Agile collaboration games are structured activities designed to enhance team engagement in agile practices, including sprint planning and work estimation. A popular example is planning poker, which facilitates collaborative decision-making. These games support the core agile principle of working in iterative increments toward shared objectives while fostering stronger team relationships and communication.
With the widespread shift to remote work, teams have increasingly turned to virtual collaboration tools. Atlassian has developed a comprehensive collection of virtual team-building activities that can be particularly valuable for distributed agile teams.
Our Recommended Team Collaborative Games
1. Broken Skype
Purpose: Communication Collaboration
Time: 20 minutes
Team Size: 8-50 people
How: The group can’t talk; they only use hand signals. The group stands in a row, passing from back to front a simple hand sign to one another. Repeat, but pass a complex sign. Next, everyone forms a circle and passes a complex hand sign to the left, and only one person goes at a time and can correct it based on what they see.
Result: After the exercise, ask the team which communication was the best. Teams typically find that face-to-face communication (round 3) yields the highest accuracy and efficiency, while back-to-back communication (round 1) presents the greatest challenges. This exercise demonstrates how communication barriers impact collaboration and highlights the importance of clear, direct communication.
2. Crazy Chat
Purpose: Respect Listening
Time: 5 minutes
Team Size: 2-100 people
How: The group is paired, and one person gets one minute to stand up and speak about something they are passionate about. The other person is to stay seated and act uninterested. Then, the pair switches. This contrast creates a powerful emotional impact that exposes how body language and presence affect connection and communication.
Result: After asking each individual what it felt like to ignore someone and what it felt like not to be listened to, teams typically discover that both experiences are uncomfortable and highlight the critical importance of active listening. This reflection helps participants understand how disrespectful communication behaviors can damage team dynamics and reduce overall collaboration effectiveness.
3. Collaborative Origami
Purpose: Communication Collaboration
Time: 20 minutes
Team Size: 5-50 people
How: The group forms pairs and is given a sheet and instructions to create origami. In round 1, they sit back-to-back and try to complete origami, with one instructing and one folding. In round 2, they sit face to face and try to complete origami. The folder can’t see instructions, though. In round 3, they sit side by side. Both can see instructions and what is happening.
Result: This exercise effectively demonstrates how communication methods impact team collaboration, particularly in distributed work environments. Teams gain valuable insights into the challenges and advantages of different communication approaches, helping them optimize their remote collaboration strategies.
4. Listening Game
Purpose: Listening Collaboration
Time: 5 minutes
Team Size: 6-20 people
How: The Group stands randomly located in a room, ideally facing opposite directions. The aim is to recite the alphabet letter by letter. If two people speak at the same time, they must start over. In round 2, tell people to pause before they say anything. The round will progress more slowly but will get a lot further than the first round.
Result: After asking how people felt during the rounds, ask if anyone didn’t contribute in round two, and how their doing nothing contributed to the overall goal. Puzzles for mental resets can also serve as a light interlude before or after this exercise to help the team clear their mind and refocus.
5. Movers & Shapers
Purpose: Respect Collaboration
Time: 10 minutes
Team Size: 10-100 people
How: The Group is told they are to pretend to be a victim and need to silently seek out 2 other people, an attacker and a shield. They must position themselves between the shield and the attacker. They should do this for 2-3 minutes. Next, they are told to pretend to be a shield and need to silently seek out an attacker and victim and position themselves between them. They should do this for 2-3 minutes. Finally, they are told to pretend to be an equilateral triangle and keep moving until it’s perfect. They should do this for 2-3 minutes.
Result: Ask what differences they saw between each round. In the first round, when they are victims, they should end up moving further and further apart. In round two, when they are shields, people should end up converging. In round three, when they are equal, they should come to equilibrium very quickly.
6. Magic Stick
Purpose: Communication Collaboration
Time: 5 minutes
Team Size: 4–10 people
How: The group stands in two rows and places a lightweight stick across their outstretched index fingers. Their goal is to lower the stick to the ground without anyone losing contact. It sounds simple—but as they begin, the stick often rises instead of lowering, revealing subtle communication and coordination issues.
Result: The team realizes it’s much easier to achieve a goal when working together and communicating clearly. They experience firsthand how small misalignments can derail group efforts, reinforcing the need for shared rhythm and trust.
7. Human Knot
Purpose: Self-Organization
Time: 15 minutes
Team Size: 8–100 people
How: The group forms two rows, and there is one designated manager. First, the row should join the left hand with the back row’s right hand. Then, use the spare hand to join with the neighboring person and, at the end of the rows, create a human knot with the person in front of them. The manager instructs the team on how to untangle themselves, and they can only follow the manager’s instructions.
Result: Usually, the group succeeds in a very short period of time and forms a circle of joined hands. The activity highlights the power of centralized leadership in a chaotic situation, showing how structure can bring clarity. It also encourages participants to develop patience, active listening, and coordinated movement under limited communication.
8. 123 go
Purpose: Communication
Time: 5 minutes
Team Size: 3–100 people
How: Tell the group you’ll count to three and then say “Go.” When you say “Go,” everyone should clap at the exact moment. Do it once quickly to catch them off guard. The second time, insert a deliberate pause between “three” and “Go”—most people will clap prematurely. Repeat the process 2–3 times, varying the rhythm slightly to keep them alert and off balance. This triggers participants to reflect on how automatic their reactions can be when they stop listening and start assuming.
Result: This demonstrates how people often rely on hard-wired or habitual responses instead of staying fully present. It reinforces the value of active listening and resisting the urge to anticipate outcomes. Teams walk away more aware of the importance of precision, patience, and mental discipline when communicating—especially under pressure or in fast-paced environments.
9. Columbian Hypnosis
Purpose: Respect, Collaboration
Time: 5 minutes
Team Size: 2–100 people
How: For the Columbia Hynosis exercise, the group pairs up, standing face-to-face. One person is chosen to go first as the “leader,” while the other becomes the “mirror.” For 30 seconds, the leader moves slowly and intentionally—using only their hands, arms, or body—and the mirror must copy them as precisely as possible. Then, they switch roles for another 30 seconds. After both rounds, they repeat the process, but this time with verbal instructions instead of mimicking, introducing a new layer of communication and control.
Result: Ask the team which mode they preferred—leading, following, or instructing—and how each felt. This reveals comfort zones, communication preferences, and the unspoken dynamics of control and trust. The exercise encourages empathy, focus, and shared awareness, reinforcing how collaboration thrives when both verbal and non-verbal cues are respected and understood.
10. Non-Musical Chairs
Purpose: Self-Organization, Trust
Time: 10 minutes
Team Size: 5–100 people
How: One person is designated as the chairperson. Set up one chair for every team member, plus one spare. The goal for the chairperson is to sit on any empty chair, while the rest of the group must prevent this—without touching the chairperson, without moving the chairs, and by only standing up if they immediately move to sit on a different chair. If someone stands, they can’t return to the same chair. Give the team one minute to plan a strategy. Everyone then begins moving in a slow circle around the chairs. The chairperson may change direction at any time. Repeat for up to 3 rounds or until the team maintains a successful defense for several minutes.
Result: This exercise helps teams understand the importance of constant observation, quick adaptation, and trusting others to act without centralized control. It simulates real-time problem solving under constraints, reinforcing self-organization in a fun, physical way. The game also highlights how anticipation, communication, and coordinated movement can outmaneuver even a determined disruptor.
11. Yes and
Purpose: Collaboration
Time: 15 minutes
Team Size: 8–20 people
How: Start a group storytelling activity. In the first round, each person must begin their sentence with “Yes, but…” to continue the story. After a few turns, the story will become disjointed and hard to follow. In the second round, repeat the exercise but require everyone to start with “Yes, and…”, encouraging them to build on the previous idea. In the final round, participants begin their response with “Because of that…”, which creates logical flow and causality. Observe how the story becomes more coherent and engaging with each round.
Result: The activity teaches the team how to support and build on each other’s ideas rather than blocking them. It highlights how language shapes collaboration and shows the impact of openness versus resistance in communication. It also demonstrates how shared momentum and logical flow lead to more cohesive, innovative group outcomes.
12. Singing Clapping Numbers
Purpose: Respect, Collaboration
Time: 20 minutes
Team Size: 6–100 people
How: For this game, have the group form a large circle. Start by having one person say the number “1,” and the next person says “2,” continuing around the circle in order. Once everyone is comfortable, add a twist: instead of saying the number, participants must clap on every multiple of 3 (3, 6, 9, etc.). For a greater challenge, add another rule—say “buzz” instead of the number if it’s a multiple of 5, or combine both rules (clap on multiples of 3, say “buzz” on multiples of 5, and do both on multiples of 15). Increase speed gradually and eliminate anyone who makes a mistake to raise the stakes and intensity.
Result: This energizing activity improves concentration, rhythm, and group awareness. It encourages active listening, sharpens focus under pressure, and reminds participants how important it is to respect and sync with the group to succeed together. It also reveals how quickly distractions and pressure can derail performance—just like in real-world teamwork.
Conclusion
These 12 agile collaboration games represent powerful tools for strengthening team dynamics and enhancing communication across diverse work environments. Each game targets specific aspects of effective teamwork—from active listening and respectful communication to self-organization and trust-building—providing teams with practical experiences that translate directly to improved workplace collaboration. Whether your team is working remotely, in-person, or in a hybrid environment, these games can be adapted to fit your specific needs and constraints, requiring minimal resources while delivering maximum value through shared experiences that break down communication barriers.
What makes these games particularly valuable for agile teams is their focus on core agile principles: iterative improvement, collaborative decision-making, and adaptive communication. The collaborative games presented here were carefully selected from Karen and Samantha’s comprehensive eBook, which offers additional insights for team facilitators. By implementing even a few of these exercises regularly, teams can create a culture of open communication, mutual respect, and collaborative problem-solving that drives both project success and individual growth—transforming good teams into exceptional ones.
Suggested articles:
- 25+ Ice Breakers for Zoom Meetings
- 6 Team Agile Communication Techniques & Digital Tools
- 15 Game Changing Agile Collaboration Team Techniques
Shane Drumm, holding certifications in PMP®, PMI-ACP®, CSM, and LPM, is the author behind numerous articles featured here. Hailing from County Cork, Ireland, his expertise lies in implementing Agile methodologies with geographically dispersed teams for software development projects. In his leisure, he dedicates time to web development and Ironman triathlon training. Find out more about Shane on shanedrumm.com and please reach out and connect with Shane on LinkedIn.