The Best Team-Building Activities for Large Groups

Team-building activities are an effective way to foster collaboration, boost morale, and create lasting employee connections.

With more organizations embracing remote work, it has become increasingly important to find ways for large teams to bond outside of their regular projects and meetings. According to Harvard Business Review, remote workdays have settled at around 29 percent of all workdays, and this trend is expected to continue.

Whether your group is in one office or spread across multiple cities, hosting a team-building activity is a great way to strengthen relationships, improve communication, and bring energy to your workplace culture. This guide explores the benefits of both in‑person and virtual formats, offers tips for planning, and highlights some of the most popular activities for groups of 100 or more. With careful planning, your next event can become a highlight of the year for your entire team.

Popular Virtual Team Building Activities for Large Groups

Here are some of the best virtual team-building activities that work well for large teams:

• Virtual Escape Rooms: Teams solve puzzles and complete challenges to “escape” from a virtual room. It’s a great way to improve collaboration and problem-solving skills.
• Digital Scavenger Hunts: Teams race to find specific items around their homes or complete a list of fun tasks. This activity encourages creativity and quick thinking.
• Online Trivia: A classic option that allows everyone to participate. Trivia can be customized to your team’s interests and adds a fun competitive element.
• Virtual Workshops: Offer interactive workshops like cooking classes, art lessons, or mixology tutorials that everyone can enjoy. Participants can bond over shared creative experiences.
• Remote Seasonal Events: Seasonal events boost team spirit with fun and festive activities. They can be a great way to bring your team together during the holidays. 

Virtual Vs. In‑Person Team Building

Virtual events are ideal for remote teams or organizations with members across different locations. They eliminate travel costs and offer the flexibility of joining from anywhere. Breakout sessions allow large groups to be divided into smaller teams, making interaction easier and ensuring everyone has a chance to speak up. However, technical challenges and screen fatigue can occasionally reduce engagement, so planning thoughtful breaks and choosing the right platform is important.

In‑person events offer face‑to‑face interaction and hands‑on activities that virtual settings can’t always replicate. They encourage deeper connections but require more logistics, including venue selection, travel, and accommodations. Coordinating an in‑person event for 300 or 400 people may involve negotiating with multiple vendors and arranging schedules for employees who may have limited availability. Both formats can deliver meaningful experiences—your choice depends on your team’s structure, goals, and budget.

Why Choose Virtual Team Building?

Remote Work Realities

Virtual team building helps recreate the casual conversations and spontaneous collaboration often found in physical offices. It breaks down barriers and fosters trust, even when team members are in different time zones. By providing a shared experience away from deadlines and to‑do lists, you give your team space to reconnect and recharge, which is vital for long‑term productivity.

Scalability for Large Teams

Coordinating an in‑person event for hundreds of participants can be challenging and expensive. Virtual events scale more easily, with many platforms offering breakout rooms so smaller groups can engage more effectively within the larger event. Some providers even offer parallel hosts or co‑facilitators, ensuring that even with 500 attendees, everyone feels guided and involved throughout the session.

Flexibility and Inclusivity

Virtual events remove many barriers to participation, accommodating team members with mobility challenges, family obligations, or travel limitations. Everyone can join in from wherever they’re located, making it easier to involve your entire organization. With an inclusive approach, your team members feel valued, whether they’re tuning in from home, an office in another country, or while traveling.

How to Plan a Team Building Event for a Large Group

Set Clear Objectives

Decide what you want to achieve. Are you aiming to improve communication, spark creativity, or simply celebrate a milestone? Your goal will guide the activity you choose. For example, if your goal is problem-solving, escape rooms or scavenger hunts work well; if you want a calm, collaborative space, art workshops or tastings are ideal.

Know Your Budget

Virtual events are cost‑effective compared to in‑person gatherings. Confirm what’s included in the price—such as materials, shipping, or gratuities—and understand policies on participant counts before booking. If you’re hosting a cooking class, for instance, check if ingredients are included and if there’s a shipping deadline to meet. Planning ahead avoids last‑minute surprises that can disrupt the event.

Choose the Right Platform

Ensure the platform supports your group size and offers features like breakout rooms. Check technical requirements early so participants can join without issues. Consider conducting a brief tech test with a smaller team to troubleshoot potential problems like video lag or audio delays before the main event.

Break Down Large Groups

Smaller breakout teams encourage participation. Look for activities that naturally divide large groups into teams of five to ten people. In a trivia challenge, for example, each breakout room can be its own team, competing against others in a final score tally. This structure keeps people engaged and reduces the risk of anyone feeling overlooked.

Keep It Interactive and Fun

Select activities that prompt conversation, friendly competition, or shared creativity. A session should feel like a welcome break from routine rather than another meeting on the calendar. Incorporating icebreaker questions, live polls, or quick energizer rounds can help maintain focus and make sure the event stays lively.

Best Team-Building Activities for Large Groups

Holiday Get Togethers

Celebrate the season with activities that bring everyone together. Holiday events are flexible, creative, and perfect for large groups. These gatherings help remote teams feel a shared sense of tradition while offering fun ways to unwind and connect.

• Virtual White Elephant Team Gift Experience: A lively mix of trivia and gift exchanges that ends with mailed gifts for each participant. The excitement builds as teammates “steal” gifts and laugh over quirky surprises.
• Gingerbread House Holiday Party: Participants build festive creations with mailed kits and share their designs in a virtual showcase, complete with holiday tunes and lighthearted banter.
• Virtual Secret Santa Gift Exchange: Assign recipients ahead of time and watch the joy unfold as gifts are opened live. It’s a heartfelt way to spread cheer and foster camaraderie.
• Virtual Mini Game Showdown: Holiday Edition: Rotate through quick, themed mini‑games that keep everyone laughing, even in a group of 300.

Escape Rooms

Escape rooms encourage problem‑solving and teamwork under time pressure. Virtual rooms can host multiple teams simultaneously, creating friendly competition and shared victories.

• Virtual Escape Room: Murder Mystery: Solve puzzles and catch a culprit before they strike again in a high-energy, story‑driven adventure.
• Virtual Escape Room: The Arctic Circle: Navigate obstacles and outsmart the elements in a snowy, puzzle‑filled landscape.
• Virtual Escape Room: Pirate Treasure Hunt: Race against a notorious pirate to uncover hidden treasure, unlocking clues with each success.
• Virtual Escape Room: Expedition to the North Pole: Test survival instincts in an icy setting full of brain‑teasing challenges.

Games for Team Building

Bring out your team’s competitive spirit with interactive games designed for virtual platforms. Games encourage quick thinking, laughter, and collaboration.

• Virtual Brick Building Team Challenge: Build unique structures with LEGO® bricks, using prompts that challenge your creativity.
• Virtual Feud Frenzy: Compete in a fast‑paced game show where quick thinking leads to victory.
• Virtual Mini Game Showdown: A whirlwind of different games, from puzzles to trivia, designed for large groups.
• Virtual Scavenger Hunt: Find items around your home in a race against the clock, sharing hilarious finds on camera.

Trivia Competitions

Trivia is easy to scale for large groups and can be customized to suit your company’s interests. It’s a fun way to test knowledge while building connections.

• Virtual Private Trivia: Face off with colleagues in themed trivia rounds led by an engaging host.
• Virtual Trivia with Participant Gift: Enjoy diverse trivia topics while each participant receives a thank‑you gift.
• Virtual Trivia: It's Winter!: Test your holiday knowledge through multiple fun and festive rounds.
• Virtual Trivia: Timewarp: Travel through decades of pop culture, music, and history in one engaging session.

Arts and Crafts Workshops

Creative workshops help participants relax and connect while making something memorable. Materials are shipped in advance so everyone can follow along in real time.

• Virtual Paint & Sip Party: Guided painting instruction paired with a wine kit for a relaxing group activity.
• Virtual Terrarium Making: Build a beautiful terrarium and learn design tips from a live instructor.
• Virtual Watercolor Workshop: Learn wet‑on‑wet painting techniques and create art you’ll be proud of.
• Virtual Candle Making: Make environmentally friendly candles with guidance from a skilled host.

Cooking and Baking Classes

Cooking classes bring teams together through the joy of creating and sharing food. Ingredients are delivered to each participant, making it easy to join from anywhere.

• Virtual Pasta Making: Mix, knead, and shape pasta by hand, then enjoy your meal together.
• Virtual Pizza from Scratch: Learn to make pizza dough and toppings in a fun, interactive workshop.
• Virtual Sushi Making: Discover the art of rolling sushi while bonding with your colleagues.
• Virtual Bread Making: Focaccia Art: Create edible works of art with herbs, veggies, and dough.

Food and Drink Tastings

Guided tastings combine education with a shared sensory experience. They’re low‑pressure events that encourage conversation and curiosity.

• Virtual Wine & Cheese Tasting: Sample curated pairings while learning about regions and production methods.
• Virtual Mixology Workshop: Create craft cocktails while exploring mixology techniques and history.
• Virtual Chocolate Tasting: Taste artisanal chocolates from around the world and compare flavor notes.
• Virtual Tequila Tasting: Explore a variety of tequilas with guidance from an expert host.

Wellness Classes

Encourage relaxation and mindfulness with wellness activities suited for virtual settings. These sessions help your team recharge and refocus.

• Virtual Guided Group Meditation: Recharge with guided breathing and meditation exercises.
• Virtual Vision Board Workshop: Create vision boards that inspire goal setting and creativity.
• Virtual Rough Day Recharge: Light stretches, meditation, and animal-themed trivia bring quick relief from stress.
• Virtual Art & Meditation: Combine art-making with mindfulness in a guided creative session.

Final Thoughts

Team-building activities, whether virtual or in‑person, are a powerful way to connect employees, build skills, and boost morale. Large organizations often face challenges bringing everyone together, but with the right event format, you can create meaningful interactions that go beyond day-to-day work.

Start by defining your goals and budget, choose a format that fits your team’s needs, and pick activities that encourage engagement and fun. With thoughtful planning and a variety of options, your event can strengthen bonds across departments, highlight employee talents, and leave lasting memories that fuel future collaboration.

Whether your group prefers solving puzzles in a virtual escape room, sharing laughs over trivia, or relaxing with a guided art class, these experiences help transform a group of individuals into a thriving, connected team ready to tackle new challenges together.