Board Games That Can Teach Team Building

Taking part in team-building exercises is a great way to bond with coworkers and improve their ability to work together, make tough choices, and make do with less-than-ideal circumstances. Training sessions can benefit significantly from board games to foster better teamwork. There are long games that help form a cohesive unit and short games that are great for breaking the ice. Therefore, if you’re planning a team-building event and need suggestions for games to play, see this list of board games that can teach team-building.

Codenames

The board game Codenames is one of the most ingenious board games for fostering teamwork since it is based on the simple but essential skills of providing and taking orders.

This game requires an even number of players, with four being the minimum. Blue and red teams are formed. Each team chooses one member to serve as the spymaster while the others become operatives in the game. One spymaster from each group will deliver one-word, cryptic clues to the other team members, with each hint pointing to a different word on the board. Each team has a set of words, and the other players try to guess what they are by knowing the clues and avoiding guessing the other team’s words.

The game Codenames is a solid team-building game since it promotes analytical thinking and attentive listening from all participants. A spymaster’s job is to steer the squad in the right direction without tipping off the enemy. The operatives’ job is to interpret the spymaster’s signals and figure out what they mean. The board game Codenames is a great team-building exercise since it trains members to listen to and comprehend instructions.

Pandemic

Before the term “pandemic” exploded over the press, the game Pandemic was often included on lists of team-building activities. The board game Pandemic is one of the best team-building board games because the rules force players to take on various roles.

At every turn, the team will do the action indicated by one of their action cards to prevent the spread of disease and find a cure. Throughout the game, players must anticipate breakouts and adjust their strategies accordingly. Groups can accomplish their goals by cooperating. Once players have discovered treatments for all the diseases in the game, they have won.

In the board game Pandemic, leadership qualities are rewarded, including delegating, strategy, and cooperation. Colleagues must cooperate within their assigned roles to accomplish the group’s objectives.

Cranium

Game nights in the office often include a round of Cranium. Each player takes a turn moving around the board and completing tasks in one of four categories: Data Head, Word Worm, Star Performer, and Creative Cat.

Cranium is a great icebreaker because it illustrates the essence of having a diverse group of people on a team. Successful groups have analysts, performers, creators, and describers. The most competent team players take stock of their teammates’ strengths and weaknesses before dividing the workload. Each team member will play a vital role in the end result.

Cranium can accommodate large groups with little trouble. Thanks to this game, participants learn to form effective teams and get experience adapting when their collective knowledge is lacking.

As a team building activity, Cranium is hard to beat, with tasks like “act this out,” “make this out of clay,” and “select a colleague who can appropriately spell this word.”

Clue

You must solve the murder that has taken place at the Boddy Mansion. Of the remaining six possible culprits, you are one of them.

Scavenge for clues by moving your game pieces about the board, representing a house with several rooms and hidden tunnels. Just who was responsible for Mr. Boddy’s untimely demise? Precisely what was the nature of the weapon employed? Where did it take place, and what happened there?

The more information you have, the easier it will be to classify the numerous options for how things may be. A time limit has been placed on the competition to see who can solve the problem earliest.

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Twister

In Twister, players try to place various body parts on correspondingly colored dots on a mat. For instance, the left hand may be colored green and the right leg red. Once on the Twister mat, participants quickly twist themselves into unrecognizable positions. For any pretense of personal space to be maintained throughout the game, communication is a must.

Getting close to the other players is inevitable, and you’ll need their help to avoid collapsing into a tangled heap. Twister is a great way to improve social and communication abilities. You and your teammates will rapidly bond as you break down boundaries and enjoy the game together.

Monopoly

Real estate moguls have been spawned by the property-acquiring game Monopoly since its original publication in 1935. The board game necessitates luck and danger as players attempt to purchase and sell assets without getting arrested. 

If they have the cash on hand, players can buy any homes currently up for sale. If other players land in your territories during the game, you may collect rent from them and increase your income.

The game’s goal is to drive your opponents into bankruptcy, which can take considerable time. Purchase enough adjacent properties on the same side of the board to build a monopoly and force your opponents to stop paying their rent.

Reverse Charades

What it sounds like is what it is: a game of reverse Charades. As opposed to having one person perform a word for the team, everyone must work together to perform the word for a single person. Expertise in group communication is required for sending a subtle message. A group must work together harmoniously to increase the player’s chances of accurately guessing a word. 

Group pantomimes require more cooperation to alter tactics than solo mimes, which may easily switch actions in response to audience misunderstanding. Each group member will develop the ability to read body language, respond appropriately, and swiftly adjust to new situations.

It’s a plus of Reverse Charades that you can play even if you don’t have the board game. You may do this activity with as few teams and a set of words and phrases.

Unlike some other types of team-building games and activities, playing board games is a frequent leisure at the workplace. Playing board games is a good medium to boost your team’s communication, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities. In addition, board games provide a low-stakes and enjoyable setting for team members to get to know one another. Your teammates probably play or have played these games before, so they will have no trouble getting behind the game’s goals.