Looking to supercharge your team in just 5, 10, or 15 minutes? Our team building exercises ideas pack a punch no matter how little time you have. Short and sweet, our activities are perfect for any time-crunched team.
Team building exercises are a great way to bring your team together, improve communication and collaboration, and morale in the workplace. Whether you are in an office, virtual or hybrid setting, team building activities can help your team connect on a deeper level. This can be a great way to reinforce your corporate values and culture and make work more enjoyable. But what about fun team building exercises for 5 minutes? We got you covered.
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⛷️ Why quick team building exercises are the way to go
Team building exercises for 5-15 minutes are a great way to improve communication, collaboration, and morale. They provide a brief respite in the workday, helping to reduce stress and tension. By engaging in short activities, your team members will feel more connected to each other, which can lead to improved teamwork and productivity.
Additionally, these exercises can help to break down barriers and foster a sense of inclusivity and appreciation within your team. Whether you are in a virtual setting, a hybrid office, or an in-person environment, fun short team building exercises are an effective way to bring your team closer together and create a positive and supportive work culture.
Fun Team Building Exercises for 5 Minutes
Sometimes, you only have a few minutes to spare in a busy workday, so you need to find fun team building exercises that can be done quickly. There are several fun team building exercises that are perfect for a 5-minute break. Not only can these exercises help to improve morale and motivation, but they can also help to improve communication between team members. Let’s take a look at a few fun team building exercises that are perfect for a 5-minute break.
![Scissors as a symbol for the team game]()
1.1. Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament
1.1. Rock, Paper, Scissors TournamentOne fun team building exercise that is perfect for a 5-minute break is a rock, paper, scissors tournament. This game is a fun and easy way to get everyone involved and interacting with one another. To start the game, have everyone find a partner. Each pair will then play a quick game of rock, paper, scissors. The winner will then move on to the next round and find a new partner to play against. Continue the tournament until there is one person left standing. You can even award a small prize to the winner to make the game more competitive and fun.
This game is a great way to break the ice and get everyone laughing. It can help to improve communication and collaboration between team members. Additionally, it can help to reduce stress and tension in the workplace.
Participants: Variable
Setting: Offline
Fun Factor (1-5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
1.2. Quick Charades
Another fun team building exercise that is perfect for a 5-minute break is a quick game of charades. Charades is a classic game that is always a hit. To play, split your team into two groups. One person from each group will take turns acting out a word or phrase without speaking, while the rest of the group tries to guess what it is. You can set a timer for each round to make sure the game stays within the 5-minute time frame.
This game is a great way to improve communication and teamwork. It encourages your team to work together and think on their feet. It can also help to boost creativity and problem-solving skills.
Participants: 6 people min.
Setting: Offline & online
Fun Factor (1-5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
1.3. Quick Trivia
A quick game of trivia is another fun team building exercise that is perfect for a 5-minute break. You can either create your own trivia questions or use a pre-made set. Divide your team into small groups and have them compete against each other to see who can answer the most questions correctly. Not only is this game fun, but it can also help to improve knowledge retention and critical thinking skills. It encourages your team to work together to come up with the correct answers. Additionally, it can help to boost confidence and morale by celebrating their knowledge and accomplishments. Trivia games are a great way to infuse a bit of fun and friendly competition into your workday.
Participants: 4 people min.
Setting: Offline & online
Fun Factor (1-5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
1.4. Emoji Challenge
One creative team building exercise is a quick emoji challenge. This exercise is perfect for a 5-minute break and can be done with both in-person and virtual teams. To start the challenge, select a series of emojis that represent a common phrase or saying. You can display the emojis on a whiteboard or share them on your virtual meeting platform. Challenge your team to guess the phrase or saying based on the emojis. You can set a timer to make it more exciting. Encourage your team to work together, share their ideas, and come up with the correct answer.
This exercise is not only fun but also helps improve communication and collaboration within your team. It encourages your team members to think creatively and work together to solve a problem.
Participants: 4 people min.
Setting: Offline & online
Fun Factor (1-5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
1.5. One-Word Story
Another fun and engaging team building exercise for a 5-minute break is a one-word story. This is a fantastic way to improve communication and teamwork, as well as encourage creativity. To play, have your team members sit in a circle, or in the order they appear on a video call. The first person starts the story with one word. The next person adds another word, and so on, until the story is complete. You can set a timer to keep it within the 5-minute time frame. This game is a great way to improve communication and collaboration within your team. It encourages your team members to listen to each other and think on their feet.
Additionally, it can help to boost creativity, as your team will need to come up with a story that makes sense and is entertaining.
Participants: 4 people min.
Setting: Offline & online
Fun Factor (1-5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
1.6. Quick Mindfulness Exercise
A quick mindfulness exercise is a great way to help your team relax and refocus. Mindfulness has been shown to reduce stress and improve concentration, making it a great way to improve your team’s performance. Start by having your team sit comfortably with their eyes closed. Encourage them to take deep breaths and focus on the present moment. You can also guide them through a “body scan”, where they focus on each part of their body and release any tension they may be holding.
Not only will this exercise help your team members feel more relaxed and focused, but it can also improve their overall well-being. By incorporating mindfulness into your team building activities, you can create a more positive and productive work environment.
Participants: Variable
Setting: Offline
Fun Factor (1-5): ⭐⭐⭐
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Fun Team Building Exercises for 10 Minutes
Teams need to be engaged. It’s part of your job to keep your team focused, motivated, and productive. But how do you do that? Well, we believe that team building activities are a great way to do just that! And the good news is, you don’t need to devote an entire day to do it. In fact, you can do it in just 10 minutes. Below, we list some of the most effective fun team-building exercises for 10 minutes. No matter the location, you can try these exercises to improve communication, create a sense of unity, and increase productivity in your teams.
2.1. Back-to-Back Drawing
This is a classic fun team building exercise that focuses on communication and collaboration. Have team members pair up and sit back to back. One person is given a simple drawing (like a shape or symbol), and they must describe it to their partner without actually saying what it is. The partner then tries to recreate the drawing based on the verbal instructions. After a set amount of time, have them compare their drawings to see how close they got.
This exercise is a great way to highlight the importance of clear communication and active listening within your team. It can also be a lot of fun and lead to some hilarious results, which helps lighten the mood and build camaraderie.
Participants: Variable
Setting: Offline
Fun Factor (1-5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
2.2. Two Truths and a Lie
This is a simple and fun icebreaker that helps team members get to know each other better. Have everyone in the group come up with two true statements about themselves and one lie. They then take turns sharing their statements with the group, and the rest of the team has to guess which one is the lie.
This exercise not only encourages people to share fun and interesting facts about themselves, but it also helps develop critical thinking and observation skills. It’s a great way to break the ice and create a more relaxed and open atmosphere within the team.
Participants: 4+
Setting: Offline & online
Fun Factor (1-5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Did you know?
According to a report by Gitlab, less than half of the companies included in the survey make a point to carry out regular small team building exercises. Focusing on short daily efforts can help you create better collaboration within your team.
2.3. Marshmallow Challenge
For this fun team-building exercise, you’ll need a supply of marshmallows and some uncooked spaghetti. Divide the team into smaller groups (3-4 people per group), and give each group a handful of marshmallows and a bundle of spaghetti. Their challenge is to build the tallest freestanding structure they can by using only the marshmallows and spaghetti. Set a time limit (10 minutes or less), and see which group can build the tallest structure in the given time.
This exercise promotes teamwork, problem-solving, and creative thinking. It’s a hands-on activity that encourages your team to work together to find solutions and think outside the box.
Participants: 3-4 people
Setting: Offline
Fun Factor (1-5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
![Person balancing an egg on a spoon as a symbol for the team building exercise]()
2.4. The Great Egg Drop
2.4. The Great Egg DropFor this fun team-building exercise, you’ll need a supply of raw eggs and some basic materials like paper, straws, tape, and cotton balls. Divide the team into smaller groups (3-4 people per group), and give each group an egg and the materials. Their challenge is to design and build a contraption that will protect the egg from breaking when dropped from a certain height (you can use a chair or table as the “drop zone”). Set a time limit (10 minutes or less), and see which group can come up with the most creative and effective egg protection device. After the time is up, each group must present their design and then drop their egg to see if it survives.
This exercise promotes teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking. It’s a fun and hands-on activity that encourages your team to work together and think creatively to find solutions.
Participants: 3-4 people
Setting: Offline
Fun Factor (1-5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Fun Team Building Exercises for 15 Minutes
Even if you are short on time, there are still plenty of fun team building exercises for 15 minutes that you can incorporate into your workday. These exercises are quick, easy, and require minimal preparation, making them perfect for busy teams. Let’s take a look at some of the best quick team building exercises for 15 minutes.
3.1. Quick icebreaker questions
One of the best ways to kick off a meeting or work session is with a quick icebreaker activity. Icebreakers help to warm up the room, get people talking, and create a more relaxed and open atmosphere. For a fun team building exercise that only takes 15 minutes, try asking some quick icebreaker questions. Here are a few examples to get you started:
- What is your favorite movie of all time, and why?
- If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be?
- What is the most interesting place you have ever visited?
Have each team member answer the question, and encourage them to share a little bit about their answer. This simple activity will help to break the ice and get everyone in the room engaged and ready to work together.
Participants: Variable
Setting: Offline & online
Fun Factor (1-5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
3.2. Monax Island
Wanna have a quick online adventure? Then Monax Island could be the perfect solution for you and your team! This exciting coop browser game invites you on a fun journey to a desert island you have to escape from. The game does not need any setup, just a stable internet connection and a good mood! Invite your team members via a link and start Monax Island with your group. The challenges consist of mini-games and riddles that can only be solved by collaborating. So work together closely!
Monax Island is not only fun, but also promotes the collaboration within your team. By activating the AI Insights function, you can track the collaboration in your team and use it to reflect on roles, personality types and the game dynamic.
Participants: 6 people per team
Setting: Online
Fun Factor (1-5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
3.3. The Perfect Square
For a fun and challenging team building exercise, try “The Perfect Square.” This activity is a great way to improve communication and problem-solving skills within your team. Divide your team into groups of 4-6 people. Give each group a length of rope or string. Ask the groups to form a perfect square with the rope or string, without letting go of the ends.
This exercise is a great way to get your team working together to solve a common goal. It will help them practice their communication and collaboration skills, as they will need to work together to figure out the best way to form the square. Plus, it’s a fun and hands-on activity that will help break up the monotony of a long workday.
Participants: Variable
Setting: Offline
Fun Factor (1-5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
![Paper plane as a symbol for the team game]()
3.4. Paper Airplane Contest
3.4. Paper Airplane ContestFor a fun and creative team building exercise, try having a paper airplane contest. This activity is a great way to get your team members out of their seats and working together to achieve a common goal. Give each team member a piece of paper. Set a timer for 10 minutes, and challenge your team to create the best paper airplane they can in that time. After the 10 minutes is up, have everyone launch their paper airplane. Have the rest of the team vote on which airplane they think is the best, based on distance flown, creativity, and design.
This activity is a fun way to encourage creativity and teamwork. Your team members will have to work together to come up with the best design and construction for their paper airplane, and they’ll also have to collaborate on the launching and judging process. Plus, it’s a fun and lighthearted activity that will help break up the day and put a smile on everyone’s face.
Participants: Variable
Setting: Offline
Fun Factor (1-5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
3.5. Desk Yoga
For a fun and relaxing team building exercise, try incorporating some desk yoga into your workday. Desk yoga is a great way to reduce stress, increase focus, and improve overall well-being. Here are a few desk yoga poses that you can do with your team in just 15 minutes:
- Seated Cat-Cow: Sit in your chair with your feet flat on the ground. Place your hands on your knees. As you inhale, arch your back and look up (Cow Pose). As you exhale, round your back and tuck your chin to your chest (Cat Pose). Repeat this movement for several breaths.
- Seated Forward Fold: Sit in your chair with your feet flat on the ground. Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, hinge at your hips and fold forward, reaching for your toes or the floor. Hold this position for a few breaths, then slowly come back up to a seated position.
- Seated Spinal Twist: Sit in your chair with your feet flat on the ground. Place your right hand on the outside of your left knee. As you inhale, lengthen your spine. As you exhale, twist to the left, looking over your left shoulder. Hold this position for a few breaths, then repeat on the other side.
These desk yoga poses are a great way to stretch and relax your body, and they can also help to improve your team’s focus and concentration.
Participants: Variable
Setting: Offline & online
Fun Factor (1-5): ⭐⭐⭐
Sign-off
We hope you found our roundup of the best team building exercises for short time frames helpful! Short, engaging activities can provide a much-needed energy boost and bring some fun to the table. If you’re in the market for some longer, more in-depth exercises, consider checking out our article on team building exercises, where we share a wider range of activities. Short exercises are a great way to break up the day and get everyone out of a rut, especially during longer meetings or workshops. They are also the perfect way to transition between different topics or simply give everyone a quick mental break.
