The 5 Best Virtual Team Building Activities for Remote Teams

\In the remote-heavy world of 2025, building a strong team culture takes more than a few virtual happy hours and sharing your favorite GIF in Slack. Remote team building is the glue that keeps your distributed crew connected, motivated, and excited to show up on Monday (and to turn on their cameras).

If you're wondering how to engage your remote team in a way that feels fun and not forced, you're in a great spot. We’ve rounded up some of the best remote team-building activities that are clever, creative, and—most importantly—not cringe.

5 Best Remote Team Building Events

1. Virtual Puzzle & Creativity Competitions

A little friendly competition goes a long way.

Handstand’s Homeschool Hunts are high-energy, app-based competitions where remote teams race against each other to solve riddles, complete hilarious video challenges, and earn eternal bragging rights.

As the finale, teams vote on other groups' videos and see who comes out on top!

Why it works:

• Teams combine their problem-solving and creativity
• You can scale from 20 to 20,000 people
• It’s memorable, unique, and wildly fun

But don't take our word for it. Check out what folks recently said about their Handstand experiences (we swear these are not paid ads).

“You could tell [Handstand] actually [gets] what makes a team click." – Render | Workplace Experience Manager

"The team loved the event – it really helped everyone connect and break out of their shell!" – Discord | Director of Engineering

👉 Explore Handstand's Homeschool Hunt virtual puzzle competition

2. Virtual Crafting Classes

Creative sessions like these are low-pressure, tactile, and surprisingly therapeutic. They also give your team something most virtual events don’t: a real, physical thing to show for it. But let’s be honest. Paint and Sip nights are fun...except a lot of those paintings end up “accidentally” falling behind the couch.

So instead, go for functional crafts—stuff your team will want to use, gift, or show off. Two great options are Sculpd and Makesy.

Sculpd: Make something cool with air-dry pottery kits—no kiln, no wheel, just your hands, and some clay. Sculpd hosts live workshops, or you can follow their on-demand videos at your team’s own pace.

Makesy: If your team’s vibe is more “soothing spa night” than “ceramic chaos,” Makesy offers beautiful craft kits and live classes for DIY natural soy candles, soap making, and more.

Why it works:

• Great for slowing down and recharging your overworked brain
• Fosters creativity without pressure to perform
• You end up with something beautiful, useful, and 100% not trash

3. Cocktail (or Mocktail!) Making Kits

Who says happy hour has to be boring? With a virtual cocktail or mocktail-making session, your team gets a kit shipped to their door and a mixologist walks them through how to craft a drink that’s more impressive than “vodka soda with a lime.”

Even better: Everyone gets to sip and socialize on something that they didn't have to buy.

You can customize the kits to include non-alcoholic options, snacks, or even branded glassware (ooh, fancy).

Why it works:

• Turns a Zoom call into an actual event
• Works great for team celebrations or end-of-quarter wrap-ups
• Gives your team a chance to toast their wins—with something they made

4. Virtual Escape Rooms

Is your team ready to solve a cyber heist? Break out of a haunted house? Hack into a government server (legally)?

Virtual escape rooms throw your team into a themed storyline where the only way out is collaboration, problem-solving, and out-of-the-box thinking. Imagine a Zoom call meets Mission Impossible.

Why it works:

• Engages logic, leadership, and communication
• Great for teams that love puzzles or need a trust fall replacement
• An immersive game world creates a memorable experience

There are several options out there for virtual escape rooms. Want one that is a refreshing digital detox? One that delivers a tactile puzzle box to each team member? Then reach out to us about our Journey to Jidara escape room puzzle box! We've deployed it to global teams all across the world and received a stellar 9.2 overall rating.

Here's a before and after shot of the mockup vs. the final game!

5. Virtual Cooking Classes (With Ingredient Kits)

By far the most delicious remote team event is a virtual cooking class—with everything you need shipped right to your door.

Services like Cozymeal offer chef-led online classes where your team can learn how to roll sushi, hand-make pasta, or whip up gourmet-level tacos. YUM.

Everyone gets a kit packed with pre-portioned ingredients, utensils, and instructions—so even the folks who aren't the most experienced cooks can participate confidently.

Make it even more fun by creating a joint Spotify playlist to listen to while you all cook.

Why it works:

• Everyone gets to eat something great at the end (the best part)
• You can learn real skills, like how to cook rice properly
• It feels like a night out, but you're the one that made it!

These events are great for celebrating wins, breaking up the routine, and learning something new.

More Casual, Low-Lift Remote Team-Building Options

1. Codenames: The OG Word Game for Brainy Teams

The game Codenames is like if charades, a crossword puzzle, and a spy thriller merged. It’s the ultimate test of how well your team can think sideways.

The virtual version, Codenames Online, is easy to set up, free to play, and excellent for both small scrappy teams and giant departments. Split into smaller squads, take turns decoding one-word clues, and try not to accidentally guess the assassin. (It’ll happen. It’s okay. It builds character.)

Why it works:

• Low lift, high replay value
• Encourages strategic thinking and hilarious misunderstandings
• Great for mixed-skill groups or cross-functional bonding

2. CoffeePals: The Best Watercooler Replacement for Remote Teams

CoffeePals is a low-lift but high-impact remote team-building tool that automates casual 1:1 coffee chats between team members via Slack or Microsoft Teams.

By recreating those spontaneous office chats, CoffeePals helps build organic connections and boosts employee morale—without needing to schedule a whole event.

Why it's great for remote teams:

• Easy to set up and runs in the background
• Encourages cross-team communication
• Great for facilitating new employee onboarding

3. Skribbl.io or Gartic Phone for Pure, Unfiltered Chaos (In the Best Way)

If your team thrives on memes, inside jokes, and lovingly roasting each other’s artistic abilities, Skribbl.io and Gartic Phone are absolute gold.

These low-tech, browser-based drawing games turn simple prompts into laugh-out-loud disasters—and then somehow into team bonding magic. No setup required, no downloads, no “let me share my screen”—just instant fun.

What’s the difference?

• Skribbl.io is a Pictionary-style game where one person draws, and everyone else races to guess what it is (or isn’t). Expect masterpieces like “banana” that look like a confused crescent moon.
• Gartic Phone takes it further: it’s like Telephone meets Doodle Wars. Each person writes a prompt, someone draws it, then someone else describes it... and the result is usually nonsense in the most glorious way.

Why it's great for remote teams:

• Perfect for mid-size teams (5–15 people is the sweet spot)
• Have some laughs with your coworkers by leaning into your funny drawings
• Livens up your typical team-building event

The Proven Benefits of Virtual Team Building

You don’t just have to take our word for it—studies show that remote team-building events deliver real ROI:

• 18% higher productivity and 23% higher profitability among companies with higher levels of employee engagement
• 42% lower turnover rates in companies with structured team-building activities
• Remote teams with strong relationships resolve issues 28% faster and make 34% fewer mistakes
• Activities like coffee chats and virtual games reduce isolation and improve mental well-being

💬 Pro tip: Make team building part of your remote culture—not just a one-off event.

How to Choose the Right Remote Team Building Activity

Every team is different. Some thrive on high-intensity challenges. Others by socializing. And some bond best over relaxing crafting.

Whether you're planning your next virtual retreat, quarterly team bonding, onboarding remote hires, or just want to boost weekly morale, the key is choosing a remote team-building activity that aligns with your team's vibes, goals, and company culture. If no one on your team likes sports, why make a Fantasy Football League, right?

FAQs: Virtual Team Building Questions, Answered

Q: What are the best virtual team-building activities?
A: Virtual puzzle competitions, online escape rooms, cocktail-making classes, and creative crafting events are great options for boosting connection and morale.

Q: How do you build remote team culture?
A: By integrating regular team-building events—like games, problem-solving experiences, or low-pressure chats—into your weekly or monthly rhythm.

Q: Do virtual team-building events really work?
A: Yes! They improve communication, reduce isolation, and lead to stronger, more collaborative remote teams.

Ready to Plan a Remote Team Building Event That Doesn’t Suck?

Then reach out to us (Handstand 😉)! We'll share more about our virtual puzzle & creativity competition, the Homeschool Hunt, or our escape room box, Jidara, and set you up for success.