9 Free Virtual Team-Building Activities For Remote Teams
7 minutes
13 May 2025
Remote teams have quickly become the norm today. But even if you’re in a hybrid (or on-site setup), there are always those weeks when you’re working from home and suddenly, it’s Zoom o’clock again.
*Cue the collective sigh*
Whether it’s the monthly team huddle no one’s excited about, or that awkward icebreaker for a new joinee (you know the one – “Tell us something fun about yourself!”), virtual team-building can feel more like a chore than a connection. We’ve all been there. And we’ve all cringed through those “not lame” team-building activities that somehow are.
That’s exactly why we put together this list.
These are free, team-building activities we’ve personally tried, enjoyed, and even looked forward to. They’re simple, fun, and some of the best virtual team-building activities for getting people to engage.
Let’s get into it.
Best Virtual Team-Building Activities
Speed meet & greet
This one’s a team favourite at our end. Think of it like speed dating, but for teammates. You pair people up (randomly or intentionally) and give them 10 minutes to catch up. Once time’s up, you switch. Rinse, repeat. You can run this for 30 to 60 minutes, depending on your team size or how much breathing room you want in your calendar.
We usually run it for 30 minutes with a team of six; everyone gets to chat with at least two to three different teammates. Then, in the last five minutes, we tend to ask a simple question to the group, like, “What’s one thing you learned about someone today that you didn’t know before?”. It’s a low-effort, fun team-building activity that doesn’t feel forced, and best of all, it’s free, easy to run, and actually helps people connect beyond just work.
Guess who said it
If you want a low-pressure way to get to know your team members more, this one works like a charm. Before the call, each person fills out a fun questionnaire, nothing too deep, just questions like “What’s a food you secretly hate?” or “What’s your go-to karaoke song?”. You collect the answers in a spreadsheet and come to the meeting with one job: make people guess who said what.
So, you read out a question and one anonymous answer, and the team has to determine which person likely said this answer. We’ve found that this one makes the team surprisingly competitive! And while it’s one of those team-building activities that feels casual, you’d be surprised how much helpful information you walk away with. Whether writing someone a birthday card or planning a farewell toast, you’ll have plenty of personal gems to work with.
Spin-the-wheel icebreakers
Yes, we know – icebreakers have a bit of a reputation. But when you’re short on time or ideas, this one’s a solid fallback if you do it right. Instead of going around the room asking, “What’s your favourite colour?” (yawn!), put a little twist on it. Grab a list of less predictable questions like “What’s the weirdest thing you believed as a child?” or “If your life had a theme song, what would it be?”.
Then head over to wheelofnames.com, drop in your team members’ names, and spin the wheel during the call. Whoever it lands on gets a randomly chosen question from your list. The randomness keeps it fun, and no one knows what’s coming, including you. It’s simple, quick, and adds just enough surprise to make this classic feel fresh again. It also works great as a filler if a longer activity ends early or you're easing into a meeting.
Pictionary
Pictionary never gets old, especially if your team has a few competitive souls (we’ve definitely got a couple!). It’s low-effort, high-fun, and perfect for those Fridays when everyone’s fried and wants to unwind. Sure, it’s not going to deepen emotional bonds or boost productivity, but sometimes you just need a good laugh and some chaotic drawings of what was supposed to be a “toaster”.
We usually use skribbl.io or drawize.com – both free and super easy to set up. Just drop the game link in your meeting chat, and you're good to go. You can keep it short (15–20 minutes works fine), or turn it into a mini tournament. Either way, it’s a fun virtual activity that everyone actually enjoys, and no one has to pretend to like.
Codenames
If you’re looking for a game that’s fun but also gets people to think and work together, Codenames is our go-to. It’s a game about word association, strategy, and how well your team can read between the lines. You split into two teams, and each team has a “spymaster” who gives one-word clues to help their teammates guess the right words on a shared grid, without accidentally choosing the other team’s words (or worse, the assassin). Sounds simple, but it gets intense fast.
We use codenames.game to play it virtually – it’s free and works well over a Zoom or Meet call. What we love most is that it actually brings out people’s personalities. You’ll see overthinkers, risk-takers, confident bluffers, and that one person who goes silent, trying to connect “banana” and “satellite.” We’ve played it a couple of times now, and trust us, it’s the one that ends with everyone a little more engaged (and a little more competitive).
Two truths and a lie
You really can’t beat a classic, right? Two truths and a lie is one of those games that’s simple, but always delivers. If you’ve got a new team or a couple of new joiners, this one’s perfect for getting everyone talking. Each person shares three statements about themselves, two truths and one lie, and the rest of the team has to guess which is which. It’s a fun way to uncover tiny facts about your coworkers you wouldn’t usually learn in a meeting.
Since it’s a quick game, we usually slot it in between other activities or after a meeting that’s meant to be more operational. It’s a fun way to balance things out and break the ice without taking too much time. Plus, you really get to know who’s got a solid poker face (and who can’t lie to save their life).
Decode the scene
This one needs a little prep, but it’s always worth it. We usually create a quick Google Slides deck with movie stills, jumbled-up movie titles, iconic song clips, or random images representing common phrases. Your team has to guess what the reference is; it could be a movie, a phrase, or a song (you get the idea). It sounds simple, but once people get into it, the energy in the call picks up fast.
To make it more exciting, turn it into a mini competition. Keep score, throw in a tiny prize for the winner, and suddenly everyone’s trying to guess that one obscure movie from 2004, as if their life depends on it. It’s fun, fast-paced, and surprisingly revealing about who your team’s undercover pop culture nerd might be.
Guess the emoji
This emoji version is an excellent alternative if your team isn’t big on movies or pop culture trivia. You can use emoticons to depict pretty much anything – popular phrases, food joints, everyday objects, countries, random slang... You name it. It’s flexible, visual, and super easy to set up. Just structure the emoji combos in the chat or a slide, and let your team guess which ones mean what.
We did an emoji quiz where the team had to guess countries, and let’s say – some of the guesses were spot on, some were hilariously off, and all of them were entertaining. These kinds of low-pressure games somehow end up being the most memorable, with everyone laughing, a bit of competition, and nobody pretending they love small talk.
We’ve added a screenshot from one of our slides below – can you guess the country?
Just... Talk
We’re ending this list with something that isn’t really an “activity” at all. Sometimes, all your team needs is a casual, no-agenda space just to talk. Everyone can grab a coffee, maybe a snack, and log in for a low-pressure catch-up. You can use prompts to nudge the conversation – like chatting about a trending topic in your industry, asking everyone to share one good thing and one not-so-great thing from their past week, or even having someone senior do a short, guiding session on a popular skill or tool.
Something we genuinely believe in at GrowthBuddy – you don’t always have to do a lot to build a real team connection. Sometimes, the most meaningful moments come from giving people the space to show up as themselves, and reminding them that they’re seen and valued, even through a screen!
Conclusion
So there you have it – 9 fun, easy virtual team-building activities that’ll get your team laughing, talking, and genuinely connecting. Whether you’re in the mood for a bit of friendly competition or just want to unwind and chat, there’s something for every team. Remember, sometimes the best way to build connections is by keeping things simple and letting your team’s personalities shine through.
And hey, if you’re ever looking for top-notch talent to join your team (after all that team bonding!), we’ve got your back. At GrowthBuddy, we focus on finding remote talent that not only has the skills but will seamlessly blend into your team and its unique dynamic. If you’d like to explore how we can help bring the right people into your team, we’d love to chat!