A team-building activity is an exercise, game or problem-solving task, designed to help members of a certain group, such as co-workers, develop and improve their capacity to work together in an effective manner. Team-building activities can be simple, complex or elaborate tasks that can last from a few minutes to several hours. Generally, team-building activities require the use of different types of materials, such as puzzles, paper and pencils, or yarn.

Yarn Throw

This activity is useful for encouraging communication within a team. Have the participants stand in a circle and hand one participant a ball of yarn. The first team member will say something nice about another team member and throw the ball of yarn to that team member, while holding onto a piece of the yarn. This continues around the circle, but the team members cannot throw the ball of yarn to the same person twice. At the end of the exercise, an entangled web remains from the yarn throwing. Use this web to discuss the bonds of the team.

Friendship Quilt

This activity is useful for promoting familiarity within a team. Give each team member a small square of paper. Instruct the members to write their name and one fun fact about themselves on the paper and then decorate it. After each team member completes their square, hole punch all four corners of the squares and have the team members “quilt” the squares together with yarn. Hand the completed quilt in a common area.

Spider Web

This activity is useful for teaching a team to work together and be committed to reaching a common goal. Find an area with two adjacent trees, poles or columns that are several feet apart from each other. Use yarn, tape and scissors to create a web between the two poles. At the area, separate the group into two separate teams. Instruct each team to move their members through the web using only the assistance of each other. The teams must crawl through the web, instead of simply crawling under the lowest string. The first team to get all their members to the other side wins the game.

Yarn Shapes

This activity is useful for teaching a team the importance of leadership, communication and working together. Stand the team members in a long line, blindfolded and with their hands outstretched. Take a long piece of yarn and give each team member a section of the yarn. Instruct the team members to create a circle with the yarn. The team members will have to move around while blindfolded to create the circle. When the team believes they have formed a circle, remove the blindfolds so they can evaluate their performance.