues and honing problem-solving skills for navigating an increasingly intricate world. Through critical thinking, individuals empower themselves to challenge assumptions, uncover biases, and constructively contribute to discourse, thereby enriching both personal growth and societal progress.

Critical thinking serves as the cornerstone of effective problem-solving, enabling individuals to dissect challenges, explore diverse perspectives, and devise innovative solutions grounded in logic and evidence. For engaging problem solving activities, read our article problem solving activities that enhance student’s interest.

What is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is a 21st-century skill that enables a person to think rationally and logically in order to reach a plausible conclusion. A critical thinker assesses facts and figures and data objectively and determines what to believe and what not to believe. Critical thinking skills empower a person to decipher complex problems and make impartial and better decisions based on effective information.

Importance of Acquiring Critical Thinking Skills

Acquiring critical thinking skills was never as valuable as it is today because of the prevalence of the modern knowledge economy. Today, information and technology are the driving forces behind the global economy. To keep pace with ever-changing technology and new inventions, one has to be flexible enough to embrace changes swiftly.

Read our article: How to Foster Critical Thinking Skills in Students? Creative Strategies and Real-World Examples

Today critical thinking skills are one of the most sought-after skills by the companies. In fact, critical thinking skills are paramount not only for active learning and academic achievement but also for the professional career of the students. The lack of critical thinking skills catalyzes memorization of the topics without a deeper insight, egocentrism, closed-mindedness, reduced student interest in the classroom and not being able to make timely and better decisions.

Benefits of Critical Thinking Skills in Education

Certain strategies are more eloquent than others in teaching students how to think critically. Encouraging critical thinking in the class is indispensable for the learning and growth of the students. In this way, we can raise a generation of innovators and thinkers rather than followers. Some of the benefits offered by thinking critically in the classroom are given below:

It allows a student to decipher problems and think through the situations in a disciplined and systematic manner
Through a critical thinking ability, a student can comprehend the logical correlation between distinct ideas
The student is able to rethink and re-justify his beliefs and ideas based on facts and figures
Critical thinking skills make the students curious about things around them
A student who is a critical thinker is creative and always strives to come up with out of the box solutions to intricate problems
Critical thinking skills assist in the enhanced student learning experience in the classroom and prepares the students for lifelong learning and success
The critical thinking process is the foundation of new discoveries and inventions in the world of science and technology
The ability to think critically allows the students to think intellectually and enhances their presentation skills, hence they can convey their ideas and thoughts in a logical and convincing manner
Critical thinking skills make students a terrific communicator because they have logical reasons behind their ideas

Critical Thinking Lessons and Activities

11 Activities that Promote Critical Thinking in the Class

We have compiled a list of 11 activities that will facilitate you to promote critical thinking abilities in the students. We have also covered problem solving activities that enhance student’s interest in our another article. Click here to read it.

1. Worst Case Scenario

Divide students into teams and introduce each team with a hypothetical challenging scenario. Allocate minimum resources and time to each team and ask them to reach a viable conclusion using those resources. The scenarios can include situations like stranded on an island or stuck in a forest. Students will come up with creative solutions to come out from the imaginary problematic situation they are encountering. Besides encouraging students to think critically, this activity will enhance teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills of the students.

Read our article: 10 Innovative Strategies for Promoting Critical Thinking in the Classroom

2. If You Build It

It is a very flexible game that allows students to think creatively. To start this activity, divide students into groups. Give each group a limited amount of resources such as pipe cleaners, blocks, and marshmallows etc. Every group is supposed to use these resources and construct a certain item such as building, tower or a bridge in a limited time. You can use a variety of materials in the classroom to challenge the students. This activity is helpful in promoting teamwork and creative skills among the students.

It is also one of the classics which can be used in the classroom to encourage critical thinking. Print pictures of objects, animals or concepts and start by telling a unique story about the printed picture. The next student is supposed to continue the story and pass the picture to the other student and so on.

4. Keeping it Real

In this activity, you can ask students to identify a real-world problem in their schools, community or city. After the problem is recognized, students should work in teams to come up with the best possible outcome of that problem.

5. Save the Egg

Make groups of three or four in the class. Ask them to drop an egg from a certain height and think of creative ideas to save the egg from breaking. Students can come up with diverse ideas to conserve the egg like a soft-landing material or any other device. Remember that this activity can get chaotic, so select the area in the school that can be cleaned easily afterward and where there are no chances of damaging the school property.

6. Start a Debate

In this activity, the teacher can act as a facilitator and spark an interesting conversation in the class on any given topic. Give a small introductory speech on an open-ended topic. The topic can be related to current affairs, technological development or a new discovery in the field of science. Encourage students to participate in the debate by expressing their views and ideas on the topic. Conclude the debate with a viable solution or fresh ideas generated during the activity through brainstorming.

7. Create and Invent

This project-based learning activity is best for teaching in the engineering class. Divide students into groups. Present a problem to the students and ask them to build a model or simulate a product using computer animations or graphics that will solve the problem. After students are done with building models, each group is supposed to explain their proposed product to the rest of the class. The primary objective of this activity is to promote creative thinking and problem-solving skills among the students.

8. Select from Alternatives

This activity can be used in computer science, engineering or any of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) classes. Introduce a variety of alternatives such as different formulas for solving the same problem, different computer codes, product designs or distinct explanations of the same topic.

Form groups in the class and ask them to select the best alternative. Each group will then explain its chosen alternative to the rest of the class with reasonable justification of its preference. During the process, the rest of the class can participate by asking questions from the group. This activity is very helpful in nurturing logical thinking and analytical skills among the students.

9. Reading and Critiquing

Present an article from a journal related to any topic that you are teaching. Ask the students to read the article critically and evaluate strengths and weaknesses in the article. Students can write about what they think about the article, any misleading statement or biases of the author and critique it by using their own judgments.

In this way, students can challenge the fallacies and rationality of judgments in the article. Hence, they can use their own thinking to come up with novel ideas pertaining to the topic.

10. Think Pair Share

In this activity, students will come up with their own questions. Make pairs or groups in the class and ask the students to discuss the questions together. The activity will be useful if the teacher gives students a topic on which the question should be based.

For example, if the teacher is teaching biology, the questions of the students can be based on reverse osmosis, human heart, respiratory system and so on. This activity drives student engagement and supports higher-order thinking skills among students.

11. Big Paper – Silent Conversation

Silence is a great way to slow down thinking and promote deep reflection on any subject. Present a driving question to the students and divide them into groups. The students will discuss the question with their teammates and brainstorm their ideas on a big paper. After reflection and discussion, students can write their findings in silence. This is a great learning activity for students who are introverts and love to ruminate silently rather than thinking aloud.

Finally, for students with critical thinking, you can go to GS-JJ.co m to customize exclusive rewards, which not only enlivens the classroom, but also promotes the development and training of students for critical thinking.

Read our next article: 10 Innovative Strategies for Promoting Critical Thinking in the Classroom

A Short Guide to Building Your Team’s Critical Thinking Skills

Matt Plummer

critical thinking activities for team building

Critical thinking isn’t an innate skill. It can be learned.

Most employers lack an effective way to objectively assess critical thinking skills and most managers don’t know how to provide specific instruction to team members in need of becoming better thinkers. Instead, most managers employ a sink-or-swim approach, ultimately creating work-arounds to keep those who can’t figure out how to “swim” from making important decisions. But it doesn’t have to be this way. To demystify what critical thinking is and how it is developed, the author’s team turned to three research-backed models: The Halpern Critical Thinking Assessment, Pearson’s RED Critical Thinking Model, and Bloom’s Taxonomy. Using these models, they developed the Critical Thinking Roadmap, a framework that breaks critical thinking down into four measurable phases: the ability to execute, synthesize, recommend, and generate.

With critical thinking ranking among the most in-demand skills for job candidates , you would think that educational institutions would prepare candidates well to be exceptional thinkers, and employers would be adept at developing such skills in existing employees. Unfortunately, both are largely untrue.

Matt Plummer (@mtplummer) is the founder of Zarvana, which offers online programs and coaching services to help working professionals become more productive by developing time-saving habits. Before starting Zarvana, Matt spent six years at Bain & Company spin-out, The Bridgespan Group, a strategy and management consulting firm for nonprofits, foundations, and philanthropists.

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10 Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking

10 Team-building games for critical thinking | Future Education Magazine

Students may improve their capabilities in critical thinking and other skills that will help them be successful in the contemporary job by participating in Team-building games for critical thinking. Students who value collaboration (and who will go on to become employers!) have higher levels of motivation and creativity.

It is common knowledge that kids like collaborating in groups very lot. Why don’t we make it into a game instead? Games are often a better option than brain training activities for helping children develop lateral thinking. However, brain training activities may be employed. Implementing these strategies in your classes can help students become more critical thinkers and more successful collaborators.

Here are 10 Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking;

1. minefield.

Minefield Team-building games for critical thinking is a time-honored exercise that has been shown to foster better communication and a sense of trust among participants of all ages. It requires the construction of an obstacle course as well as the grouping of the students into different teams. Students take turns navigating the “minefield” while wearing blindfolds and relying only on the support of their classmates to find their way. You might also encourage kids to use certain terms or hints in order to make it more challenging for them or to utilize information that is related to the topic in order to make it more interesting to them.

2. If You Build it

This exercise in establishing teams may easily be adapted to fit your needs. To get started, separate the children into teams and give each group an equal quantity of a certain substance. Some examples of this material are pipe cleaners, bricks, dried spaghetti, and marshmallows.

After that, you should assign them a project to work on. The challenge may take on a variety of forms, such as “which team can build the biggest castle that is also structurally sound?” Which side has the capacity to build the greatest number of castles in the least period of time? You may recycle this exercise throughout the year by modifying the challenge or the resources to correspond to other subject areas in the curriculum.

3. It’s a Mystery

Since many children, especially younger ones, like a good mystery, why not challenge them to solve it in a way that encourages them to collaborate with one another? It would be helpful to offer each child a numbered clue. The youngsters need to cooperate in order to find the answers to the clues in order to allow themselves enough time to solve the mystery, such as the case of the missing mascot. It’s possible that in order to solve the “case,” they’ll need to go about the room and look in other areas for additional clues.

Zoom team-building games for critical thinking is an old standby when it comes to games for constructing teams, and the many advantages that come with playing the game make it even more interesting. The children are seated in a circle, and one child gives each child an image of an item from Zoom.

The game begins with one child relating a story based on the image that they are holding, and the next student continues the story from where the previous student left off. The game helps youngsters improve their creativity, critical thinking, and communication abilities by compelling them to create the tales on the spot and challenging them to think critically about what they’ve written.

5. Save the Egg

During this team-building games for critical thinking, each team of three or four persons will have the opportunity to drop their egg from a certain height. They need to devise strategies that will prevent the egg from cracking while it is in the air. They are free to use whatever items or apparatus of their choosing to effect a soft landing for the egg or to guarantee that it settles in an unharmed state.

Because this one has the potential to get ugly, it is essential to choose a site that is risk-free and where no one will be worried about hurting valuable school property.

6. marshmallows-game

7. Go for Gold

The teams compete to achieve the same objective in this Team-building games for critical thinking, which is similar to the game “If you create it,” but rather than having the same resources, the teams have access to a huge quantity. For instance, the objective may be to construct, consisting of pipes, rubber tubing, and cardboard, a machine that, with the only assistance of gravity, can move a marble from point A to point B in a certain number of stages.

Although learning through textbooks is essential, teachers also have a responsibility to ensure that pupils can interact effectively with one another. Exercises that focus on fostering a sense of teamwork are an effective way to do this, and there is no sign that this fad will ever die out.

8. Keep it Real

Because it is founded on a straightforward concept that encourages conversation and problem-solving, this open-ended model functions as an efficient examination tool for students. Give the students the mission to identify and address a genuine issue that exists in their own schools or communities. For the purpose of assisting youngsters in defining their own boundaries, some restrictions, such as time limits, material limits, and physical limitations, might be put on them.

9. Shrinking Vessel

Critical thinking may be tough to understand after undergoing brain training, but after participating in exciting Team-building games for critical thinking like the shrinking vessel, it quickly becomes second nature. The participants will first be split up into smaller groups to begin the exercise. Every group is going to have to coordinate their efforts so that they can fit into a smaller and smaller area until there is no more room. Cones or a rope might be used to define the perimeter of the area. Playing this game will teach you how to collaborate with others to find solutions to challenges.

10. The Worst-Case Scenario

Students are split up into two or more groups, and each of those groups is given a tough scenario to solve. Some examples of these scenarios include being abandoned on a barren island or becoming lost at sea. They are then given the instruction to collaborate with one another within their teams in order to find a solution to the challenge and ultimately emerge triumphant. The children have to come up with a strategy in order to guarantee that everyone will live through the worst-case scenario.

In this particular situation, the students may be quizzed about the things that they will need in order to do the task, in addition to any other passages that they may come across. The fact that youngsters are required to cooperate with one another helps in the development of their ability to solve problems and teaches them the importance of working together as a team through Team-building games for critical thinking.

Bottom line

To achieve the highest productivity at work, Team-building games for critical thinking are conducted in distinct corporate games. However, these games can boost efficiency in the study if undertaken in a classroom atmosphere. They help students to break the monotony in the learning environment. We hope our blog helped you to get new ideas regarding Team-building games for critical thinking. You can implement them in your next session within the classroom.

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Games Promoting Collaborative Critical Thinking: Top 10

Fun Team Building Games To Improve Team Collaboration

While working in a business organization, employees have to come together, collaborate their efforts, indulge in critical thinking and ensure meeting common goals. Like any other organization, a business or a company is basically an amalgamation of employees who come together from diverse backgrounds, with different capabilities and skillsets to pursue common organizational goals. It is not uncommon to find some issues and problems that deter them from collaborating with each other. If the work environment becomes too negative and vitiating, it has a direct impact on the productivity and work performance of the employees. Companies must take some proactive action lest this situation gets out of hand leaving a detrimental impact on the company’s productivity and bottom line. Organizing team building games from time to time can help employees come together and indulge in collaborative critical thinking. Here, we bring you the top 10 games can help in this endeavor.

Triggertronics

It is an exciting and interesting challenge where the team has to come together and solve simple tasks in complicated ways. The challenge is based on Rube Goldberg’s Concept. The teams are given materials required to meet this challenge. They have to make use of the sequential trigger effect. The team participants have to collaborate their efforts and indulge in intuitive thinking thereby creating a self-running mechanism.

Gigsaw Challenge

In this challenge, the team is entrusted with the task of making a gigantic jigsaw by putting together a lot of jigsaw puzzles in such a way that it comes out to be meaningful. Each individual team is given a canvas to work on and they have to collectively come together to create an artwork that may symbolically depict the vision of an organization or simply create an abstract theme. The masterpiece of each team is then combined into a giant picture. Each team has to collaborate and has to contribute to the larger picture, the teams gain and learn a lot in terms of perspective.

Beat Box Challenge

It is a musical group activity where team members come together and learn a new skill. The best part of this activity is that there are no instruments and no musicians. The team participants have to beatbox or make use of their mouth to create music and perform together with close collaboration. They come together to learn a few beatbox sounds and come up with a specific beatbox rhythm. This activity encourages them to come together and collaborate with each other to create amazing music.

Pyramid Building

As part of this challenge, the team comes together to build a giant-sized pyramid. To complete the activity, a lot of planning and flawless execution is required. The team is given materials, tools, and instructions to complete this activity. Random material is used to create a pyramid. After each team build its pyramid, these are decorated with an organization’s name or logo, using brand colors and messages. Finally, the pyramids of each team are brought together and a giant pyramid is built with collaborative efforts and critical thinking.

Remoto Car Challenge

This is a fun activity where the team not only collaborates but competes to emerge as a winner. They have to work together to build bridges forming a circuit where remote cars can be raced. The team participants have to don their thinking hats and build a robust bridge that can at least sustain the weight of two racing cars. This activity requires close collaboration and critical thinking that ensures stability and strength of the pillars. The high point of this activity is the car race where all team cars race to reach the checkered flag.

Drum Jam Session

It is a music-based activity. This drum jam session help team members to enjoy, have fun and reduce stress. The energetic beating of djembe, a percussion instrument results in a rush of energy that leaves everyone overwhelmed and excited. The ‘unseen’ barriers seem to break down and the team comes together to form a strong bond. The hypnotic drumbeats fill the environment with energy and excitement that is unmatched to anything else. Music is rightly considered as the best healer and the perfect way to bring people closer to each other.

This challenge is based on the famous MasterChef-style challenge where teams are created, each entrusted with the task of cooking a 5-course meal. Each team has to prepare one dish and this task has to be completed within the stipulated timeline. It is very critical to manage time efficiently and effectively else the team has to go hungry. A five-star chef encourages the team to give their best and which results in more pressure on the teams to do a good job.

Junkyard Sales

As the name suggests, in this activity, teams come together to create something functional out of waste or junk that is of no use. The teams are assigned with junk items like paint boxes, plastic bottles, and many other scrap items. Once the material is received, the team spend some time thinking about how to put the junk stuff to its best use. They not only have to design but also build a functional product that is sturdy, presentable and can be put to better use. Collaborative efforts and some critical thinking can transform even junk stuff into something of utility.

Beat The Trash

This is another activity that is a perfect example of how collaborative efforts and critical thinking can help in transforming junk into music. Urban wastes of every day are used to build music instruments creating a junkyard masterpiece. With growing concern about environmental conservation, and the need to follow the principle of reducing, reuse, and recycle, daily waste items like bottles, water cans, pipes, etc., is used to create music. Once the instruments are created, the team perform together, and it is a sight to behold and music to ears.

Raft Building

This activity is based on rescue efforts taken by a team that is stuck at an island with very limited supplies. The only way to get out of this situation is by building a raft that takes them to the mainland. The raft must be built using limited materials and must be strong enough to carry 4-6 people of each team to a certain distance. The activity requires close collaboration and critical thinking to complete the activity.

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For more interesting team building activities, visit Trebound .

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5 Team Building Games For Adults That Teach Critical Thinking Skills

Team building games are not only fun; they break the monotony of daily routines and help us to develop valuable skills. Some games help us to acquire critical thinking skills, which make us productive and increase our output in the workplace. Corporate training through critical thinking games is beneficial for both small and established organizations because it fosters trust and problem-solving skills among the employees. Brain training activities are quite common; however, critical thinking games are much better if you want to teach skills faster.

So keep reading on and learn if you want to learn a 5 new games for boosting critical thinking in your team.

Why Team Building Activities are Important

The leading organizations know the importance of corporate training. A business can either succeed or fail, depending on the ability of its employees. Regular training inculcates relevant skills and knowledge to the workers who in turn use it to boost production.

Team building activities improve work relations, therefore creating a conducive working environment. Working together to solve different problems shows the employees that they need each other to reach their organization’s goals. This knowledge is applied in the office as each one understands how to work with different individuals and talents.

Team building activities also allow employees to socialize, network, and get to know each other. Making friends in the workplace is the first step to increasing productivity. Employees can work together to solve problems. This is the moment when critical thinking games step in: a common goal to achieve in a playful format brings out each team members’ stregths.

When employees work together in team building games, they celebrate and have fun together, which inspires them to work harder and win more. Cheering and supporting each other in these activities promotes team bonding and motivates them to rise to the next level. Working together also promotes creativity and innovation. This is why critical thinking activities for employees need to be planned ahead and implemented withing your company.

Create games, self-guided and audio tours, team building events and educational content that captures peoples' attention.

Teaching critical thinking through team building games for adults

The good thing about corporate training and team building games is that they equip you with knowledge in and out of office. The following team building games will teach you critical thinking skills while having fun:

1. If You Build It

This critical thinking game for adults is not only simple, but it’s also flexible – this means that anybody can participate. The game starts when the teams are divided into small groups, given equal amounts of different materials, such as building blocks, pipes, or even marshmallows. The teams are assigned a task that involves construction. This can either be to build the tallest structure, for instance, a castle. The groups should work together until they come up with the required structure. This game inculcates problem-solving and communication skills.

Zoom is an exciting game that can be used both in the classroom and to foster cooperation in the workplace. The team sits or stands in a circle, and each is given a unique picture of an animal, object, or other items. To make it more exciting, the instructor starts a unique story then the next member continues the story following the picture provided. This team building game inculcates creative collaboration skills for adults and children alike. You can get more critical thinking and other games for Zoom here.

3. Shrinking Vessel

Critical thinking can be difficult to master with brain training; however, with fun team building games such as shrinking vessel, it becomes effortless. The activity starts with dividing members into small teams. Each group has to work together to fit into a shrinking space until; there is no room in between. The boundary can be made of cones or a rope. This game equips you with teamwork and problem-solving skills .

4. It’s a Mystery

Many people love a good mystery, and this can be exciting when people work in groups. In this critical thinking game for adults, each team member is given a numbered clue. In order to solve this mystery, for instance, if you are told to find the missing eggs, teams must work together following the clues in order. Solving this case might require the groups to move around to uncover more clues to solve the mystery. This game is important because it teaches you problem-solving and communication.

5. The Worst-Case Scenario

The objective of this activity is to foster teamwork. In this case, every team has to collaborate to come up with a list of must-have items in extreme circumstances. The members are divided into smaller groups; then the instructor explains an example of the worst scenario. For instance, one group could have a scenario where they are stuck in a burning house or a hijacked plane. Each group has to decide on 5 or 10 must-have items to get them to safety. The decision to choose the items must be unanimous. Among critical thinking games this activity draws out everyone’s personalities, expert knowledge and helps to prioritize.

Some managers don’t give them the attention they deserve, choosing to concentrate only on work itself, however, team building activities are important because they break the monotony and equip employees with relevant skills. Especially in the form of critical thinking games for adults, which are created with the purpose of training participants into making better decisions. These activities are beneficial to both the workers and the organization, and this boosts the output and productivity.

Waiting game for virtual meetings is a bonus in our list of games for critical thinking. This game needs input from people with different skills and knowledge base. Common goal to clean the gameboard and reveal hidden picture gets everyone talking. Logical puzzles promote discussion and breaks silence!

We hope you enjoyed this list of critical thinking team building activities and manage to implement some of them in your organization!

Authors Bio Hazel is an entrepreneur at heart and has built a regionally recognized and successful multi-million dollar businesses – Biz Group , starting the company in 1993 with just $700. The group now employs 62 professionals and provides services in the fields of design and delivery of corporate training, teambuilding, meeting facilitation and organizational health through culture and engagement.

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Skill-based team building

5 critical thinking team building activities for adults [research-based]

This just in: Critical thinking is one of the top 10 job skills of the future.

While that's not entirely shocking, most leaders aren't sure how to develop critical thinking. If you're one of those people, we've compiled five activities that will sharpen your team's skills and bring them closer together.

Dive deeper: Reverse-engineering Google - Team building for high-performance teams.

How employers see critically thinking employees

Thanks to critical thinking, you can stand out during the recruitment process and excel throughout your career. But what makes a powerful workplace critical thinker?

In 2020, the Journal of Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues (JESI) published a phenomenography study dedicated to an average employer's expectations from their workers .

It identified 3 most-valued "categories" of critical thinking at the workplace :

Decisions to act here and now. Quick decision-making makes problem-solving and crisis management easier. To master this type of critical thinking, you need to take responsibility for your actions and opinions.
Verified and assured decisions to act. Here, team players driven by the company's values stand out. Learn to manage conflicts, highlight each others' strengths, and work as a team for the good of the organization.
Innovative decisions for operational improvement. This aspect of critical thinking encourages you to work with others and socialize, finding solutions that will improve the existing processes in your company.

As you can imagine, it's pretty difficult to come up with a training that would cover all three specifics at once. Instead, work on each of the critical thinking categories on their own.

Anna Kvasnevska

Team Building Expert & Writer

Large groups

Prep required

Share fun facts and bond with a team quiz

Have your participants choose from a list of questions they’d like their coworkers to answer about them, before watching as they guess the right answer.

share-fun-facts-and-bond-with-a-team-quiz

Run a guided recognition activity

run-a-guided-recognition-activity

Organize a virtual cooking class

Hire a professional chef to help your team cook a delicious lunch or dinner. May be difficult for co-workers with families. To find providers and get tips, read our blog about virtual cooking classes.

organize-a-virtual-cooking-class

Hire a stand-up comedian

hire-a-stand-up-comedian

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Critical thinking team building games to practice acting here and now.

According to the JESI research, this type of critical thinking directly relates to your internal inspiration and courage. You need to believe that what you decide is right and act accordingly .

Classical team building activities like survival simulation and escape rooms are perfect for this practice.

1. Take part in survival simulation activities

Survival simulation challenges your on-the-spot decision-making. This type of exercise puts you in situations where you need to think fast as if your life depends on it.

2. Go to an escape room

Carefully scripted challenges of modern escape rooms work similarly to the survival simulations. It forces you to act here and now, knowing that your decisions will affect the rest of the team.

This kind of team building is perfect for remote teams , as you can do the most sophisticated escape rooms online !

Critical thinking team building activities for adults who want to make verified decisions

This type of employer-oriented critical thinking helps you understand professional activities better. Here, it's not just about finding the right solution. Instead, it's about discovering as many solutions as possible and justifying them .

Try team building activities dedicated to research and group problem-solving, like the timely classics: SWOT analysis or group debates.

3. Make a SWOT analysis together

SWOT analysis is a popular marketing framework for analyzing a project's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. It encourages research, outside-of-the-box reasoning, and teamwork. So it also makes a fruitful critical-thinking team building experience!

4. Hold a debate

Another great way to practice making verified decisions is by holding a debate-style team building event. This way, you'll get valuable experience backing up your statements with facts. Also, you will practice public speaking and argumentation - the other two highly-valued professional skills.

Build engaged teams with zero effort

Critical thinking team building activities to promote innovation.

You can use critical thinking to drive innovation and change. Innovators feel safe sharing their ideas and are ready to become leaders . For this, focus on team building activities that promote communication , creativity, and empathy .

There are many team building activities for work that promote these behaviors. But today, we wanted to share the one that encourages innovation particularly well:

5. Create a vision board with your team

Think of a company you'd be proud to represent. Brainstorm the values it stands for. Present the opportunities it opens for the employees and the clients. Highlight the good things you already have. And think about what you could do as a team to turn it into reality.

This powerful team building exercise works on many levels:

It allows you to appreciate the benefits you may be taking for granted ;
It demonstrates what goals and values you share with your team ;
It creates a sense of direction for the positive impact you could have on the company;
It promotes creativity, critical thinking, and trust among the participants.

All these critical thinking team building activities work for remote teams as well as the on-site ones and are affordable ! All you need is a reliable virtual conference platform (like Veertly !) and some of the must-have software to make your online team building feel like a face-to-face one.

Have fun and drive the change you want to see!

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10 team building games that stimulate critical thinking in students.

A sure-shot way to groom the next generation for education is to promote critical thinking. Yes, there’s a lot to learn in terms of curriculum and textbooks, but education is more than that. Other skills that include how to get along with peers and work well with others must be honed too. This is not something that can be cultured through memorization or with strategically placed posters.

Cooperating and peer engagement should be practiced by students in order to improve social dynamics.

Here are ten team building games that promote cooperation and communication to establish a positive environment in the classroom along with a fun reprieve from a monotonous schedule.

This activity is more suitable for older children who can follow safety instructions as it can get messy working with raw eggs. The aim of this exercise is to find a way to save the egg in a creative collaboration. It could involve finding a soft landing spot or creating a device that could guide the egg safely to the ground. There’s a lot of space for the children’s creativity along with problem-solving abilities to kick in.

2. Minefield

Another classic team-building game, Minefield builds communication and trust among the students. It includes the arrangement of some sort of obstacle course and divides students into teams. Students take turns piloting the “minefield” while blindfolded, with only the guidance of their teammates to steer them. To make it more interesting, you could also ask students to use certain words or clues to make it challenging or content-area specific.

Zoom is a standard schoolroom cooperative game that promotes communication and creative collaboration. The students must simply form a circle and each must take a unique picture of an object, animal or anything else. A story is then introduced which must incorporate whatever happens to be on their assigned photo. The next student continues the story, incorporating their photo, and so on.

4. The Worst-Case Scenario

In this game, a scenario must be fabricated in which students would need to work together and solve problems to succeed. For example, being stranded on a deserted island or getting lost at sea. They must work together to create a solution that ensures everyone arrives safely. This instills better communication and problem-solving. You could ask them to come up with a list of 10 must-have items that would help them most, or a creative passage to safety. Everyone must agree to the final solution, therefore you should encourage them to vote.

5. If You Build It

A flexible game that encourages communication and problem-solving, the ‘If you build it’ activity can be reused throughout the year by changing the materials to specific content areas. Divide the students into teams and give them equal amounts of material like blocks or dried up spaghetti or marshmallows. Using these materials, the students must construct something as a team. It could be a building or a castle or a car, for that matter.

6. A Shrinking Vessel

In addition to teamwork, this game requires a good deal of strategy. The rules might seem simple but it is deceptive in that aspect. With a good amount of creativity, and problem-solving, the entire group must figure out a way to fit in a space that shrinks over time, until there’s no room left. The boundary can be formed using a rope, a blanket or small traffic cones.

7. It’s a Mystery

Who doesn’t love a good mystery? Designing one that requires the students to hone their problem-solving skills and their communication game, will, in turn, promote cooperation. Each student gets a numbered clue, which would entail them to work together to solve the clues in order. To make it more engaging, the mystery could be devised in such a way, that the students could move from one area to the next, uncovering clues along the way.

8. 4-Way Tug-of-War

Including a little sportsmanship in a teamwork classic, this game is reasonable and easy to implement. To make it more interesting, the ropes must be tied in such a way that three to four teams must participate to tug at once. Another variation could be that some teams could eliminate other teams in a classic tug of war before going head to head.

9. Keep it Real

A simple concept that advocates communication and problem-solving, this open-ended model serves as an excellent test to students. Challenge students to detect and compliantly solve a real problem in their schools or communities. Certain strictures like the time limit, materials, and physical boundaries could be set to help the students gauge their bounds.

10. Go for Gold

Similar to ‘If you build it,’ the teams in this game have a common objective, but instead of having access to only one material, they have a whole supply of materials to choose from. Steps can be devised by teams to create a machine or something that would need some creative collaboration and communication on the student’s part.

Textbook education has its importance, but educators must ensure that students are engaging with each other in eloquent ways. Team-building exercises are a great way to help a child open up their creative side and kick start those wheels that could add to their skill sets.

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Top 7 Team Building Games That Promotes Critical Thinking

Workforce collaboration is nothing but strength to achieve great things with united efforts and mutual trust among individuals. Team building games are fun activities that help to break the pattern of a monotonous daily routine. Some games help in acquiring critical thinking skills, which make individuals productive and increase their output in the workplace. In the same context, educational institutions develop future employees. A sure-shot method to groom the next generation for education is to foster critical thinking. Yes, we know that there’s a lot to learn in terms of curriculum and textbooks, but education is more than that. Other skills that include how to get along with peers and cooperate well with others must be sharpened too. This isn’t something that can be refined through memorization or with strategically placed banners.

Teamwork should be practiced by students and employees to improve social dynamics . Team building exercises are a step in that direction as they permit the students to work together in tandem. This allows them to be better prepared for the situations and eventually encounter in the workplace as well. Let us have a look at some of the team-building games that can help in promoting critical thinking:

1. Egg Drop This activity is more suitable for older kids who can follow safety guidelines as it can get messy working with raw eggs. This activity aims to find a method to save the egg in a creative collaboration. It could involve finding a soft landing spot or constructing a device that could guide the egg safely to the ground. There’s a lot of space for the creativity of children along with problem-solving abilities to kick in.

2. The Worst-case Scenario Students are divided into two or more teams and each team is given a problematic scenario, like getting lost in the middle of a sea or being stranded on a deserted island. Then they are asked to work together in their teams to solve the given situation and come out successfully. The kids need to find a solution in which everyone arrives safely out of that worst-case scenario. In this case, children can be asked to think of the items that they must use in such a scenario or consider any other passages that they can find and use. Since kids are required to work together, it caters to developing their problem-solving skills and makes them learn the importance of cooperation in teams.

3. Zoom Zoom is an exciting game used in the classroom to foster cooperation in the workplace. The team sits or stands in a circle, and each team is given a unique picture of an animal, object, or other items. To make it more exciting, the teacher or instructor begins a unique story then the next member continues the story following the picture provided.

4. Dare to be different There are various real-world situations in which individuals must use out-of-the-box thinking to come up with solutions to common problems. ‘Dare to be different’ encourages children to think outside of the box to solve a problem together. Introduce a basic concept and then ask the children to come up with an unconventional solution. For example, a group has to eat Burrito without making a mess. This will enhance critical thinking in individuals.

5. It’s a mystery No one can deny the fact that children love solving mysteries and puzzles. Thus, designing a good mystery game can help them in staying engaged. The instructor gives every child a clue with a number. The mystery-solving begins with children coordinating with each other. They get clues from each successive number and this leads them to the final solution. We believe that such games promote a fun-filled learning environment that teaches adults the importance of accountability and enhances productivity.

Conclusion It might take some trial and error to figure out which team-building games are the best fit for your students or employees.

Don’t get discouraged if some games don’t go as well as you expected them to be. Simply keep trying different critical thinking games, observing the ones that are the most effective.

While education technology is a basic and essential part of the 21st-century classroom, teachers must still make sure that students are engaging with each other in meaningful ways. Team building games are a great method of doing this, so they can never go out of style. Taking examples from these childhood games, employees can get better at their productivity and output.

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12 Mind-Blowing Team Building Exercises To Supercharge Teams

Senior Writer for HR and Remote Work

12 Mind-Blowing Team Building Exercises To Supercharge Teams

Amidst the flurry of activity that is common to a busy workplace, it’s easy for staff to become isolated from their colleagues, and interpersonal relationships often take a hit at the workplace. Team building exercises are one of the best solutions for this kind of disconnect. By introducing games and challenges that promote cohesion and camaraderie, teams interact with each other more often, stay more productive, and happy. In this post, we’ve put together 12 different activities to boost morale and improve working relationships, ranging from critical-thinking exercises like brain teasers and murder mysteries to collaborative puzzles like escape rooms.

In this blog

1. why are team building exercises essential in workplaces.

Team building exercises for work colleagues promote functional communication, providing the scaffolding for more effective working relationships. By creating a sense of trust and unity, they encourage employees to have open, frank discussions with one another that can ultimately speed up the process of finding solutions to any project issues that arise.

2. Team Building Exercises for Bonding

2.1. human knot.

The Human Knot is one of the most popular team building exercises because it’s simple to explain and requires no prep of any kind. The activity generally takes about 15 to 20 minutes and can only be performed in person, rather than virtually.

Divide everyone up into groups of between 5 and 10 people. Have each group stand in a circle, then ask them to reach out their right hand to clasp the right hand of another person. Now ask them to reach out their left hand to grasp a different person’s left hand. Once that’s done, each group must try to untangle themselves without releasing the hands they are holding.

This game develops clear communication and group discussion, as it’s impossible to untangle everybody without cooperation. It’s also an interesting way to probe which members of staff are good at solving spatial problems and which ones are naturally inclined towards assuming a leadership role.

2.2. Gutterball

Also known as the Pipeline game , gutterball is a fast-paced game that can take as little as a minute or as long as 10 minutes, depending on the level of difficulty. It does require specific equipment, but this can be cheaply purchased online .

Divide everyone up into teams of about 5 people and give each person a piece of gutter pipe, as well as one ball per team. The goal is for the quintet to move the ball from the start line to the finish line as quickly as possible without dropping it. The team that does this in the fastest time is the winner.

In some variations, teams must start all over again when they drop the ball, but if you’re looking for quick team building activities, this rule can be set aside in favor of a time penalty for each drop. While gutterball doesn’t require the same problem-solving skills as the human knot, it does necessitate skilled teamwork to keep the ball flowing down the piping.

2.3. Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunts are a flexible team-building activity that can be played in person or virtually, in small groups or large ones. There are many variations, some taking just an hour while others occupy half a day, but all the scenarios promote team bonding and resourcefulness.

If you are playing remotely, the game can be played in teams using breakout rooms . Gather everyone together on a video conferencing platform and reveal a set of items that they must find within their house. This list can be either a straightforward checklist or take the form of cryptic clues . Set a time limit for team discussions and strategizing (about 5 to 10 minutes), before letting people loose to find the items (another 5 to 10 minutes). Once the time is up, reconvene everyone and award points for each item completed. The team with the most points is declared the winner.

If you prefer an in-person scavenger hunt, the easiest way to manage it is via a professional company like Wildgoose , who will take care of all the planning and hosting, or using an app like Scavify , which allows organizers to build their journeys.

3. Critical Thinking Team Building Exercises

3.1. cast away.

How would you survive on a desert island? That’s the crux of this game, in which each person is allowed to choose 5 items that they would desire to have while trapped on an isolated island. These items can be practical or frivolous, but in either case, will reveal something about the mindset and personality of each participant.

Cast Away works well in both in-person and remote settings. In general, each person should be given 1 to 5 minutes to speak, including any time given over to questions from colleagues and any resulting discussions.

3.2. Brain Teasers

Warm up the mind with some classic brain teasers that are equally fun for virtual or in-person gatherings. There are lots of different kinds of puzzles that can be found for free online to include as part of a mini-game, including rebuses , quick crosswords , spot the difference , and riddles .

These 5-minute team building activities can be played by as many people as are present, either individually or divided into teams. After the time is up, reveal the answers and find out who fared the best. Brain teasers stimulate creativity, cognition, and concentration, which is why they are usually best used at the beginning of a team-building session or meeting.

3.3. Murder Mystery Game

Murder mystery games bring employees together for an exciting adventure that requires group problem-solving. Following in the footsteps of classic whodunnit detectives, teams must use a series of clues to figure out an elaborate homicide with multiple suspects and misleading red herrings.

It’s possible to purchase murder mystery packs so you can run your sessions with the team in the office, but it’s usually more entertaining to have a professional host oversee proceedings. Companies like Hooray Teams , for example, have several virtual murder mystery options, including a country manor, and Hollywood mystery. These are great for remote and hybrid teams to stay engaged.

4. Fun Icebreaking Team Building Exercises

4.1. guess the drawing.

Bringing the artistic side of the staff to the surface, Guess the Drawing is an entertaining activity that is great for blowing off steam and encouraging staff to relax and socialize.

Divide participants into 2 or 3 teams. Each player takes it in turn to draw an image based on a prompt , which their teammates must guess within a minute. The game continues until everyone has had a turn at drawing.

This game can be played with as many people as desired, though bear in mind that the number of participants will affect the length of the game. If playing in person, prepare a whiteboard for people to draw upon. If playing online, video-conferencing sites like Zoom have built-in virtual whiteboards , or there are websites like Drawize that facilitate free screen sharing for team play.

4.2. Would You Rather

An amusing icebreaker that helps employees get to know one another better, Would You Rather is a speculative question game that asks people to choose between two hypothetical scenarios.

To get the game started, prepare a list of questions beforehand. These can be as work-oriented or as light-hearted as desired. For example, “Would you rather be James Bond or Jack Reacher?” or “Would you rather have more work than you could ever complete or hardly have any work at all?”

The game works best as a 10-minute introductory activity, to be followed with more skills-based games. To ensure people stay engaged, keep groups to sizes of no more than 20.

4.3. Charades

Charades is a dinner party favorite that can be adapted easily for a work setting. The object of the game is for players to act out a song, book, movie, or phrase so that their teammates can correctly identify the word or words. Create your suggestions from common office lingo or use a random charade generator to prompt staff.

Nudging staff to express themselves solely through gestures is a great way to nurture creative thinking and nonverbal communication, all wrapped up in a laugh-filled social atmosphere.

Charades can be played virtually or in person with as many people as you like, though the optimum number of participants is between 10 and 15, divided into groups of 4 or 5. Games usually last between half an hour and an hour.

5. Team Building Activities for Collaboration

5.1. minefield.

A paired activity that relies on solid peer-to-peer communication and trust, Minefield requires a blindfolded person to traverse an obstacle course with the help of their partner. The goal is to make it from the start line to the finish without touching any of the objects in the way.

If the space is available, you can set up several identical obstacle courses and have pairs race through. Alternatively, time how long it takes each pair to safely navigate the minefield.

This activity normally takes around 30 to 45 minutes to complete, depending on the complexity of the obstacle course and the number of participants. To ensure that staff don’t spend too long waiting around, it’s best played with at most 16 people or 8 pairs.

5.2. Escape Room Challenge

Popularized over the last decade or so, Escape rooms are collaborative puzzles that rely on lateral thinking and teamwork for success. Participants must use their problem-solving skills to work out how to break out from a dungeon, a haunted mansion, or numerous other eerie settings.

Escape rooms can be played in person at a location that has been specially designed for the purpose or virtually with the help of hosted platforms like Hooray Teams for remote teams in mind.

Most escape rooms last about 60 minutes and have been created for groups of between 4 and 8 people, though some cater for larger parties.

5.3. Jigsaw Puzzle

Go back to the basics with one of the simplest team building activities for small groups, a jigsaw puzzle. Jigsaw puzzles have been shown to improve memory, problem solving, and concentration while simultaneously reducing stress, making them a relaxing all-rounder for team bonding.

For an activity that lasts about 30 minutes to an hour, a 100-piece jigsaw should be sufficient for four people. If there are larger numbers of participants, consider purchasing several 50-piece puzzles and seeing which team can finish first.

While jigsaws can be played online , they work best when undertaken in person. This way, employees can discuss what pieces they need for their section of the puzzle and physically swap the required parts, bringing the collaborative aspect to the fore.

6.1. What are good team building exercises?

There are loads of fantastic team building exercises to choose from, such as problem-solving games like escape rooms and murder mysteries, ice breakers such as would you rather and office bingo, and field days involving physical activities like tug of war and sack races. Choose pursuits that meet your team-building objectives, whether those are skills development or social bonding.

6.2. What is team building skills?

Common skills that can be promoted and developed during team building include active listening, group problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, and leadership. Above all, team building is an opportunity for staff to get to know one another on a deeper level, which helps develop empathy and interpersonal rapport.

6.3. What are the 4 main types of team building activities?

While there’s no definitive list of the 4 main types of team building activities, the 4 principal areas that group games encompass are communication, problem solving/critical thinking, team bonding, and fun/relaxation.

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Article • 16 min read

Team Building Exercises – Creativity

Strengthening creative thinking in your team.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Jessica has a great team. Each person she manages is capable, experienced and hard working. But in team meetings, people seem reluctant to share insights and ideas.

What's more, even though everyone respects one another's views, they seem afraid to say things that might be perceived as silly, off-the-wall or wrong.

Jessica wants her team meetings to buzz with activity. She pictures a scene where people bounce ideas around, inspiring and challenging one another with their creativity and passion. But the reality is quite different.

What can Jessica do to invigorate team meetings and give people the confidence to join in and be more creative?

This article looks at five team-building activities you can use to strengthen your team members' creative thinking and collaboration skills.

Supporting Creative Thinking

Creativity is essential for driving innovation and a commercially competitive spirit. Yet, as organizations grow, the structures they put in place to improve productivity and efficiency often stifle creativity.

When organizations focus on productivity, they impose rigid procedures that make it difficult for team members to be creative, so it's important that managers support creative thinking. According to business and management professors Nora Madjar, Greg Oldham and Michael Pratt , employees who felt they were supported in their creative endeavors demonstrated significantly greater creativity than those who didn't. [1]

Research also shows that managers who make it clear that they expect team members to work creatively are perceived as being more supportive of new ideas. [2] One way to do this is through creative thinking exercises that enhance and encourage creativity in your team.

Creativity exercises also help people relax and de-stress. By encouraging play, interaction and bonding, they also help to increase engagement and improve morale.

Creativity Exercises

Use the exercises below to help your team think more creatively , or to "jump-start" a stalled problem-solving session.

You can use them in various ways, for example with department-specific or cross-functional teams . You could also use them to strengthen trust and communication between senior leaders, middle managers and front-line employees.

Exercise 1: Brainstorming

No article about promoting creativity in groups would be complete without the all time classic – Brainstorming .

Use brainstorming whenever you need to generate new ideas. Deciding which ideas to use comes later.

People and Materials

Someone to record ideas.
Something to record them on: sticky notes, a whiteboard, a flip chart, etc.
Sticky dots.
Flexible: typically 15-20 minutes.

Instructions

Brainstorming was the brainchild of advertising executive, Alex Osborne, and quickly became the most widely used creativity technique in the world. Today, there are many different versions of the rules, but there were only four in Osborne's original account:

Focus on quantity.
Withhold criticism.
Welcome unusual ideas.
Combine ideas and link them together.

Advice for the Facilitator

By the end of the activity, your team should have come up with a large number of ideas, some of which could have great potential.

Rather than treating the exercise as an end in itself, and letting all those ideas go to waste, use Affinity Diagrams to group related ideas together. Then, invite people to vote on their favorite ideas using the sticky dots, and discuss why they thought those were the best. You could then schedule a follow-up session for the team to come up with a plan for implementing their ideas.

If there is time at the end of the brainstorming session, ask the participants whether they thought it was a useful exercise in terms of team building as well as idea generation. Discuss what skills people need to participate fully, such as listening , encouraging , and persuading others .

Exercise 2: Debate

Psychology Professor Charlan Nemeth, of Berkeley and the London Business School, challenges the orthodox view of brainstorming. Her research showed that the instruction not to criticize the ideas generated can be counterproductive. [3] Instead, brainstorming participants who freely debated came up with significantly more and better ideas, both in their meeting and afterwards, than their counterparts who conformed to the usual rules. Nemeth’s theory is that dissent invigorates our thinking, even if it can feel difficult.

This exercise gives your team the chance to experience increased creativity through debate. Together they’ll practice being open to hearing and suggesting new ideas, and help break down barriers to their performance in the future.

Present your group with a problem that needs to be solved.
Ask them to generate as many ideas as possible.
Freewheeling is welcome – encourage team members to say anything that comes to mind.
Encourage debate and discussion of ideas as they arise.

During a debating session, discussion – and even criticism – of one another's ideas is to be encouraged, but it is important that the participants focus on the problem at hand, and criticism is not allowed to become personal. You may wish to borrow the "rules" of Constructive Controversy to keep the debate positive and cooperative.

At the end of the session, ask each person to write down any ideas they had during the session that they did not express, and also any ideas they may have had now that the discussion is over. Don't force people to share these ideas publicly, but discuss, first, their reasons for not expressing ideas – was it a case of self-censorship, fear of disapproval, or simply that someone else was speaking at the time, and the moment passed?

Second, talk about the ideas that people had after the session was complete. Discuss how debating with others stimulates your thoughts. Sometimes, you need time to digest all that has been said so that, after a period of reflection, yet more ideas are generated. Talk also about how individuals felt when others criticized their ideas. Did it shut them down, or open them up to new perspectives?

When all the ideas have been collated, encourage the group to reach a consensus on the best solution using a technique like Multi-Voting , and consider arranging a follow-up session to begin implementing the best ideas.

Exercise 3: Rolestorming

Rolestorming is a type of roleplay activity. It's great for encouraging team members to lose their inhibitions by adopting another character. It also helps them explore different perspectives and opinions, opening their minds to different viewpoints and helping them come up with new ideas in the process.

Team members are asked to approach a specified problem or issue from someone else's perspective. This could be a world leader, a celebrity, a hero, another member of the company or team, or even a family member.

Use this exercise to help cross-functional teams understand one another's roles better. This is also an ideal activity for exploring ways to improve company procedures, by removing bottlenecks and making handovers between teams more efficient.

Rolestorming can also be used any time you need to spark fresh ideas and re-energize a brainstorming or problem-solving session.

Any number of team members – people can work on their own, or in pairs or small groups.
A list of "role models," each written on a small slip of paper. There should be enough role models for everyone taking part in the exercise.
Paper and a pencil for each person to jot down notes.
Flexible: Typically 15-20 minutes.
Ask everyone on your team to take a slip of paper.
Make sure each person knows who their role model is before you begin the activity. If they're unfamiliar with this person, let them choose again.
Tell everyone to think like their role model: how would this person approach the problem? Give them ten minutes to come up with as many ideas as possible.
Once the time is up, discuss each person or group's approach to the problem.

Write everyone's ideas on a whiteboard. Talk about how this activity helped them break their current thinking patterns and come up with fresh ideas.

If the activity involved pretending to be someone else from the group, consider allowing that person to give their perspective and facilitate further discussion about the implications of their role that may not be obvious to "outsiders." This will help the team to understand one another's roles and responsibilities more clearly, so that they can work together more efficiently in future.

Use role models that everyone will be familiar with.

If you are asking team members to think like one another, it may be safer to ask them to think like an unnamed person in that role (an account manager, a developer, a project manager, etc.), rather than risk things becoming personal.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to use leaders in the business world. Well-known figures from literature, history, movies, politics, and pop culture would work as well. Some examples include:

Sir Richard Branson.
Hillary Clinton.
Steve Jobs.
Mahatma Ghandi.

Exercise 4: Balloon Sculptures

Encouraging your team to "think out of the box" can be a great way to get them to drop their defenses and connect with one another.

In " Quick Team Building Activities for Busy Managers ," Brian Cole Miller suggests getting your team members to make balloon sculptures that reflect how they see the team. [4] For example, balloons that are linked together could represent interdependence, while ones that are touching show connectivity.

This team building activity spurs creative thinking and helps team members express their commitment to the group. It's also useful as a way to discuss difficulties and communication breakdowns when people are not cooperating well.

One long balloon for each team member, along with spares.
A number of balloon pumps (not necessary but helpful).

Instead of using balloons, you can build sculptures with building blocks, or even with your organization's products.

Give one balloon to each member of your team. Demonstrate how to blow the balloons up, leaving an inch or more at one end to give enough room to twist the balloon into the sculpture without bursting it.
Tell everyone to work together to build a balloon sculpture that represents the team.

The informal nature of this activity can be particularly useful for building a team where individuals have different levels of authority. Often at work, participants lower down the organizational hierarchy feel inhibited by a more senior person's status. A non-threatening activity like this, which does not call for people to demonstrate great knowledge or skills, can help people connect with one another.

Often, different roles will emerge within the group that do not reflect their formal roles in the organization. Natural leaders may emerge to organize the activity, and people who typically perform very structured roles may demonstrate surprising creativity and flair.

Once the activity is finished, talk to your team about their experience. Ask what they have learned about other participants that they didn't know before, and how they think this activity will benefit future teamwork. Consider conducting a Team Management Profile based on the exercise.

To complete the exercise ask a representative from the team to present the finished sculpture to you, to the group – or even to another team at work – and discuss what the final design represents.

Exercise 5: All the News

In " The Big Book of Leadership Games ," Vasudha Deming suggests this exercise, in which you ask your team to mock up a newspaper predicting future events in your organization. [5]

All the News allows team members to get creative about what they think will happen in the organization or department in the future. It also promotes collaboration, loyalty and a sense of empowerment, as they develop an appreciation of how each participant is capable of shaping future outcomes.

You may prefer to keep this activity for an occasion when you can dedicate more time to it, such as at a team building Away Day or company retreat .

Enough people for groups of three to four participants, or a larger group of six.
Photocopies of the instructions for each group.
A flip chart and marker.
Tape, scissors, glue sticks, and plenty of newspapers (spanning different days) for each group.

45 minutes to one hour.

Each group will put together a newspaper using headlines only (not full stories). If you have one large group, ask them to create a complete paper. If you have several small groups, ask each to create a different section of the newspaper.
With the help of the participants, list the different sections (international news, local news, sports, arts and entertainment, and so on) on the flip chart. Assign sections to each group.
Pass out the instruction sheet and go over it so that everyone understands what they're doing. Remember, the group will create a newspaper, or newspaper section, out of headlines only. Ask them to "report" on predicted events. Be creative in how you interpret each section. You could, for example, use the obituary section to cover future "deceased" policies, products or procedures.
Once everyone has finished, put the newspapers up on the wall so everyone can read them.

At the end of the activity, talk with your team about how it helped foster collaboration and spur creative thinking. Discuss Tuckman's stages of team formation and the Four Dimensions of Relational Work , and look at how the group evolved. What roles emerged? Did anyone adopt the role of "editor," for example, and how did everyone else feel about that?

Ask everyone how they came to an agreement about what to put in the paper. Encourage participants to discuss the implications of particularly interesting stories. What inspired them? What emotions do they arouse in others? Do people agree or disagree with the vision of the future that they convey? And what, if anything, do they think should be done about it?

Consider bringing the group together again some months later to revisit their newspaper and see if their vision of the future has changed at all. What do they think of their headlines now?

Creative thinking is essential in organizations today. It is necessary for driving innovation and competitive spirit and an excellent way to promote team building, communication, trust, and problem solving skills.

One of the best ways to build creative thinking skills is to use exercises that encourage "out-of-the-box" thinking. Five examples of creative team building exercise are:

Brainstorming
Rolestorming
Balloon Sculptures
All the News

[1] Madjar, N., Oldham, G.R., and Pratt, M.G. (2002) 'There's No Place Like Home? The Contributions of Work and Nonwork Creativity Support to Employees' Creative Performance,' Academy of Management Journal , Volume 45, Number 4, August 2002. (Available here .)

[2] Tierney, P. and Farmer, S. (2004) 'The Pygmalion Process and Employee Creativity,' Journal of Management , Volume 30, Number 3, June 2004. (Available here .)

[3] Nemeth, C. J., Personnaz, B., Personnaz, M., and Goncalo, J.A. (2004) 'The liberating role of conflict in group creativity: A study in two countries,' European Journal of Social Psychology , 34, 365-374. (Available here .)

[4] Miller, B. (2003). " Quick Team-Building Activities for Busy Managers ." New York: AMACOM.

[5] Deming, V. 2004. " The Big Book of Leadership Games ." McGraw-Hill.

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10 Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking

Preparing students for ongoing learning success needs to incorporate curriculum and extra-curriculum activities. The team at TeachThought have compiled their list of games to promote better peer-to-peer learning in the classroom.

What Are Problem-Solving Activities?

These activities require problem-solving skills, which help find solutions for difficult situations.

Like any other skill, these tactics are best learnt through practice.

To make problem-solving activities worth the ride, participants have to be open-minded, listen to others, and accept alternative ideas and solutions.

An agile mindset can also be beneficial when participating in such activities because they’re based on understanding, collaborating , learning and staying flexible.

As problem-solving games are group activities, participants must be willing to collaborate and embrace agility and flexibility.

Another critical aspect is creating the mindset that there are no winners or losers.

The goal of these activities is to share strategies and learn from each other, rather than compete against one another.

The Four P’s to Problem-Solving

By following the four P’s in the problem-solving guide, one can resolve almost any problem that comes along.

Problem-solving activities begin with a discovery phase, where the problem is identified.

This is the step where you understand, dissect, and learn about the problem you’re trying to solve.

Until the problem has been well defined, you can’t move forward and prepare to form the right solution.

After you’ve analysed the problem, you have to develop several courses of action to solve the issue.

This is the phase where you generate several possibilities to ultimately decide on the best course of action for your problem.

After the problem has been defined and resolutions have been listed, it’s time to take action.

This is the step where you find the best approach and implement a plan that needs to be followed with precision.

You need to first visualise your plan and then execute it.

When the problem has been solved, you need to evaluate the plan and assess whether it could be improved for future situations.

While you should do your best to solve the issue, the truth is that there is always room for growth.

Reviewing and checking for room for further improvement is essential because it can help you achieve even greater results in the future.

Benefits of Developing Problem-Solving Skills in the Workplace

Employees are often asked to think outside the box for projects or find alternative solutions for work problems.

Problem-solving tactics are a great way to practice valuable skills relevant in the workplace.

There are a lot of situations where processes and workflow in organisations need improvement. Or, when deadlines are tight, team members have to find ways to deliver on time.

These are the exact scenarios that can be overcome if the team is able to turn problems into actionable solutions.

After all, performance is closely related to employee efficiency as achieving companies’ goals on time is crucial to success.

Having team members with good problem-solving skills means they can use critical thinking to make better decisions and ultimately increase business productivity and growth.

There are a wealth of advantages that problem-solving activities can bring to teams.

Here are a few benefits you can expect from employees well equipped with problem-solving skills:

Better risk management

Simply put, risk management skills help people know what could go wrong, assess risks, and finally take action to solve an issue.

Some people are very good at handling risk, while others are afraid of risky situations.

Whichever way your team members are naturally inclined, problem-solving techniques are here to help.

Participating in problem-solving tasks trains the mind to handle stressful situations better.

It’s impossible to avoid risk, and this is why it’s essential to be confident that your team knows how to handle risk and turn it into opportunity.

Better thinking

Team problem-solving techniques stimulate better thinking by pushing people to find progressive alternatives.

Better thinking also develops analytical skills, which help people find logical explanations for problems and identify practical solutions.

Better communication skills

As mentioned earlier, problem-solving activities are group tasks that can only be performed if participants work together.

Humans are competitive by nature which can be problematic when trying to create a cohesive team. Problem-solving skills nurture understanding and collaboration within a company.

By solving problems together, employees learn how to better communicate and listen to others.

Having transparent and effective communication improves engagement and productivity and leads to better relationships .

Increased team cohesion

If your team already has good communication skills , this will likely lead to increased team cohesion .

Regardless of your business’s profile or size, success comes from having a united team.

Team cohesion reduces anxiety, brings motivation, and increases employee satisfaction.

Being on a cohesive team means that employees work together for the same goal, and everyone contributes to the group’s overall success.

People are social creatures, so it’s imperative that everybody feels heard, understood, and included.

Efficiency / increased productivity

Exercising problem-solving activities can boost performance and workplace productivity, leading to overall growth and profits.

Having solid problem-solving skills equips employees with the ability to find efficient solutions promptly.

By reducing the time spent solving specific problems, companies benefit from improved workplace productivity , leading to better profit margins.

Problem-solving activities foster creativity and encourage team members to express their ideas.

Creative thinkers know how to find the balance between analytical skills and innovative solutions, thus providing new perspectives.

No matter how well-established company processes are, there are always situations that require alternative ways of thinking.

Creative thinking skills boost people’s confidence in putting forth unique ideas.

List of the Top 22 Virtual Problem-Solving Activities

Virtual problem-solving activities for teams are meant to challenge participants to think outside the box and find solutions to problems while also having fun. Remember that these exercises should be playful and enjoyable.

Here is a list of virtual problem-solving activities that teams of any size can play:

Dumbest Idea First
Brainstorm Ideas
End in Mind
Stop, Start, Continue
Idea Mock-Ups
Be a Character
Crossword Puzzles
Online Escape Rooms
Murder Mysteries
Virtual Hackathons
Treasure Hunts
Moral Challenge
Improv Games
Poem/Story Challenge
What Would You Do?
Lost at Sea
Coworker Feud
Virtual Code Break
War of the Wizards
Ultimate Game Show

Online problem-solving activities can be played through video conferencing platforms, such as Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, Webex, etc.

Let’s take a closer look:

1. Dumbest Idea First

Dumbest Idea First, as the name suggests, is a problem-solving exercise in which participants are asked to think of the dumbest possible solutions to the problem presented.

After all ideas have been presented, look through the list.

You might be surprised to find that some ideas are not as dumb as first thought!

Helps with : creative problem-solving .

2. Brainstorm Ideas

One of the most common problem-solving activities is brainstorming ideas with your team.

Brainstorming ideas’ objective is to generate as many ideas as possible.

After the list is complete, team members review them and decide which is most suitable for the given scenario.

There are a lot of methods to aid the brainstorming process.

You can play word games, create a mood board, play improv games, or even doodle.

Helps with : lateral thinking.

3. End in Mind

The End in Mind technique is an excellent activity for solving group problems that require participants to start with the end.

In this exercise, you have to backtrack, finding solutions for the issue.

It challenges team members to think of the “what,” “why,” and “how” of a problem, thus coming up with alternative approaches.

Helps with : analytical thinking.

4. Stop, Start, Continue

“Stop, Start, Continue” is a technique used for delivering or requesting feedback.

This problem-solving activity consists of a list of three categories that each member has to think about:

Stop: three things that the team should stop doing
Start: three things that the team should start doing
Continue: three things that the team should continue doing

This exercise aims to solve problems in new ways while also having fun.

Helps with : team cohesion, critical thinking.

5. Idea Mock-Ups

Idea mock-ups are processes in which solutions to problems are found via mock-ups.

It’s a virtual solving problem activity as you can use images from the internet that can be easily shared with the team members.

This exercise aims to have players try out a bunch of different scenarios until the perfect match for the problem is found.

6. Be a Character

Have you ever dreamed of being a character from a movie or a book? Then this is the perfect exercise for you.

By playing this group game, participants impersonate a character and approach problems through that person’s mindset.

Helps with : creativity , thinking outside the box.

7. Idea Trial

The Idea Trial is another fun virtual problem-solving activity that encourages participants to find solutions for a particular problem.

Players need to present their ideas to the “court.”

They can go through the entire process, such as opening and closing statements, and call witnesses to support their ideas.

Helps with : risk management, communication skills.

8. Crossword Puzzles

Everybody has heard of crossword puzzles, but not everyone has thought of transforming them into a virtual problem-solving activity.

All you have to do is use an online crossword puzzle to create a custom puzzle for your team.

To make it more exciting and engaging for your team, you should consider your company’s niche and your teammates’ interests.

Helps with : critical thinking.

9. Online Escape Rooms

Like in-person escape rooms, their online counterpart requires participants to escape rooms and work together to solve puzzles virtually.

Digital escape rooms provide two alternatives for players: either a Zoom room led by a host or from a specialised website.

These are significant virtual problem-solving activities that are both fun and challenging.

Helps with : cooperation, communication.

10. Murder Mysteries

Murder mysteries are story-based problem-solving activities that require participants to take on the roles of suspects and detectives.

The aim of the game is to identify the killer by searching for clues and occasionally solving small puzzles.

These group exercises are complex because they require players to be observant and search for hidden clues using logic.

Luckily for you, there are many options for playing murder mystery games online .

Helps with : observation, logical thinking.

11. Virtual Hackathons

Hackathons are events where a group of people pitch a product or service in a given period.

Even though it originated in the programming world, hackathons can be easily applied to any industry.

Virtual hackathons refer to the online version of these events, where participants work together via online meeting software to design solutions.

These are great virtual team problem-solving activities because they don’t require much organisational work.

You just have to announce the event’s theme, explain the problem when the hackathon begins, and set a timeline.

Helps with : efficiency, cooperation.

12. Treasure Hunts

Like escape rooms or murder mysteries, treasure hunts are group games that require players to find hidden objects by following a trail of clues.

Treasure hunts are fun problem-solving activities that teach participants how to collaborate and communicate with each other.

They can have specific themes or be a more general hunt.

Helps with : communication, cooperation.

13. Moral Challenge

While most group problem-solving activities focus more on finding alternative problem resolutions, moral challenges lean more towards ethics.

These group techniques are just as important as the others as not all problems are factual; some are ethical.

Moral challenge exercises are better played in a group because each participant can represent a different opinion or moral belief.

The moral issue becomes harder to resolve and implicitly forces team members to find common ground.

Moral challenges are equally important in decision-making processes as rational thinking.

Some of the most well-known moral challenges online are the Moral Machine or the Dilemma .

Helps with : communication skills.

14. Improv Games

Improv games have their roots in acting and comedy and are group activities designed around participants’ acting without a script, or improvising.

These problem-solving activities force players to keep the story going in an entertaining and logical way.

This kind of group exercise helps build collaborative skills while boosting team members’ confidence.

Helps with : collaboration, imagination.

15. Poem/Story Challenge

If most of the problem-solving activities mentioned are based on logical thinking, the poem/story challenge revolves around writing skills.

While not all businesses rely on this, it’s still an excellent exercise for groups, as it stimulates the imagination and improves public speaking.

All you have to do is ask participants to create a story or a poem using a limited word bank.

After they have crafted their stories, they read them aloud in front of the group.

Helps with : creativity, public speaking.

16. What Would You Do?

“What Would You Do?” is a hypothetical problem-solving activity that challenges your team to brainstorm ideas and react to different scenarios.

To play this game with your team members, prepare some problem-solving stories in advance, then read them one by one.

Participants have to say what they would do in these circumstances.

Helps with : lateral thinking, imagination.

17. Lost at Sea

Lost at Sea, also known as Stranded at Sea, is a team-building activity that encourages interaction and teamwork.

Give participants a scenario where they’re stranded on an island with just a handful of objects.

To increase their chances of survival, they need to rate the objects based on their utility.

Players should work individually first and then together to decide which objects are most important.

If multiple groups play this game, the moderator can ask each group to compare their individual and collective rankings.

They should also consider why any scores differ.

At the end of the game, players reflect and feedback on their choices.

Helps with : decision making, collaboration, critical thinking.

18. The Hunt

Its purpose is to challenge players to collaborate under pressure as they compete for glory.

This is a virtual problem-solving activity suitable for a business of any size.

It works best played in small teams of four or five, so players have the opportunity to interact with one another.

Helps with : team decision making, lateral thinking, creativity.

19. Coworker Feud

This game is a new take on the classic game show Family Feud, and it consists of multiple rapid rounds.

The players are asked to provide fast answers to a fun assortment of questions the host presents.

The aim is to guess the five most popular answers to win points for the round.

The team with the most points is declared the winner of the game.

Helps with : fast-thinking, communication.

20. Virtual Code Break

Virtual Code Break is a virtual team-building activity specially designed for remote players.

Its purpose is to challenge players to think outside the box, improve problem-solving skills, and leverage their own and each other’s skills.

This game uses an intelligent video conferencing solution so that teams of all sizes can play from anywhere globally.

Players compete against each other by answering trivia questions and solving riddles and puzzles.

Helps with : better thinking, collaboration.

21. War of the Wizards

War of the Wizards is a 90-minutes virtual team-building activity that promises to be both fun and creative.

To play this game, participants roleplay as powerful wizards to conquer evil forces through the power of storytelling.

They have to play mini-games and competitions, develop their characters, and make decisions together to win.

Helps with : teamwork, imagination.

22. Ultimate Game Show

In this 90-minute virtual event, players bond together as a team while playing different quizzes to win the final prize.

This competition works for hybrid teams, as well as for fully remote teams.

Helps with : collaboration, fast-thinking.

Plenty of organisations face daily challenges that affect team productivity and get in the way of attaining business goals.

While it’s impossible to avoid those situations, there are many ways to train team members to work collaboratively to resolve problems effectively.

Problem-solving activities act as educational tools that bring all participants closer as a team and help them develop problem-solving skills. By nurturing solution-generating capabilities, your team learns to communicate better, act fast in risky situations, and find creative solutions.

The virtual problem-solving activities listed in this article are excellent practices for real-life conflict resolution that can benefit everyone within an organisation.

Stefan is a Co-Founder and a President of Brosix. His many years experience as a programmer, give him an unique perspective to lead the team and build Brosix in a way to best serve the customers.

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The Ultimate Guide to Team Building Activities for Work

TriNet Team

The Ultimate Guide to Team Building Activities for Work

It can be tough to build a team where every team member feels like an important part of the whole and is committed to the success of the entire group. And to be fair, some team building activities for work get more eyes rolling than problems solved. It’s more important than ever, especially when some teams are still working remotely, to have some fun team building activities that get folks excited and working together — whether they’re participating via video meeting or in person. It’s a critical piece of developing a great company culture too. Team building activities for work can generally be placed into 4 main categories based on which attribute the game is trying to build: communication skills, problem solving, creative thinking, and team bonding. So, if you’re looking for a fun game that can bolster the building blocks of employee engagement, try out these team building exercises.

Communication skills

The best team building activities for work will always grease the gears of communication, break the ice and, if possible, get the creative juices flowing. Many of these activities can actually bolster several team skills at once. Note that some of them work well virtually or in a hybrid situation, indoors or outdoors, depending on your company’s needs.

1. Shark Tank

Get teams to pitch the wackiest startup idea. If you’re working with large groups, you can break them into smaller teams to come up with the most outrageous, yet plausible plan. If you’re working with small groups, simply create smaller teams. Each team has a time limit to come up with an idea, build a pitch using whatever props and tools are available, and then convince your “investors” (other teams) to chomp. This works best in person, but could be done outdoors or indoors. Why it works: Group members have to communicate, brainstorm, and collaborate to develop, create, and present a compelling pitch in the form of a skit or creative presentation. It also triggers creativity and hilarity, which always helps boost team engagement. And who knows? One or more of your teams may come up with your company’s next big idea!

2. Team coat of arms

This is great for small department teams, indoors, outdoors, in person or virtual. Have each group come up with a creative coat of arms that symbolizes what that team does and what its goals are. Why it works: This requires a lot of team communication and brainstorming and can help teams think in positive terms about what kind of company culture they want to develop.

Problem solving

Problem solving is another major team building activity objective requiring critical thinking and communication skills in addition to creativity.

3. The egg drop challenge

For this team building exercise, gather small groups of 3 to 5 people to invent a way to drop a raw egg from a high place without breaking it. Teams get 40 minutes and an assortment of office supplies to build a device that will keep the egg intact when dropped from the second floor. It’s one of those in person events that can be done indoors or outdoors. Why it works: Team members need to communicate, collaborate and use their best problem solving and critical thinking skills to come up with the best solution to this fun building activity.

Give each team a word puzzle, a real puzzle, or a brain teaser puzzle (like “who is in my triangle”) to solve and see which group is able to figure it out first! A physical puzzle needs to be done in person, but word puzzles and brain teasers can be done virtually, indoors or out. Why it works: Solving puzzles promotes creativity, communication, and, of course, problem solving skills.

Creative thinking

Great team building games don’t have to be complicated to inspire creative thinking. Sometimes, all you really need is to inject the unexpected into a normal, ordinary procedure to set teams up for creative success.

5. Mad libs

You can do them literally anywhere: in person, over Zoom, outside, or inside. And although you can get the pre-made Mad Libs books, you can take it to another level by printing out the company mission statement or product descriptions and putting blanks for nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. It’s a short enough activity that you could do it a few times a week just to get people going for the most unexpected, odd combinations. Why it works: It triggers creative thinking quite naturally and gets teams laughing and communicating together in a very simple, easy way.

Create a country

Each team gets to make its own “country” that embodies what the ideal company culture should look like. Make a map with towns, rivers, resorts, etc. and have fun. Why it works: It’s a classic brainstorming exercise that’s a lot of fun and can get people thinking about how to collaborate.

Drop the word

Is there a word that everyone in the office uses all the time? Maybe too much? Have teams create a substitute word for that word. The team that is able to avoid using the old word by using the new word the most wins. Why it works: It’s a fun way to get teams thinking of creative ways to look at old problems, maybe even solving them along the way.

Team bonding

Building a cohesive team requires building trust and forming interpersonal bonds between team members. When real friendships form, teams naturally want to help each other succeed together.

Community service

Just look around your community for problems that need solving and organizations that need volunteers and devote a few team hours to pitching in. This typically is an in-person activity, and community service projects can be done indoors or outdoors. Organizers must take into account accessibility for all team members, including anyone with disabilities or health problems. Why it works: When teams work together to create a positive impact in the local community, it creates deeper bonds of trust within the group. It can also encourage leadership skills when team members search for and head up community service projects for the team.

Scavenger hunt

With an endless number of variations, these are some of the most popular team building activities around. Create small teams to hunt for objects, signs, clues, etc., either in the office or outdoors. Clearly, scavenger hunts are best as in person events, but with a little creative thinking, even virtual teams can get in on the action to find online Easter eggs and trivia faster than other virtual teams! Why it works : Team members bond when under a time crunch to compete against other teams.

Who is that baby?

Every team member brings a baby picture and shares some unknown, interesting trivia about themselves. Other team members have to guess who it is. This works well for large groups, both indoors or out, virtually or in person. Why it works: We can’t bond with people we don’t know. This is a great ice breaker activity and helps people see what they have in common.

Build a winning team with fun team building activities

No matter whether your teams are working in person or virtually, you can still build a creative, cohesive, supportive winning team with regular, ongoing team building activities. For more on-point tips for building teams and working smarter, rely on TriNet for all your HR needs.

Top tips for employee retention

Employee Retention Strategies: An HR Checklist gives you the strategies and structure you need. 

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Critical Thinking Exercises for Employees: Boosting Workplace Problem-Solving Skills

In today’s fast-paced work environment, critical thinking skills are essential for success. By engaging in critical thinking exercises, employees can refine their ability to evaluate information, solve complex problems, and communicate effectively. These skills not only contribute to individual success but also promote a more innovative and productive work environment.

Critical thinking also plays a crucial role in leadership and management, as well as fostering effective teamwork. Managers who possess strong critical thinking skills are better equipped to guide their teams in problem-solving and decision-making processes. By incorporating critical thinking exercises into employee training, organizations can cultivate a culture that values innovation, creativity, and adaptability.

Key Takeaways

Critical thinking exercises help employees develop problem-solving and communication skills.
Strong critical thinking is essential for effective leadership, management, and teamwork.
Fostering critical thinking in the workplace leads to a more innovative and productive environment.

Understanding Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a vital skill for employees in the business world, as it enables individuals to analyze complex situations, identify biases, and make informed decisions through creative problem-solving methods. This cognitive process encourages a deeper understanding of problems and promotes the ability to approach them from multiple perspectives.

Developing critical thinking skills involves being aware of one’s own biases and working towards eliminating them. Bias can significantly impact how we approach problems and may result in making distorted decisions. By recognizing and addressing these biases, employees can harness their critical thinking abilities to make impartial and robust decisions in the business landscape.

One essential component of critical thinking is the ability to analyze information. This involves breaking down a problem into its constituent parts, understanding their relationships, and evaluating the significance of each element. Through thorough analysis, employees can gain a comprehensive view of the situation and consider various aspects before making well-informed decisions.

In the context of problem-solving, critical thinking encourages employees to explore new perspectives and think beyond conventional solutions. By adopting a creative approach, individuals can generate novel ideas and innovations, which can lead to improved business results and overall growth.

In conclusion, it is crucial for employees to develop and hone their critical thinking skills, as they enable individuals to navigate complex business environments effectively. By addressing biases, conducting robust analysis, and adopting creative problem-solving strategies, employees can make well-informed decisions that contribute to the success and longevity of the organization.

The Importance of Critical Thinking in the Workplace

Critical thinking is an essential skill for employees to possess in the modern workplace. It involves the ability to carefully and systematically analyze information, consider multiple perspectives, and make well-informed decisions. By enhancing decision-making abilities, critical thinking can lead to improved workplace performance and increased job satisfaction.

In the workplace , critical thinking allows for a more thorough evaluation of issues, helping to identify potential problems or opportunities. This is particularly important in today’s fast-paced, competitive environment, where companies need to stay ahead of industry trends and anticipate the needs of their customers. Employees who possess strong critical thinking skills can help their team effectively navigate the challenges that arise in any industry.

Furthermore, critical thinking plays a significant role in evaluating evidence and determining the credibility of information sources. Employees who can scrutinize data, identify patterns, and draw inferences can make more informed decisions and contribute to their team’s success. As a result, employers often seek to hire individuals with strong critical thinking abilities.

In a team setting, critical thinking helps facilitate productive discussions and collaboration. Members of a team who can effectively analyze situations, question assumptions, and remain open-minded to the opinions of others contribute positively to the decision-making process. This ensures that a diverse range of perspectives is considered, leading to better outcomes for the company.

Ultimately, developing critical thinking skills in employees is not just beneficial for the individual worker and their direct colleagues, but it also impacts the overall success of the organization. By fostering an environment that encourages the growth of critical thinking skills, employers can not only increase productivity but also create a more positive and engaged work culture.

Developing Critical Thinking Skills

Mindful observation.

Mindful observation is a valuable exercise for enhancing critical thinking skills. Encourage employees to take a step back and observe their surroundings, paying close attention to details that may have previously gone unnoticed. This practice helps employees develop the ability to analyze situations more thoroughly and interpret information more effectively.

Active Listening

Active listening is essential for effective communication and leadership. Encourage employees to practice active listening by giving their full attention to the speaker, avoiding interrupting, and providing constructive feedback. Active listening promotes the development of critical thinking skills by fostering open-mindedness, empathy, and understanding in the workplace.

Asking Questions

Asking questions is a key component of critical thinking, as it encourages employees to inquire deeper into subjects and analyze all aspects of an issue. Employers can foster a work environment that supports curiosity by encouraging team members to ask both open-ended and closed-ended questions and offering guidance when needed.

Assessing Evidence and Drawing Conclusions

Teaching employees how to evaluate evidence and draw informed conclusions is crucial for the development of critical thinking skills. Use thinking exercises that involve employees analyzing and evaluating various sources of information, ultimately forming an inference that leads to an informed decision. Pairing employees with a mentor is helpful for providing guidance and support throughout the process.

Recognizing and Managing Biases

Biases can greatly impact critical thinking and decision-making. Encourage employees to recognize their own biases and learn how to manage them effectively. Employees can benefit from understanding the impact of these biases on their thought process and how to minimize their influence to make objective, well-reasoned conclusions.

By incorporating these exercises and strategies into the workplace, employees can develop critical thinking skills that strengthen their overall performance, communication, and leadership abilities.

Critical Thinking and Communication

Critical thinking and communication go hand in hand in the workplace. Developing both skills can enhance employees’ ability to solve problems, make decisions, and work effectively in teams. By engaging in critical thinking exercises that involve clear communication and open discussion, employees can improve their cognitive abilities and interpersonal skills.

One exercise to improve critical thinking and communication is explaining a problem to someone else. This allows employees to fully understand a situation and consider all possible options for resolution. Encouraging employees to articulate their thought processes and rationale can lead to improved cognitive skills .

Another useful technique is group discussions, which can stimulate critical thinking and promote clear communication. By engaging in conversations where various perspectives are considered, employees can develop the ability to analyze information objectively and reevaluate their initial assumptions. Fostering open-mindedness and empathy for others’ viewpoints can also build strong communication skills in the workplace .

In addition to exercises, employees should continuously practice self-awareness. Becoming more conscious of their thought processes, values, ethics, and beliefs will enhance their critical thinking abilities . Developing self-awareness also encourages employees to reflect on their communication styles and identify areas that need improvement.

Implementing these critical thinking and communication exercises in the workplace can lead to more efficient problem-solving, enhanced team dynamics, and improved performance across the organization. By fostering a culture of open discussion and clear communication, employers can empower their teams to make well-informed decisions and excel in their respective roles.

Applying Critical Thinking to Problem Solving

Effective problem solving requires employees to utilize critical thinking skills. By carefully analyzing information, asking questions, and determining the best course of action, employees will be more likely to arrive at creative and innovative solutions to challenges.

A key aspect of critical thinking in problem solving is to question assumptions. Employees should be encouraged to identify any preconceived notions or biases that may be influencing their thought processes. This will help them approach the problem with a more open and objective perspective.

Another essential component is seeking alternative viewpoints, even if it means playing the devil’s advocate. By considering different perspectives and exploring various possibilities, employees will be better equipped to discover innovative solutions that might not have been immediately apparent.

Critical thinking also involves evaluating the effectiveness of potential solutions. Employees should be encouraged to analyze the pros and cons of each option, as well as consider any potential long-term impacts. This process can help identify the most viable and successful solutions for a given problem.

In order to foster a culture of critical thinking within the workplace, managers can provide support by encouraging employees to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and explore alternative perspectives. Additionally, providing opportunities for learning and growth can help employees further develop their critical thinking skills, ultimately leading to more effective problem solving and increased innovation.

In summary, critical thinking is essential for effective problem-solving at work. By questioning assumptions, exploring various perspectives, and evaluating potential solutions, employees can confidently recommend creative and innovative approaches to overcoming challenges. This will not only lead to better outcomes for the organization, but also foster a culture of continuous improvement and growth.

Critical Thinking in Leadership and Management

Developing critical thinking skills in leadership and management positions is crucial for making informed decisions, driving company growth, and ensuring employee satisfaction. By enhancing their cognitive abilities, leaders and managers become better at decision-making, hiring processes, and overall performance.

In the realm of leadership, critical thinking helps leaders to understand the logical relationships between ideas and recognize the importance of an argument. This enables them to identify mistakes in reasoning and make well-informed choices, thus driving superior organizational outcomes as mentioned here .

Certainly, nurturing critical thinking in management is essential for improving cognition . This includes decision-making skills, the ability to identify potential pitfalls, and dealing with complex situations. By integrating critical thinking into management practices, companies can boost employee engagement, improve workplace morale, and ultimately succeed in a competitive business landscape.

Incorporating critical thinking exercises into hiring processes allows employers to better assess candidates’ abilities objectively. By focusing on problem-solving and communication skills during the interview process, managers can identify high-potential talent who demonstrate strong critical thinking competencies.

Investing time in building and improving critical thinking skills not only benefits individuals but also the overall success of an organization. By supporting employees in developing their cognitive abilities, leaders and managers both play a crucial role in promoting a culture of critical thinking that will lead to better decision-making and stronger company performance.

In conclusion, fostering critical thinking in leadership and management enables better decision-making, more effective hiring processes, and improved organizational performance. Strong cognitive abilities empower leaders and managers to approach complex situations with confidence and clarity, driving overall growth and success.

Critical Thinking in Team Building

Incorporating critical thinking exercises within team building activities is essential for fostering creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving amongst employees. By engaging team members in activities that require them to consider multiple perspectives and work together to reach a conclusion, companies can significantly improve their team’s performance.

One effective critical thinking activity for team building is Debate It Out . In this exercise, teams are assigned a controversial topic and asked to come to a consensus. Participants must research and present opposing viewpoints, encouraging the consideration of multiple perspectives. This debate process encourages employees to challenge preconceived notions, question assumptions, and ultimately strengthen their critical thinking skills.

Another beneficial exercise involves conducting Reverse-engineering Google activities. In this scenario, participants work together to reverse-engineer a successful past project or campaign. This collaborative approach allows team members to learn from each other’s experiences, assumptions, and mistakes while analyzing the factors that contributed to the project’s success.

Brainstorming is another critical thinking team building activity that can generate diverse ideas and encourage innovation. By setting specific goals or challenges, team members collaborate to provide multiple solutions to a given problem. Encourage employees to think beyond the obvious answers, providing a safe space for innovative and unusual ideas.

In summary, promoting critical thinking within team building exercises is essential for strengthening collaboration, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Implementing activities such as debates, reverse-engineering Google tasks, and brainstorming can foster robust critical thinking skills amongst team members and ultimately lead to improved team performance.

Evaluating Potential Job Candidates for Critical Thinking Skills

Screening for critical thinking.

When evaluating potential job candidates, it’s important to assess their critical thinking skills as part of the hiring process. These skills are essential for both hard and soft skills, making them valuable across various roles and industries.

A vital step to measure critical thinking is through the initial screening process. To do this effectively, recruiters can utilize pre-employment tests that focus on evaluating candidates’ analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, and decision-making skills. These assessments can be administered online for a more efficient process while narrowing down the applicant pool.

In addition, it’s helpful to include open-ended questions on job application forms, which require a demonstration of critical thinking. For instance, candidates can be asked to provide examples of situations where they needed to use critical thinking skills to resolve a problem.

Assessing Analytical Skills during Interviews

During the interview stage, hiring managers have the opportunity to further evaluate a candidate’s critical thinking abilities. Incorporating critical-thinking interview questions can reveal valuable insights into their thought processes and how they approach problem-solving.

Asking situational and behavioral questions can provide excellent insight into a candidate’s analytical capabilities. Employers may ask questions that require candidates to analyze specific scenarios, or they may inquire about past experiences where candidates employed their critical thinking skills.

Using case studies or real-life scenarios during interviews is also an effective method for assessing critical thinking abilities. Presenting candidates with a complex problem or task can help gauge their skills in problem-solving, decision-making, and evaluation.

It’s essential to have a structured approach when evaluating candidates’ analytical skills, as it enables hiring managers to compare their abilities objectively. This will ultimately help them make informed decisions when selecting the best-suited candidate for the job.

By effectively screening and assessing job candidates’ critical thinking skills, companies can confidently hire employees with the necessary abilities to contribute successfully to their organization’s goals and vision.

The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Critical Thinking

Emotional Intelligence (EI) plays a significant part in facilitating critical thinking skills for employees. EI is defined as the ability to understand and manage one’s emotions , as well as recognizing and influencing the emotions of others. In the context of critical thinking, high emotional intelligence allows individuals to be more reflective and open to different perspectives.

A key aspect of emotional intelligence in critical thinking is self-awareness. When employees are aware of their own emotions and biases, they can step back and reflect on their thoughts and decisions objectively. By doing so, they are better able to analyze and evaluate various media and sources of information, leading to more informed decisions.

Emotional intelligence also helps employees consider the ethical implications of their decisions. With a heightened understanding of emotions, individuals are more likely to empathize with others and take their perspectives into account. This ability enables them to navigate complex ethical dilemmas and make fair judgments that adhere to the organization’s values.

Moreover, employees with high emotional intelligence can easily adapt to different perspectives and opinions. They demonstrate a willingness to engage in meaningful dialogues with co-workers and are receptive to feedback. This collaborative spirit nurtures a culture of learning and continuous improvement, fostering an environment in which critical thinking can thrive.

In summary, emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in enhancing critical thinking skills among employees. By being aware of their emotions and biases, reflecting on decisions objectively, considering ethics, and embracing diverse perspectives, individuals with high emotional intelligence contribute enormously to creating a productive and innovative workplace.

Fostering an Innovative Work Environment through Critical Thinking

Promoting open discussions.

One way to encourage innovation in the workplace is by promoting open discussions. These encourage employees to share their ideas and contribute to the collaborative push for creative solutions. When a culture of open communication is established, employees feel valued and are more likely to take risks, making it easier for them to come up with innovative solutions. Conducting regular brainstorming sessions and encouraging the exchange of opinions during meetings can further enhance the creative thinking process.

Encouragement of Reflective Practice

Another essential aspect of fostering an innovative work environment is the encouragement of reflective practice. Reflection allows employees to learn from their experiences and identify areas for improvement. By consistently implementing reflective practices, employees can develop a better understanding of their thought processes, leading to more confident and knowledgeable decision-making. This can be done through regular self-assessments, group discussions, or by providing constructive feedback from managers and peers.

By focusing on open discussions and reflective practices, businesses can effectively nurture a culture of critical thinking and creativity, leading to more innovative solutions and long-term success in the ever-changing business landscape.

Enhancing critical thinking skills in the workplace is an essential step towards cultivating a culture of effective decision-making and problem-solving. By engaging in various training exercises, employees can strengthen their ability to analyze situations, interpret data, and make informed choices.

Introducing critical thinking exercises into an organization demonstrates the company’s commitment to fostering employee growth and harnessing their full potential. Such exercises are not only beneficial in honing analytical and problem-solving skills, but also in improving communication, collaboration, and adaptability among team members.

Incorporating critical thinking training into existing programs can lead to a more efficient and productive workplace. Employees with strong critical thinking skills are better prepared to face challenges, remain flexible and adaptive to changes in the market, and contribute positively to an organization’s overall success. By prioritizing critical thinking development, businesses can invest in their employees and, in turn, reap the benefits of a well-equipped workforce.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are effective group exercises to improve critical thinking.

There are various group exercises that can help improve critical thinking skills among employees. One example is the Socratic questioning technique in which a facilitator poses a series of questions designed to uncover assumptions and stimulate critical thinking. Another effective activity is the “Case Study Analysis,” where employees are tasked with analyzing real-life business scenarios to identify challenges, gather data, and make informed decisions.

How can team building games enhance critical thinking skills?

Team building games can be an engaging way to enhance critical thinking skills. These games often require collaboration, problem-solving, and decision-making under pressure, which can help participants sharpen their analytical abilities. Incorporating team-building exercises that promote critical thinking into regular team meetings or training sessions can create an environment of intellectual growth and mutual support.

What are some fun activities to develop critical thinking in adults?

Fun activities for adults aimed at developing critical thinking skills might include puzzles, escape room games, and debate clubs. These activities encourage individuals to challenge their assumptions, think outside the box, and use logical reasoning, ultimately improving their cognition and problem-solving abilities .

How can a workbook aid in critical thinking development?

A workbook designed for critical thinking development typically contains structured exercises, real-world examples, and reflective activities. These materials guide individuals through a step-by-step process of improving their critical thinking skills by encouraging self-awareness, fostering curiosity, and promoting constructive feedback. Using a workbook can provide an organized and personalized approach to enhancing critical thinking abilities.

What are the top 5 skills essential for critical thinking?

The top 5 skills essential for critical thinking include:

Analytical thinking: The ability to break complex problems into smaller, manageable components.
Evaluation: Assessing information and making judgments based on evidence and reasoning.
Problem-solving: Identifying challenges and proposing effective solutions.
Creativity: Generating innovative ideas, insights, and approaches.
Communication: Articulating thoughts clearly and persuasively to convey complex ideas to others.

How can virtual activities benefit employees’ critical thinking?

Virtual activities can be an effective way to enhance critical thinking skills for remote or hybrid teams. Online tools and platforms can facilitate group discussions, brainstorming sessions, and collaborative problem-solving exercises, allowing employees to engage with diverse perspectives and develop their critical thinking skills. Employing virtual critical thinking activities can create an inclusive environment, encouraging employees to learn from each other, and adapt to changing circumstances.

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5 Team Building Activities To Promote Critical Thinking

One of our goals in education as teachers is to groom our students for success in the real world. In order for learning to occur, students must be engaged, motivated and their critical thinking skills be developed. Here are 5 team-building games that promote critical thinking and will engage and motivate students to learn:

Save the egg:

WARNING: this activity can get messy and is only suitable to be played by older children who are able to follow safety guidelines when dealing with raw eggs. In this game, teams of 3-4 students must work together to find a way to save the egg from breaking from a high drop. They build and design a structure that will prevent the egg from cracking. They are given 15-20 min to find a way.

Materials Required: Raw eggs (one for each group plus extras in case of accidents), cardboard, duck tape, several thin straws (at least 40 per group), paper towels for cleanup, a way to enable a high drop.

Theme Theatre/Hot Seat

Divide the class into groups of 3. Students will take turns being the interviewer and interviewee. The teacher gives them a theme and the person being interviewed has to be creative in coming up with answers that the interviewers ask them about the subject; the sky is the limit. Each group then picks one best question and one best answer to share with the class. This game can be adapted to be played by any group of students.

Possible Topics:

You have developed a new transit system to deal with the traffic congestion in Toronto – one that goes through the sewer.
You have discovered that elephants are able to fly. You are the project manager who is testing this theory out by allowing the elephants to bungee jump from an airplane.
You won a million dollars and you have to give 10% to others. Who would you choose?
Life Highlights Game

This is an excellent icebreaker game that’s perfect for small and large class alike. Begin the game by asking each student to close their eyes for one minute and consider the best moments of their lives. After the students have had a moment to run through highlights of their lives, inform them that their search for highlights has just been narrowed. Keeping their eyes closed, ask them to take a moment to decide what 30 seconds of their life they would want to relive if they had 30 seconds to live. While the first part of the activity enables students to reflect back on their lives, the second part enables them to get to know their classmates on a persona level. The teacher facilitating this game will ask each student what their 30 seconds entailed and why they chose it, which will allow participants to get a feel for each other’s passions, loves, and personalities.

Rubik’s Cube Shuffle:

Rubik’s cube is an age old game which is still popular among children of all ages. Each group will be given a twisted Rubik’s cube which the players will have to work on getting at least one of the six solid colors placed perfectly. This puzzle solving requires the idea of all the team players and demands critical thinking and strategic planning to get the colors put in the right spots.

Materials: Rubik Cube

Colored Thinking Hats

The Six Thinking Hats metaphor was developed by Edward de Bon. It is a model that can be used to explore different perspectives towards a complex situation, encouraging creativity, change and listening skills. Seeing things in different ways is often a good idea in strategy formation or complex decision-making processes. In this game, delegates are presented with a hypothetical situation to consider whilst in turn wearing one of six different colored hats. Each hat represents a different way of thinking. This activity is recommended for all grades.

About Alex Noudelman

Alex Noudelman is an educator, coach and Digital Marketing Manager with over 5 years of experience. Alex enjoys and strives to motivate others to better themselves professionally and on a personal note. Feel free to contact him if you have any questions or would like a specific topic covered.

2 thoughts on “ 5 Team Building Activities To Promote Critical Thinking ”

I think these are the perfect team building activities thanks for sharing this informative article . These tips are very helpful.

Save the egg was the activity I chose to form this blog. Trust me; it was so exciting. We introduced points in the game, as to how many eggs each team could save. It was an outstanding experience.

The 18 Best Team Building Activities in New York City for 2024

The 18 Best TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES IN NEW YORK for 2024 featured image

Are you looking for team building activities in New York City? Look no further! We’ve compiled 18 of the best options for you and your workgroup.

If you’re looking for team building activities in New York, you have no shortage of options available to you. From the green expanses of Central Park to the historic corridors of Wall Street, New York City is a treasure trove of experiences waiting to be discovered by teams eager to connect and grow.

In this article, we’ve detailed 18 incredible team building activities in New York City, all designed to spark innovation, foster teamwork, boost communication, and provide you and your colleagues with an opportunity to spend quality time together.

1. Wild Goose Chase

2. Central Park Scavenger Hunt

3. The Amazing Chase

4. High Line Horticulture Walk

5. Clue Murder Mystery

6. Statue of Liberty History Quiz

7. brooklyn bridge group sketch .

8. Corporate Escape Rooms
9. City Chase: Scavenger Hunt

10. Greenwich Village Literary Crawl

11. museum mile artistic impressions , 12. times square time capsule , 13. nyc photo challenge , 15. hudson river park environmental project , 16. wall street financial quest , 17. diy “broadway” show challenge , 18. urban gardening initiative , 1.  wild goose chase .

For teams seeking an exhilarating outdoor adventure combined with a scavenger hunt, Wild Goose Chase is the perfect choice. Participants navigate through New York’s vibrant streets, landmarks, and hidden gems while completing various tasks and challenges using a smartphone app.

From solving puzzles to capturing creative photos and videos, this interactive experience encourages teamwork, problem-solving, and quick thinking. With each challenge conquered, teams strengthen their bonds and explore the city in an engaging and memorable way.

Create a scavenger hunt list with items and landmarks to find in Central Park, such as the Alice in Wonderland statue or the Bethesda Fountain. You and your colleagues can take photos and gather small, nature-friendly items, encouraging exploration and teamwork.

3.  The Amazing Chase

Similar to Wild Goose Chase but with a twist, The Amazing Chase offers teams a high-energy race against the clock. Teams embark on a journey across New York, tackling a series of checkpoints and challenges strategically placed throughout the city.

Whether deciphering clues, completing physical tasks, or solving riddles, participants must rely on effective communication and collaboration to outpace their competitors. The Amazing Chase promises an adrenaline-fueled adventure that fosters teamwork and camaraderie while exploring New York’s iconic landmarks.

Organize a walking tour of the High Line, where your group can break out into teams and learn about urban horticulture and sustainability. Encourage each team to present their findings on the plant life and design of the park to the rest of the group.

5.  Clue Murder Mystery

Step into the shoes of detectives and immerse yourselves in a captivating murder mystery experience with Clue Murder Mystery. Teams work together to unravel clues, interrogate suspects, and piece together evidence to solve a thrilling whodunit scenario.

This immersive activity encourages collaboration, critical thinking, and attention to detail. With each clue uncovered, teams strengthen their investigative skills and deepen their bonds as they race to uncover the truth behind the mystery.

Plan a visit to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, where you and your team can answer historical trivia questions. Together, you can learn about immigration history and the significance of these landmarks to New York City.

Split your colleagues into teams to walk the Brooklyn Bridge and then sit together to sketch the skyline view or the bridge’s structure. This activity encourages observation and artistic expression, with everyone sharing their artwork afterward.

8.  Corporate Escape Rooms

For teams seeking dynamic team-building experiences, Corporate Escape Rooms in New York offer the perfect solution. These specially designed rooms cater to corporate groups, providing themed challenges that require collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity to solve. Participants find themselves transported to captivating scenarios where they must work together to uncover secrets and escape before time runs out.

With intricately designed puzzles, hidden clues, and unexpected twists, Corporate Escape Rooms is a great option for teams of any size. Beyond the thrill of solving puzzles, these experiences offer valuable insights into team dynamics, communication styles, and leadership skills, ultimately strengthening cohesion and performance in the workplace.

9.  City Chase: Scavenger Hunt

City Chase: Scavenger Hunt for New York offers teams an exciting and interactive adventure through the vibrant streets of the city. With a smartphone app as their guide, participants embark on a scavenger hunt, completing challenges, solving puzzles, and exploring unique places.

From iconic landmarks to hidden treasures, City Chase encourages teamwork, creativity, and quick thinking as teams strategize their way to victory. This exhilarating urban adventure provides an unforgettable team-building experience that fosters camaraderie among colleagues in the dynamic environment of New York.

Get together with your team and explore the literary history of Greenwich Village by visiting the former homes and favorite haunts of famous writers. You can do things like read passages from these authors and discuss their influence on New York culture.

Select several museums along Museum Mile for your team to visit. You can collectively choose artworks to discuss and later create a group presentation on how the pieces reflect the diversity and energy of NYC.

In Times Square, teams can collect current-day items to create a time capsule. You’ll write notes predicting future trends and discuss how these artifacts represent today’s New York City.

Host a photo challenge where teams capture the essence of New York through themes like ‘Urban Jungle’, ‘City Life’, or ‘Hidden Gems’. Then, you can share your photos and the stories behind them.

14. Five Borough Food Tour

Organize a self-guided food tour across New York’s five boroughs, with teams trying local specialties from each area. They can document their culinary journey and share their experiences with others.

Coordinate a DIY environmental project in Hudson River Park, such as a clean-up or a plant identification walk. You and your colleagues can contribute to the park’s well-being while learning about local ecology.

These self-guided activities are designed to leverage New York City’s vibrant and diverse environment, providing unique, hands-on experiences for effective team bonding.

You and your team can engage in a self-guided tour and trivia game based on the financial history of Wall Street. They can visit historical landmarks like the New York Stock Exchange, Federal Hall, and the Charging Bull statue, answering financial trivia questions related to each site.

Challenge your workgroup to create their own five-minute “Broadway” show or skit inspired by the iconic theater district. They can write, direct, and act in their mini productions, which can be performed in a local park or a rented rehearsal space.

Gather your colleagues to participate in or create their own urban gardening project within one of NYC’s community gardens. This activity could involve planting, weeding, and learning about local plants and food sustainability in the city. It’s a great way to build team spirit and contribute positively to the community.

Learn more about team building activities in New York.

If you’ve got questions about how to facilitate unforgettable team building activities in New York City, reach out to an Employee Engagement Consultant.

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Got Five Minutes? Practice Critical Thinking and Teamwork
5 Critical Thinking Team Building Games For Adults
10 Team-Building Games That Promote Collaborative Critical Thinking
Critical thinking team building activity
5 Critical Thinking Team Building Games For Adults
10 Team-Building Games That Promote Collaborative Critical Thinking

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CRITICAL THINKING ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
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Team Building Activity For EMPLOYEES and WORK: [Value Focused Activity]
🔓🧠💯Unlock Your Brain Full Potential with these 💥🤔🔎Top 4 Exercises to Boost Critical Thinking Skills

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10 Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking
The following team-building games can promote cooperation and communication, help establish a positive classroom environment and — most importantly — provide a fun, much-needed reprieve from routine. See also Team-Building Games For The First Day Of School. 10 Team-Building Games That Promote Collaborative Critical Thinking
10 Critical Thinking Team Building Activities for Work
Also, talk about the importance of thinking critically and strategically under pressure. #5. Quick Brainstorming. In this activity, employees must quickly brainstorm ideas in order to come up with solutions. Time: 5 minutes. Materials: Problem and discussion prompts. Participants: 4-10 people per team. Instructions.
11 Activities That Promote Critical Thinking In The Class
6. Start a Debate. In this activity, the teacher can act as a facilitator and spark an interesting conversation in the class on any given topic. Give a small introductory speech on an open-ended topic. The topic can be related to current affairs, technological development or a new discovery in the field of science.
A Short Guide to Building Your Team's Critical Thinking Skills
A Short Guide to Building Your Team's Critical Thinking Skills. by. Matt Plummer. October 11, 2019. twomeows/Getty Images. Summary. Most employers lack an effective way to objectively assess ...
Team Building Exercises
In this article, we'll look at three team-building exercises that you can use to improve problem solving and decision making in a new or established team. Exercises to Build Decision-Making and Problem-Solving Skills. Use the following exercises to help your team members solve problems and make decisions together more effectively.
Problem Solving Games, Activities & Exercises for Adults
Problem solving games are activities that require players to use critical thinking skills to solve puzzles. Example activities include escape rooms, Sudoku, and murder mysteries. The purpose of these exercises is to sharpen reasoning and decision-making skills in group settings and to do team building with employees.
10 Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking
Minefield Team-building games for critical thinking is a time-honored exercise that has been shown to foster better communication and a sense of trust among participants of all ages. It requires the construction of an obstacle course as well as the grouping of the students into different teams. Students take turns navigating the "minefield ...
Games Promoting Collaborative Critical Thinking: Top 10
The raft must be built using limited materials and must be strong enough to carry 4-6 people of each team to a certain distance. The activity requires close collaboration and critical thinking to complete the activity. -----For more interesting team building activities, visit Trebound. +
5 Critical Thinking Team Building Games For Adults
Brain training activities are quite common; however, critical thinking games are much better if you want to teach skills faster. So keep reading on and learn if you want to learn a 5 new games for boosting critical thinking in your team. Why Team Building Activities are Important. The leading organizations know the importance of corporate training.
20 Effective Strategy Games For Teams
Here is a list of our favorite team building strategy games. 1. Mafia. Mafia is a popular strategy game that can enhance team building skills within a group. In this game, players take on roles as either members of the Mafia or innocent townspeople. Mafia members have hidden identities.
5 Critical Thinking Team Building Activities for Adults
3. Make a SWOT analysis together. SWOT analysis is a popular marketing framework for analyzing a project's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. It encourages research, outside-of-the-box reasoning, and teamwork. So it also makes a fruitful critical-thinking team building experience! ‍. 4.
10 Team Building Games that Stimulate Critical Thinking in Students
Using these materials, the students must construct something as a team. It could be a building or a castle or a car, for that matter. 6. A Shrinking Vessel. Image Credits: Youtube. In addition to teamwork, this game requires a good deal of strategy. The rules might seem simple but it is deceptive in that aspect.
Top 7 Team Building Games That Promotes Critical Thinking
Let us have a look at some of the team-building games that can help in promoting critical thinking: 1. Egg Drop. This activity is more suitable for older kids who can follow safety guidelines as it can get messy working with raw eggs. This activity aims to find a method to save the egg in a creative collaboration.
12 Mind-Blowing Team Building Exercises To Supercharge Teams
5.3. Jigsaw Puzzle. Go back to the basics with one of the simplest team building activities for small groups, a jigsaw puzzle. Jigsaw puzzles have been shown to improve memory, problem solving, and concentration while simultaneously reducing stress, making them a relaxing all-rounder for team bonding.
Team Building Exercises
It is necessary for driving innovation and competitive spirit and an excellent way to promote team building, communication, trust, and problem solving skills. One of the best ways to build creative thinking skills is to use exercises that encourage "out-of-the-box" thinking. Five examples of creative team building exercise are: Brainstorming ...
22 Unbeatable Team Building Problem Solving Activities
Problem-solving is a critical skill and team building problem solving activities can help your team have fun while sharpening their skills. Phone 1-800-565-8735. Request a Quote. ... read between the lines, and use critical thinking in order to identify a suspect and deliver justice. 3. Virtual Escape Room: Jewel Heist. If you and your team ...
10 Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking
The team at TeachThought have compiled their list of games to promote better peer-to-peer learning in the classroom. Collaborative game-playing in the classroom teaches cooperation and communication among students, and complements structured textbook learning. TeachThought lists 10 games to accelerate students' critical thinking.
Top 22 Virtual Problem-Solving Activities For Teams
20. Virtual Code Break. Virtual Code Break is a virtual team-building activity specially designed for remote players. Its purpose is to challenge players to think outside the box, improve problem-solving skills, and leverage their own and each other's skills.
The Ultimate Guide to Team Building Activities for Work
Problem solving is another major team building activity objective requiring critical thinking and communication skills in addition to creativity. 3. The egg drop challenge. For this team building exercise, gather small groups of 3 to 5 people to invent a way to drop a raw egg from a high place without breaking it.
16 Fun 30-Minute Team Building Activities
Here is our list of the best 30-minute team building activities. 30-minute team building activities are short, structured games and challenges that promote collaboration, teamwork, and communication. ... SKYJO is a fun way to sharpen critical-thinking and concentration skills, making it a great addition to your list of team building activities.
Critical Thinking Exercises for Employees: Boosting Workplace Problem
In summary, promoting critical thinking within team building exercises is essential for strengthening collaboration, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Implementing activities such as debates, reverse-engineering Google tasks, and brainstorming can foster robust critical thinking skills amongst team members and ultimately lead to ...
5 Team Building Activities To Promote Critical Thinking
Here are 5 team-building games that promote critical thinking and will engage and motivate students to learn: Save the egg: WARNING: this activity can get messy and is only suitable to be played by older children who are able to follow safety guidelines when dealing with raw eggs. In this game, teams of 3-4 students must work together to find a ...
The 18 Best Team Building Activities in New York City for 2024
We've compiled 18 of the best team building activities in New York City. Phone 1-800-565-8735. Request a Quote. Virtual Team Building; In-person Team Building. Top Activities; Scavenger Hunts; Indoor; ... This immersive activity encourages collaboration, critical thinking, and attention to detail. With each clue uncovered, teams strengthen ...
18 Team Building Activities for Leaders, Managers, & Executives
From personality assessments to the partner mirroring game, here are some of the best ideas to help leaders bond. 1. Strategy Simulation. Strategy simulation is one of the top executive team growth exercises. This hands-on experience tests strategic thinking skills in a simulated business environment.
Cultivate Critical Thinking in Your Project Team
Critical thinking often requires challenging habitual ways of thinking and doing. Encourage your team to regularly review and question their own processes, decisions, and the underlying ...
Team Building Activities for Small Groups: 15 Super Fun Ideas
A list of small group team building activities and exercises to try. Perfect for groups that want to get to know each other and built trust. ... Water Balloon is one of the most practical games for sharpening critical thinking and problem-solving skills and is one of the best small group team building activities for students. 11. The Diplomat.

10 Critical Thinking Team Building Activities for Work

What are the Main Benefits of Critical Thinking in the Workplace?

#1. Debate It Out

#2. The Challenge Quest

#3. Fishbowl

#4. Elimination Match

#5. Quick Brainstorming

#6. Creative Writing

#7. The Exchange

#8. Idea Generation Game

#9. The Case Study

#10. Desert Survival

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11 Activities That Promote Critical Thinking In The Class

Importance of Acquiring Critical Thinking Skills

11 Activities that Promote Critical Thinking in the Class

1. Worst Case Scenario

2. If You Build It

4. Keeping it Real

5. Save the Egg

6. Start a Debate

7. Create and Invent

8. Select from Alternatives

9. Reading and Critiquing

10. Think Pair Share

11. Big Paper – Silent Conversation

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10 Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking

Here are 10 Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking;

2. If You Build it

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5. Save the Egg

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8. Keep it Real

9. Shrinking Vessel

10. The Worst-Case Scenario

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1. If You Build It

3. Shrinking Vessel

4. It’s a Mystery