Discover unique and fun 2023 virtual team building activities for corporate groups and remote teams!
Looking for Fun Virtual Team Building Activities?
In this post, you’ll find a variety of ideas to explore celebrating major events in 2023, getting creative, and so much more. Whether you’re planning a fun, lighthearted virtual event or a thought-provoking educational activity, there are so many options for team building this year.
With this list, you’ll find ways to learn something new and connect with your colleagues as you enjoy team building activities for 2023.
For more fun team building fun and learning, check out our lineup of virtual team building activities trusted by teams at Google, NerdWallet, UPS, and more!
A few of our favorite 2023 team building activities:
Read on for more details on these virtual 2023 team building activities!
- Tap into the color of the year for design inspiration
- Competing for the hottest 2023 shoe design
- Delve into 2023’s biggest world sports tournaments
- Create your very own 2023 bingo card
- Explore movies that take place in 2023
In this list, you’ll find:
- Activities to boost your 2023 virtual team building efforts
- Virtual team building activities to explore art and culture, history, space, and more
- Unique virtual team building ideas for remote and hybrid teams
- Ideas for small groups and large companies
- Unique ways to celebrate, learn, and connect with your team
- Video call topics geared towards encouraging communication
- Ideas to boost your team’s communication skills and problem solving
35+ Unique Virtual Team Building Activities & Ideas
1. Explore Music from the Past through 2023
2023 is sure to be an amazing year for music – with highly anticipated concerts and albums in a wide variety of genres. This year will see new album releases from Shania Twain, Paramore, A$AP Rocky, Willie Nelson, Miley Cyrus, Lana Del Ray, Boygenius, Janet Jackson, and many others.
But who inspired the sounds we hear today – and how did music evolve to get us here? Delve into this fascinating topic with our Music Evolution virtual team building session! One of our most popular experiences, this session traces music through the past – with live expert guides to lead the way and answer questions!
Participate in fun challenges, hear fascinating stories, and take a virtual field trip to Nashville, Tennessee – “Music City, USA!” Many DEI-focused teams also choose this activity because it seamlessly integrates Black history into the session.
Learn more and book your team’s Music Evolution virtual experience!
2. Dive into “Avengers: Endgame” with a Unique Wine Tasting
This activity is for the Marvel fans! As you may already know, “Avengers: Endgame” is depicted in 2023. Treat your remote employees to a “Marvel-ous” superhero team building activity! Our virtual superhero happy hour event includes fun activities and a virtual field trip to iconic superhero filming sites. Your team will learn about the history of Marvel comics while connecting together.
Learn how to create your own superheroes in breakout rooms. Then, as a special surprise, our animator will draw two of your teams’ superheroes live during the virtual team building event!
Add on a fun wine tasting box to make this a happy hour and tasting event everyone will enjoy. Voluptuary + Lucid Wines have curated a special superhero-themed tasting box just for this experience.
Learn more and book the Unexpected Virtual Tours Superheroes Virtual Happy Hour & Team Building experience.
3. Cheer for your Favorite Teams in the 2023 World Cups
For teams who love sports, take to watching the wide variety of major world tournaments happening in 2023. Enjoy activities like hosting viewing parties, taking friendly wagers on who will win, and encouraging employees to wear their favorite team’s colors.
Bring your virtual teams together and boost employee engagement by viewing the best of 2023’s sports tournaments!
2023 Sports Tournaments
- 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup (July)
- 2023 Rugby World Cup (September)
- 2023 Cricket World Cup (October)
4. Predict the Fashion Trends of 2023
Each year, fashion trends come and go. What was once popular can become the fad again. For instance – ’90s and 2000s-era trends like butterfly hair clips, tattoo necklaces, velour tracksuits, and even thin eyebrows have suddenly made reemergences in the TikTok era!
Immerse your team in a fun activity guessing fashion trends. Foster conversations with one another about what fashion items you think will be a hit once again in 2023. Plus, share your memories associated with each!
In addition, poll the team on what fashion trends you hope will NOT have a resurgence in 2023. This activity is great for teams big or small and sure to bring a laugh or two as you reflect together.
5. Honor Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Holidays and Events
In 2023, it’s more important than ever to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion at work. Honoring DEI holidays and events throughout the year is one way to showcase your company’s beliefs and values. This is also a great way to educate your team, learn something new together, and encourage meaningful conversations that unite rather than divide your team.
Unexpected Virtual Tours offers live, interactive virtual experiences for corporate teams celebrating:
- Black History Month (February)
- Women’s History Month (March)
- AAPI Heritage Month (May)
- Pride Month (June)
- Juneteenth (June 19)
- Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15)
Mark these events on your calendar and aim to book events and activities at least a few weeks ahead of time. This can help build excitement on your team and also allows time for optional, add-on Treat Boxes to be shipped to your team members, if you choose to include Treat Boxes in your experience!
6. Explore 2023’s Must-See Celestial Events
Explore an out of this world team building activity by looking to the sky!
Together, explore the 2023’s must-see celestial events from planets, meteor showers, solar eclipses, and more! Foster conversations with one another about these wonders of the sky throughout the year. Furthermore, explore topics of space exploration amongst your team to dive deeper into the theme. You can even create a stargazing club!
Plus, you can pair this activity with #29 in this list to also explore the sky through the lens of astrology and your Zodiac sign.
Mark your calendar with these best nights to stargaze!
7. Design with Pantone’s Color of the Year
Each year, Pantone selects a unique color of the year. The color of 2023 is Viva Magenta: an assertive crimson red tone that Pantone describes as “audacious, full of wit and inclusive of all.”
Tap into this colorful theme by planning virtual team building activities to celebrate the color. For instance, poll the team’s opinion on the color and ask everyone what color they would have chosen for 2023. Or, you can encourage the use of the color in a weekly design or photo challenge. Additionally, team members can show up on a video call using a background that incorporates the color, or wearing the color. Finally, encourage everyone to bring their favorite snack or drink in a
With endless possibilities, this activity is sure to make your year more colorful!
8. Start Meetings with Celebrating “National Days”
Liven-up your company culture by celebrating unique “national days.” Each day of the year, there are multiple fun things to celebrate, such as national bubble wrap day or national croissant day!
Encourage employee engagement with ideas like bringing related snacks to team meetings or hosting a virtual happy hour with the day’s theme.
Check out this year-long calendar to see what national days your team can celebrate! This lighthearted activity will enhance team communication and morale as you bring positivity and maybe even some silliness to your weekly meetings.
9. Check In on Your 2023 Goals
Odds are, your team members set personal or career goals for 2023. Foster team camaraderie and encouragement as you check in on how everyone is progressing towards these goals.
For instance, you can schedule quarterly or every-other-month check ins to create an ongoing environment of support and accountability.
Challenge your team members to be honest in the steps they may have taken so far and what they look forward to continuing as the year progresses. Or, better yet, check in on any team goals you may have set for this year and how you’re progressing together!
10. Get Creative with the “Craziest Places on Earth” Contest
Challenge your team’s creative thinking by participating in the Craziest Places on Earth contest by Airbnb. The contest prompts people to submit their wildest home ideas. Past winners have included a rental in the shape of a potato!
With submissions from all over the world, put your team’s biggest ideas to the test. Enhance team collaboration and communication skills as you brainstorm a theme and create a design.
Whether you submit your idea or not, your team is sure to love this creative activity. This may even become a staple icebreaker for future team meetings!
11. Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Sydney Opera House
If your team bond is more centered around music than sports, enjoy celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Sydney Opera House together. As one of the world’s most famous landmarks, your team is sure to enjoy this unique 2023 celebration.
For this activity, partake in trivia about this famous tourist attraction with facts like the Opera house being opened by Queen Elizabeth II or the site being a UNESCO World Heritage Site!
Celebrate this unique anniversary alongside the globe and check out more resources from history to streaming on the Sydney Opera House site.
12. Host a NERDS Party
Nostalgically celebrate the 40th anniversary of NERDS Candy as a team in 2023! Supply your remote workers with goody bags ahead of time, from NERDS gummy clusters to ropes. Then, join a team building call to enjoy the NERDS together.
Want to get extra nerdy? Combine this activity with a learning game or challenge from this list? Embrace your brainy side as you snack and bond with your team. Remember, NERDS were created to be “perfectly imperfect” candy shapes – so don’t worry about getting every detail of your team building event perfect! It’s all about enjoying the moment and creating space for connection.
Treat your staff to this sweet team-building activity full of sweet bites, sharing childhood memories, and learning more about the 40 years of the candy’s legacy!
13. Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit
Each year, the Lunar New Year takes place on the first New Moon of the year. 2023 is the year of the rabbit. Enjoy a team activity dedicated to learning about what that year of the rabbit brings for your team in 2023.
Dive into the symbolism of the rabbit and even the wisdom this year’s symbol can bring for your team’s problem solving skills. Through conversation, your team is sure to bond over this yearly celebration! Additionally, you can begin to plan ahead for celebrating the Lunar New Year 2024.
14. Create a 2023 Bingo Card
Challenge your team in a classic game of Bingo! Together, create a custom bingo card full of the year’s biggest or smallest tasks your team needs to complete.
Motivate your team with this activity to tackle projects big and small. For example, add administrative items like cleaning out old files or your biggest projects for the year to your boards.
Be sure to celebrate your staff when someone gets “bingo” throughout the year! By the end, you’ll have accomplished needed items and energized your team along the way!
15. Make the 23rd a Special Day
Every month of 2023 will have a 23rd day. Utilize the monthly occurrence to help make remote work feel more connected and fun.
Consider combining idea #13 in the list above, creating a 2023 bingo card, to check in on your completion statuses. Or, treat your team to something fun on each 23rd throughout the year.
For example, host an extended lunch with a virtual meeting to spend dedicated time together. Or, opt to attend a special training session in your industry on each 23rd of the month.
This unique 2023 virtual team building activity is easily customizable for your team’s interests and needs!
16. Start Meetings with Team Icebreaker Questions
Get to know everyone by starting team meetings with fun icebreaker questions. You can ask questions on everything from hobbies and personal interests to career aspirations and secret skill sets.
Take turns asking each other questions, or start meetings by having everyone share their answer to the same question. You’re sure to spark conversations and learn something new about your colleagues!
Find more than 100 questions for work in our blog post, 100+ Team Building Icebreaker Questions.
17. Explore the Looks of 23 vs. 2023
Great for teams with a wide range of generations, explore staff pictures from age 23 to the year 2023.
Create a team PowerPoint, tasking each team member to submit 2 photos. The first photo should be from when they were 23 years old. Then, ask them to share a photo of themselves in 2023.
Once all photos are submitted, go through the slideshow together! Share laughs as you see younger version of team members, fashion through past decades, and reminiscing on the younger years.
18. Create a 2023 Pinterest Board
Take to Pinterest for this creative team building activity. First, ask each employee to create a workplace Pinterest board. If they don’t have a Pinterest account, they can create one – or use magazines to create an “in real life” board instead.
Then, task your team with pinning 2023 activities, ideas, workplace suggestions, and more. Pinning themes can include best desk items and employee gifts of 2023, best work from home tips, or great white elephant ideas for your 2023 holiday party.
Enjoy this activity once, or keep it going all year long! Once finished, share your boards with one another to share great items, tips, and more building a supportive team! This is also a great way to gather employee feedback, suggestions, and insights.
19. Test Your Design Skills with Shoe Design
Art is a great way to bring everyone together. With unlimited ways to grow new perspectives and creativity, you may not think of sneakers as a typical art form. Well, think again!
Creatively energize your team with designing the hottest shoe of 2023. Or, foster healthy competition with who can create the best company-themed shoe design. Utilize free custom design software like Shoe Zero! Once masterpieces are complete, take a team vote to pick a winner.
This 2023 virtual team building exercise is great for small groups to positively impact your company culture.
20. Host Your Own 2023 “Dundies Awards”
Employee recognition is vital to a team’s success. It’s important to celebrate one another and share what your value amongst your personnel.
For this fun team building activity, host your very own 2023 “Dundies Awards” based on the hit TV show “The Office.” Poll your team for which employees should win certain categories, or have the boss take the lead and surprise everyone.
While many of Michael Scott’s original Dundie awards wouldn’t fly in a modern office, a few have stood the test of time. If your team members are fans of The Office, consider giving out Dundies like Stanley’s “Fine Work Award,” or Meredith’s “Grace Under Fire Award.”
Find funny award ideas here to boost your team’s engagement and appreciation during your virtual event! Remember to keep the awards respectful and appropriate, giving each person an award they’ll be proud to receive. That means no “Extreme Repulsiveness Awards” allowed!
21. Make Your Predictions for 2123
What do you think the world will be like in 100 years? As a team, make your predictions for what life will hold in 2123 and beyond!
Fun team building exercises like this help build camaraderie and creativity. Imagine the future together, exploring topics like your company, your city, and the latest technology. Gain inspiration from the predictions of 2023 by experts in 1923 in this NPR article.
Then, take your activity a step further by posting your compiled list on your company’s blog or social media. Now employees in 2123 or even 3023 will be able to read your predictions one day!
22. Guess the 2023 Word of the Year
Every year, Merriam-Webster chooses a word of the year as the year comes to a close. In 2022, the word was gaslighting: “the act or practice of grossly misleading someone especially for one’s own advantage.”
Tap into the power of words with your team by creating a running prediction list of what you think the most popular word of the year might be by the end of 2023.
Collaborate as a team or compete to see who might have the closest guess. Watch out, you may even learn a few new words by the end of the year!
23. Determine your Taylor Swift Era of 2023
Do you have a team full of Swifties? Odds are, you have a few team members excited to attend the much anticipated 2023 “The Eras Tour” of music icon Taylor Swift. With the release of her tenth studio album, Midnights, in October 2022, Taylor is bigger than ever.
Tap into the fun of this year’s dream tour for Swift fans by determining which Taylor Swift “era” you are in. Utilize this online quiz to help find out each team member’s era, based on Taylor’s past albums.
Extend the fun by applying the quiz to different departments or even projects to make the workplace Taylor’s Version!
24. Tap Into the Magic of 23 During 2023
Need inspiration for your next brainstorming session? Whether planning your next campaign or big project, tap into the year’s number to push the limits of your team’s creativity.
Task your team to brainstorm 23 ideas for your next project. Or, use this activity to tackle any brain fatigue if you find yourself creatively stuck. First, pick a random topic. Then, have your team collectively name 23 items for the topic to get minds turning again! You can also challenge team members to take 23 minutes together for brainstorming.
Spark new ideas and turn remote work into a fun challenge with this activity.
25. Plan a Seasonal Virtual Scavenger Hunt
Add a fun twist to a virtual scavenger hunt by hosting seasonal scavenger hunts! Ask team members to find items related to the time of year you’re currently in: winter, spring, summer, or fall.
For instance, in winter you might challenge team members to find and show off their mittens, holiday decor, an ice scraper, or a winter-themed book. During summer, see who can round up a sun hat, beach ball, and flip flops. This is a fun family-friendly virtual team building activity. As a result, you can ask team members to include their families if they wish.
Of course, if your is global, these seasons may have different types of weather – so be sure to plan according to the hemisphere your team is in!
26. Celebrate Disney Turning 100 in 2023
The one and only Disney turns 100 years old in 2023. For the Disney loving team, build your bond through an activity that celebrates all things Disney.
Explore discussion topics like sharing favorite Disney movies, which character your team members are most like, and nostalgic Disney memories. Or, find an online quiz to see which Disney character or villain you are!
Cap off your session with a viewing party for a favorite Disney movie. Everyone can join a video call to watch together with their favorite movie snacks. To take your event to the next level, use a service like Sugarwish to gift employees their choice of movie night treats!
Bring out the joy of childhood and decompress together as a team with this 2023 virtual team building activity.
27. Host a Mocktail Mixer Team Building Activity
In 2023, mocktails and alcohol-free options are gaining popularity. Host an inclusive mocktail mixer with your team for a fun way to connect and bond!
Consider hiring a mixologist – or assign a member of the team to lead everyone in making a drink together! Share a list of ingredients ahead of time so everyone can come prepared to mix up some magic.
Using sparkling soda, juices, fresh herbs, and fruits, you can create mouth-watering mocktails your team will have a blast creating. Add a fun umbrella or even edible glitter for extra pizazz! Plus, you can combine this activity with another idea on this list for a fun evening everyone will talk about for weeks to come!
Check out The 28 Best Recipes for Mocktails from Town & Country for inspiration.
28. Host a Cooking Challenge for 2023 Food Trends
Along the same lines as the previous activity, host a team cooking challenge based around the top food trends of 2023 so far.
According to the National Restaurant Association’s culinary forecast, this year’s most-anticipated cuisine includes fried chicken sandwiches, charcuterie boards (yes, still!), flatbread sandwiches and healthier wraps, sustainable foods, and Southeast Asian dishes such as those from Vietnam, Singapore, and the Philippines.
Choose a dish to cook together on-camera, with one person acting as Head Chef and guide. Alternatively, ask team members to share a family recipe and take turns making dishes that are meaningful to you!
29. Delve into Astrology Together
Do you have a coworker who’s always talking about Mercury Retrograde or their “big three” Zodiac signs? (For those who aren’t astrology aficionados – the “big three” are the Sun, Moon, and Rising signs in your astrological chart!)
If so, plan a fun astrology session together! You can hire an astrologer to conduct virtual readings for your team. Or, visit a credible astrology website to generate your birth chart and research online together. The CHANI App for iPhone is one popular resource in the astrology community, and you can use the free version to create your birth chart.
Before planning this activity, be mindful that creating a full birth chart requires individuals to provide their birth date, location, and time. For some people, this can bring up painful or uncomfortable memories and questions, if they do not know this information. Be sure to make this an optional activity, or welcome employees to participate more passively by observing and sharing their commentary.
30. Take a Personality Test & Share the Results
In 2023, self-awareness is “in.” Plan a virtual team building activity to explore each team member’s personality and strengths.
From the Birkman Assessment to Meyers-Briggs and StrengthsFinder, there are many online assessments you can share with your team members. Ask everyone to set aside some time to fill out the questionnaire. Then, get together on a video call to discuss your results.
Be sure to emphasize that there is no “wrong” result for these types of assessments. Rather, this exercise can shine a light on areas of strength as well as where you may need more intentionality or growth. By creating an atmosphere of support and encouraging team members’ strengths, they may feel more open about sharing vulnerabilities and challenges. As a result, virtual team bonding activities like this can have lasting results as everyone learns how best to support each other.
31. Learn a New Language with Your Team
Learning a new language can be a fun activity and a valuable skill. Start a club with teammates to learn a new language together. This activity is perfect for global companies, consulate offices, hospitality and travel teams, preparation for business trips, and anyone seeking to broaden their knowledge.
Set your team members up with a program like Duolingo, Babbel, or Rosetta Stone to immerse themselves in a new language and lessons. Then, gather with teammates on a video call to discuss what you leanred, as well as challenges. As you begin to learn your new language, you can even host your meetings using only that form of communication!
Branch out and learn more about the people, history, culture, food, music, and traditions behind the places where the language you selected is spoken.
32. Host a Bake Off and Award Someone Star Baker
Does your team love watching The Great British Bake Off? Or maybe you just need a hands-on activity to help your employees connect. Either way, hosting a virtual bake-off event is a great way to get everyone participating together!
Invite your employees to a special bake-off video call. Ahead of the event, choose with your team whether everyone will prepare their our own unique baked goods, or whether you’ll choose one item for everyone to bake. Alternatively, you can give your attendees free reign within a theme. For instance, the theme might be a type of baked good, like “bread,” a geographic region, an ingredient, or something else. Give employees a grocery stipend or gift card to purchase supplies, and challenge everyone to a memorable baking challenge!
Remember, the goal isn’t to create the perfect masterpiece – it’s to enjoy this time together. So, don’t worry if your bread doesn’t quite rise or the frosting melts onto your cupcakes. When you combine learning, fun, and creativity – that’s a good bake!
33. Play “Guess that Song” to Bond through Music
Add some excitement to your meetings while getting to know team members by playing “Guess that Song!”
To play, have each team member pull up a favorite “safe for work” song in Spotify, YouTube, or another program. Then, take turns sharing the first 3-5 seconds of your chosen song and see who can guess it! You’ll create some friendly competition and team bonding, while learning about your team members’ musical tastes and interests.
For another fun way to connect with your team over music, check out our Music Evolution virtual team building session! Our most popular event, this program traces the history of music with knowledgeable and vibrant live guides.
34. Boost Skills & Safety with an Online First Aid Class
There are many positions where First Aid knowledge isn’t technically a requirement – but learning basic First Aid skills can be life-saving at work, home, and beyond.
Create an opportunity for team learning and increased safety by taking an online First Aid class together. This can be an invaluable experience for all team members – especially those who serve as school volunteers, troop leaders, community organizers, and more. With this team building activity, your crew will have the confidence and preparation to step in and respond when help is needed.
Explore online First Aid classes through The Red Cross.
35. Delve into an Art Experience Together
In 1923, the aerosol spray can was invented. 100 years later, street art is a vibrant medium for artistic expression, political discourse, and creativity.
Unexpected Virtual Tours offers a Street Art experience that delves into the history of this art form. Additionally, your team will enjoy interactive paint night activities, like using watercolor pencils on beautiful graffiti prints and participating in a cookie decorating challenge.
Learn more and book your Street Art virtual experience!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is virtual team building?
Virtual team building is the process of building relationships and camaraderie with your colleagues, through online communication tools and activities.
Unlike with in-person team building, virtual team building offers the flexibility to form connections from anywhere in the world. Remote, hybrid, and in-person employees can gather together virtually for collaboration, discussion, learning, and fun.
Using videoconferencing tools like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, you can create shared experiences in a virtual space. Use whiteboard apps, survey tools like Kahoot, and interactive games to enhance your virtual team building sessions. For a turnkey program, check out virtual team building activities from Unexpected Virtual Tours!
Why is virtual team bonding important?
Building strong relationships among remote team members is crucial for productivity, continuing to build team culture, and overall team success.
According to a study from Buffer, 20% of remote workers shared that their biggest struggle was communication and collaboration, and another 20% cited loneliness as their top challenge. Virtual team building activities can help employees learn to communicate more seamlessly by building genuine connection, trust, and understanding. Additionally, creating fun moments for team connection can help ease the discomfort of loneliness.
How do you incorporate virtual team building activities in meetings?
Fortunately, it’s not difficult to build moments for virtual team building into your regular work routine!
Consider starting team meetings with a fun activity or a group game. For instance, try activity #27 to start meetings with a delicious mocktail beverage before diving into work. Or, try idea #16 above to get to know coworkers better through icebreaker questions.
What are good remote team building activities to try?
From educational workshops to fun activities that help people come out of their shells – there are so many virtual team building activities you can try!
For a fun experience that allows employees to kick back and relax, plan an online happy hour, take a virtual field trip to a museum, or stream a concert together.
Additionally, you can help your team learn together with a virtual book club, a guest speaker presentation, or panel discussion.
What are some fun virtual ice breakers?
Lighthearted icebreaker activities are a great way to get new groups connecting and help long-time collaborators get to know each other even better.
Some fun virtual icebreaker ideas from this post that we love include hosting a team cooking class (idea #28 above) and finding which Taylor Swift “era” each team member is currently in (idea #23 above).
These virtual team building ideas and icebreakers will have everyone laughing and connecting in no time!
Looking for more interactive virtual team building activities? Browse the Unexpected Virtual Tours catalog of virtual team building experiences! From art and culture to DEI topics and cultural holidays, our virtual programs are trusted by teams at Google, Coca-Cola, The Home Depot, UPS, and more.
Located in Atlanta? Check out Unexpected Atlanta Tours & Gifts