The best team-building activities to try for your business

Cumberland Lodge Fellows playing croquet on the lawn.

If you’re looking for a location to host your corporate team-building activities, then look no further than Cumberland Lodge.

We can provide a location for group team-building activities for businesses like no other, nestled in Windsor Great Park, which is a naturally beautiful remote location that remains accessible. 

In addition to boasting a stunning setting, Cumberland Lodge is bursting with heritage. The building was constructed in the 17th century and has been home to various significant figures in its time. What’s more, being a social enterprise, hiring a space with Cumberland Lodge allows you to support a charitable mission. Our primary focus is on education, and your support enables us to invest in the development of young people as the ethical leaders of the future.  

Having been the location of many team-building retreats over the years, we’ve seen a number of activities for team-building unfold. Some ideas are explored in further detail below.

Fun team-building activities 

If you want your business team-building activities to be effective, they need to engage the team. This means that they need to be fun! To that end, we’ve collated some of our favourite fun team-building activities below: 

Office trivia – There’s nothing quite like light-hearted, competitive fun, and that’s where office trivia shines! A trivia game based on fun facts about your company, industry knowledge, and even some questions about British history to fit in with the Cumberland Lodge setting is a great way to get everyone thinking. This way, you’re sure to break the ice, encourage some team bonding, and see which of your employees knows their stuff! 

Scavenger hunts – The layout of Cumberland Lodge perfectly lends itself to a scavenger hunt, and this activity makes for the perfect blend of adventure and teamwork. Simply divide your team into small groups and provide them with a list of items to find or tasks to complete. You can dot the items around the room you’ve booked with us and send your team on their way! 

Team sports – We also have plenty of outdoor space in which you can organise a friendly sports match like football, rounders, or maybe a relay race. When it comes to encouraging teamwork and physical activity, this is the way forward, especially when considering how they promote camaraderie and healthy competition and, of course, provide a refreshing break from the office.

Group conga line team-building activity on Cumberland Lodge's grounds.

Problem-solving team-building activities 

Problem-solving requires people to work together, meaning that problem-solving activities are ideal for team building. We’ve highlighted a few of our favourite problem-solving team-building activities below: 

Puzzle challenges – Providing your team with a series of challenges encourages them to work together to solve them. These challenges could come in the form of jigsaw puzzles, logic puzzles, or complex brain teasers. By working together, your team will be able to develop their critical thinking and communication skills alike.  

Code breakers – Code breaker activities involve your team being given a series of cryptic codes or cyphers to crack. From this, they’re required to use their analytical thinking skills and attention to detail to decipher the code. 

Survival scenarios – Survival scenario exercises require your team to imagine themselves in hypothetical situations and work together to survive. For instance, you might offer up a scenario in which the team is stranded on a desert island, and they must agree on the items they wish to bring for survival. Strategic thinking, decision-making, and collaboration are just some of the skills that your team must implement during this activity. 

Team-building activities for communication skills 

Communication is key to a successful business, which is why team-building activities that aid in communication are essential. Some of our favourites are explored in further detail below: 

Two truths and a lie – Two truths and a lie is an icebreaker that’s both simple and effective in helping team members get to know each other better. It probably goes without saying that each team member shares three statements about themselves, two being true and one being a lie. The rest of the team then guesses which is the lie. From this, open communication is encouraged, and trust is built.  

Blindfold navigation – In this activity, one team member is blindfolded, and the rest of the team must guide them through an obstacle course using only verbal instructions. With this exercise, it’s clear to see just how important clear, concise communication and trust is. 

Role-playing scenarios – When it comes to improving communication skills, role-playing exercises can be really effective. This involves presenting your team with different workplace scenarios, like resolving a conflict or dealing with a difficult client and having them role-play the situation. From this, the team is able to practice their communication skills in a safe and supportive environment.