Fun Team-Building Games for Small Groups

Are you looking for a list of fun team-building games for really small groups that are engaging, quick and easy to present? You know, teambuilding games for 2, 3 or 4 people?

If you regularly work with small groups, I’m sure you get a little tired of always having to adapt large group activities for your teambuilding programs.

If this sounds like you, then playmeo has got you covered.

Team-Building Activities for 2, 3 or 4 People

A quick search through any activity book or online platform will quickly confirm that the programming world is mostly focused on groups of at least 10 or more people. Sadly, many of these activity ideas don’t work well with small groups.

Thankfully, there are dozens of fun and very simple team-building activity ideas you can lead with small groups of 2, 3 or 4 people – and playmeo features more than you’ll ever need.

This list could be very long, so I’ll keep it short and sweet and focus on five of my go-to favourites when I want to focus on team building and problem-solving skills.

List of Teambuilding Activities for Small Groups

Click the links below to scroll directly to the activity.

Team-Building Games for Small Groups

Leaning Tower of Feetza

If you don’t have a lot of time, this quick and easy team-building exercise is for you. Provided your team are wearing shoes, then you don’t need any further equipment. The basic premise is for your team to build the tallest free-standing structure in less than three minutes using just their shoes. Yep, it’s as simple (and as difficult) as that. This exercise is ideal for inspiring lots of creativity, not to mention ample opportunities for your team to sharpen their communication and collaboration skills.

Recommended group size: At least 2 people

Typical duration: 3 – 5 minutes

Why it’s great:

Simple set-up
Quick execution
Promotes teamwork
Inspires creativity
Highly interactive

Marshmallow Challenge

This is a classic team-based problem-solving exercise that is perfect for small groups of 2, 3 or 4 people. We have led this exercise dozens of times which means you’re going to love that our content features a video recording of a real group playing the game that will help you develop valuable insights into how to lead the game with confidence and ease – click the play button above. Once you have collected and distributed a short list of resources, you can step back from your group and observe how they solve the problem of elevating a marshmallow as far off the ground as possible.

Recommended group size: 2 – 4 people

Typical duration: 20 – 25 minutes

Why it’s great:

Playful & fun
Simple props
Promotes creativity
Builds problem-solving skills
Many metaphors

Get Twenty

This team-building activity is great for those in your small group who are mathematically inclined. Now, having said that, this does not eliminate anyone who struggles with maths, but having at least one person in your team who is good with numbers will be useful. All you need is a regular deck of playing cards. Distribute 5 cards to your group and ask them to arrange the cards so that when they combine with any mathematical function (ie add, subtract, multiply and divide) the result will equal twenty, hence the Get Twenty activity name. Sometimes it’s easy, sometimes it’s not – it’s all in the cards you are dealt. Which… is a wonderful metaphor to build upon when it comes time to debrief the exercise to draw some learning from the activity.

Recommended group size: 2 to 4 people

Typical duration: 5 – 10 minutes

Why it’s great:

Simple set-up
Promotes collaboration
Focus on critical thinking
Ideal maths game
Virtual options

Memory Card Game

Remember when your grandma placed a bunch of items on a tray and asked you to memorise them? Before you knew it, the tray was removed from sight and you were invited to remember as many of the items as possible. Well, take that idea and add a liberal dose of energy and fun into the mix. After a couple of minutes of preparation, you’ll be set-up and ready to challenge your group to work together and solve the problem of remembering where matching cards are laid. If your group is prepared to go to the next level, invite them to create the 10 or 12 sets of matching cards based on their ideas of the essential ingredients of a productive team.

Recommended group size: 3 – 4 people

Typical duration: 5 – 10 minutes

Why it’s great:

Familiar concept
Promotes collaboration
Sharpens memory skills
Sparks powerful conversations
Multiple variations

Flip Over Ten

If your team likes the Memory Card Game (or not) then try this super-fun problem-solving exercise. This time, there is only one card for each asset. The trick is that the group needs to discover them in numerical order, ie from Ace then 2 then 3 then 4 etc. As you can expect, cards will be flipped over early, so your group will need to work hard to recall where these cards are for future reference. This exercise is ideal for any team working on continuous improvement because each round will be timed, with your team challenged to record the fastest possible time. You can expect lots of fast-paced action and wonderful opportunities for honing your team’s planning, communication and creativity skills.

Recommended group size: 2 – 4 people

Typical duration: 10 – 15 minutes

Why it’s great:

Simple set-up
Sharpens observation skills
Fosters collaboration
Active

Create Team Skills the Fun Way

Team-building activities are an invaluable way to help groups develop essential life skills while having fun. From boosting confidence with games like the Leaning Tower of Feetza to fostering creativity with Get Twenty, these activities encourage teamwork, communication, and problem-solving in a thoroughly fun and engaging way.

Why not try these team-building activities and see how they can bring your group closer?

Our online activity database features 100s of great team-building activities for small groups. The five described above are just the tip of the iceberg.

If you like what you see here, consider becoming a member of playmeo to unlock 530+ fun group games & activities suitable small and large groups.

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Original post July 2024, last updated September 2024.

By Mark Collard - Experiential Trainer, Author & Speaker

Comments (1)

Clementina Renner July 12, 2024

Your writing is both informative and engaging.

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Fun Team-Building Games for Small Groups

Team-Building Activities for 2, 3 or 4 People

List of Teambuilding Activities for Small Groups