Bonding Team Building Activities That Actually Work for First‐Time Organisers
Bonding team building activities are more than just an excuse to ditch the office. Bonding team building activities help your team feel more connected, creative, and ready to face challenges together. But when you’re organising it for the first time? It can feel like herding cats in a maze. Don’t panic—we’ve got your back.
Whether you’re a PA looking to impress, an HR Director juggling a million priorities, or a senior manager trying to fix low morale, this guide will help you nail it.
Why bonding team building activities matter for your team
Let’s be honest—“team bonding” can sound like a buzzword HR invented during a wellness webinar. But the truth? It works. Proper bonding activities lead to better collaboration, stronger communication, and reduced staff churn.
✅ Teams with high engagement see 18% more productivity and 23% higher profitability.
✅ 43% of highly engaged employees say their culture improved in the past year.
(Source: Gallup, Quantum Workplace)
In other words, get your bonding team building activities right, and you’re not just planning a fun day out—you’re shaping your company’s success.
Zing Events is a team building company that delivers trust-building, creative and accountable experiences across the UK. If you need team building activities London PAs swear by, you’re in the right place.
What makes bonding team building different from regular team building?
Bonding team building activities are purpose-built to build human connection—not just tick a corporate box. While all team building has value, bonding events specifically help teams:
- Build trust faster
- Laugh, relax and engage informally
- Strengthen relationships that impact everyday work
This makes them ideal when:
- You’re welcoming new hires
- You’ve gone through change (new CEO, restructure, merger, remote-to-hybrid)
- Morale needs a lift (without another “virtual coffee” invite)
Types of bonding team building activities (indoor, outdoor, evening, charity)
Indoor bonding team building activities
If you’re looking for an indoor team building activity, these offer high impact without worrying about the weather.
- Escape the Box – Think of it as an escape room you don’t need to leave your office for. Teams work under time pressure, solving puzzles and racing against each other.
- Animate – Create hilarious stop-motion films in teams. It’s creative, silly, and sparks storytelling genius.
- Trading Floor – High-octane energy as your team enters a fast-paced stock exchange simulation.
- Squid Play Game Show – Inspired by the TV series. Think strategy, bluffing, and loads of laughs (without any of the death).
- Deceivers Game Show – Who’s the traitor in your team? Perfect for building trust—or exposing who not to sit next to at lunch.
- Putt a Hole in Hunger (Indoors) – An indoor team building event where you build a golf course using food items, which are then donated to food banks.
Outdoor bonding team building activities
Need an outdoor team building activity that brings energy and movement? These get people bonding in the great outdoors.
- GPS Adventurer – A high-tech treasure hunt that mixes location clues with live tasks. You’ll explore landmarks and race other teams on-screen.
- Back to School Sports Day – Sack races, egg-and-spoon chaos, and all the nostalgic fun—without the detention.
- Team Survival – Learn bushcraft skills, build shelters, and work under pressure. Great for resilience training.
- Sphere (Outdoors) – Zing’s take on The Crystal Maze, including physical, mental and mystery zones with the final gold-ticket frenzy.
- Putt a Hole in Hunger (Outdoors) – An outdoor team building activity with impact and fun.
- Race Around the World – Complete global-themed challenges as you ‘travel’ from continent to continent in teams.
Evening bonding team building activities
Perfect for a team social or away day wind-down, an evening team building activity keeps the momentum going after hours.
- The Zing Show – An immersive theatre-style game show with your team centre stage.
- No Ordinary Quiz – Expect music rounds, daft physical tasks, and far more glitter than your average pub quiz.
- Musical Bingo – Swap numbers for beats. Mark off tunes, dance along, win prizes.
- The Generation Game – Think conveyor belt chaos, memory challenges and high-energy fun.
- Murder Mystery – Get your detective hats on. Someone’s been ‘murdered’—and the culprit might just be your boss.
Charity bonding team building activities
If you want a charity team building activity that connects people with purpose, these will have your team laughing and giving back.
- Putt a Hole in Hunger – Build golf holes out of tinned goods, which are donated after the event.
- Food Chain – Fast-paced food-packaging challenge to help local communities.
- Charity Challenge – A blend of games and community support. You’ll fundraise and team build in one go.
How to pick the right bonding team building activities fast
Here’s your cheat sheet for quick decision-making:
| Team goal | Activity type | Zing recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Build trust | Puzzle or bluff-based | Escape the Box, Deceivers Game Show |
| Break the ice | Fun, silly, creative | Animate, Squid Play, Musical Bingo |
| Corporate social impact | Charity-based bonding | Putt a Hole in Hunger, Food Chain, Charity Challenge |
| Re-energise morale | Outdoor competition | GPS Adventurer, Sports Day, Sphere |
| Hybrid team bonding | Office-friendly or remote-ready | Escape the Box, Animate, The Zing Show |
Tips for smooth planning when you’re short on time
Feeling the time crunch? Follow these steps to get your event locked in without the panic:
1. Nail your objective
What do you want your team to feel at the end? Reconnected? Energised? Appreciated?
2. Know your numbers
Be ready with your date range, budget and group size. Activities scale differently—Escape the Box works for 20, but Sphere can handle 200+.
3. Let the experts guide you
A good team building company (like Zing) will give you tailored proposals, not just throw you a PDF. Ask for options that hit your brief.
4. Don’t fear a quick turnaround
Need something in two weeks? You’re not alone. Zing delivers last-minute magic all the time.
5. Think venue flexibility
You can host in your office, hire a local park, or book a private venue. And Zing offers a free venue-finding service to save you time.
Measuring success: what good looks like
You’ve run the event—now what? Here’s how to show it worked:
-
Survey it: Ask before/after questions on connection, trust and energy
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Observe: Who talks to who now that didn’t before? Are people smiling more?
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Follow up: Ask managers if collaboration improved in the weeks after
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ROI: High engagement leads to up to 43% lower turnover
(Source: Gallup)
Tip: Add 2 mins in your next team meeting to reflect. You’ll be surprised what sticks.
Bonding team building activities in action: real examples
🟢 A national energy firm with a hybrid workforce used Animate across two offices and saw a 15% lift in internal engagement scores.
🟢 A global bank ran Squid Play Game Show post-merger to get two departments talking. One team said, “It was the first time we truly felt like one company.”
🟢 A London tech startup booked GPS Adventurer and followed up with Putt a Hole in Hunger for a CSR wrap-up. Their review? “Best team build we’ve ever done.”
Check our 5-star reviews
Zing Events is trusted by FTSE 500 companies and loved by teams across the UK. Don’t just take our word for it — check out our 600+ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reviews:
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FAQ
What are the best bonding team building activities in summer?
Outdoor favourites like GPS Adventurer or Back to School Sports Day are ideal. They’re perfect for sunshine, movement and fun, especially for team building activities London companies love.
How long should a bonding team building activity session last?
Most bonding activities last 60–90 minutes. Zing offers flexible formats so you can combine short bursts or run a full half-day event depending on your schedule.
What’s the difference between bonding and regular team building?
Bonding activities focus more on trust, connection, and shared experiences. They’re about people—not just performance. They work best when you want long-term cultural impact.
Are bonding team building activities suitable for hybrid teams?
Yes! Activities like Animate, Escape the Box and The Zing Show can be run in-person, virtually or both. That means no one’s left out—even if they’re WFH in Scotland.
Can I organise a bonding event at my office?
Definitely. Many indoor events are fully mobile. Zing can bring everything to you—including facilitators, props, and even mini-golf made of soup tins.
What if my team is nervous or introverted?
Choose low-pressure, collaborative activities like Animate or Escape the Box. Zing’s charismatic hosts are trained to bring even the shyest team members into the fun.
How soon should I book?
Ideally 3–6 weeks ahead, especially for larger groups. But if you’re in a pinch, Zing can deliver incredible results in as little as 48 hours.
