When it comes to team building activities, Kansas City delivers in a big way. There’s no shortage of fun and engaging experiences in this vibrant city.
After all, KCMO isn’t just the Heart of America—it’s a hub for unique experiences and locations that have the power to turn everyday events into unforgettable adventures.
If you’re ready to discover why Kansas City team building activities are so much fun and how to plan them for your crew, keep reading!
This guide highlights our most popular and successful KCMO team building activities to strengthen your team while exploring everything this beautiful city has to offer.
What Makes Kansas City So Special for Corporate Events?
Kansas City is a vibrant city with fun around every corner. From the jazzy streets of 18th & Vine to the championship energy of Arrowhead Stadium, it has a unique vibe that blends culture, competition, and pure Midwestern charm.
This city also has the bonus of a central location that makes it super accessible, which is why it’s such a hotspot for conferences and corporate events.
Also known as the City of Fountains, KCMO is also home to over 200 registered fountains, which is more than almost any other city in the world (except for Rome)! Talk about an excellent backdrop for photos and memories.
Food-Focused Team Building Events: Kansas City Flavor
A lot of the group activities for adults in Kansas City center around food, and with good reason! This city is famously known for its barbecue restaurants and sauces, plus a wide range of restaurants and food trucks.
Our Top Pick: Food Truck Challenge | BBQ Edition
Nothing says Kansas City like barbecue, and our Food Truck Challenge can be customized to bring this smoky, saucy tradition to the heart of your KC team building activities.
This city is famous for its unique barbecue style, featuring thick, molasses-based sauce and a variety of meats.
We’ll create a mouthwatering competition that highlights the best of BBQ, turning your team into pitmasters for the day. After all, spots like Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que, LC’s Bar-B-Q, and Arthur Bryant’s have made it a pilgrimage destination for BBQ lovers.
Here’s how it works
Your group will divide into smaller teams that will collaborate to create their own signature food truck fare, BBQ-style. But the challenge doesn’t stop there! They’ll also create their own food truck façade, complete with brand name and logo.
We’ll wrap it up with a competition where teams are judged on:
- The taste of their meals
- How they present their dishes
- The creativity behind their name, logo, and truck decoration
Good food is always a good time, but it’s this friendly competition that really takes this one up a notch!
5 More Fun Food-Focused Corporate Outings
Kansas City practically begs for food-focused events, and we can customize any of our programs to fit the vibe and culture! Here are some more fun food-focused team building ideas that would work well with KC’s BBQ scene:
- Team Cuisine – Team Cooking Experience
- Dining in the Dark
- Cooking for a Cause
- Murder Mystery Dinner
- Pub Crawl Scavenger Hunt
The possibilities are truly endless! Just let us know what you have in mind and what you’re working on with your team, and we’ll make it happen!
Music-Themed Team Building: Kansas City Vibes
The City of Fountains has a rich music heritage that runs deeper than most people even realize—it was a major jazz hub from the 1920s to the 1940s, with legends like Charlie Parker, Count Basie, and Big Joe Turner getting their start here.
The 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District preserves this musical legacy, and it’s the perfect spot for music-themed activities!
Our Pick: Playing the Blues | Musical Team Building
Kansas City isn’t all about jazz—it also has deep roots in blues music! The KC blues scene produced some of the greats like Cotton Candy, Little Hatch, and Sonny Kenner, so celebrate it alongside your team with our Playing the Blues event!
We can also customize this harmonica-themed program to focus on jazz music instead of the blues. Just let us know and we’ll make it happen.
Here’s how it works
Your team will learn to play the harmonica from an expert facilitator who will teach them things like:
- How to hold the harmonica
- Proper breathing techniques
- How to achieve a classic blues sound
With just these simple lessons, your team will find themselves making actual music together in minutes.
It’s all leading up to the grand finale, where your group will perform an original blues song that they’ve created! Everyone gets to keep their harmonica as a memento from the event.
We’ll also bring some optional wardrobe accessories to tap into everyone’s inner blues monsters.
5 More Fun Music-Focused Team Building Activities
Music events tend to be some of the most popular choices among both teams and leaders. And it’s no wonder why! Music provides tons of health benefits, including increased productivity, better mental health, reduced stress, and more.
We highly recommend checking out some music-themed events to tap into these benefits. Any of these events can be customized based on which aspect of the KCMO music scene you’d like to explore:
We’re confident that your team will have a blast with any of these music programs! And each one of them can fit the music culture of Kansas City.
Sports-Themed Team Building Activities: Kansas City Team Spirit
Kansas City has a wild sports culture—the fans in this city often see each other like family, and their love for sports runs as deep as their pride for KCMO itself. This makes it the perfect place to have some fun with sports-themed events!
This is a great choice if you happen to be near Arrowhead Stadium, which is an iconic sports landmark and home to the Chiefs. Kauffmann Stadium, home of the Royals, is another great spot for these events!
Our Pick: Ultimate Tailgate Challenge | Competitive Team Building
Both the Kansas City Chiefs (NFL) and the Kansas City Royals (MLB) have passionate fan bases, and if your team loves sports, this is THE event for you.
The Ultimate Tailgate Challenge is a hilariously competitive, fun team building event that’s inspired by classic tailgating games. It involves strategy, teamwork, and throwing stuff—you just can’t beat it!
Here’s how it works
The basics are simple, and everyone will get a shot at each activity as they compete for the highest scores. We feature tons of popular games:
- Corn Hole
- Ladder Ball
- Kan Jam
- Washer Toss
- Shuffleboard Golf (optional)
- Pong-O (optional)
- Pole-ish Horseshoes (optional)
- Baggo (optional)
- Rollors (optional)
Don’t worry, we’ll explain all of these, and our pro DJ will keep the energy up.
Once everyone has played, the entire group comes back together for a fun and lighthearted closing ceremony complete with awards, prizes, and lots of happy memories!
5 More Fun Sports-Focused Team Building Activities
The fun doesn’t stop with our tailgating event! We have lots of high-energy sports-themed team building events you don’t want to miss. Here are some more programs your sports-loving crew is sure to love:
Don’t see the perfect sports-themed event for your team members? No problem! TeamBonding offers custom team building experiences, so you can have us create an event around any sport or theme your team loves. Just let us know what you’re after.
Where To Eat After the Event: Kansas City Insider Spots
One of the best ways to cement the lessons and bonds from a team building activity is with a group lunch or dinner after the event. It gives them a chance to talk, laugh, reflect, and solidify those memories for life.
You’ll want to find a spot that can accommodate your group and (of course) deliver a menu of delicious food and drink to choose from. Here are some of the best places in the city—these are the spots locals swear by for group meals:
- Grünauer: Beautiful restaurant with a beautiful garden and an upstairs space that’s perfect for large groups. Offers a classic Viennese gasthaus menu—try the Hungarian beef goulash and apple strudel!
- Jack Stack Barbecue: Known as one of the best places for barbecue in the country, with excellent group accommodations. Try the award-winning lamb ribs and the hickory pit beans if you can’t pick from all the amazing food on the menu.
- Pierponts in Union Station: Considered the culinary jewel of Kansas City, this spot features historic surroundings and award-winning food. Try a handcrafted cocktail or ask for a wine pairing from the Wine Spectator’s award-winning list.
- Cafe Trio: Comfortable and calm with a chic atmosphere and large, accommodating rooms. Try the cracker-crust pizzas and the chocolate truffle cake for a real treat!
Kansas City truly has a wealth of fantastic restaurants to choose from. Any one of these spots is sure to wow your group!
Pro Tip: Always call the restaurant at least a week in advance (earlier is better) to reserve the perfect spot for your group size. Finding a restaurant that can accommodate large groups on short notice can be challenging.
Ready To Plan Unforgettable Team Building Activities in Kansas City?
With its rich history, Midwestern hospitality, and central location, Kansas City is the perfect place to host memorable team building activities and corporate outings. It’s why so many businesses return to this city year after year.
The City of Fountains is the perfect backdrop to help your team discover hidden strengths, learn new skills, build lasting relationships, and experience the magic that makes KCMO unforgettable.
Your team members deserve more than another generic corporate activity—they deserve the authentic spirit, rich culture, and championship energy that only Kansas City can provide.
Ready to start planning your team building activities? Kansas City awaits! Contact us to discuss how we can make your event one of a kind.
