Who says summer fun is just for kids? Summer is one of the best times for teams to step away from their usual routines and spend time connecting in the sun.
The best summer team building activities are fun, engaging, and give team members a chance to build camaraderie and trust outside of their day-to-day work. The right activity can help colleagues strengthen their relationships in ways they may never get the chance to do in a typical work setting.
From competitive events and creative challenges to meaningful service projects, summer is the perfect time to bring people together.
Outdoor Summer Team Building Activities
Outdoor building activities give teams a chance to collaborate in a completely different environment.
A simple outdoor setup checklist:
✓ Water and cold drinks
✓ Shade tents
✓ Sunscreen
✓ First aid supplies
✓ Seating areas
✓ Weather backup plan
Lawn Games
Budget: Low
Group size: Small groups or entire group events
Energy level: Low to medium
Skills developed: Strategic thinking, patience, and collaboration
Lawn games are easy ways to engage employees, and the best part is, they work for groups of any size! They’re especially useful when you want your team to spend time talking and mingling with coworkers outside their departments.
The most popular lawn games include:
- Giant Jenga
- Cornhole
- Ring toss
- Giant Connect Four
- Ladder toss
- Giant bowling
- Target hitting
These activities are great because they encourage people to participate at their own pace.
Scavenger Hunts
Budget: Low to moderate
Group size: Small teams to large groups
Energy level: Medium to high
Skills developed: Creativity, problem-solving, communication, and time management
A scavenger hunt is one of the most flexible activity ideas because it can be customized. Scavenger hunts encourage teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving skills while allowing team members to take on different roles. Teams can complete challenges involving:
- Taking photos at specific locations
- Solving clues
- Completing creative tasks
- Finding hidden items
For corporate teams, scavenger hunts can be customized around company values, leadership skills, or communication goals.
Virtual Scavenger Hunts Are Easy too!
Remote teams can complete challenges from their own locations while staying connected through video calls.
A virtual scavenger hunt can include:
- Photo challenges
- Timed tasks
- Digital clue packets
- Team competitions
- Shared scoreboards
A shared spreadsheet can help track points and announce the winning team.
See more virtual team activities HERE!
Building Bikes for Children in Foster Care
Budget: Moderate
Group size: Small teams to large groups
Energy level: Medium
Skills developed: Teamwork, communication, leadership, problem-solving, and collaboration
For companies looking for a summer activity that combines teamwork and giving back, bike builds offer a meaningful team building with a cause experience. During a Foster Love Bike Build, teams work together to assemble bikes for children while strengthening communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
Bike builds are a great option for corporate volunteer activities, employee engagement volunteering, and CSR team building activities because employees work toward a shared goal and see the impact of their efforts. Instead of simply competing, teams create something meaningful together.
Sign up for a Bike Build Today
Sandcastle Building Competition
Budget: Low
Group size: Small teams to large groups
Energy level: Medium
Skills developed: Creativity, teamwork, communication, planning, and problem-solving
Sandcastle competitions are a fun way for teams to collaborate in a relaxed outdoor setting. Teams must plan their design, divide responsibilities, and work together to create something unique within a set time limit.
Water Balloon Toss
Budget: Low
Group size: Small teams to large groups
Energy level: Medium
Skills developed: Communication, coordination, trust, and teamwork
Water balloon toss is a simple summer activity that encourages teams to communicate and work together. Partners toss a water balloon back and forth, increasing the distance after each successful catch. This is a low-cost activity that works well for company picnics and larger summer celebrations.
Egg Drop Challenge
Budget: Low
Group size: Small teams
Energy level: Medium
Skills developed: Innovation, brainstorming, problem-solving, planning, and collaboration
The Egg Drop Challenge asks teams to design a structure that protects an egg when dropped from a height. Teams must brainstorm, test ideas, and adjust their designs together. Materials to use can include:
- Straws
- Toothpicks
- Marshmallows
- Newspaper
- Sand
- Leaves
- Shredded paper
Company Olympics
Budget: Moderate
Group size: Large groups
Energy level: High
Skills developed: Teamwork, leadership, communication, strategy, and friendly competition
Company Olympics or Office Olympics involve a series of mini competitions that allow teams to compete across departments. Typically, there are different categories showcasing different skills like trivia knowledge, athletic capability, or creativity.
Activities can include:
- Relay challenges
- Trivia competitions
- Desk chair soccer (soccer while seated in rolling chairs)
- Puzzle challenges
- Creative contests
- Paper airplane distance throws
- Wastebasket paper scoring
- Speed typing
Teams can elect the teammate they think would excel at each activity to showcase everyone’s strengths.
Note: Keep scoring simple and focus on participation, teamwork, and creating a positive experience for the entire group.
Human Knot
Budget: Free
Group size: 5-10 people
Energy level: Medium
Skills developed: Problem-solving, collaboration, clear communication, cooperation, and patience
Human Knot is a classic team building exercise where participants stand in a circle, grab hands with different people, and work together to untangle themselves without letting go of each other’s hands. Turn it into a race and compete for the best time.
Creative Summer Activities When the Weather’s TOO Hot
Any of the above can easily be turned into indoor activities, but here’s a few more that are good for year-round fun.
Marshmallow Toothpick Challenge
Budget: Low
Group size: Small teams to large groups
Energy level: Medium
Skills developed: Problem-solving, creativity, communication, planning, and collaboration
This is a simple building activity that encourages teams to think creatively and work together under pressure. Using only marshmallows and toothpicks, teams must design and build the tallest or strongest structure they can within a set time limit.
Telephone Pictionary
Budget: Low
Group size: Small groups to large groups
Energy level: Low to medium
Skills developed: Communication, creativity, active listening, and adaptability
Telephone Pictionary combines drawing and communication into a team building game that is guaranteed to create laughs. Each person starts with a written prompt, then passes it to another team member who draws what they read. The drawing is passed again, and the next person writes what they think the drawing represents.
The process continues as the prompt moves between writing and drawings until everyone gets their original idea back. Teams can then share the evolution of their prompts and see how much they changed along the way.
How To Choose The Perfect Summer Team Building Ideas
Choosing the right activity starts with understanding your team. Consider:
Team Size
A small team may enjoy a hands-on challenge, while a large group may need a structured event with multiple activities.
Team Goals
Are you trying to improve communication? Welcome new hires? Build trust? Celebrate a milestone?
Choose activities that match the outcome you want.
Budget And Location
Consider transportation, supplies, venue availability, and timing before finalizing your plan.
Team Preferences
A quick employee survey can help you discover what activities your team would actually enjoy.
The right activity is one that brings people together and creates an experience they will remember.
Why Summer Is The Perfect Time For Team Building
Summer naturally creates opportunities for teams to connect: longer daylight hours, warmer weather, and more relaxed schedules make it easier to plan things outside of the normal workday. When teams spend time together outside the office, they often discover new strengths in their colleagues and build connections that carry back into the workplace.
Summer activities can also be a great way to improve team morale. A well-planned event gives employees something exciting to look forward to while helping reduce burnout. And for companies welcoming new hires, summer offers the perfect opportunity to build bonds.
Looking for more ways to bring your team together?
Explore Foster Love’s full collection of team building activities and discover fun team building activities that create hands-on experiences designed to help teams collaborate, build relationships, and make an impact together.