Best Team Building Activities for Interns: Foster Fun, Connection & Collaboration

Internships are a critical bridge between academic life and professional careers. But more than just a learning experience, internships are an opportunity to introduce young professionals to workplace culture, build confidence, and develop soft skills—especially teamwork.

Team building activities for interns play a vital role in shaping their overall experience. These activities foster communication, camaraderie, and trust, helping interns bond with each other and with full-time employees. The result? A more cohesive, productive, and enjoyable internship program.

In this blog, we explore the best team building activities for interns, organized by category and purpose. Whether you’re running a virtual internship program or an in-office one, there’s something here for every company.

Why Team Building Matters for Interns

Before diving into the activities, let’s understand why team building is essential for interns:

• Breaks the ice – Most interns feel nervous or unsure during their early days. Fun activities help break the awkwardness.
• Boosts collaboration – Interns learn how to work together, share responsibilities, and contribute toward team goals.
• Encourages creative thinking – Many team-building exercises promote problem-solving and innovative thinking.
• Enhances engagement – Interns who feel connected to the company culture are more likely to stay involved and productive.
• Prepares them for real-world challenges – Activities mimic professional scenarios, preparing interns for future roles.

1. Icebreaker Activities (First Day Must-Haves)

A. Two Truths and a Lie

Each intern says three statements about themselves—two true and one false. Others have to guess the lie.

Benefits: Encourages storytelling, personal connection, and laughter.
Ideal for: The first day or team introductions.

B. Common Ground

Form small groups and give them 5 minutes to find 5 things they all have in common. It could be hobbies, hometowns, favorite foods, etc.

Benefits: Builds empathy and rapport.
Ideal for: Helping interns find shared interests.

C. Human Bingo

Create bingo cards with statements like “Has traveled to another continent” or “Speaks more than one language.” Interns mingle to find people who match each box.

Benefits: Energizing, inclusive, and interactive.
Ideal for: Large intern groups.

2. Problem-Solving Activities

A. Marshmallow Challenge

Provide teams with 20 sticks of spaghetti, tape, string, and one marshmallow. They must build the tallest freestanding structure that can support the marshmallow—within 20 minutes.

Benefits: Enhances critical thinking, teamwork, and creativity.
Ideal for: Engineering, tech, or design interns.

B. Escape Room (Physical or Virtual)

Teams are “locked” in a room and must solve clues and riddles to escape within a time limit. Virtual escape rooms are perfect for remote interns.

Benefits: Fosters collaboration, communication, and leadership.
Ideal for: Mid-point intern engagements.

C. Office Scavenger Hunt

Create a list of items, people, or facts to find around the office or on your company’s intranet (for remote teams).

Benefits: Encourages exploration, boosts engagement with coworkers.
Ideal for: Orientation week.

3. Communication-Based Activities

A. Blind Drawing

Pair interns. One gets an image and must describe it to their partner (who can’t see it) for them to draw. No gestures allowed.

Benefits: Highlights importance of clear communication.
Ideal for: Marketing, design, and communication interns.

B. Telephone Game (With a Twist)

Have interns sit in a circle. Whisper a complicated work-related message to the first person, and let it travel around the circle. Compare the final message to the original.

Benefits: Demonstrates communication breakdowns in a fun way.
Ideal for: Light-hearted office breaks.

C. Story Building

Each person adds a sentence to a story as it goes around the group. The catch? Each sentence must start with the next letter of the alphabet.

Benefits: Builds creative storytelling and focus.
Ideal for: Content writing or creative interns.

4. Leadership and Initiative Challenges

A. Shark Tank Pitch

Divide interns into teams and give them a problem to solve. Each team develops a “business” idea and pitches it to a panel of judges.

Benefits: Develops presentation, leadership, and entrepreneurial skills.
Ideal for: Business, marketing, and product interns.

B. Intern-Led Workshop

Let interns host a 30-minute knowledge-sharing session. It could be a skill they know (e.g., Photoshop basics, resume tips, etc.).

Benefits: Encourages ownership and builds confidence.
Ideal for: Mid-to-late internship phase.

C. Volunteer Project Planning

Ask interns to plan and execute a small social impact initiative—like a virtual fundraiser, community outreach, or eco-friendly campaign.

Benefits: Teaches project management and empathy.
Ideal for: All intern cohorts.

5. Fun and Culture-Focused Activities

A. Themed Dress-Up Days

Choose fun themes like “Retro Day” or “Favorite Movie Character.” Let interns vote on the best-dressed.

Benefits: Light-hearted, boosts creativity and confidence.
Ideal for: Monthly social hours.

B. Meme Contest

Have interns create memes about their intern experience and share anonymously. Then vote on the funniest one.

Benefits: Fun way to build community and break tension.
Ideal for: Digital-savvy teams.

C. “Intern Olympics”

Host a series of quick, quirky competitions—like chair races, typing speed tests, paper airplane contests, etc.

Benefits: High energy, great for bonding.
Ideal for: Mid-program refreshers or closing events.

6. Virtual Team Building Activities

Not every company can host interns in person. Here are virtual-friendly team-building activities:

A. Online Trivia

Use platforms like Kahoot! to run trivia quizzes. You can include questions about the company, pop culture, or the interns themselves.

B. Virtual Coffee Chats

Pair interns with full-time employees or leadership for casual 15-minute chats. Use rotation to ensure everyone connects.

C. “Show & Tell”

Every intern brings one item and explains its significance in their life.

Benefits: Personal connections, cultural appreciation.
Ideal for: Remote onboarding.

7. Reflection & Feedback Activities

A. Rose, Thorn, Bud

Ask interns to share:

• �� One thing they enjoyed (rose)
• �� One challenge they faced (thorn)
• �� One thing they’re looking forward to (bud)

Benefits: Promotes vulnerability and growth mindset.
Ideal for: Weekly or end-of-internship wrap-ups.

B. Appreciation Circle

Each intern gives a positive comment about another team member. It can be done anonymously or openly.

Benefits: Builds trust, boosts morale.
Ideal for: Internship closing ceremony.

Tips to Make Team Building Activities Successful

Here are some guidelines to ensure these activities work well:

• Involve full-time employees: Let interns interact with company staff for a more inclusive experience.
• Create safe spaces: Avoid overly competitive or high-pressure situations.
• Stay inclusive: Ensure activities don’t exclude interns based on physical ability, religion, or cultural background.
• Make it regular: Don’t limit team-building to orientation day—spread them across the internship duration.
• Gather feedback: After each activity, ask interns what they liked and what could be improved.

Final Thoughts: Building the Next Generation of Teams

Team building isn’t just a fun distraction—it’s an investment in people. Interns who feel seen, heard, and connected are more likely to become loyal advocates (and future employees!) of your company.

Whether you’re running a small startup internship or a Fortune 500 summer program, these team-building activities for interns will help you create a supportive, collaborative, and memorable experience.

So go ahead—break the ice, foster friendships, and build teams that last well beyond the internship.

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