Virtual Team Activities in Quarantine
Tags: techtalks, productivity, discuss, startup
Published: 2020-04-24 15:48:09

Hey there, virtual teams! Quarantine has altered the course for the teams who used to work in the office. And as of future calls, this could be the new normal. As I was going through many tweets, LinkedIn posts, and articles, the top 5 problems with having virtual teams. And as of no wonder to me, all listed **Communication** as number one virtual team problem.

As I was doing my research for the activities, I came across most of the online team activities were paid services, and I continued my research for free activities, well everyone likes free. 🙋🏻‍♀️

![virtual meetings] (https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1585974738771-84483dd9f89f?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&auto=format&fit=crop&w=966&q=80)

Here are my favorite ones which I have tried the activities with my team: 💁🏻‍♀️

<ol><li>**Skribbl.io:**</li>

<a href="https://skribbl.io">Skribbl.io</a> is a multiplayer charades game. It’s a very fun activity. You can play multiple rounds. Just to give an outlook, one person chooses a word and draws, others have to guess what the word is. The game comes with a timer too, so level up your guessing game. The person with maximum points will win and wear a crown.

It’s so easy to set-up. You can even choose your avatar and name it.

<li>**Team Facts:**</li>

This one is my personal favorite. If you are a new team member you get to know more about each team member and if you have been working with the team for a long time, it’s more like a test of you knowing your team members. It’s quite hilarious, you may get to know the facts that you didn’t know before. Before starting the meeting, the host personally asks everyone to share a fact about themselves. 
After starting a meeting, the host shares a fact and the team members have to guess who it could be.

Pro Tip: You can do the same activity but with team childhood pictures.

<li>**Jackbox.tv:**</li>

<a href="https://www.jackboxgames.com">Jackbox</a> games offer a variety of team games, all of the games are paid but with very low pricing. You can buy a package that comes with a handful of games.

**Bonus:** Because of COVID-19, Jackbox games offered <a href="https://www.jackboxgames.com/drawful-two/">Drawful 2 </a> for free. Sorry fellas am late but continue to check for new updates, you might get your team a deal. 😉

<li>**Scavenger Hunt:**</li>

<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scavenger_hunt">Scavenger Hunt</a> is also a multiplayer game. In this the host makes a list of items and the players have to get the items in the list, the fun part is when you see the players come up with weird stuff. As of the quarantine situation, limit hunt for your house only. The one who gets all the items wins.

![Team getting ready for scavenger hunt](https://media.giphy.com/media/l0HlPrjdshd2gfTgY/giphy.gif)

<li>**Werewolf/Mafia:**</li>

Sorry guys, but this one is also my personal favorite. <a href="https://www.playwerewolf.co">Werewolf </a>is also a multiplayer game and is played with werewolf cards but for the virtual set-up, we will continue without cards. Get your team onboard on a video-conferencing software and send a personal chat to each team member of their role.

For rules to play the game, click <a href="https://www.playwerewolf.co/rules">here</a>. It’s a fun activity and your team shouldn’t miss this one out.

<li>**Drink Discussion:**</li>

This activity is more like a meeting but I’d suggest you make a tea/coffee/smoothie/wine beforehand and include all your team members and discuss the project future scope, employee growth rate. Also, as a leader include the success and failures you encountered throughout your process. Be transparent with your team.

Start a discussion on the things you are grateful for today. In this time, this activity will help team members gain a positive perspective.

<i>Our best comes out when we have honest discussions ~ Fernando Flores</i>

<li>**Show Around:**</li>

The activity is more of an acknowledgment of a creative process for team members. As of now, we all are at our homes and I am pretty sure there is going to be something that you have created, it can be a shirt that you sew, a painting you drew years ago, any dish you made, some art it can be anything.

The basic idea is it should be your creativity. Everyone got to show their inner talents or if I may say hobbies.

<li>**Riddles:**</li>

Create a slack channel with #riddled for your team. Each member will post riddles each day and others will post answers. After 2 hours host of the riddle will reveal the winners. This is kind of a fun and competitive activity and will help you increase your aptitude as well.

You can add various posts, for instance, the odd one out, find hidden words in the picture, rearrange words, or add puzzles. Post and let your teammates go nuts! 🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻

**Suggestion:** Set up your team activities at different times of the day instead of having the same time, people have different energy levels, and the activities will cheer them up.

If your team has tried anyone on the list and also enjoyed it, I’d love to hear your experience.
I hope these activities bring joy to your team and give you guys a chance to connect more. I’ll add more activities soon.