Did you know that team building activities for small groups can improve productivity, communication, and collaboration skills?
The benefits don’t stop there, either—small team building activities can transform group dynamics, boost job satisfaction, improve retention, and so much more.
In this guide, we’ll explore the best team building activities for small groups of adults and share some expert insights about why they work.
Small Group Team Building Activities: It’s All About Team Mojo!
At the heart of team dynamics is what many people refer to as your team mojo. Your team’s mojo is their magic—it’s that little extra team cohesion that makes it all come together.
What Does Mojo Look Like In the Workplace?
When your team has mojo, you’ll see positive momentum, a collective energy, and genuine enthusiasm, all of which lead to better morale and performance.
In an episode of the Team Building Saves the World podcast on team mojo, Diane Egbers, founder & CEO of Leadership Excelleration, Inc., shared some enlightening insights on mojo in the workplace:
“We really need to nurture both relationships and results to have sustainable performance—people have to be able to bring their whole authentic selves to the work. So then you focus on strengths and people’s individual genius as it relates to their work.
“When we do this, we find that people are more connected. When that connection nurtures relationships, when we understand how each of us nurtures results, we tend to have that magic that we call mojo.”
So, How Do You Use Team Building To Build Team Mojo?
Unfortunately, team mojo isn’t something you can invest in once and check off your list. It’s not software, an office upgrade, or a benefits package that you can set and forget about.
That’s not to say that you can’t invest in team mojo, though. By getting your groups involved in things like a Team and Leadership DNA program on a regular basis, you can build higher-performing teams, maximize potential, and boost morale.
The bottom line is this: Mojo is something that demands regular connection between team members to help build a shared sense of purpose.
This is where team building exercises for small groups come into play!
Even when you have a large team, most activities will divide them into smaller groups because it’s just more effective.
It’s All About Working Together
The reason small group team building works is that it helps your employees connect, bond, and grow alongside each other.
By showing your team just how well they can work together when they’re doing team building games for small groups, you’re improving their cooperation skills and boosting their confidence in each other (and themselves)
“We get and keep mojo by not only having people feel connected but also by having them feel valued for who they are and what they bring to the organization,” explained Egbers.
Great Results Require An Investment
Like we said earlier, getting the results that come from team building ideas for small groups requires ongoing investments in your team and your company.
Egbers offered a succinct explanation during our chat:
“Organizations are really wanting to recover this level of productivity and get into this new space of mojo. So what we want leaders to think about is, ‘Am I investing in my team for the long run to get sustainable mojo over time?’”
“It requires an investment, and that looks like a lot of different things. Sometimes looks like the help of experts, and other times you might have that internal that can help you.”
Why Do Team Building Activities for Small Groups Work?
There’s a common misconception that team building works best with bigger groups, but most experts argue that it’s actually more effective in smaller groups.
We’re not just talking about small business team building activities—these benefits extend to teams at companies of all sizes.
In fact, many large organizations with bigger groups still emphasize team building activities for small groups at work and corporate events for this very reason.
At TeamBonding, for example, we often divide teams up into smaller ones. This makes it more enjoyable to participate in a team building exercise for small groups.
Benefits of Small-Group Team Building Activities
So, why is small-group team building so effective at building the fabled mojo?
The number one reason that team building games for small groups are so effective is connection. In small groups, each employee can enjoy connected experiences with their fellow team members.
This isn’t just true in workplace settings, either—it’s more of a universal effect.
What the Research Says About Small Group Activities
A 2024 study found that small-group activities improve achievement, learning, engagement, and attitudes in college students.
Consider a college class with 200 students and one with 20.
- 200-Seat Class: In this class, there’s less room for each student to bond with the professor. Students are also unlikely to even know most of their classmates. It’s still an education, but it’s a much less connected and personal experience.
- 20-Seat Class: Here, students are more likely to form closer relationships with the professor, which leads to a more personalized education. They’re also more likely to know their classmates, which encourages communication, teamwork, and peer support.
So, even though you’re getting the same information in both, the 20-student class is likely to be a better educational experience. The same applies to team building.
Large-group team building can offer its own benefits, but small-group team building is often more impactful. You’ll typically get a more unique, grounded experience.
In small groups, employees also have an easier time developing connections with their fellow team members, and they’re more likely to share personal experiences.
Why Do Employees Need Team Building Activities for Small Groups?
There are many reasons your employees need team building:
- Fosters relationships
- Improves communication
- Develops skills
- Boosts morale
- Strengthens company culture
The collective power of these effects—the mojo you’re creating—will be a huge benefit to your business.
Improved communication and teamwork lead to more innovation. This, in turn, helps boost efficiency and morale so your organization can stay competitive. Higher morale means lower turnover rates, which allows you to build more experienced teams.
It’s a cascading effect that trickles down to your organization. After all, more experienced teams directly translate to an improved bottom line.
Best Team Building Ideas for Small Groups
Now for the fun part! It’s time to look at some fun team building activities for small groups at workplaces of all sizes.
You can choose from a wide range of small-group team building activities, so knowing what’s out there is essential.
In-Person Small-Group Activities
When team building moves beyond the conference room, magic—aka team mojo—happens.
Here are some of our favorite in-person small-group team building activities:
- Domino Effect: Ever wanted to build a Rube Goldberg machine? With this activity, you and your team will get hands-on while building your own take on Rube Goldberg creations. This event focuses on creativity and team collaboration.
- ibuild: This is a fun and impactful event for small teams. You’ll be tasked with recreating a model as quickly as possible. It sounds simple, but this event forces each person to communicate effectively, work together, make decisions, and be a team player.
- Ice Sculpting: Ice sculpting, really? It may sound silly, but this one is a hit with teams everywhere! It requires creativity, teamwork, determination, planning, and a cool composure (pun intended—sorry). You and your team will have fun and make art while honing your skills and forming new bonds.
- Mission ImPAWssible: Coming together for a good cause is one of the best ways to unify a team. With this one, you’ll build doggy wheelchairs to be donated to pets in need. This event emphasizes the importance of social responsibility, empathy, and compassion.
- Animate: Stop-motion effects are timeless, and so is this event. Work together with your team to unleash your creativity through the power of stop-motion animation. You’ll rely on planning, communication, coordination, and creativity.
Virtual Small-Group Activities
Distance doesn’t need to be a barrier to connection! A virtual small-group activity can break down digital barriers and bring your team together.
Here are some of our favorite team building activities for small groups and remote teams:
- Virtual Amazing Race: Scavenger hunts are one of the most popular small-group team building activities, and now you can do them virtually! With this one, your team will need to communicate, plan, and collaborate to win a digital race around the world.
- Virtual Mixology: Who says work can’t be fun? Learn tips, tricks, and recipes from a professional mixologist at this event. Though it may sound like pure fun and games, this event encourages creativity, camaraderie, and communication.
- Virtual Escape Rooms: Escape rooms are a classic virtual team building activity for small groups—this one is sure to improve problem-solving, critical thinking, and teamwork skills. Will you and your team be able to escape? Give it a shot and find out!
- Sight Unseen Empathy Training: Empathy is essential for any cohesive team, and this event helps encourage and develop it. Participants will be blindfolded and forced to rely on their team member’s guidance as they perform tasks and challenges.
- Virtual Laughter Yoga: Laughter truly is the best medicine—it offers a ton of benefits! So why not let loose with virtual laughter yoga? You and your team will be guided through laughter yoga to enhance health, encourage relaxation, and promote wellness.
How To Choose the Right Team Building Activity for Your Small Group
It’s important to find an activity that aligns with your team, group dynamics, goals, and objectives. Here’s how to build that team mojo:
1. Outline Your Goals
The most important thing is to find an event that fits your goals, so make a quick list of what they are.
Do you want to improve your team’s leadership skills? Then you need an event that prioritizes the skills it takes to lead.
Or maybe you’re looking for your team members to have better communication in the workplace? In this case, you’ll want to pick programs that emphasize communication.
Team building activities for small groups come in all shapes and sizes, so there’s bound to be an option that checks all the boxes. And if there isn’t, the expert facilitators here at team bonding can customize an event to make it happen!
2. Consider Your Team Composition
Keeping your group composition is also essential.
For example, do you have a virtual team? Hybrid? In-person? Your answer will dictate the most effective team building activities for your group—you want an option that’s optimized for your group type.
Let’s say your whole team works in person except for three of them. If you choose an in-person event, you’ll be excluding those three. Then, those employees might feel like they are being ignored and not cared about.
3. Focus On Team Interests
It’s also helpful to remember that your team members each have preferences and interests.
For instance, does your team enjoy high-tech fun? Or do they prefer more physical, outdoor activities? You’ll want to pick an activity that suits their interests to get the most for your investment.
Likewise, some people don’t like competitions and prefer something more collaborative. Others love races, challenges, and any sort of friendly competition.
Try to choose events that your employees will enjoy. If you have an office full of people who don’t drink, team mixology might not be the best choice. If that same team loves exercise and wellness, though, laughter yoga might be a much better fit!
Ready To Reap the Rewards of Team Building Exercises for Small Groups?
Remember, engaging your employees with team building activities for small groups is the key to unlocking their mojo—that magical blend of connection, enthusiasm, and energy that we discussed earlier.
These programs are suitable for groups and organizations of all sizes, so don’t rule them out for your teams. Instead, team building a shot and watch your team’s mojo work its magic!
We’re here to help when you’re ready to get started. At TeamBonding, we have over 25 years of experience with team building programs. And we have a wide variety of events that work wonders for small teams.
Get in touch with us today to find out how we can help.
