Considering the current condition of the world, online events, virtual meetings, and online conferences will be the medium-term way through which we interact, participate, share, and learn in event and meeting settings.
Online events and meetings provide unique problems for event organizers, particularly when it comes to socializing and networking, which would typically take place in an informal and spontaneous manner in person.
So, what activities and games can you utilize to encourage people to know each other at an online meeting or virtual conference?
What are the advantages of online meeting activities and games?
A low-stakes exercise or game that gets your team electronically interacting may create a healthy working atmosphere where it is safe to give ideas, suggest new ways of doing things, be incorrect, and make errors. Online games and activities that promote problem-solving have the added benefit of stretching your colleagues’ brains without their knowledge. Plus, who doesn’t want to have more fun in their meetings?
Why would an online game or activity make my online meetings more enjoyable
Incorporating an online game or activity into your meeting can enhance the online meeting experience for two important parties: you and your audience. Let’s start with the most apparent group: apart from the immediate fun that an online game provides, your audience is likely to feel relaxed, open, and involved afterward, which will undoubtedly carry over into the rest of the meeting. Your performance can set the tone for the remainder of the conference. This focuses on the advantages for the second essential player: you.
Having an online game or activity on hand is a great way to relieve stress before the business portion of your meeting, especially if you choose the appropriate one. You’ve prepared material and will benefit from a pleased audience, who will be more inclined to follow your lead and participate to the rest of the meeting. It’s well worth your time!
Here are a few ideas, ranging from basic ice breakers to more difficult problem solving, with plenty of room for creativity in between.
A specially developed team problem-solving game
If you’re searching for a pre-tested, dependable, and simple-to-deliver exercise, The Puzzle might be a good fit. Teams go through a succession of logic, riddle, or other problem-based activities to solve a master puzzle for that final ‘ah-ha!’ moment, similar to an escape room or games room experience, but virtual and without the detective theme.
It’s an excellent method for people to collaborate on something enjoyable, and it can simply be incorporated into your event or meeting schedule. Because the game involves some lateral thinking and teamwork, it works well as an opener to foster more meaningful connections, a method to re-energize a group following a long meeting, or a fun way to blow off some steam together during a virtual after work.
The game lasts around 60 minutes and is straightforward to present; the DIY version includes pre-made slides, basic instructions, and facilitator suggestions, as well as a connection to the website where the game takes place.
Online GIF breaker game
This GIF-based ice breaker, the adult, digital version of the show and tell, may serve as a quick, light-hearted method for people to get to know one other or to break up the day when you have a long program with minimal interaction between individuals.
Given the abundance of GIFs accessible on GIPHY, the activity is typically amusing and does not need a lot of effort from participants.
One version requires each team member to provide 3-5 GIFs describing their personality and hobbies. Try asking participants to contribute the GIF that best symbolizes their attitude to working from home for a lighthearted coronavirus theme.
MIME popcorn team game
This exercise demands a little more extroversion and may not be suitable for everyone, depending on the context and personality types present at your online meeting, conference, or event.
It may be played as a large group or in breakout rooms, and participants must have their camera turned on (privacy alert…).
Basically, one person must imitate an activity, and the others must guess what they are doing by typing their responses into the chat. The one who gets the correct response first becomes the person who does the following mime movement.
This game works best when individuals know one other a little bit, but it may also be used to break the ice if you have a group of people who are really outspoken.
A virtual team challenge
When all of your meeting or event attendees are trapped at home in front of their computers, it might be great for them to do something that allows them to get up and move around, even if it is simply within their apartment, house, or local neighborhood.
For bigger groups, a virtual challenge or scavenger hunt works well since you can divide them into teams and have them work together. Give them a list of things to find and accomplish, and assign points to each action based on its difficulty level.
This may be as creative as you want it to be, such as shooting photographs, producing films, building things at home, looking for items on the street or in the backyard, or even engaging other people.
A word of caution: the time investment necessary from organizers to carry off this sort of activity may be significant, and it is critical to ensure that events are attainable and accessible to everybody.
Online teambuilding drawing games
Drawing games may be a fantastic tool if you want to encourage having fun but aren’t as concerned with teamwork and bonding in an online conference or virtual event.
Skribbl, which is effectively online Pictionary, is one free online game we’ve played. Because there is an 8-person limit per game, large parties will need to set up numerous games.
Another method is to have people work together on a drawing – for example, divide them into teams and have them each add one body component to a hypothetical animal. There are several fantastic online tools for this, such as Draw Chat, which allows everyone to view and add to the same drawing at the same time.
Tips for choosing an activity for my online meeting:
Think about the objectives for your meeting first, and let this inform the online game or activity that you choose. Do you need people to be engaged and focused? Pick a puzzle or brain teaser to start. Do you need people to be open and receptive to some potentially tough information? Pick something silly or fun. Whatever the purpose of your meeting, let your activity or game set the tone.
