What are some of the best remote team building activities and icebreakers you have tried or heard of?

1 Two truths and a lie

This is a classic icebreaker game that can be easily played online. Each team member has to share three statements about themselves, two of which are true and one of which is a lie. The rest of the team has to guess which one is the lie and why. This game can help you learn more about your colleagues, their backgrounds, interests, and personalities, as well as spark some friendly banter and laughter.

2 Show and tell

This is another simple and fun activity that can help you get to know your remote team members better. Each team member has to show and tell something about themselves, such as a hobby, a passion, a skill, a collection, or a story. You can set a theme or a time limit for each presentation, or leave it open-ended. This activity can help you discover commonalities, differences, and unique aspects of your team members, as well as appreciate their diversity and creativity.

3 Virtual escape room

This is a more challenging and exciting activity that can test your team's problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills. A virtual escape room is an online simulation of a real-life escape room, where you have to work together with your team to find clues, solve puzzles, and escape from a scenario within a given time. There are many online platforms that offer different themes, levels, and formats for virtual escape rooms, such as The Escape Game, Breakout EDU, and ClueQuest.

4 Online trivia

This is a fun and competitive activity that can boost your team's morale, knowledge, and camaraderie. Online trivia is a game where you have to answer questions on various topics, such as history, geography, pop culture, sports, and more. You can either divide your team into smaller groups and compete against each other, or play as one team and challenge another remote team. There are many online tools that can help you create and host online trivia games, such as Kahoot, QuizUp, and TriviaMaker.

5 Virtual coffee break

This is a simple and casual activity that can help you maintain regular and informal communication with your remote team members. A virtual coffee break is a short and relaxed video call where you can chat with your colleagues about anything other than work, such as your hobbies, your plans, your challenges, or your recommendations. You can schedule a virtual coffee break once a week or once a day, depending on your availability and preference. This activity can help you build rapport, empathy, and friendship with your remote team members.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?