20 Best Virtual Team Building Activities for Large Groups

Virtual team-building activities have become vital for companies navigating the complexities of remote work dynamics. These activities foster a sense of unity and collaboration among team members who may be spread across different locations.

The importance of virtual team building has become even more pronounced for any company relying entirely on remote workers, a trend that has significantly increased over the years due to the pandemic.

Engaging in remote team building is about creating meaningful connections that enhance productivity and employee satisfaction. These improve communication, boost company morale, and build relationships within a remote work setup.

Through various interactive and engaging challenges, team members learn to communicate more effectively and support one another, bridging the gap imposed by physical distance. It provides everyone with skills they can use inside and outside work.

These experiences are crafted to enhance work performance and enrich personal interactions, making them invaluable for comprehensive team development. If you’re interested in seeing how your team can grow stronger while having fun with engaging puzzles and more, book a demo with us to learn more about our offerings. 

You might wonder, “What are the different virtual team-building activities we can try with our large remote team?”

Let us explore the wide range of creative and engaging virtual team-building ideas designed to bring team members closer, even when they are worlds apart.

1. Virtual Escape Room Challenge

Virtual escape rooms offer a thrilling alternative for remote teams who are too far apart to participate in a physical escape room. It can be a great experience, even for a large group like those in virtual teams.

These virtual team-building activities are designed to replicate the excitement and challenge of a traditional escape room, making them a perfect fit for teams looking for engaging online team-building activities.

Participants are invited to join an online escape room challenge, where team members must work together to solve puzzles and “escape” within a set time.

This activity requires each team member to contribute their unique skills and knowledge, fostering a sense of unity and purpose within the entire group.

These virtual escape rooms require players to navigate through a series of challenges and puzzles in a virtual environment. Team members communicate via virtual meeting platforms to share clues and ideas to solve puzzles and escape.

These “rooms” encourage creative thinking and a competitive spirit among participants, making it an exciting experience for the entire group. It also promotes teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills.

It also allows team members to listen to each other, delegate tasks based on individual strengths, and work under pressure, all while fostering virtual team bonding through friendly competition.

2. Virtual Trivia Event

Trivia events have long been a staple of team-building activities, and they translate exceptionally well into the virtual environment, making them an ideal choice for remote teams.

These virtual team-building activities engage team members in a test of knowledge and wit, covering topics ranging from pop culture to world history and everything in between.

Virtual team trivia games are not only entertaining but also a fantastic way to break the ice and encourage interaction among remote employees, especially with coworkers who may be shy.

Hosting a fun virtual trivia game promotes friendly competition and learning new information, making it a favorite among online teams. Participants join virtual meetings where they can compete individually or in groups, answering questions to earn points.

To accommodate activities for large teams, trivia can easily be scaled by dividing participants into smaller units, making it manageable and ensuring everyone gets a chance to contribute to the games.

This setup enhances collaboration and allows for various questions that cater to the diverse knowledge base and interests of a large team, keeping the event dynamic and inclusive.

Turning a learning experience into a game, virtual trivia makes acquiring new knowledge fun and exciting. Through multiple rounds, team members test their existing knowledge and learn from the questions and each other.

3. Virtual Murder Mystery

Virtual murder mysteries add an intriguing twist to the classic team-building format, challenging participants to solve either historically accurate or entirely fictional mysteries.

This form of virtual team-building activity combines the thrill of detective work with creative storytelling, making it a captivating experience for remote teams. It engages team members to think critically and collaborate closely to unravel the plot.

Hosting a virtual murder mystery provides a welcome break from the work routine, allowing remote team members to enter different roles and scenarios. This activity serves as entertainment that strengthens bonds between colleagues.

It is an opportunity for team members to showcase their problem-solving skills and attention to detail, all while enjoying a narrative-driven game.

For large groups, you can divide the participants into smaller teams that compete with each other. This format ensures that everyone has a role to play and contributes to the collective effort to piece together clues and solve the overall mystery.

It is an excellent way to foster teamwork and communication among remote teams, as other team members must work together closely to outsmart their colleagues and crack the case.

The activity is led by an expert storyteller who immerses team members in a new world of mystery and murder. This helps create a more engaging and immersive experience, making the participants feel like actual detectives.

4. Virtual Museum Scavenger Hunt

Traveling to museums worldwide has been made significantly easier and more accessible, all without needing to leave your office. This opens a treasure trove of cultural and historical exploration for remote teams seeking an enriching break.

It is an innovative approach to virtual team building, allowing team members to virtually step into museums they might never have the chance to visit in person.

Leveraging resources like Google Arts and Culture, which features over 3,000 museums from around the globe, makes this activity incredibly awesome for large virtual groups. And the best part? It is free of charge.

This platform enables an entire team to embark on a cultural journey together, exploring art, history, and science from their own homes. It is a perfect fit for a team-building activity that is both educational and engaging.

Adding a scavenger hunt to the museum visit encourages team members to explore the galleries and exhibit halls using 3D maps. This turns a simple virtual tour into a competitive and fun way to learn new things.

Team members can search for specific artworks, historical facts, or hidden details within the exhibits, making it a collaborative and interactive experience that promotes teamwork and attention to detail.

This activity is a great learning experience with a layer of challenge and collaboration, making it ideal for team-building. It is a unique and fun way to foster team bonding and individual skills for the entire team, even when operating remotely.

5. Typing Speed Race

The Typing Speed Race is a free online team-building activity that can easily be organized thanks to the various typing tests available online. This virtual activity is accessible and offers a dynamic way to engage team members in a skill-enhancing competition.

The team members post their results on the company message board to spark competition among colleagues. These lead to ongoing challenges, with employees competing to improve their scores and claim the top spot.

Consider launching a typing speed relay to take this virtual game to the next level. Participants form squads, and their individual scores are added to calculate cumulative scores.

This approach transforms the individual challenge into a team effort, promoting unity and collaboration among team members. The cumulative score adds an extra layer of excitement, as each participant’s performance directly impacts the team’s overall ranking.

It is crucial to ensure everyone is taking the same test to maintain fairness in this fun challenge. The Typing Speed Race is an entertaining virtual activity that builds essential typing skills, which are incredibly important for remote employees.

Enhancing typing speed and accuracy can lead to more efficient work habits and communication, making this a valuable addition to any virtual team-building program while still being loads of fun for everyone involved.

6. Virtual Movie Night

Is your team made up of movie or television buffs?

If so, hosting a virtual movie night can be a perfect virtual team-building activity to boost team morale and provide a rejuvenating break from work. Gather everyone in your virtual office, focusing instead on shared interests and relaxation.

Organizing a casual virtual movie night where team members can vote on or choose the movie genre ensures that all preferences are considered. This makes the event more engaging and inclusive, where colleagues feel valued and connected.

Promoting a relaxed atmosphere for the group to spend time together is crucial. A virtual movie night offers a unique way to replicate the camaraderie of an in-office team outing in the digital realm.

It encourages informal interactions and conversations that might not happen during regular work hours, strengthening employee bonds. Getting to choose a movie can even be a gift for winners of online office games.

You can use various video sync apps to watch the movie simultaneously while being connected through a video call. This setup mimics the experience of watching a movie together in person and enhances the sense of unity and belonging.

It is a simple yet effective method to ensure everyone is in sync, sharing reactions and comments in real-time, making the virtual movie night a memorable virtual activity for the whole team.

7. Guess That Song

Music has always been a fantastic way to connect people, and turning it into a game makes it even more enjoyable. By incorporating tunes into virtual team-building activities, teams can engage in a light-hearted musical challenge.

This approach transforms the universal love for music into an interactive experience that can enhance company culture and team cohesion.

In this fun team-building game, participants listen to a few seconds of a song and then compete to quickly type the name of the song in the chat box.

The game master announces the snippets, and participants try to guess the song first. This can be an icebreaker during virtual conference calls or be expanded into a full-blown online game for larger groups, making virtual meetings fun and engaging.

Competing to identify songs encourages everyone to learn new songs, find common interests, and have a fun way of discovering everyone’s musical knowledge and interests.

It is not just about who knows the most songs but also about exposing the team to various genres and eras, potentially leading to surprising revelations about colleagues’ musical tastes.

This virtual team-building game offers a creative way to break the monotony of work and lighten the mood of virtual meetings. It is a testament to how music can bridge gaps and unite people, even in a remote working environment.

8. Can You Hear Me Now?

“Can You Hear Me Now?” is one of the best online team-building games for a virtual conference room. It stands out for its simplicity and the unique challenge it presents, making it a favorite among remote teams looking for engaging virtual activities.

This game transforms a regular virtual meeting into an interactive and fun session, demonstrating the power of effective communication in a remote setting.

In this game, one participant takes on the role of the speaker, while the rest are designated as artists. The speaker is provided with an image from a random image generator, which they must then describe to the artists without directly naming the object.

The main goal is for the artists to draw the image successfully, using only the shapes and directions provided by the speaker.

The core objective is for the artists to replicate the image as accurately as possible, relying solely on the speaker’s ability to communicate effectively using basic shapes and descriptive terms.

This exercise tests and enhances accurate communication, listening, and interpreting skills, highlighting the importance of clarity and precision in virtual settings.

“Can You Hear Me Now?” is an exercise in practicing effective online communication. It highlights the challenges of conveying ideas without visual aids, making it valuable for any large team looking to improve their virtual meeting efficiency.

9. Guess Whose Crib

Inspired by the iconic MTV Cribs, where celebrities would give tours of their lavish homes, “Guess Whose Crib” brings a similar excitement to virtual team-building activities.

This game allows the team to share a glimpse of their personal spaces without leaving the comfort of their homes, making it a perfect activity for remote teams looking to strengthen their bonds.

Each team member is asked to send pictures of a specific place in their house, and one person will host the game.

The host compiles these photos and presents them during a virtual conference call, turning the session into an engaging and interactive game in which everyone tries to match the room photos with their owners.

Everyone who guesses correctly wins points, and the person with the most points at the end wins. This adds an element of fun and challenge while sparking curiosity and conversation among the team as they learn more about each other’s lifestyles.

“Guess Whose Crib” is a great way to showcase personal styles and connect with other team members remotely. It reveals the diverse backgrounds and living situations of a large group, fostering a sense of community and camaraderie.

This game stands out as one of the best team-building activities, offering a unique and intimate look into the lives of your remote team.

10. Baby Photos

Baby Photos is a little game that has been popular online in the context of guessing celebrities’ baby pictures. However, it can also be a delightful addition to virtual team-building activities.

This game brings a personal and fun element into the virtual team environment, allowing each team member to share a piece of their history with each other.

Each team member sends a baby photo to the host, preferably photos taken around 2-3 years old, as they tend to have more distinct features. Then, the participants try to match the baby photos with their current colleagues.

During a video conference call, the host presents these photos to the rest of the team. Everyone who guesses correctly wins points. The person with the most points at the end of the game wins.

This not only creates an engaging and light-hearted competition but also sparks conversations and shared laughter, strengthening team bonds.

This activity can be seamlessly integrated into a regular meeting or conducted through chat channels, making it a flexible option for team building.

It is a simple yet effective way to break the ice and add a personal touch to virtual interactions, promoting a sense of closeness among remote workers.

11. Breakfast Meetings

In-person teams have the luxury of easily gathering in the break room for meals and snacks, creating moments for casual interactions and bonding over shared meals.

This practice fosters a sense of community and camaraderie, offering a break from the usual work routine and a chance for colleagues to connect on a personal level.

However, this can also be adapted to virtual setups by scheduling a specific time when everyone can hop into a virtual call and eat a meal together. These virtual breakfast meetings encourage socialization among remote team members.

It brings the traditional office culture of sharing meals into the digital space, allowing large groups to maintain a sense of togetherness and team spirit despite the physical distance.

These meetings can either focus on casual conversations, allowing teammates to catch up and share personal stories, or review the week’s activities, providing a more structured approach to team interaction.

Integrating such virtual activities into the routine of productive remote teams can significantly enhance team dynamics. It offers a break from the conventional virtual call, turning it into an engaging and enjoyable experience.

This approach nurtures team culture and supports the well-being of each team member by providing a platform for meaningful interactions.

12. Virtual Coffee Break

Like breakfast meetings, gathering for coffee is another common activity for in-person teams. This allows colleagues to unwind and engage in light-hearted conversations. This part of office culture fosters a sense of belonging and camaraderie.

Having virtual coffee breaks allows the team to connect in a more casual setting. These breaks in the remote setups can replicate the informal social interactions naturally occurring in physical workplaces.

Encouraging socialization through virtual coffee breaks helps maintain the team’s spirit and promotes a healthy work-life balance.

It is an effective way to ensure remote employees feel valued and included, offering a platform for everyone to share stories, celebrate achievements, and discuss non-work-related topics.

If you want to add variety to your virtual activities, consider transforming coffee breaks into virtual happy hours on Friday nights.

This adjustment allows you to share a drink with the rest of your team remotely, creating an even more relaxed atmosphere.

Virtual happy hours can serve as a perfect conclusion to the week, allowing teammates to unwind together and foster stronger bonds over shared experiences.

13. Virtual Book Club

Reading is an excellent way to relax and learn, especially when done alongside others. It can become a powerful tool for connection and growth, as it opens up new worlds and offers fresh perspectives, making it an enriching experience.

Starting an online book club for colleagues who enjoy reading offers a structured yet flexible way to engage in virtual team-building activities. This provides a platform for discussing books or exploring literary genres that appeal to a wide audience.

Matching these discussions with your coffee breaks can add an enjoyable and intellectual element to these casual gatherings.

Providing an opportunity to discuss books not only fosters a love for reading but also encourages deep conversations about themes, characters, and insights that can be applied to professional development and personal growth.

It is a unique way to integrate learning into the fabric of your virtual team-building events.

This serves as another common ground for many in large groups, helping to foster better relationships among colleagues.

By sharing thoughts and reflections on the books read, participants find new ways to connect and understand each other, strengthening the bonds within the virtual team.

14. Virtual Bingo

One can start with the classic bingo game, where numbers are called out to allow players to compete for a prize.

This traditional approach is familiar to many and can easily be adapted for a virtual setting, offering a straightforward way to engage colleagues in a fun and interactive manner.

However, to truly build community within the team, opting for a more personalized bingo game might be better. This variation allows for a deeper connection among colleagues by incorporating elements specific to the team and its members.

Creating a digital bingo card with various team-related activities or achievements can turn the game into a meaningful virtual team-building activity.

This approach not only makes the game more relevant but also encourages participants to engage with each other’s experiences and accomplishments.

As colleagues mark off the squares when they accomplish the tasks, they experience a sense of achievement and camaraderie.

This virtual game, especially when played over video conference calls, becomes a lively and engaging way to promote unity and collective success within a large group.

15. Virtual Karaoke Night

Karaoke is a fantastic way to let loose through music. Whether people choose to sing their hearts out or scream into the microphone, it serves as an excellent release of stress, especially when done with colleagues.

These kinds of team-building activities can lighten the mood and foster a fun environment for everyone. It also enables colleagues to showcase their singing talents without leaving the comfort of their homes.

This virtual team-building event can be organized via video call, making it accessible to everyone, regardless of location. It is an opportunity for everyone to step into the spotlight and share a piece of themselves through their song choices.

This activity promotes a relaxed atmosphere and allows colleagues to bond over shared musical interests. You can also add a virtual dance party to have everyone enjoy along as someone sings for the team.

Singing together or cheering for one another builds a sense of unity and friendship, which can improve collaboration in the virtual workplace.

Combining virtual karaoke with a virtual happy hour can enhance the experience, allowing colleagues to bond over drinks and music. It creates a casual and enjoyable setting, perfect for unwinding and getting to know one another on a more personal level.

16. The Time Zone Game

The Time Zone Game is an engaging online activity for teams with colleagues from across the globe. It is a playful way to acknowledge the group’s diversity and can serve as an educational moment for everyone involved.

This game not only adds an element of fun but also helps foster an inclusive team environment where everyone feels seen and welcome.

The main goal of this game is to guess the location based on the announced time zone. One colleague announces a time zone, and the rest of the group tries to guess which cities or countries fall within that time zone.

It is a simple premise that requires both knowledge and guesswork, making it an exciting challenge for all participants.

This activity serves as a great icebreaker, especially during meetings where team dynamics are crucial. It encourages participation and interaction, helping lighten the mood and promoting camaraderie among colleagues.

Moreover, The Time Zone Game is also a great way to stay aware of the time differences, which is incredibly important for remote workers with teammates in different area codes.

Understanding and respecting these differences is vital in scheduling meetings, deadlines, and collaborative work sessions. It not only enhances teamwork but also ensures that everyone feels valued and considered.

17. Collaborative Map

Bringing the team together can be a creative and informative experience by creating a collaborative map for the entire group. This activity allows colleagues to share a bit of their personal history and preferences in a unique and engaging way.

It is a dynamic approach to virtual team-building activities that enhances connection and understanding within the group.

Using Google Maps, colleagues can mark different locations based on aspects of each member’s life.

This could include the city they currently live in, where they grew up, or places they have traveled to. The possibilities are endless, offering a wide range of categories for everyone to contribute to.

This allows each participant to contribute in a way that is personal and meaningful, making the collaborative map a rich tapestry of the team’s collective experiences.

This is an excellent way for the team to learn about each other and the world outside their usual digital one.

It encourages exploration and curiosity about places marked on the map and the stories that led colleagues to those places. It is a journey through each other’s lives and memories, fostering a deeper bond among the best virtual teams.

18. Virtual Volunteer Day

Volunteering is a great way to bring people together while impacting the community outside of the office.

It is an opportunity for colleagues to step away from their daily tasks and contribute to a larger cause, fostering a sense of purpose and togetherness among the group.

Scheduling a virtual volunteer day allows large groups to collaborate for a cause, even if they are not physically together.

This adaptation to remote team building ensures that the spirit of giving back and community service can continue, regardless of the constraints posed by distance. It is a testament to the flexibility and resilience of the best virtual team.

Engaging colleagues in activities such as hosting fun events, leading online classes, or writing letters to those in need are just a few ways to make a difference virtually.

These activities contribute to the well-being of others and encourage teamwork and creativity among the group.

A virtual volunteer day is a great way to get together and learn more about each other’s passions while helping others. It is a meaningful addition to virtual activities with a shared sense of accomplishment and empathy towards the community.

19. Take a Virtual Trip

It is now possible to enjoy virtual tours online, complete with guides and walking tours, offering a unique experience that explores new destinations from the comfort of your own home.

These tours can include a variety of locations, from historical landmarks to natural wonders, providing an immersive experience that may even rival in-person visits.

Virtually traveling to a chosen destination can be a collective decision, selected through a poll that reflects the group’s interests. This approach to team building encourages participation, with everyone involved in the decision-making process.

Enjoying the sights and sounds of the place through a virtual tour allows colleagues to share in the experience of discovery and adventure.

It is a chance to learn about different cultures, histories, and environments together, fostering a sense of curiosity and wonder.

Exploring the world together and making memories without having to leave your homes is a great way to bond with your online coworkers.

It enriches the team dynamic, offering a shared experience that enhances collaboration and camaraderie. This activity is not just about seeing new places. It is about creating a shared narrative that strengthens team connections.

20. PowerPoint Party

Creating PowerPoint presentations about oneself can be an excellent way to introduce oneself to others on the team.

This activity allows individuals to share aspects of their lives, interests, or hobbies in a creative and structured format. It is a fun and engaging way to express personality and background in a virtual team environment.

Setting aside a specific day for all colleagues to create a short and entertaining presentation on any topic about themselves encourages everyone to participate actively. This is one of those virtual team activities everyone can look forward to.

Presenting these personal stories to each other fosters a sense of community and openness.

Watching and listening to presentations allows colleagues to discover new things about each other, sparking conversations and deepening connections. It is a unique opportunity to celebrate diversity and individuality within the team.

Encouraging creativity among colleagues through such presentations can significantly engage everyone and enhance relationships.

It is not just about sharing facts. It is about storytelling in a way that entertains and informs. This approach to team building is effective in getting to know each other much better, laying a foundation for a good relationship in a remote setting.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Let us discuss the most common questions about virtual team-building ideas for remote teams.

What are Good Virtual Team Building Activities for Large Groups?

Many virtual team-building activities, such as the following, can be conducted for large groups.

• Virtual escape room challenge
• Virtual happy hour or breakfast meetings
• Virtual Karaoke
• Guess that song
• Typing speed race

Each of these team-building activities aims to improve group dynamics and the individual skills of the team members.

How Do You Make Virtual Team Building for Large Groups More Engaging?

Utilizing icebreakers like group discussions, polls, and challenges is an effective team-building method. These activities allow colleagues to familiarize themselves with one another in a fun and significant manner.

Such icebreakers play a crucial role in team building by breaking the ice and fostering a comfortable environment for participation. They ensure that everyone feels at ease engaging with the group.

Whether your team-building activity is short enough for the beginning of your meetings or is long enough to have a day dedicated to it, they all have the same goal of bringing everyone together.

How Do You Choose the Right Virtual Team Building Activity for Large Groups?

Consider your team’s interests, preferences, and goals as part of the team-building process.

By polling colleagues to understand their likes and dislikes, you can choose activities that resonate with your team’s dynamics and objectives.

It is essential to select team-building activities that foster teamwork and engagement and contribute to a positive team culture. These activities should encourage collaboration and help build a cohesive unit.

The choice of the next activity can also be based on the preference of the winning team from the previous team-building activity, making the participants more eager to earn points and win for their next activity.

Key Takeaways on Virtual Team Building Activities for Large Groups

Playing online games and doing other virtual activities with your team is a great way to get everyone together, regardless of the size of the team.

At the end of the day, all these activities help foster a sense of camaraderie and belonging among the employees despite the distance that comes with remote work.

These also provide the team with important skills they can use at work and in life, from communication to time management and much more.

Try out these fun virtual games and put a twist on how you do things in your virtual office!

Book a demo here at Escapely or email us at hello@escapely.com.