Looking for free, printable team building activities to make your next work gathering more meaningful and fun? You’re in the right place! In this guide, I’ll introduce you to a collection of free printable team building resources designed to bring teams together, create engaging conversations, and build a stronger sense of connection among colleagues.
Read on for group activity suggestions and best practices to connect and engage your team.
Free Team Building Printables: What’s Inside?
When you download the printables, you’ll get access to a variety of valuable resources, including:
- We! Connect Cards: This popular deck is used worldwide to spark meaningful discussions in teams and groups. The printable includes half the deck, and if you’re facilitating a large event, you can purchase the full version here.
- We! Engage Cards: These hexagonal cards come with a unique twist, featuring quotes on one side and images on the other, perfect for various team-building activities. The printable includes half the deck, and if you’re facilitating a large event, you can purchase the full version here.
- 20+ Activity Ideas: All of our strategies and tools are applicable for in-person, remote, and hybrid meeting contexts with web app and printable PDF versions of all the cards
- Excerpt from Ask Powerful Questions: A sneak peek into a guide designed to help you ask better questions and foster deeper conversations.
These resources are not just for viewing—they’re designed to help you engage, connect, and build a team that works well together. Below, I’ll explain how to use each set of cards.
How to Use We! Engage Cards for Team Building
The We! Engage Cards are incredibly versatile and come with detailed instructions for several powerful team-building activities. Here’s a glimpse of a few:
Printable Team Building Exercises with We! Engage Cards
- Visualizing Values: Have each team member pick a card that represents a personal or team value. This opens up discussions about what drives each person and what values the team can rally around.
- Quick Quotes Exchange: Participants choose a quote that resonates with them, sharing why it’s meaningful and sparking a conversation about shared experiences and beliefs.
- Story Swap: An image-based storytelling exercise that encourages participants to share personal or professional stories.
- Inspiring Intentions: Use these cards to prompt intentions for the team, with each person selecting an image that represents their goals or intentions.
These exercises are designed to be straightforward, and the cards are “dummy-proof,” making them easy to use even if you’re new to facilitation. For example, asking someone to “choose an image that represents a unique strength” provides a safe, creative way to share personal qualities, without the pressure of directly sharing vulnerabilities.
Pro Tip: Arrange the hexagonal cards into a honeycomb-like shape after everyone shares their unique strengths. This creates a visual “map” of your team’s combined strengths—a powerful image for long-term memory and team cohesion.
How to Use We! Connect Cards to Foster Connection
The We! Connect Cards are specially designed to facilitate conversations that go beyond the surface. Each card offers questions focused on either the past, present, or future, giving participants an opportunity to reflect, share, and explore ideas.
Practical Ways to Use We! Connect Cards
- Reflecting on the Past: Pick questions that encourage team members to share meaningful memories, building a foundation of shared experiences.
- Checking In with the Present: Choose cards that prompt people to talk about what’s happening in their lives currently, fostering a sense of empathy and understanding within the group.
- Imagining the Future: Use future-focused questions to discuss aspirations, goals, and collective dreams.
Within the printable, you’ll also find ideas for various activities to go along with the cards. If you’re looking for a way to start meetings or energize a group, the We! Connect Cards are a fantastic tool to bring people together through thoughtful conversation.
Best Practices for Printable Team Building Activities at Work
Both the We! Engage and We! Connect Cards are adaptable to a wide range of scenarios, from small teams to large group gatherings. Here are some tips for incorporating these printable activities into your work setting:
- For Meetings: Use We! Connect Cards as icebreakers to start conversations or to check in with your team during routine meetings.
- Large Team Events: Set up stations where small groups can work with the cards, making sure everyone has a chance to participate.
- Remote Team Building: Share the printable images or quotes during virtual meetings. The format translates well to screen-sharing and digital interactions, making it great for remote teams.
- One-on-One Connections: Use a few cards during individual meetings with new team members or direct reports to deepen your understanding of their goals and motivations.
These printable cards allow participants to engage on their terms, promoting a collaborative environment where people feel comfortable sharing more of themselves with the group.
Download Our Free Printable Activities for Work
Ready to dive in? Download our free printable cards, book excerpts, and more to start facilitating stronger connections and meaningful conversations at work. Whether you’re looking to host an engaging meeting or simply bring your team closer, these resources provide you with the tools you need.
Thanks for following along! Be sure to check out our YouTube channel for hundreds of other team-building tips, icebreakers, and facilitation ideas, and I can’t wait to connect with you in the comments or elsewhere online. Have a fantastic day!