Fun activities that liven up the office: recreation games
Here are some fun games and recreational activities that will liven up the office.
We interact with bosses and colleagues a lot at work, but many of us don’t have much contact in our private lives.
If you’re thinking, “I actually want to get closer to everyone…!” why not try playing a quick game when you have a little spare time?
We’ve gathered activities and games that are perfect for breaks or in-between moments at office parties, so feel free to use them for ideas.
Forget about work for just a bit, and let’s build camaraderie while having a great time together!
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- Games you can play with just conversation. Classic and popular activities you can enjoy without any props!
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- A collection of simple indoor recreational games
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Fun games to liven up the office: Recreation games (21–30)
No equipment needed! Air catch ball
“Air Catch,” a make-believe game of tossing an imaginary ball without any props, is a very simple team-building activity.
Participants form a circle.
Someone calls another person’s name while miming a throw of the “air ball,” and the next person pretends to catch it and continues in the same way.
The rules are: make eye contact and call the person’s name before you throw.
Once everyone gets used to it, you can increase the difficulty by tossing multiple balls at once or speeding things up.
It builds communication skills and concentration and gets people laughing, making it great for training icebreakers and strengthening team cohesion.
It takes about 5–15 minutes, so give it a try!
11 Recommended Games for Networking/ Social Gatherings
Games with simple, easy-to-understand rules can be enjoyed by everyone from kids to adults.
When there are many participants, head-to-head games are recommended.
Games like Werewolf, escape games, or competitions where you add up everyone’s step counts from a pedometer seem great for deepening bonds as participants cooperate and strategize together.
There are also various other ideas introduced, including online versions.
Be sure to try incorporating them and have fun!
Fun games to liven up the office. Recreation games (31–40)
Lyrics Shiritori Game
A fun game where you play shiritori using song lyrics.
Sing a line from a song, then continue with lyrics from another song that start with the last character of the previous line.
It’s great for everyone from kids to adults—you’ll recall familiar tunes and discover new ones.
Not only for people who love singing, it’s also a chance to encounter songs you don’t know.
Perfect for karaoke, parties, and school activities.
Even those who aren’t confident singers will naturally smile—simple yet surprisingly deep.
Put your musical knowledge and creativity to use and have fun playing!
Lip-sync song guessing game
The lip-sync song guessing game is something even people who love listening to music but aren’t confident singing can enjoy, and it works well at workplaces or schools.
The presenter picks a song, then lip-syncs it—paying close attention to intonation and rhythm—without making any sound.
The guessers carefully watch the presenter’s mouth and facial expressions to figure out what song it is.
At first, it’s best to choose familiar songs that everyone knows.
Once everyone gets the hang of it, you can make the game more exciting by shortening the sung sections or speeding up the delivery.
Beef Tongue Game
The brain-teasing Gyutan game is perfect for group play, where focus and memory are key.
Players sit in a circle and say “Gyu” out loud, then on the “tan” part, they clap without speaking.
Pay extra attention because the final “tan” comes in succession.
After one round, move to the second, third, and so on, increasing the number of final “tan” claps by one each time.
As the rounds progress, the number of “tan” claps increases, so remember the count and try not to make mistakes.
Once you get used to it, picking up the tempo can make it even more exciting.
Stand-up game
Stand-Up Game: guess how many people will stand up! The rule is super simple: you clear the round if the number you call matches the number of people who stand.
When you make your call, you can either stand up or stay seated.
Even in places like restaurants where seats are fixed, you can enjoy it right where you are without moving.
It’s quick to start, so it’s great as a filler while you set up the next game.
Remembering games like this that require no props and no moving around can be really useful at all kinds of events.
Word Wolf Game
Do you know the game called Word Wolf? Word Wolf is a game where everyone talks about a certain topic while trying to find the minority player—the Word Wolf—who has been given a different topic from the rest.
There are free apps for Word Wolf, and if you install one on your smartphone, it’s easy to play.
If you’re the Wolf, try to play it off and pretend you’re not.
