Spring is almost here! Before you know it the air will smell sweeter and the first buds on the trees will begin to bloom. While all seasons have their own charms, spring carries with it an especially strong aspect of hope and renewal, as we emerge from the darker, colder days of winter.
Indeed, spring has always been associated with rebirth and rejuvenation. And this can hold true for teams as well. Spring is an excellent chance for teams to regroup after winter, bond together by spending more time outdoors and spend some time rethinking the year’s goals. It’s a time to get a breath of new energy and resolve, and to inspire your team members as they enter the next phase of the year.
That’s why in the following blog post we’ll give you 9 great ideas for spring team building activities. Many of these spring team building ideas take place outside, for obvious reasons. But we’ll also give you some great ways to build teams indoors and online, as well.
In Japan, spring is also the time when many new hirees join companies. So these spring team building ideas can also be used for new employee training sessions, or as onboarding ideas to welcome new members onto the team.
So with that in mind, here are our 8 spring team building ideas that will revitalize your team…
1. (Virtual) Hanami party
Hanami (flower-viewing) parties are the quintessential spring activity in Japan. And it’s one of the easiest and most fun spring team building activities idea, too. Gathering on picnic blankets or plastic sheets outside, it’s a great way to spend time eating and drinking together while watching the glorious array of spring flora.
You can do this with your team as well. However, be careful in case Covis is still spreading. You may have to cut down on the number of people you bring. If you’re still worried, host a virtual hanami party online, with drinks and snacks. After all, the party is more important than the flowers.
2. Make sakura-themed cocktails and/or cookies together
Whether your hanami party is in-person or online, another one of the best spring team building activities you can do in preparation for it is to make sakura-themed cocktails, cookies, and other snacks (again, you can do this online as well). Doing something together and learning a new skill is a fun way to build teamwork and strengthen team unity. And the fun colors and cute concoctions will raise your team’s spirits.
3. Outdoor lunches and check-ins
Why limit spending outdoors to just the sakura season? With the weather getting nicer, an easy spring team building activity is to arrange smaller lunches (groups of 2~3 people) outdoors. This is a good chance for team members to get better acquainted, and to mix people around who normally wouldn’t interact together.
You can let these lunch groups talk freely, or you can organize it as a “check-in” where team members take turns getting the chance to say what’s on their mind for a couple of minutes. For team members who may be shy, it might be good to prepare a few questions to get the ball rolling like:
- How have you been feeling?
- What’s something that you’re excited for this spring?
- What’s something that you did in the last week that you’re proud of?
- What’s the best thing that happened to you in the past week?
5. Nature walk
Another spring team building activity that gets your team outside is a nature walk. Get your team together and go explore the great outdoors! You can go on a hike or trek if you want or, if your team isn’t so inclined, simply go to a local park or botanical garden.
At its core team building is about spending quality time together as a team. So even just walking around outdoors together can be a great way to build team relationships and get team members to talk to each other in a non-work setting. Plus, getting outside in nature is known to have a revitalizing effect on people.
5. Outdoor scavenger hunt
Similar to nature walks but with more focus on working together, scavenger hunts are the perfect spring team building activity because they get teams working together and solving challenges outdoors. So teams can breathe the fresh air and see some flowers bloom while strengthening their communication and team working skills.
Invite Japan’s scavenger hunts to take teams on a journey of adventure and exploration through a specific city area such as Nihonbashi, Asakusa, and the Yamashita/Port area of Yokohama. Their goal is to hunt for clues found on buildings, signs, monuments, and other sights, and to use those clues to solve all their puzzles.
There’s simply no better way to celebrate spring as a team! And because they’re discovering a new area together and combining their skills to solve the puzzles, your team will have no trouble communicating naturally and effortlessly.
6. Pickup-sports
If your team wants to get even more active, then one of the simplest spring team building activities you can do is to play some sports outside. Easy sports that can be played basically anywhere and everyone can participate in, like soccer or frisbee, are a good choice. Playing some light sports together outside is a good way to raise your team’s energy and practice some team-building spirit.
7. Dispatch indoor team building game (Suitcase Mystery)
Invite Japan’s dispatch puzzle-solving game can be played anywhere, including your office. So when the weather is looking iffy or your team doesn’t feel like going outside, Suitcase Mystery is a great option for a spring team building activity.
The game consists of a sequence of puzzles, all contained within a suitcase. It’s like a portable escape game, and has that same sense of mystery and surprise. The enigmatic puzzles and props really get team members talking, which is why many companies have loved this product, and have used it especially as part of their new employee training.
8. Online Team Building (Tabitantei; Secret Agent)
Finally, Invite Japan has spring team building activities for remote and hybrid teams, or teams that don’t feel like gathering together in-person just yet. Our online team building games incorporate fun and stimulating puzzle-based challenges into a fully virtual environment that can be played from anywhere with a wifi connection. So even teams that are separated across different countries or continents can take part in an energizing team event together.
Conclusion
Spring is on its way so it’s time to get ready. Planning team building events throughout the year will get your team fit and in fighting shape for whatever challenges come down the road. And spring is the perfect time to schedule one or more team building activities from the list above that re-energize and motivate your team after winter, and that create a greater sense of team unity and cohesion.
