When it comes to team building activities in Chicago, there are plenty of options for all kinds of teams — big, small, local or remote. Team building activities will help your team grow in communication, cooperation and teamwork, as well as create strong memories that strengthen your company culture.
Professionals at Linkedin express that team building is beneficial to the workplace because it fosters creativity and innovation, builds trust and even increases productivity!
Plus, the soft skills of communication and emotional intelligence practiced in most team building activities are key leadership qualities sought by executive recruiters.
So, what are some team building activities you can do as a group in the Chicago area? Read this list of fun things to do in Chicago for inspiration as you plan your next event.
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- Culinary Team Building Activities in Chicago
- Creative Team Building Activities in Chicago
- Virtual Team Building Activities in Chicago
- Outdoor Team Building Activities in Chicago
- Unique Team Building Activities in Chicago
- Corporate Team Building Activities in Chicago
Culinary Team Building Activities in Chicago
1. Take a Cooking Class or Pizza Making Class
One of the most fun activities in Chicago for adults is cooking classes. Gather your team for a few hours of fun cooking alongside a top-rated local chef.
With culinary challenge team building activities in Chicago, your group will learn professional cooking skills as they work with one another to prepare a gourmet meal in an energetic environment.
Try unique competitions to boost company morale, or explore other cooking classes in Chicago to find the perfect fit for your team.
2. Try a Virtual Cooking Class
Gather team members near and far for online cooking classes hosted live by a highly experienced chef. Your team will cook alongside the chef over Zoom and prepare a flavorful and fun meal together.
3. Murder Mystery Dinner
Gather the group for an especially memorable dinner with a team building activity twist. Choose a themed murder mystery game that suits the interests (or humor) of the team. Over dinner, everyone will mingle and bond as they work together to solve the mystery.
4. Dine at a Chicago Favorite
Take the team out for a deep-dish dinner at Lou Malnati’s, a Chicago food favorite when it comes to iconic deep-dish pizza parlors. Celebrate the city and enjoy some of the best pizza in the city with this fun team building activity in Chicago.
Creative Team Building Activities in Chicago
5. Unwind With Paint and Sip
After a long workweek, paint and sip in Chicago may be just the thing for your hardworking team. Your group will learn to paint from a talented instructor while relaxing with a beverage of choice in this casual team building activity in Chicago.
7. Mold Clay in a Pottery Class
Pottery classes in Chicago are an ideal team building activity in Chicago to encourage team members to engage their hands in creative work, something computer-based professionals may not get to do often. Your team members will learn how to make pottery and even get to leave with the piece they made in class.
7. Tap, Shuffle and Twirl in Dance Classes
Get your team into the groove with dance classes for your next team building activity. This fun thing to do in Chicago is perfect for teams who love to have a good time and let loose. Try live online dance classes for a perfect mid-day office pick-me-up.
8. Paint From Your Home or Office
Tap into your crew’s creative side by signing up for a paint party for your next team building activity in Chicago. The team will get a few hours to focus on learning a new creative skill under the instruction of an experienced artist. For remote teams or an in-office event, sign up for live online painting classes instead.
9. Take a Drawing Class
Another team building activity in Chicago for creative teams is to take a drawing class. An experienced artist will teach your group the basics of how to draw and lead the class in an engaging class. For an in-office event or remote teams, try live online drawing classes instead.
Virtual Team Building Activities in Chicago
10. Have a Virtual Game Night
From game-show style games to murder mystery fun, online trivia games and more, a virtual game night is just the thing for a fun, remote team building activity in Chicago. Enjoy a little friendly competition with your team as you compete for points in a live, friendly environment.
11. Compete in a Virtual Scavenger Hunt
Complete puzzles, solve riddles and more to claim victory with this remote group activity in Chicago for adults. Compete in a virtual scavenger hunt hosted by an entertaining MC to create some friendly competition among team members!
12. Escape from a Virtual Escape Room
In a virtual escape room, your team will solve puzzles, uncover clues and more in a race against the clock to escape from a virtual room. This team building activity in Chicago requires group cooperation in order to succeed!
13. Learn How to Arrange Flowers
For a creative break from the workday, host a virtual flower arranging class for your team. Team members will learn the principles of floral design as they create a beautiful floral arrangement to take home at the end of the class.
Outdoor Team Building Activities in Chicago
14. Take on the Loyola University Challenge Course
Head out to Illinois’ verdant countryside to the Loyola University Challenge Course. In this outdoor team building in Chicago, team members will complete a series of ropes courses designed to challenge their problem-solving skills and promote self-reflection.
15. Take a Chicago Segway Tour
Tour Chicago’s city streets, waterfront views and stunning architecture on a Chicago segway tour with Bike Chicago for your next outdoor team building event in Chicago. Your team will get some fresh air while learning more about their city in this engaging tour.
16. Play Putt-Putt
On a warm summer or spring day in Chicago, your team will love to spend a few hours outside playing putt-putt golf with their coworkers. Make memories, build friendly competition and create a warm team atmosphere with this team building activity in Chicago.
17. See a Game at Wrigley Field
Take the team out to the ball game for an unforgettable team building activity in Chicago. Hot dogs, drinks and a good old-fashioned baseball game are just the ingredients you need for a fun team building activity in the city.
18. Kayak Through the City Center
Get a breathtaking view of the Chicago skyline as your team paddles along the Chicago river with an experienced guide on a kayaking adventure with Water Riders.
This fun outdoor group activity in Chicago is ideal for summer months and getting the group out of the office. You can even pick from a guided kayak tour or a narrated ghost or architecture tour.
19. Take a Riverboat Architecture Tour
Chicago is known for its architecture — if you’re searching for “team building outings near me” why not take the team on Time Out's riverboat tour of the city’s top architectural sights? Your team will enjoy a few hours on the water while learning about Chicago’s architecture and spending time with one another.
Unique Team Building Activities in Chicago
20. Take a Photography Class
For social media teams, photography classes in Chicago are some of the best unique corporate events in Chicago to build team relationships while also improving workplace skills.
Your team will learn photography principles from an experienced photographer. Try online photography classes for an in-office learning session.
21. Loosen Up With Acting Classes
Your team will let loose, practice thinking on their feet and build relationships if you pick acting classes or online acting classes as your next group activity in Chicago for adults.
22. Learn to Sew
Treat your team to an hour or two learning a time-honored and hands-on skill with sewing classes. This team building activity promotes focus and creativity in a relaxing environment.
23. Build Something in Woodworking Classes
A quick search for team building activities in Chicago may not often yield this unique idea, but it is a fun and hands-on way to engage your team in a new activity. Woodworking classes will engage your team members’ planning skills, attention to detail and more as they create a wood project together.
24. Glass Blowing Classes
Learn the historic art of glass blowing from an experienced glass blower with glass blowing classes. This creative and unique team building activity in Chicago will create unforgettable memories for your team members.
25. Explore the Art Institute With Museum Hack
Whether your team loves museums or would rather go to a ball game, your entire team will enjoy a visit to the Art Institute with Museum Hack. Museum Hack hosts engaging, fun small-group tours for people who think they don’t like museums.
26. iFly Indoor Skydiving
Challenge your team members to some heart-racing fun with no risk involved with a day at iFly Indoor Skydiving. Your group will make unforgettable memories as they experience the rush of skydiving at this indoor team building activity in Chicago.
27. Go Axe Throwing
For your next group party in Chicago, host an axe-throwing party with Bad Axe Throwing. Your team members will build friendships and make memories as they learn how to hurl an axe at a target while enjoying great food and fun drinks.
28. Reach New Heights at Brooklyn Boulders
Challenge your team to reach new heights at Brooklyn Boulders, a rock climbing gym in Chicago. Your team will learn to face fears and work together as they climb rock walls and create memories along the way.
29. See the City at 360 Chicago
Formerly known as the John Hancock Observatory, 360 Chicago offers views of the city from 1,000 feet up, stretching 55 miles out and encompassing four states. After taking in the sights, your team can grab a drink at the bar, experience the thrill of TILT or take in an informative exhibit.
Corporate Team Building Activities in Chicago
30. Making Craft Cocktails
Mix up the classic happy hour event by hosting mixology classes in Chicago for your team members when five o’clock hits! Your group will learn how to craft creative cocktails from a talented mixologist in this fun team-building experience.
Remote teams can even book online mixology classes to experience this unique twist on happy hour from anywhere.
31. Virtual Wine Tasting Event
Practice sipping, swirling and tasting together with a virtual wine tasting event for your next group party in Chicago. Book any location, grab a few bottles of wine and treat your team to an evening of wine tasting!
32. Play Ping-Pong at SPIN
Got a competitive group on your hands? Take the team out for an afternoon of friendly competition at SPIN, a ping-pong lounge with world-class food and drinks.
With corporate event packages available that include food, a DJ and a lively atmosphere, it’s one of the most fun places for team building.
33. Play WhirlyBall
A mix between bumper cars, lacrosse, hockey and basketball, whirlyball is the perfect team building activity in Chicago for teams with sporty and not-so-sporty members. There’s also bowling, food, arcade games and more at venues like WhirlyBall Chicago.
34. Get Competitive at Punch Bowl Social
A 30,000-square-foot party spot set up in an old meat packing facility, Punch Bowl Social would be the perfect place to host a fun team building activity in Chicago. Your team members can grab cocktails, play games like bocce ball, shuffleboard, ping pong and more, or relax in one of the lounges.
35. VR Arcade and Bar
At Redline VR, your team members can work together to solve challenges in a unique virtual reality experience. As they enjoy the virtual reality effects they’ll also build communication and cooperation with this fun group party in Chicago.
36. Book an Event with Best Corporate Events and Team Building
Let the experts plan your next team building event for you — Best Corporate Events and Team Building is one of the top Chicago team building companies in the area, and has plenty of ideas for team building activities in Schaumburg, IL and around the Chicago area.
37. Bowling and Italian Food at Pinstripes Chicago
Enjoy bowling and scratch-made Italian food at Pinstripes Chicago, a restaurant and bowling lounge, for your next team building activity in Chicago.
What is a team outing if not a chance to have fun together? Hopefully, this list of fun team building activities in Chicago sparked some ideas for your next team building outing.
For even more fun team building ideas, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!
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