32 Fun Team Outing Ideas for 2024

Looking for new team outing ideas to try in 2024? Fellow has you covered with 32 fun ideas for team bonding.

By Mara Calvello  •   December 1, 2023  •   19 min read

Do your team members only interact with one another in a break room or during virtual meetings? Do you worry they’re missing out on the opportunity to bond as a team and build professional rapport?

Team outings can solve that problem. When teams go out to try new things and explore new activities, it can help colleagues build and strengthen strong working relationships while also having some fun.

Let’s explore some team outing ideas for work that you can try, no matter how big or small your team is or your budget!

Why are team outings important? 

Corporate team activities can lead to many benefits. Once you choose one of these work team outing ideas, you will likely start to see a morale boost amongst your team. Strengthening relationships between your team members can improve morale and employee engagement. 

These activities can give your team a more positive view of your organization while team members build meaningful bonds and trust. For many team-building exercises, employees will have to choose a group leader. These team members can practice making the best decisions for their group, and then they can bring these leadership skills back to your organization. 

And, of course, team outings change up the environment everyone is used to. Say goodbye to the office and hello to settings that can spark creativity. This change of scenery can make everyone’s daily schedules and workflows feel less tedious and stressful. 

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32 team outing ideas

As you explore work team outing ideas, consider the interests, hobbies, and passions of the employees on your team and what they may gravitate towards most. From this list of 32, you’re sure to find multiple ideas that work well for your team!

1Virtual escape room

Escape rooms combine mystery, excitement, and critical thinking. Of course, if most of your team works from home, it can be difficult to get everyone together for an in-person escape room. In that case, there are virtual escape rooms that allow your team to have fun over Zoom meetings or apps.

In The Grimm Escape, for example, your team joins a Zoom call along with a game master. This special character guides your team through the puzzle based on their decisions. After a while, you might forget you’re solving a puzzle from home instead of in person.

2Beer making

Maybe your team members enjoy blowing steam over a few drinks after work. You can turn that happy hour into a team-building activity – namely, invite your team out for a few hours of beer-making. You’ll start with a pot of boiling water and eventually pour your pre-fermented drinks into a glass. You and your team members will take on the beer-making process together, helping you build collaboration and teamwork skills.

3Cook-off

Delicious smells, flying sauces, clanking pots – hosting a cook-off can give your team a chance to try out some new dishes they’ll never forget. And they’ll also never forget the creativity, leadership, and collaboration they learn in the process. 

Divide your employees into teams and assign them dishes to make or let the teams decide what they’ll cook. To add an extra twist, have each team use a certain ingredient in everything they make. You can have a panel of judges taste each of the dishes and let every team vote on a winner. At the end of the contest, everyone can sit down and enjoy each other’s meals while chatting even more about their exciting experience.

4Cooking class

If your team isn’t quite ready to put their cooking skills to the test, taking a class can still be a delicious meal for everyone. You can easily find in-person and remote options so your whole team can join in on the fun.

You can hire a professional chef for a few hours to teach your team some cooking methods and give them some ideas. A few employees just might practice what they learned to create dishes that become favorites at office events. That’s the kind of thing that leads to better relationships among team members, not to mention the trust ideal for great work.

5Go-karting

A few zooming laps around a go-kart track can be just the adrenaline rush your team needs to get engaged after a slower period. Taking your team to a racetrack can introduce some healthy competition you can bring back to the office too. Make sure everyone follows the safety instructions, and you’re all off to have a great time. Or if your team is virtual, set everyone up with live remote access to a racing game.

6Scavenger hunt

It’s a game we all loved as kids: running around looking for random items or clues to piece a puzzle together. Adults too can still have lots of fun searching for pieces to puzzles and riddles – in fact, scavenger hunts are common team-building games. You can enjoy them either in person or virtually.

You can focus the items to find on your company so you educate your team on your company values while everyone has fun. The scavenger hunt team that finds the most items within the time limit wins – but really, so does your organization.

7Comedy show

A little laughter can lighten up the mood after a busy day or week of work. Seriously – research has shown that laughter can improve well-being and bring people together. So find a comedy show that’s coming to town, and invite your team out for a night of laughter and bonding. For virtual teams, you can host a “Netflix party” for a popular comedy special (but keep it relatively PG). The vibe will be entirely different, for the better, when you’re all back at work.

8Volunteering

A day of service can be a unique yet rewarding approach to bringing your team together. You can help organize food at a pantry, make care packages, or grab some garbage bags and clean up an outdoor area. You can make the day mean even more if your team works with the local community. Those are the kind of bonds that could easily connect you with people who need what you provide.

9Karaoke

Who on your team has been hiding their spectacular vocal abilities? Getting your team for some virtual or in-person karaoke can help everyone get more comfortable around each other. You’ll quickly find out who’s best at scrambling lyrics and whose over-the-top performance makes up for their pitchy tone. Expect lots of watercooler talk or Slack chats about your karaoke night on the next workday.

10Bowling

Bowling is a classic activity that can encourage casual competition – great for sales teams – as everyone tries to land a strike. You can also introduce some quirky challenges, such as bowling left-handed or using new tricks, to challenge even expert bowlers. (There might be one hiding on your team!) Bringing a few pizzas and sodas to the table adds to the fun too. You can always bring any remote team members in on the fun via your favorite video chat app. 

11Laser tag

If you think your team would enjoy some fast-paced action, gather everyone for a few hours of laser tag. No, it’s not just for kids – for adults, it can encourage strategic planning and teamwork. Simply divide your local team members into teams, and get the fun started! Plus, some laser tag rooms are in bowling alleys, so you can plan two team outings in one go.

12Art class

Help your team members tap into their creative sides with an art class outing. Pottery and painting are on the table, as are less common options like photography and woodworking. Both virtual and in-person options abound as well. You can choose a class with a theme for team alignment or go more freeform so everyone can see out their own creative visions.

13Museum visit

Taking your local team members to a museum lets them learn about something together. All that new knowledge makes for great conversation-starters that can help build team bonds. Plus, many museums offer guided tours with activities and presentations for large groups, so this idea is a natural fit for your next team outing. A stop at the gift shop on your way out can give everyone a token of their new favorite work trip.

14U-pick farming

Strawberries, peaches, blueberries, and cherries are just a few of the fresh fruits your local team members can bring home from a pick-your-own farm. “U-pick” farming allows your team to enjoy the outdoors while chatting and gathering produce they can use for pies, smoothies, and jams. It can help everyone feel more positive about your organization – what other companies are giving their team members literal fruits of their labor?

15Lunch with other teams

If your organization is home to several teams, you can host a virtual or face-to-face lunch that brings everyone together. And that’s seriously great for cross-functional collaboration. After all, your organization’s project management, sales, and design teams might not interact much during the workweek. Bringing everyone together for lunch can help you all see who keeps the gears grinding. It can also make for a naturally collaborative, healthy company culture.

16BBQ in the park

During the warmer months of the year, take your local employees outside for some BBQ at the park. Ask the grillmaster of your team to fire up the coals and get the burgers and hotdogs cooking. Keep in mind that some of your employees might want vegetarian or vegan options too. While the food is on the grill, employees can play games and just chat it up. They’ll almost certainly bring the good vibes back to the office, which is great for team communication.

17Indoor skydiving

If your team loves to seek thrills at work, they might love it outside work too. Indoor skydiving, for example, can be the perfect way to get that thrill without the, you know, dangers of real skydiving. Everyone can support each other as they suit up and conquer their fears – just because it’s indoors doesn’t mean it’s not scary! This experience can help your team build bonds and trust that last for years to come.

18Development conference or workshop

Learning and training can happen outside your workplace too. You can take the whole team to a conference or workshop (virtual or in person) to encourage them to learn together. This way, they gain (or hone) a valuable skill while getting to know each other a bit more. At the end of the event, you can ask everyone to share what they learned and how they’ll use it all in the future.

19Trivia

How much does your team know about pop culture, sports, history, or even your organization? With trivia, the topics are endless. Playing a few rounds can get everyone to put on their thinking caps. Everyone can play individually, or you can divide your employees into groups to encourage teamwork. You can host trivia night at a local restaurant or book an in-person or video conference room and bring food for everyone to enjoy.

20Midday snack

A team outing doesn’t have to be an after-work occasion – not everyone has the extra time. Your employees can have a simple bonding experience over a midday snack. That could mean ice cream at a local shop or some donuts and coffee at the bakery down the street. A trip away from the office can give your employees a quick reset, and it’s also a great virtual team outing idea. Just have everyone join Zoom at the same time with snacks and fun conversation topics ready to go.

mbers together and help them develop useful work skills. If all goes right, your team will have a great time and do better work afterward. Speaking of afterward: When the event comes to an end, Fellow has several tools you can use to get feedback from everyone who went. Your team members can easily give you valuable insight into their experiences. That’s how you come up with an even better team outing for next time.

21Team-building ropes course

What’s one sure way to build trust? A team-building ropes course! It’s basically a modern-day trust fall, after all. Not only is this a great way to place your trust in your team members, but it’s also an excellent way to work on communication, as the team will need to rely on one another for guidance. 

If a team member is afraid of heights and doesn’t want to participate, they can still join in and help out from below! 

22Guided city tour

No matter where your team’s headquarters are located, there’s always something new to discover. Even if team members have lived there all their lives, signing the team up for a city tour can turn everyone into historians.

During this activity, you’ll learn more about the city’s history and architecture and explore new food, museums, parks, wineries, or breweries. This work team outing idea is a great choice for varying interests and hobbies, as there will likely be many options to choose from as to what the group partakes in throughout the tour.

23Group yoga session

Ready to get your sweat on? A group yoga session, or any group fitness class, could be a great fit, especially if your company’s culture leans into health and wellness. You could find a studio nearby that offers group classes or even have a yoga instructor visit the office—whatever option you choose, employees are sure to benefit from the endorphins! 

You may want to consider doing a group yoga session or fitness class towards the end of the workday so employees can go home after working up a sweat and not have to go back to the office.

24Corporate social responsibility (CSR) project

A great way to bond with the team while giving back to the community is to participate in a corporate social responsibility (CSR) project or charity. Ask the team if a charity or philanthropic effort is especially important to them and get the entire group on board for volunteer work. There are likely a ton of options in your community to choose from, so this is a great team outing idea that you can take part in multiple times a year. For instance, perhaps the team volunteers at a different charity each quarter!

25Golf day

Another one of our work team outing ideas is a golf day, which can work for both cold and warm climates!

If your team is located somewhere warm, head out to a golf course nearby! If it’s cold where your team is, consider an indoor driving range or opt for mini golf! Whether your team is made up of skilled golfers or novices, a day out on the driving range or a fun mini-golf tournament can encourage friendly competition and bonding. It may even help a team member discover a new hobby or skill! 

26Cooking competition

A cooking competition is a team outing idea that will surely excite everyone! Whether you decide to have everyone bring in their favorite dishes or stick to a theme that reflects everyone’s cultures or backgrounds, have fun with it! This is a good way to learn more about one another, swap recipes, and pick some fun prizes for the winners. Plus, since many team outings have the added question of “what do we do for food?”, this one removes that burden on the organizer since the entire event is focused on making sure everyone is fed.

Don’t forget to ask team members about any allergies, spice tolerance, or food restrictions beforehand!

27Professional development seminar

Companies typically send one or two employees to a conference or professional seminar. But, if it’s in the team’s budget or if a seminar is local, consider bringing the entire team to a conference where everyone could benefit and learn something new.

With the entire team sharing their perspectives, a seminar can be a great way to encourage team development to then put into action at work or brainstorm further once back at the office. 

28Pottery or ceramics workshop

If your team members aren’t afraid of getting their hands dirty, consider a pottery or ceramics workshop! Engaging in a creative activity together, like pottery and ceramics, can boost morale, encourage creativity, and provide a refreshing break from work. This is a good way for team members to see a different side of their coworkers as they lean into creativity skills they may not use in their day-to-day roles. Remember to let the team know this sort of outing calls for casual clothes!

29Team book club meeting

Moving along on our list of team outing ideas for work is a book club meeting. Have the team vote on the book they’d like to read and choose one team member to lead the conversation each week. You don’t have to limit the book choice to business educational books—any book can work here. From fantasy novels to fiction and thriller, make sure the books are ones the team is actually interested in reading, otherwise, the book club could lose steam as it progresses.

30Board game tournament

Another idea for office team-building events is to throw a board game tournament. Whether you hold the tournament in the office, with coworkers bringing in their favorite board games to play, or taking advantage of a board game shop that hosts open play for the public, this choice will surely bring the fun. Not only will it help employees laugh, but it can also encourage team members to work together to strategize and, depending on the board game, bond over nostalgia. This activity can also inspire some friendly competition! 

31Visit to a botanical garden

Depending on where your headquarters are located and the time of year you’re looking to have a team outing, consider visiting a botanical garden. Not only can a visit to a garden inspire creativity, but it’s also likely to bring up different types of conversations than one would have in the office. Plus, it’s a great chance to explore the great outdoors without working up a sweat or doing anything strenuous. 

32Indoor rock climbing 

If the team is feeling sporty, you could choose an indoor rock climbing facility to visit! This activity will build trust, encourage support, and help individuals to step out of their comfort zones. This is another great choice if your company has health and wellness within its culture or values.

Who’s ready for some fun?

Team outings can unite your team members, help the team develop useful work skills, improve communication, and boost morale. Once you choose one or several of these team outing ideas for work, you’ll be sure to notice employees doing better work together. When everyone is back at the office, encourage your team to use Fellow to share feedback on what they enjoyed from the team outing and what they’d like to do the next time—they may even have ideas that didn’t make the list! Having these insights into their experiences can help you make the next outing even better.

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