Discover fun office Olympic game ideas like desk chair races, ping pong tournaments, and rubber band archery. Boost team spirit and energize the workday.
Are you looking for the best office Olympics games for your next team-building event? We’ve got you!
Every once in a while, games and activities can be a fun way to mix things up in a workplace. It is sometimes important to engage employees in the middle of a work week and give them a refresher. What’s better than Office Olympics for some fun at work?
These games can be played in large as well as small groups, both virtually and in-office. Let’s get into it!
A scavenger hunt works great for both in-office and an online setting. Simply give all the teams a list of objects to “scavenge”. Next, they have to run around and find the objects around the office or their home from the list. The team with the highest number of objects wins.
What’s a team-building event without some fun trivia? Trivia is a fun and fast-paced game that can turn into a friendly competition quickly. Simply gather a list of trivia questions and quiz the teams on fun categories.
To turn a trivia game into an Olympic-themed event, you can start with an "Opening Ceremony" where participants represent countries. Structure trivia into Olympic-style categories and use a medal system for scoring. Conclude with a "Closing Ceremony" to tally medals and celebrate achievements. Sounds super fun, right?
The Paper Airplane Toss is a fun and simple activity often used in classrooms, team-building exercises, or casual competitions. Participants create airplanes from sheets of paper and then throw them to see whose design flies the farthest or with the most precision. Measure each person’s airplane’s distance to see who threw the farthest and declare the winner!
"Minute to Win It" is a fun game where participants take on a series of 60-second challenges using everyday items like cups, balls, and pencils. Organizing quick challenges during team meetings or office events encourages everyone to engage in light-hearted competition. Setting up challenges that require minimal setup and can be played in small spaces makes them ideal for office settings. For example, stack and unstack 36 cups into a pyramid shape in under 60 seconds or shoot erasers into a cup using rubber bands. Simple!
Another fun icebreaker game that can be played in large groups is a game of fact or fiction. You basically give your coworkers a statement or a fact and they need to guess if it is true or false. Next, they shout out “Fact” or “Fiction” once they hear the statement. The person or team who gets the maximum number of correct guesses wins.
To play Fact or Fiction online, you can use the Ricotta Games app on Slack and Microsoft Teams.
Hangman is a classic word game that teams can play for day-to-day team building. It involves the players guessing the word before their chances run out. Guess the letters one by one so that the final word is revealed.
Now the traditional Hangman game might not be workplace-appropriate for some teams. Thus, you can play Snowman on the Ricotta app with a Snowman instead of the usual ‘Hangman’.
While a traditional Javelin game involves spears, we will use a pen or a pencil to play the game. Set up a basket at a distance from a marked line. Players take turns standing behind the line and throwing a sharpened pencil or pen at the basket. They score points each time the pen goes in.
This one is a lot of fun! In a game of Hot Takes, you will be given a couple of controversial opinions or ‘Hot Takes’ and one agrees or disagrees with the statement. These Hot Take statements get people talking and debating in no time which is what makes it a great icebreaker activity.
Check out some Hot Takes examples to start playing the game.
Desk soccer is a miniature version of soccer that you can play right at your desk. In this game, you use your fingers to flick a small ball into tiny goals, just like a real soccer match but on a much smaller scale. It usually comes with a small field layout and a lightweight ball. Desk soccer is great for quick, enjoyable breaks during the workday with your colleagues. It offers a chance for some friendly competition and a little stress relief without even leaving your workspace.
Rubber Band Archery is an office game where you create a makeshift bow and arrow using a rubber band and a paperclip. To play, simply bend the paperclip into a shape that can hold the rubber band, then stretch and release it to shoot at a target. The target can be anything from a paper cup to a marked spot on the wall. It’s an easy way to add a bit of playful competition to the workday, helping colleagues relax and enjoy some light-hearted fun during breaks.
Baby Picture Match is a fun and nostalgic office game where colleagues bring in their baby photos. The goal is to match each baby picture to the correct colleague. To play, collect baby photos from all participants and display them on a board or digital platform. Everyone then tries to guess which adult each baby picture represents. This game fosters a sense of community and connection among coworkers.
Typing Race is an exciting and competitive office game that tests your typing speed and accuracy right at your desk. To play, set up a typing challenge where you race against your colleagues by typing a given text as quickly and accurately as possible. You can use online typing test websites or custom text passages. The person who finishes the text with the fewest errors and the fastest time wins.
The Coffee Mug Marathon is an office game where participants race to carry a full mug of coffee from one point to another without spilling it. The goal is to finish the course as quickly as possible while having the coffee in the mug. It’s a great way to add some excitement and laughs to the workday, as everyone tries to balance speed and their morning coffee mugs.
The Rolling Chair Obstacle Course is an office game where participants race through a course using rolling chairs. They must navigate around office furniture and other obstacles. The goal is to finish the course as quickly as possible without falling or missing any obstacles. It’s a great way to get everyone moving and having fun during the workday.
In a classic Ping Pong tournament, employees compete in table tennis matches. Set up a bracket and have participants play against each other, either individually or in teams. The goal is to advance through the rounds and become the tournament champion. It's a great way to encourage friendly competition and provide a fun break from work.
This brings us to the end of the Office Olympics games. While you may find many games to play with your colleagues, playing competitive and fast-paced games can be a lot more fun. For example, a general trivia game will be fun but when you add in the element of ‘Olympics’, it starts seeming like a tradition or a fun activity that you can participate in as a group. So customize your favorite games to make them even more engaging. Have fun!
More by Ricotta:
20+ Best Large Group Games For All Ages
20+ Improv Games For Kids, Adults & Coworkers
Virtual Team Building Activities and Games for your Remote Team
Try Ricotta Games & Trivia
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