Team building events are a big deal. Creating a team building event that doesn’t suck isn’t easy. Let’s face it, finding actually engaging and fun activities that will unite your colleagues without causing incessant eye-rolling and resistance for everyone to engage is not all sunshine and roses. Thankfully, everyone loves using their smartphones. Though often a distraction, smartphones can fit perfectly into your team building event and break the ice between team members.
We’ve put together the list of 10 awesome mobile apps which are perfect for running the best team building party ever. Just make sure that your colleagues have access to their smartphones and the Internet. Some of these apps are free, some offer paid versions. Either way, they’re worth your attention when preparing your next team building event. Especially if you have only a few minutes to prepare.
Let’s get the party started!
1. Goosechase
Have you heard about a scavenger hunt? It’s a party game where the planner arranges a list of specific items which participants should gather. In fact, Goosechase is the top dog of scavenger hunt apps. It’s just a kind of camera designed for social sharing or, in other words, a corporate visual social network.
However, Goosechase helps to boost team cooperation and enjoy hilarity together. Here you can create various tasks to complete and even assign it to a specific location (just make sure that all smartphones involved are GPS enabled). In a nutshell, the app motivates teammates to take pictures of given objects indoors or out. For a low cost, low key game, it can yield some high-impact results.
Goosechase is free for small teams. If you are from a large organization, the app offers paid packages. Downloads: iOS, Android. Also, there is a few alternatives for you to consider: Locandy, Huntzz, Scavify.
2. Heads Up!
Heads Up! is not only a fun party game. It’s ideal for team building events. You’ve probably already played this game without using smartphones. Nevertheless, Heads Up! is perfectly fitted to mobile use. The process is quite simple: one player puts a smartphone on their forehead while the rest of the players can see the word on the display. As you might imagine, the word is hidden from the person holding the smartphone who have to guess the item. What’s more, you use your own words.
3. Psych!
From the creators of ‘Heads Up!’ comes ‘Psych!’, a free to download game where you win if you can outwit your friends. The key here is to invent fake answers for various questions. You win if the other players choose the wrong answer. This game is great for breaking down communication barriers between teammates. Also, it improves your bluffing skills! However, you should be aware of multiple (non-skippable) ads. A paid option with additional game scenarios is available too.
4. Just Dance Now
A little party never killed anybody, as they say. And nothing throws a party better than getting people to dance. Everyone likes dancing. Although the game is free to download, you’ll need to pay for most of the songs. From the very beginning, you get 200 coins that take a day to regenerate and each song costs 100 coins. As a result, the paid option is must-have for the team-building event. Here you can buy a temporary pass for $1 per hour.
5. Bounden
If you imagine a mix of Twister and couple’s ballet, you can get a sense of Bounden. It’s probably the most absurd and awesome thing you’ve ever played. Two players grasp opposite ends of a smartphone and cooperatively manipulate it. Bounden forces players to swing and sway and sweep their bodies around each other. Be aware: you won’t look graceful. But it will definitely be fun. Bounden provides you with an enjoyable way to learn how to dance and, what’s more, be in sync while collaborating with your colleagues. It is a paid up-front game with no in-app purchases that will cost you only $1.99 for life.
6. Drink Roulette
We couldn’t put together a complete list of party apps without a drinking game, could we? So, here comes Drink Roulette! This app offers 5 drinking game modes (note that only the first one is free). Long story short, each mode reflects how hard you get drunk at the end of the level. ‘Drunk’ missions include actually drinking and the funny way a player accomplishes it. The good news is that there is no pop-up ads or annoying subscription requests.
7. iPuke
Although iPuke is one of the numerous Drink alternatives, it’s cool enough to be included in our list. In a nutshell, iPuke is a no-brainer game with cards that list out team building tasks which will definitely break the ice between your team-mates, even the shiest ones. You’ll find a bunch of decks of cards to choose from on the first screen. However, in the case of using a free version, you’ll need to look around on the app. You can choose an unlimited number of players. Each player gets two options – to drink a certain amount of alcohol — or to do something funny or perhaps slightly embarrassing. To drink or not to drink, that is the only question.
8. Who Lurks – Alien Horizon
If you’re in love with betrayal games like Mafia and Who Lurks, Alien Horizon is the app you’ll definitely want to try. The main mission here is to figure out who among the crew is the secret alien agent. Players will face various challenges throughout a series of mini-games. The aliens will do their best to sabotage each task and remain nameless. The game is a brilliant way to practice your poker face with colleagues! This game is free to download. However, it offers in-app purchases and contains ads.
9. Let’s Talk
Not being designed for team building specifically, this app can be an excellent ice-breaker for your company party. The free version offers four different categories (with the nine additional modes in the paid version). Scroll through the questions in the category, you choose the one you like, or mark it with the heart button to keep it in mind for later on. To be honest, Let’s Talk is a simple app with a simple, yet limited number of categories and questions. Feel free to surf categories that at first glance don’t fit a team-building event.
Downloads: iOS.
Wrapping up
Arranging a team-building event may seem like the worst headache of your life. But it won’t if you sift through the apps mentioned above. Instead of developing a sophisticated (and often boring) plan, these options can help get your colleagues in a great mood and foster team cooperation. Regardless where you are and what your budget is. Have fun talking, dancing and singing as everyone plays these enjoyable mobile team building games.
Having tested out some other great mobile apps that fit a team building event? Feel free to share them below in the comments section.