Group Activities to Build Better Communication and Collaboration

The best group activities are based on the needs and strengths of the participants. They must enable everyone, even introverts, to be heard and contribute in a meaningful way.

The activity must also require the participants to think on their feet and engage in discussion about course concepts. In addition, it should be low-stakes and non-graded, thereby less likely to produce resistance.

1. Icebreakers

Icebreakers are group activities that help participants get to know each other and establish a sense of community. This can lead to better communication & collaboration, which is important in any organization. It also reduces the likelihood that a person will be disengaged from the team or feel stressed and burned out.

The most common icebreakers are fun & easy to implement, and don’t require much prep. They can be used in many different situations, from a simple meeting to a large-scale training session or event.

For example, a group of people who have never worked together before may find it difficult to start a conversation, and an icebreaker can help them to overcome this obstacle. It can also allow participants to discuss expectations for the upcoming activity and give them ownership of the session ahead.

Another icebreaker is a game that allows participants to share their skills and strengths with one another. This can help them understand their roles in the team and how they can best support each other.

This can help them to be more productive and creative in their work, while also increasing their level of engagement and enthusiasm for the team. It can also be a good way to introduce new members to the group and help them understand their responsibilities.

The best icebreakers are ones that encourage everyone to get to know each other, and are a fun way to warm up a meeting or team-building event. They can also be a great way to break down the barriers of organisational hierarchy and allow participants to feel comfortable sharing their ideas. These games are also a great way to introduce the topic of the day or the purpose of the meeting to a group of people.

2. Problem-Solving Games

Problem-solving games can be a great way to encourage teams to work together and develop problem-solving skills. These activities can be used in a wide range of settings and can be customized to fit any situation.

Some problem-solving games for teams focus on specific areas of expertise, while others are more general. For example, a team that specializes in technology may enjoy playing a game where they have to create a website for a non-profit.

Another problem-solving activity that focuses on specific skills is the Domino Effect Challenge. This is a fun and collaborative team building exercise that challenges teams to use their problem-solving skills to construct a massive, fully functional chain reaction machine.

For this group problem-solving activity, split your team into similar groups. Each group will receive a yarn ball, and they must turn it into a vast web. They must then choose a person from their team to untangle the web using only verbal instructions.

This group problem-solving activity challenges participants to make the best possible decisions. Decision-making can be challenging for some teams, but it is a skill that can help them solve problems faster.

A problem-solving activity that focuses on decision-making is the Human Knot. This is an easy-to-play game that can be done with a single group, but it can also be played with multiple teams. Throughout the game, participants will need to entangle themselves with other members of their team, and they must stay connected at all times. They must also be able to disentangle themselves without moving their hands at any point in time. The team that can successfully untangle themselves before time is up wins the game.

3. Improvisational (Improv) Games

If you’re looking for a fun activity that will help break the ice and encourage a sense of teamwork, improvisational (improv) games are the perfect answer. They’re easy to implement, fun to play, and work great for large groups of people, too!

Hello kitty, for example, is a classic improv game that’s also an excellent group activity. It can be played in any size group and requires just a few simple moves to be completed successfully.

Besides being fun and lighthearted, improv games are great for developing communication skills, as they require players to act out their reactions in response to a prompt. They also help players to think quickly and stay calm under pressure.

Another improv game that’s popular as a group activity is Human Objects, which involves miming different actions and objects. For instance, someone can make a snapping motion or a whistling sound, and others in the circle should then try to imitate that movement.

This game isn’t as complicated as some of the other improv games in this list, but it can still be challenging. Participants are asked to create a story, and they have to use as many actions and invisible props as possible.

It’s not only a great icebreaker for large groups, it also helps participants to build trust and relationships with their colleagues. This exercise can be implemented in both physical and virtual settings, allowing employees to connect with each other from anywhere in the world.

Two Truths and a Lie is one of the most popular improv games. It’s a simple way to get large groups of people talking and learning surprising facts about each other. In addition, it teaches a valuable lesson: the importance of fact-checking and invention!

4. Shared Learning Experiences

When it comes to learning, group activities can make a big difference in how students approach the material. They can also help create strong bonds within the group and improve teamwork.

Icebreakers can be particularly helpful, since they allow participants to get to know each other before jumping right into the task at hand. These activities can be used in face-to-face classes or online breakout rooms on Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

Problem-solving games can also be a great way to encourage problem-solving skills and collaboration. For example, divide students into teams and present them with a real-life issue related to the course material. Ask them to write down their solution, then pass the paper on to the next person and continue until they’ve created an entire solution.

Then, the group can share the final solution with the rest of the class or with their teammates. This will encourage everyone to contribute and be accountable for their own learning, which can help motivate learners to work harder.

These types of group activities can also be effective when they are paired with other forms of learning, such as service-oriented learning. This type of learning helps students apply the concepts they are learning to address a social or societal need.

Using these types of activities as shared learning opportunities can help participants understand and appreciate others’ perspectives, which can help them to better serve their communities. For example, when a class is addressing racism and bias, prompts that require students to consider the perspective of someone from another culture may help them consider their own views more thoughtfully.

5. Jigsaw Puzzles

Jigsaw puzzles are a fantastic group activity that can bring your team together in a fun, non-structured way. They are also a great conversation-starter and can be enjoyed by people of all ages, so there’s no reason not to give them a go!

They are an excellent tool for helping children develop their fine motor skills, as they have to pick up, turn and hold the pieces of a puzzle. This also helps them to improve their hand-eye coordination, as they have to coordinate their eyes with the movements of their hands.

The challenge of completing a jigsaw puzzle also encourages trial and error, which is essential for learning to think logically and solve problems. This kind of thinking is vital for a child to learn in later life, as they will need to be able to complete tasks that require reasoning and critical thinking.

One of the most beneficial benefits of jigsaw puzzles as a group activity is that they help to build communication and empathy between members of your team. Often, when a team member disagrees with another person’s strategy for solving a problem, it can lead to some misunderstanding. However, if they communicate their differences to the other team and come up with an excellent idea for finishing the puzzle, this can strengthen the bond that exists between them.

Jigsaw puzzles can also be a great bonding activity for families. They are a quiet activity that allows family members to speak and connect without any distractions, which is an invaluable skill for today’s modern society.