Organizational success is largely dependent on employee engagement, which largely depends on the investment that managers make for their teams. It builds trust, mitigates conflict, and encourages collaboration and communication which ultimately leads to a healthy company culture and boosting the bottom line. Here’s a diverse mix of team building activities that you can do to achieve these goals.
 

1. Hole-in-many


Let’s start the list of team building activities with the easiest idea, all you need to make this team building activity work is a tarpaulin and a few tennis balls. Cut some holes out in the tarpaulin and you are ready to go. The objective of this challenge is to get the teams playing to navigate a ball around a ball or a few balls as long as possible, without the balls falling through the hole.
While the activity seems easy, it involves communicating with each other and cooperating to ensure that the ball remains on the tarpaulin. A highly functioning team will be able to accomplish this activity by ensuring that the ball never falls through. To make this activity more interesting, more tennis balls can be added to the tarpaulin, while your team members scramble to balance the added tennis balls carefully.
 

2. Batik Making


Batik is a Malaysian traditional art form that has been around for centuries. The unique designs are first made by drawing the intended design on fabric, with a removable wax, before dying the fabric and then removing the wax.
Batik painting is a fun team-based activity that challenges any group to be cooperative and express their creativity, in order to create a beautiful final product. To give batik painting a go and get your team spirit on, join a local batik painting workshop. MyWeekendPlan has a batik-making team building workshop that is customisable to the size of your group, and you’ll get to bring back your personalised batik artwork at the end of the day.
 
On-top-of-that, the workshop emphasizes on the traditional method of making batik, which uses the canting. The canting is a tricky tool to use, as the wax oozes out of the nozzle continuously, but the instructors at the workshop will teach you tricks to handle the wax and canting, which will teach your team to cooperate and paint batik like a pro.
 

Check out more on our Batik Making workshop here.

 

3. Dragon Boat Race


Tired of being cooped up in the office? Then maybe what you need is to get out there and break some sweat with your colleagues. Better yet, have a Dragon Boat race competition instead! This team-building activity is popular as it gets everyone to work together and have fun. In this activity, individual skill plays little-to-no role as everyone in the boat must work together and paddle synchronously to get to the finishing line.
In fact, every paddler in the boat has a unique job, encouraging accountability and leadership in each of them. Dragon boat racing is an amazingly effective team-building exercise as it is about timing, effort, collaboration and putting the team before oneself. Be assured that your team’s communication, bonds and team work will improve at the end of this activity.
If you’re planning to organise a team building activity for your office, consider inviting multiple departments or teams from other branches, as this increases the competitive spirit in the race. This activity is inclusive to everyone, regardless of age and ability.
 

4. Terrarium Making


In our fast-paced world, it’s pretty easy to get caught up in whatever we are doing amidst all the stress we are facing. Hence, if you’d like to find inner peace while bonding with your teammates, then creating a terrarium is a great way for doing so. Terrarium is actual mini-gardens placed inside an aquarium-like glass container.
 
Terrarium team building workshops are typically done in a relaxed, fun and zen-like environment, which is incredible in stimulating communication among teammates. With this, you’ll get to learn more about the person sitting next to you in the office, as well as their personality, rather than misunderstanding them for their actions and behaviour in work.
 
On top of that, terrarium making requires creativity as aesthetics play an important role too. You will get to unleash your creativity by choosing your favourite rocks, plants, sand, soil and especially moss in this moss terrarium team building workshop before assembling them.
 

Check out more on our Terrarium Making workshop here.

 

5. Cooking


If you don’t have a green thumb, then perhaps you’ve got better fingers in the kitchen. Cooking is a sure-fire way to unite everyone from all walks of life, because if any one thing can unite everyone, it definitely has to be food and cooking. Food, cooking and eating together have been a norm of many generations across time and cultures worldwide, and the benefits gained from this communal activity can be translated into the workforce as well.
While in the workshop, not everyone is outright a professional chef after learning a few cooking skills. There are bound to be mishaps happening, but yet, your team must forge on because the final aim is creating a dish that you can all be proud of. Cooking tests timing, creativity, resource planning, task allocation and working under pressure towards a common goal which makes this activity a great choice for team building. For the best culinary-based team building workshops in Malaysia, click here to visit MyWeekendPlan and the various cuisine classes they have to offer.
 

Check out more on our Cooking workshop here.

 

6. Kimchi Making


Kimchi, which is a spicy Korean side dish created from salted, fermented vegetables has an iconic taste from the combination of ingredients and spices added an impact on culinary styles worldwide. Despite its unique flavourful taste, making kimchi is no easy feat as it requires multiple stages of steps and lots of time.
 
A kimchi-making team building workshop will be a good test of any team’s ability to follow instructions, cooperate with one another and being patient for the intended outcome to emerge, which is delicious, crispy kimchi to take back home to and a stronger, united team back in work. One interesting thing to note is the flavour of kimchi made by each person will differ depending on several factors like the amount of certain ingredients used as well as the storage time incurred. Thus, it will be a great time of kimchi tasting and “appraisal” too for everyone that will delight the taste buds of every participant!
To give kimchi-making a try with your teammates, visit MyWeekendPlan now for a kimchi-making team building session now that can be customized to your team’s size and needs.
 

Check out more on our Kimchi Making workshop here.

 

7. Baking


As we’ve mentioned above, food and cooking is a good way to unite people from all walks of life, and has many added benefits to creating team synergy. However, baking, a form of cooking definitely, is especially conducive for teams to test out new ideas and churn out their creative juices. In fact, tweaking the recipe for the pastry and its method of creation can lead to the creation of a whole new dish. In a highly competitive work environment, coming up with new ideas and staying ahead of the current trends and competition is a highly valuable skill, and baking helps stimulate this mindset among your team members.
Team building baking workshops can also lead to the discovery of a new skill or a new passion within an individual and helps to establish cooperation and coordination among team members. Also, if the team is successful, then the end result are delicious pastries that everyone can enjoy. In fact, why don’t you spend some time and learn to bake a boba milk tea cake in one of our baking workshops so that you’ll be the talk of your relatives this Chinese New Year? You will get to learn with your team how to bake an awesome cake that you will be proud to share with your loved ones!
 

8. Mystery Forest


Are you afraid of the dark? Does the thought of what may lurk around scares you? In this team building simulation game, your fear of the dark and the unknown has to be overcome in order to complete missions and move forward together.
 
On top of that, if you and your team’s communication and problem-solving skills are subpar, then you will face a hard time in this activity, so you better start building that camaraderie that is crucially needed for this game, now. Otherwise, you might just become prey to the deadliest insects and animals of the jungle (We’re kidding!).
 
Work together with your teammates to build a weapon that will defend you, solve the challenges ahead of you and find your way out of the forest. Remember, think out-of-the-box if you want to survive and escape in time.
 
Contact MyWeekendPlan now to get a customised plan of Mystery Forest that’s just right for your team
 

Check out more on our Mystery Forest Team Building here.

 

9. Macaron making


Want to put your French cuisine skills to the test and bake the perfect macarons ever? Then join a macaron making workshop. MyWeekendPlan’s macaron making team building workshop is the perfect one yet – the workshop starts with an introduction of the patisserie by the Patissier, followed by an opportunity to try making these beautiful jewels by your own hands.
 
The macaron making workshop challenges everyone to cooperate in creating this pastry. After learning the make the shells, teams are then required to fill the macarons in and build a tower with their team, a feat easier said than done, with the delicate and fragile macarons.
 
Just bring yourself, and your enthusiasm and eagerness to learn, and you and your team are guaranteed a fun time baking these pastries!
 

Check out more on our Macarons Making workshop here

 

10. Zoom


Need some ideas to pull off a quick team building session in your office itself? Then ‘Zoom’ is the right pick for you. Zoom is a team building game that is based on the picture book, titled ‘Zoom’ by Istvan Banyai, a Hungarian illustrator and animator. Zoom consists of 30 sequential “pictures within pictures” aka a Pic-ception, which creates a narrative. Each person is given an image but is not permitted to show the image to anyone else.
 
After a round of briefing, the team, now together, has to figure out the correct sequence of the pictures. Participants are allowed to describe their image or demonstrate the action being done. Sounds simple? The tricky part here is that the details of the image that the participants get have to be studied in great detail or the sequence of the full story will not be in the right arrangement. The key to getting the sequence right is effective communication and problem-solving skills, so ‘Zoom’ is a great test of that.
Zoom is available for purchase online, so get the book, for a great team-building session in the office.
 

11. Sushi Tower challenge


Despite knowing that sushi is served in Japanese restaurants, did you know that making sushi itself is an ancient art form that was invented at least 200 years ago? Discover the art and origins of sushi-making by working as a team in a sushi making team building workshop.
 
There are a variety of sushi dishes and each one of them requires their own set of techniques such as Fumaki, Uramaki, Sashimi and Nigari-zushi. These include some of the best known sushi dishes we’ve enjoyed here in Malaysia which you are sure to recognise as you learn to make them in a sushi-making team building workshop by MyWeekendPlan.
 
After a quick demonstration, teams will be challenged to show off their new skills by creating an appetizing array of sushi creations that will be judged by the chef. Next, the teams are then required to assemble the sushi creations in a tower of increasing heights, in this fun, unorthodox workshop. To win this challenge, each of your team member’s strengths has to be well positioned and coordinated to create dishes that are not only delicious, but presented creatively to judgment, while ensuring your tower doesn’t collapse.

You can find our Sushi Making workshop here

 

12. Cardboard Boat Building Challenge


Being indoors can be too stifling sometimes. What about an excursion to a lake or river nearby? Even better, why not make a boat, so that you can go on a boat ride on the water? Armed with limited materials, this fun-filled activity involves teams working together creatively to build a boat that will stay afloat in water.
 
Each team is given limited time to design and build a sea-worthy vessel, usually with nothing but cardboard and packing tape. After building the boat, teams will then proudly present their vessel to everyone else which is then judged for its design and presentation, and finally, brought to the water for the ultimate test, a boat race. Teams must paddle fast and quick so that they reach the finish line before leak springs!
It takes a whole team to stay afloat in this cardboard boat building team challenge, and it almost takes a whole day to carry out this activity, so be prepared for a fun-filled day. Also, if lakes and rivers terrify you, then a swimming pool works wonders as well.
 

13. RM5 Challenge


What would you do if you were given RM5 and 2 hours only to earn as much money as possible with the RM5 given? This assignment was given by a Stanford professor to her students in the Stanford Technology Ventures Program, and has now grown in scope to be known as the Stanford Global Innovation Tournament.
 
Teams will receive RM5 as seed funding, and will be given as much time needed ahead to plan their next course of action. However, once the envelope is opened, teams only have 2 hours to raise as much money as possible.
 
To truly excel at this task, teams must think in entrepreneurial terms – identifying opportunities, leveraging limited resources, challenging assumptions and being creative – traits that are found in the best workers and leaders.
 

14. Brush Lettering and Modern Calligraphy


Calligraphy may seem like a boring entry in this list, especially considering the other activities that we have in here, but a brush lettering team building workshop can be of value to you and your team as you will learn a valuable skill that will be used both in your professional and personal life. On top of that, you will have a fun time bonding with everyone.
 
Brush lettering and calligraphy can be a skill that everyone takes with them to continue practicing at home, plus it can be used when making handmade thank you cards, marketing materials, event signage, etc. On top of that, writing is proven by research to be good for the brain as it helps in processing information and promoting mindfulness, which in the long-run promotes healthy aging. Besides that, a brush lettering and calligraphy team building workshop can be a good opportunity for employees to destress after a hectic workweek.
So, the next time HR invites you to a calligraphy team building workshop nearby you, don’t dismiss it straight away. Keep an open mind and heart and you might find that you had more fun than you expected.
 

Check out more on our Brush Lettering workshop here.

 

15. Egg Drop Challenge


If you work in a complex that has multiple floors, then this might just be the activity for you. All you need are some eggs, newspaper, straws, tape, and any other cheap materials that you can find for wrapping and building. In this activity, you and your team are split into groups of ideally 4-5, and the mission that each group has is to sufficiently protect a raw egg from a 10ft+ drop. That’s 1 to 2 stories high.
Do ensure that the coast is clear, so that you don’t end up dropping the egg bomb on top of anyone. Also, be ready to clean up afterward, if the egg does not survive the challenge. If several eggs survive, then open up all the surviving structures. The team that used the least amount of materials wins.
 
This team-building activity tests your team’s ability to pre-emptively see ahead of the challenge that is presented and being resourceful with the materials given to safely protect the egg. It helps to do a little breakdown after the activity as well. You can ask the teams about their experiences, what influenced the decision making behind their design process and if they would anything different the next time.
 

16. Skydiving


If your teammates are daredevils that are unfazed by anything, then this activity is sure to get their adrenaline rushing. When you peek out over your toes, see the open sky and leap, it is an experience that is profoundly empowering that deeply connects those that experience this activity.
Definitely, there is an inherent risk of participating in skydiving. However, the United States of Parachute Association has found that skydiving, a matter of fact, has a lower risk of mortality compared to day-to-day activities like driving. However, this also means that you need to do some research and only approach organisations that have experience and a proven track record in conducting this activity.
 
At the same time, skydiving gives you and your team a fresh perspective. It’s nothing short of a miracle that you’re able to demonstrate to yourself that you can jump out of a plane, thousands of feet from the ground, surmounting the fear of height and death. From the plane, the ground looks different, a big, beautiful map, where you and millions like you live their lives.
 
What’s the result? An ecstatic feeling of accomplishment that you share with your team when you land.
 

17. Running a Charity Event


Organizing an event may not be as thrilling as jumping out a plane, but it certainly can induce fear on its own. There are many responsibilities and challenges involved in organizing a charity event as a team-building activity, that when it is executed well, the benefits are rewarding and beneficial to everyone involved.
Team building activities can be especially meaningful when it is paired with an event that advocates or supports a good cause. There is definitely a feel-good factor that is involved when you truly realize that you are doing some good, potentially changing lives and making the world a better place.
 
Not only that, you’ll get the opportunity to meet new people and expand your network as well as the opportunities presented to you, with the added benefit of potentially discovering a dormant talent or skill for organizing events, delegating tasks, and managing roles and responsibilities.
 

18. Desert Adventure


If you are placed in a life-or-death situation with your arch-nemesis, you would most certainly cooperate with him or her to survive, at least till you’re both out of danger. This is essentially the idea behind this team building activity.
In fact, some companies offer this activity as an experience in the dunes of Dubai and the Saharan desert of Morocco. Teams must spend a night in the desert and experience the extremities that the desert has to offer – the cold, shivering night, and the dry, merciless day, while cooperating to ensure the desert does not get the best of them.
 
Teams will find that the desert has a beauty of its own and some activities can be done in the sand dunes that are simply magical, for instance capturing the starry nights of the Milky Way and never-ending sky, watching the golden sunrise and sunset, sandboarding, and riding camels.
 

19. Taman Negara Survival Night


From one survival night to another, albeit closer to home, camping a night in Taman Negara is definitely a memorable experience for any teams to encounter. The combination of adventure, being in nature and being experimental is effectively paradigm-shifting for any team. In fact, camping in the jungle teaches teams many skills that they can then effectively apply in their personal and professional lives. How else will you encounter your fear of the dark and the unknown?
The camping packages in Taman Negara include activities such as night jungle walk, bamboo rafting, canopy walk, jungle trekking and visiting the orang Asli village where you can learn how native people hunt and make fire. Get ready to leave your comfort zone for this activity is not for the faintest of hearts.
 

20. 4×4 Terrain Off-Roading


A fun-filled road driving escapade, where you will be using a 4×4 vehicles to drive through some of Malaysia’s most spectacular rugged off-road terrain, in this team building activity. Not only will you be required to test the torque of the vehicle, and your driving skills, ability to cooperate with others and to follow instructions will be put to the test.
If this does not sound adventurous enough for you, then you can opt for some blindfold driving, where the driver will be blind and the passengers are required to work together as a team to rely on each other in a fun and challenging environment. Fret not, you will be provided with an experienced instructor that will guide your every move.
 

21. Sumo Camp


Got a lot of aggression and anger that needs to be dealt from work? Then strap on a Sumo suit and let that fiery spirit out. This team building activity is perfect for you and your team to have some boisterous, frenetic fun as Sumo wrestlers.
 
In this simulated camp experience, you and your teammates will be required to complete challenges while donning Sumo suits. While this sounds fun, the challenges in this camp will require the utmost teamwork and effort from everyone because you’ll have to be completing them together, and believe us when we say, coordinating a group of people in Sumo suits is not as easy as you think.
 
The challenges in this team building activity are presented in 4 stages, called Arctar, Imperial, Fanatics and Sunken. Each round has unique challenges, which will earn you gems for completing them. Make your way to the end and beat the final round to emerge victorious and to escape the dimension you’re trapped, lest you want to remain a Sumo wrestler for the rest of your life.

Get a sneak peek of the thrilling fun Sumo Camp has to offer right here.

 

22. Pressed Flower Workshop


Flowers are fragile things that sadly, wilts in the time, after they are plucked. But if you’re interested in learning about preserving the delicate beauty of flowers as a team, then this activity is right for you. Creating pressed flower art is a fun activity suited to all ages, and is a blessing from the usual hectic work environments that surround many of us.
 
In this pressed flower team-building workshop, flowers come to life (ironically) in a whole new way, and they become art pieces that can be adorned and displayed in the walls and shelves of your home. Indulge yourselves in a world of pressed flowers with MyWeekendPlan today!
 

Check out more on our Pressed Flower Workshop here.

 
Building a strong team cannot happen without effort. While you can have a team that meshes organically, to truly cultivate a team that has each other’s backs through and through, you’ll need to reinforce the relationship with team building activities, and we hope that the ideas we’ve given you here, will help you to achieve this goal. For more tips and tricks to make your team building endeavour a successful one, follow our MyWeekendPlan blog and your team’s productivity skyrocketing! Hoppy team building!