14+ Corporate Retreat Games that Your Team is Guaranteed to Enjoy
Are you looking for exciting games to spark camaraderie, reignite team dynamics, and have some fun at your next company retreat? Our Moniker team has designed a collection of games that have been tried, tested, and loved by companies worldwide. Keep reading for 15 corporate retreat games to inspire and spark ideas for what you can add to your next company offsite agenda.
Corporate retreats are a perfect way to provide your team with a break from the daily grind and offer everyone the chance to grow and bond. Whether held on the sandy beaches of Mexico or in the rolling hills of Tuscany or right in your company’s backyard, retreats are a time to relax, rejuvenate, and recharge your batteries. But there’s one element we see spark some of the deepest connections with our clients – company retreat games! While games do differ ever so slightly from team building or icebreakers, they serve a similar purpose – comradery.
Our carefully curated list of team retreat games is guaranteed to ramp up some fun and light-hearted competition that your team will reminisce on for years to come.
1. Cardboard Boat Building
This creative and hands-on challenge showcases collaboration and is bound to bring lots of laughs. Split your group up and have them design, construct, and race their cardboard boats. To add an extra twist, resources are not divided among the teams equally. For example, one team may get all the scissors while another all the duct tape. This adds an extra layer of collaboration as the teams need to barter amongst themselves if they wish to build the most successful vessel.
Check out this game in action at a Bombas retreat in the Catskills in this video.
2. Company Bingo
But… not your average game of bingo. Create a customized version of bingo that includes squares filled with company-specific terms, inside jokes, or team member characteristics, as a few ideas. It encourages your team to mingle and learn more about their colleagues while searching for matching traits or events!
3. Lawn Games
Ideal for company retreats that are hosted at properties with lots of outdoor space, lawn games are always a team favorite when it comes to company retreat games. From classic games like cornhole, Connect 4, and bocce ball to newer favorites like Jenga, Spikeball, and KanJam, there are plenty of options to choose from. You could even tie it into your Beach Olympics like Sourcegraph.
Not only do these games encourage teamwork, but they also provide a much-needed break from the stresses of work. So let the games begin, and enjoy some fun in the sun!
4. Beach Olympics
The ultimate game for friendly competition is always Beach Olympics. Whether you’re on the tropical sands of Mexico or the sandy alpine shores around Lake Tahoe, this can be brought to life anywhere.
First, you want to choose your games. You could do things like a sandcastle sculpture contest, tug of war, a dance-off, beach bowling, relay races, water balloon tosses, cornhole, beach limbo – the list goes on. From there, work with your host hotel and event planner to organize and ensure you have all the supplies.
Then, when you arrive on-site, select your teams and have fun! You can designate teams beforehand or have them pull colored bandanas out of a festive destination-inspired hat to dictate which team they’re on.
The Sourcegraph team used Beach Olympics as a way to break up their daytime training sessions at the Fairmont Mayakoba. Check it out here!
5. Board Games
Sometimes, all you need are some good old-fashioned board games to bring people closer together. Get your team around a table, and let the friendly competition commence! This can be an organized activity, or you can have a board game station where they’re set up in a meeting space or common area so whoever is around can hop in on the fun during breaks or free evenings.
6. Soap Box Car Derby (Primer in Portugal)
Another group favorite is a play on the Soap Box Car Derby. Teams are given a kit of building supplies – wood, screws, wheels, paint, and all. Tasked with constructing and decorating their own car before selecting a team member to drive them to victory!
You can see it in action at Primer’s offsite in Portugal here.
7. Scavenger Hunt
A timeless favorite, scavenger hunts can be customized to any location, from the bustling heart of Toronto to quaint Swiss Alpine towns (we’ve done both). Get your team to work together, solve puzzles, participate in fun photo challenges and unleash their competitive spirit. Typically, we find an expert in the destination, like Social Scavenger in Toronto, and let them work their magic, as they know all the best spots.
8. Dragon Boat Racing
Dragon boat racing is a competitive sport with a rich history, particularly in Asian countries such as China, where it has been practiced for over 2,000 years! However, it has gained popularity in many other parts of the world and is now a super popular activity for team retreat games. Dragon boats are long, narrow vessels, typically 40-50 feet long and 4 feet wide, that sit anywhere from 10-20 people. Split into teams, and get ready to row!
The Theorem team participated in dragon boat racing in perhaps the most epic location ever, the Arno River in the heart of Florence. Check it out!
9. Bubble Soccer
Soccer is a popular activity worldwide. But, oftentimes, teams are worried about pickup games because there’s an unequal playing field. Insert bubble soccer. Since participants are encased in zorbs, giant inflatable bubbles put over their bodies, physical abilities, and fitness levels matter way less. Bubble soccer levels the playing field and allows individuals of different athletic backgrounds to participate on an equal footing, fostering inclusivity!
Plus, the physicality and laughter that bubble soccer often generates can serve as a great stress reliever! It allows your team to blow off steam and have fun while using movement as medicine.
See how the Xapo team incorporated Bubble Soccer into their offsite in Singapore
10. Company Trivia
Who doesn’t love trivia? Since it’s a staple in many team member's social circles at home, it’s a fun way to get people chatting on the first night of a retreat. You can choose a C-Suite member to be the host and come up with your own questions or hire a local trivia company to facilitate so your entire team can participate and just have a good time.
During Camp Wealthsimple, a camp-themed retreat the whole team loved this!
11. Camp Games
But company trivia wasn’t the only fun Wealthsimple had. They played tons of camp games, too. These are ideal for companies hosting retreats in remote spots with that camp vibe. This could be casual games that are just out all the time, like gaga ball or footballs by the lake, or organized games like an Amazing Race-style game through the woods with canoeing and archery.
12. Company Karaoke
Karaoke is always a good time and has become a tradition for many teams to host a karaoke night. To gamify this activity, rather than letting anyone sing, create duet teams and have judges, American Idol-style. But you don’t have to score on natural abilities – in fact, we discourage that. Score on creativity, entertainment value, sportsmanship, and crowd engagement, incorporation of team member names or company values in creative lyrics – you get the picture!
Sourcegraph did karaoke on their team retreat in Mexico, and they left in tune with one another after such fun activities!
13. JeoParty
We like our Jeopardy served up in party form, hence the name JeoParty. Create teams rather than having individuals competing solo, and bring this iconic game show to your evening entertainment lineup.
14. Company Movie Night
If your days are filled with meetings, exploring, and team building, you may just want to give your team some time to relax. That’s where movie nights come in! You can plan a chill night to unwind, relax, and indulge in some classic movie night treats like buttery popcorn and a candy bar.
At one of our recent Moniker retreats in Mexico, we did a movie night on the beach with cocktails, hammocks, cozy beach seating, and a screening of Encanto. You can choose a movie that ties in with your destination or themes for your meeting or have your team vote on their favorite movies and choose a fan favorite.
15. Painting Party a la Bob Ross
Bob Ross is an American painter who is perhaps the O.G. of paint and sip nights. His television show, “The Joy of Painting,” ran for 11 years. On the show, Ross taught techniques and led aspiring painters or those just looking for a new hobby through a specific work of art.
Nominate a team member or hire a professional to lead the group through a low stakes painting workshop. Set up all the supplies, add snacks, and drinks and encourage everyone to channel their inner Picasso.
Ask the Experts
Starting your retreat planning and not sure where to begin – especially on the game front? Our Moniker planners have your back. If you want planning guidance, check out our step-by-step blog post and our budgeting post.
But, if you’re feeling ready and craving personalized support from event planning pros, reach out to us, and we’ll hit the ground running with creative retreat ideas just for your team and goals.
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