Recommended indoor games and recreational activities for the workplace
We’re introducing recommended indoor games and recreational activities you can enjoy at the office!
Good communication with your coworkers is essential to keeping work running smoothly.
But with everyone so busy, many people end up “only talking about work,” don’t they?
If you feel like it’s hard to ask for help or there’s no one you can consult with, we recommend trying some recreational games.
These days, opportunities like icebreakers—aimed at building rapport with those around you—are becoming more common.
By playing together and sharing enjoyable moments, conversations will naturally increase, and your work may become easier too!
Recommended indoor office games and recreational activities (1–10)
A game where you absolutely must not say “yes.”
While it’s standard to use honorific language with bosses and seniors, how about being casual just for this game? In this game, you lose if you answer “yes” to anything.
It’s really hard and you have to be careful since you can’t say “yes” to your boss or senior, but this might be a chance to break the ice.
Trust the relationship and give it a try.
Speaking of 〇〇, games
Are you one of the many people looking for recreational activities to break the ice with someone you’ve just met or to strengthen bonds with your project teammates? If so, I recommend the “What comes to mind when you hear ___? Game.” In this game, participants each give an answer to various prompts.
If everyone gives the same answer, you clear the round.
Perfect Match Game
In this game, you first decide on a target number.
Then you ask your partner number-related questions, trying to hit that number exactly.
It’s no good if you go over, and it’s not very fun if you play it safe with low numbers.
Since you’ll be asking your partner questions, you might also learn something personal about them.
Enjoy the thrill—just be careful not to ask anything rude.
Shiritori Gesture Game
This is a gesture-based version of the shiritori game we usually play.
As adults, we don’t often get to play using our bodies.
You might even feel too embarrassed to act things out.
But let’s set that embarrassment aside and have fun with all our might.
If we break down the barriers between bosses and subordinates and come together as one, our bonds will surely grow stronger.
Trump
Playing cards—a game almost every Japanese person has tried at least once.
All you need is a deck, and you can play with anywhere from one person to a large group.
Old Maid, in particular, is great for quick fun with everyone, so it’s perfect for killing time.
There are many variations too, like Ji-Jinuki, where one card is removed from the deck.
Tailor the way you play to the members, the number of players, and the environment.
Word Wolf
Lately, the Werewolf game has been popular, and many of you have probably tried it.
As an alternative version of Werewolf, I recommend “Word Wolf.” In this game, each participant is given the same word, except for one person who receives a different word.
Talk about the word, and try to find the person who has the different one.
English Prohibited Quiz
Unlike simple quizzes where you just ask questions and answer them, the “No-English Quiz” is a quiz game in which you lose points if you say any English words or Japanese-made English in katakana.
The questions are easy, and the answers would normally be in katakana, but try to skillfully replace them with Japanese and answer!
