Tired of corny, impractical workplace activities? Try these pumpkin-spicy recommendations to bring your team together!
These 6 effective team-building activities are sure to please the crowd and make your office feel like a family. We know you’re busy, so we made sure all these activities are super easy to organize, and oh — did we mention they’re totally budget friendly!? Don’t worry, we got your back.
Team-Building + Sweaters + Cider
Essential props: Mugs, caramel lollypops (to use as stir sticks)
Food and Drink: Hot apple cider+spiced rum (optional), or your favorite selection of hard apple cider
What to wear: Cozy sweaters. Don’t forget to take photos!
What to do: Bring the “Empathy Coach,” Chris Schembra, to give a talk while people enjoy their drinks. Chris will warm the soul of your office like a cup of hot cider!
His revolutionary program was designed SPECIFICALLY to reignite employee engagement and be the jumper cables to creative collaboration. You’ll discover things about each other that will bring the team closer together and result in people feel less isolated, more connected, and more fulfilled at work.
Perfect for the holidays!
Click here to bring Chris to your office.
Pumpkin Bowling = Hilarious
This fun game is reminiscent of Charlie Brown’s great pumpkin bowling game; but don’t be fooled. This isn’t just for kids! It’s sure to get everyone laughing. Up the stakes by holding a tournament and keeping score for a small prize at the end (say, a $10 Starbucks gift card?)
Essential props: 2–3 tiny roundish pumpkins. Alternatively, this can be played with bigger “pins” (use 2-liter Coke bottles) and bigger pumpkins if your office has a hallway to play in. If not, the table-top version works just as well. Here’s the trick: the lumpier the pumpkin, the funnier the game!
- Printable bowling score sheet — Here’s how it works: Break into teams of 2–4 people (depending on the size of your group.) Tally up the scores, and then the winning team moves on to the “finals” to compete for the prize.
- Setting up the alley: You will need to play around with distance of the pins so the game won’t be too hard or too easy. 10 feet is easy, 20 feet is harder.
- The pins: You can use toilet paper tubes (difficulty: easy) or empty water bottles (difficulty: medium) or full bottles (difficulty: hard).
Food and Drink: You guessed it… Pumpkin Pie (store-bought is fine, but even better is to encourage your team to show off by bringing in their own home-made pies!)
Lunchtime “Campfire” Party
Get into the Autumn spirit with a lunch break filled with beloved childhood treats.
Essential props: Candles to create atmosphere. Just light them and set them on tables where you’ll be sitting.
Food and Drink: S’mores: graham crackers, Nutella, marshmallows. For a healthier S’more, include options like strawberries, bananas, berries, and dark chocolate. There are 3 ways to deal with roasting the marshmallows:
- Recommended: impress everyone with this $18 indoor marshmallow toaster you can order on Amazon. How many times will you use this? Once. Is it worth it? Yes.
- Enjoy your s’mores chambré (room temperature) which is why we recommend a spreadable chocolate like Nutella and not Hershey’s chocolate.
- Toast them in batches on a baking sheet in a toaster oven. (Do not use the microwave!)
What to wear: Tell everyone in advance to wear plaid shirts and other camp-inspired garb.
What to play: UNO! This beloved children’s game will light up your office! If you can’t get a hold of an UNO deck, go around the table and ask everyone to share their best camping memory/campfire story as get-to-know-you game.
Gratitude Wall
How it works: This is thanksgiving’s version of Secret Santa.
- For every person in your office, write their name of 3 slips of paper, and drop them into a bag or a hat.
- Every person at the office draws 3 names from the hat (if they draw themselves or the same name twice, just redraw until everyone has 3 different names in their possession.
- The task is to write a “thank you note” for the 3 names you drew. They should be written in one of these formats:
- a) I’m thankful for {Name} because he/she always has a good attitude and a kind word to offer me when I’m blue. Thank you, {Name}!
- b) My favorite thing about {Name} is that he/she makes me laugh every single day! He/she is the best desk mate anyone could ask for. Stay bright, {Name}!
Post these on the wall anonymously over the course of a week, and at the end of the week, have a happy-hour event to reveal who wrote what!
Boost Your Mood with Physical Activity
A recent study from Stanford University showed that both our mood and our mental power is directly linked to physical activity. There is also research from Leeds Metropolitan University suggesting that exercise during regular work hours boosts performance!
The perfect solution: Banish the perils of sitting with yoga expert Andrew Abaria. You’ll be aching to stand up and stretch after Andrew explains the health benefits of moving around! He’ll lead you in a 45 minute stretching class that will leave your team with a daily action plan for better health and productivity at the office.
No yoga mats or special outfits required…this can be done in a suit and tie at your own desk!
Click here to bring Andrew to your office.
Hot Cocoa Bar for Grown-Ups
Food and Drink: Hot cocoa, mini marshmallows, Oreo cookie crumble, sprinkles, caramel sauce, chocolate chips, crushed candy canes, Bailey’s, Peppermint Schnapps, and a LOT of whipped cream.
What to do: Bring a fascinating and relevant speaker to engage your team while they sip their cocoa.
Meditation expert Emily Fletcher will excite and motivate your team as she teaches how to stress less and do more this holiday season. You’ll learn meditation to be happier at work and mentally prepared to take on a busy holiday season! Emily’s magnetic teaching style will leave your team energized, motivated, and refreshed.
