Team building events are generally thought of as being large-scale events that take months of planning and a hefty chunk of the budget to execute. Most people think of large event centers with thousands of people when they think “corporate team building”. But here at Team Building Unlimited, we know that should NOT be the case! No matter how large or small your group is, you should be planning team building events to bring your team together.

The best part of all? Team building events for small groups can actually be some of the MOST fun and impactful!

Team Building Events Bring Small Groups Together

When you are working in a smaller team, naturally your group will already be a bit closer than a large group.

Your small team is likely very used to spending time with each other, a bit more comfortable with throwing their ideas out there into the group, and more privy to knowing how others within the group prefer to work together to solve problems.

So why would a smaller group need to participate in a team building event?

It’s super important to take steps to bring your team even closer together, regardless of how close you may already be.

Team building events really work well to strengthen different areas and skills within your team.

These events have been designed with many different aspects in mind:

• Communication
• Leadership
• Creativity
• Job satisfaction
• Confidence
• Productivity
• Problem-Solving Skills
• Morale
• Trust
• Motivation
• Fun
• And more!

Your team will be pushed outside of their comfort levels, which is always a good thing. It allows everyone to see different sides of each other that they may not have seen before and learn how to work together in new ways.It also helps build a sense of camaraderie and closeness within the group.

Small Team Building Events Allows for More Participation

When team building events are done with smaller groups, everyone in the group has an even better chance of being able to participate and offer up their own input.

This is great for team building because it allows everyone to feel like they are a valuable part of the group and that their ideas and input are appreciated.

It’s also much easier to get to know each person in a smaller group setting, which can be really beneficial when trying to build trust within the team.

Focus on More Specific Goals

If you’re hosting a team building event for a smaller scale group, then there is lots of opportunity to really customize the event to the needs and goals of that group.

For instance, a team building event that is done on a department level rather than a company-wide level can be more focused in on the department’s specific goals rather than the company’s broader goals.

First, think about the specifics of what your team needs to accomplish in the coming few months. Some goals your team might have are listed below.

• Improved customer satisfaction – If this is a goal for your small team, you might want to host an event that is more focused on identifying issues as a team and then figuring out specific ways to solve them.
• Increasing number of clients – If this sounds like one of your team’s primary goals, you should host a team building event centered around brainstorming. Being able to brainstorm as a team is a great way to come up with new ways to make sales and/or sign new clients.
• Reducing customer wait time – If time and productivity appears to be a struggle with your team, you might want to host an event that requires the team to work together to achieve a common goal within a time limit. Faced paced team building activities are sure to get everyone on board with thinking quick!
• Improving internal processes – if you need to improve the processes of your internal team as a way to make things run a bit more smoothly, then a team building event that is focused on problem solving and critical thinking skills would be beneficial.

There are tons of different team building events that can be done with small groups, but deciding what your main goal is will be a great starting point. Remember to keep in mind what your team’s specific needs are when choosing an event so that you can get the most out of it!

Planning Your Small Group’s Team Building Event

When you are planning team building activities for small groups, you want to make sure that everyone will be able to participate and feel comfortable. You also want to ensure that the activity is something that will push your team a bit outside of their comfort levels so they can learn and grow together.

Here are 50 fun team building ideas that work great for small groups:

Activities to Get to Know Each Other

• Fun Facts: A really simple way to bond with your team is to have everyone introduce themselves and then share one fun fact about themselves that not many people know.

• Two Truths and a Lie: Play a game of “Two Truths and a Lie” where everyone takes turns sharing three things about themselves, two of which are true and one of which is a lie. Then, everyone else has to guess which one is the lie.

• Brainstorming & Sharing Ideas: Here at Team Building Unlimited, we have created a unique event called Brown Paper Rap that inspires teams to brainstorm together and enlighten each other. Team members will take turns moving to different stations where they write down all of the brilliant ideas they come up with as a team.

• Memory Lane: Have everyone write down three memories from childhood on pieces of paper. Then, fold them up and put them into a hat. Have each person take turns picking a memory out of the hat and sharing it with the group.

• Write Down Your Dreams & Goals: This is one of the best team building events for smaller groups as it really gives all team members the chance to look inwards at their own goals, as well as uncover the dreams of their fellow colleagues. There is no better way to get to know each other and get inspired than the Dreams & Gratitude Workshop. 

• Practice Your Sales Pitch: Who’s the best salesperson of your group? A great way to strengthen your sales and deal-closing abilities is to play a game of Hook the Deal. A panel of judges will vote on who closes the hypothetical deal! 

• Host a Roast: A roast is a great way to get everyone laughing and also to get everyone comfortable with each other. Our The Roast event can be facilitated with one of our silly hosts roasting your guest of honor OR it can be designed to have your team roast each other! 

• Lip & Handwriting Analysis: Did you know that the print of your lips and the way you write can say a lot about your personality? Get together with your small team and find out what the analysis says about your team!

Stay Active

• Take a Walk: Choose a day to go for a lunchtime walk with your small team. This is a great way to get some fresh air and some exercise with your team as you spend some time bonding and getting to know each other better!

• Gym Days: Choose one day a week to hit the gym with your small team. Work out together and you’ll learn to work towards a common goal… the goal of health and fitness!

• Human Knot: This is a classic team building activity that requires everyone to stand in a circle and grab the hand of someone who is not standing next to them. Then, without letting go of each other’s hands, see if the group can untangle themselves into a circle again.

Showcase Your Creativity

• Art Mural: Create something super meaningful with your small team and get in touch with your artistic side. Art Mural Project allows your group to work with a muralist who will help to guide your team’s artistic journey. 

• Jewelry Making: Run to the craft store or order some big bags of beads online and lay them all out so that your team can make custom jewelry. Stringing beads together to make bracelets is such a nostalgic activity to bond over!

• Paint by Number: Head to your local craft store to pick up some paint by number canvases. Your group can sit down together over some snacks, have a nice chat, and complete their relaxing paint by number projects.

• Build a Bridge: Do a team building activity that requires everyone to work together to accomplish a common goal, such as building a bridge out of newspaper. 

Games & Challenges

• Scavenger Hunt: Have a ” scavenger hunt” where teams have to find specific items around their home or around the office. Level-Up Scavenger Hunt is a fun virtual team building event for small teams. 

• A Game of Trivia: See who has the best trivia knowledge of your group! A classic game of trivia is the perfect way to bond with your small group. 

• Host a Game Show: One really cool way to bring your team together is by hosting a fun game show. Our Ultimate Game Show event involves 8+ fun and competitive challenges that will have your entire team on their feet and laughing! 

• Virtual Game Show: Working with a remote team? The Q Challenge is a fun virtual game show that is perfect for smaller groups. Team members will have to compete in 6-8 challenges to see who the winner is! 

• Name That Tune: Create a playlist of songs ahead of time and then have team members take turns trying to name the tune. The first person to guess correctly wins! The Ultimate Tune Name Game is perfect for smaller groups. 

• Texas Hold Em: A well-known and popular game as is, why not get your group together for a Texas Hold Em tournament? We offer this as a virtual event option for groups as small as 6 people. 

• Mission Possible Challenge: Challenge your small group to a Mission Possible style challenge. Your team will work together to complete requests from Mission Control in an attempt to complete their mission.

• Raft-Building Challenge: Who can build the ship that won’t sink? Our unique twist on your everyday team building event allows participants to build rafts out of various household items. Then, they’ll drop their rafts into a source of water and see who’s boat can keep them afloat!

Food Related

• Have a Picnic: Grab your favorite picnic basket, gather your team together, and head off on a fun picnic! Everyone in the group can bring a different food item for everyone to enjoy at the picnic.

• Cake Decorating Contest: Who in your team can decorate the best cake of them all? Cake Wars is an awesome team building event for smaller groups. It will challenge your artistic side as well as encourage some friendly competition! Team members will have the chance to decorate cakes using given ingredients. PLUS, they can earn bonus decorations if they answer trivia questions!

• Cook a Meal Together: Who on the team can cook the best meal? VIP Chefs gives individuals the chance to grab various ingredients and compete against each other to see who can cook the winning meal!

• Small Bites: Rather than cooking a large meal, why not try putting together some small bites with your team? Apps & Desserts ARE the best parts of any meal, after all! 

• Salsa & Sangria: A really fun (and really delicious) team building idea is our Salsa & Sangria Challenge. Your team can work individually or break out into smaller groups to create their own signature salsa and sangria recipes. The final products will be judged! 

• Make Your Own Salsa: If you like the idea of getting creative with salsa but want to leave out the sangria, we also offer an awesome “Make Some Salsa!” event. 

• Building with Chocolates: How awesome would it be to build little houses our of chocolates like you are Willy Wonka? The Chocolate Challenge allows your team to do just that! Take part in challenges to win more pieces of chocolates and decorations for your creations! 

• Potluck Lunch: Invite all members of your team to bring one homemade item for a potluck lunch. This is a great way to get a taste of what your coworkers like to eat and also what they are good at cooking.

Giving Back

• Make Blankets for Charity: Giving back to your local community with the gift of warmth and comfort is truly an unmatched way to bond with your small team. Comfy Covers donates blankets back to local adults and children in need.

• Volunteer Together: Ask your small team to volunteer at a local charity together. There are plenty of shelters, soup kitchens, and local organizations that could use a couple extra pairs of hands to help out.

• Cooking for Charity: With our Charity Supper event, your team will work together to cook delicious meals for local charities. This is an excellent way to work together with your team towards a common goal of giving back.

• Build Toy Cars for Kids in Need: Brighten the day of local children in need with an amazing gift that will be built directly by your team. The Drive for Success team building event allows participants to build battery operated cars that will be donated to hospitals, daycares, foster homes, and more.

• Gardening: Have a team that values Mother Nature and/or has a bit of a green thumb? Your team can get their hands dirty with the Green Thumb Project, where they will help to landscape and beautify local landmarks, nursing homes, schools, and more.

• Build Tables That Will Last for Years to Come: Our event, Table Sets and Birthday Boxes, is an amazing way for your team to give back to those in need. You will work together to build table and chair sets that can be used by less fortunate children to read, eat, play, and more! It’s a gift that keeps on giving! As a bonus, you’ll also put together special “Birthday Boxes” that will be sent to local children celebrating their birthdays. 

Leave Your Next Event to Us

We hope that you have found an idea that is suitable for your small group.

The team at Team Building Unlimited has many years of experience with corporate team building and bonding events and we have found that these activities work really well for smaller groups.

Do you have any other fun team building ideas that work well for small groups? Ideas that you think will work well for your group but you aren’t quite sure how to facilitate them?

We want to hear about it all! Give us as a call at 609-443-6550 and we will work with you to plan and facilitate the team building event of your dreams from start to finish.

Check out more team building events that we offer here. We are based out of New Jersey and Orlando, FL but we offer our services across the nation!