21 Best Team Building Activities in Philadelphia for 2024
Create better company culture by getting out of the office with team building activities in Philadelphia. There’s always something fun to do in the City of Brotherly Love. As one of the oldest cities in the country, Philadelphia is a city deeply rooted in history and full of local pride, which makes it a fun place to explore and make memories with your coworkers.
Philadelphia has plenty of unique options for team building activities, whether they’re part of an after-work gathering or a full weekend retreat. Businesses of all sizes can benefit from these fun team building activities in Philadelphia. When you invest in team building outside of the office, coworkers can learn how to work together more effectively. There will also be a boost in employee happiness, a win for everybody. Learn more about these fun activities and why you should plan a team building event today.
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- 21 Best Team Building Activities in Philadelphia
- Why Your Team Needs Team Building
- Team Building Activities Are a Boost to Business
- Benefits of Team Building
- Team Building in More Cities Near You
21 Best Team Building Activities in Philadelphia
1. Team Building Activities in Philadelphia
Give your team some fun bonding with a culinary twist. If you’ve ever wanted to be on a cooking competition show, here is your chance. Professional kitchens are known for their impeccable communication and teamwork. With team building activities in Philadelphia, you and your employees can have some friendly competition in a kitchen of your own. Professional chefs will host as you work together and compete against coworkers to create a meal. The most delicious part? At the end of the competition, you can enjoy the food you’ve made together.
2. Cooking Classes in Philadelphia
Try engaging cooking classes in Philadelphia to build teamwork and communication between coworkers. Expert chefs will guide you through menus inspired by world flavors. Try a pasta making class in Philadelphia, a favorite among corporate teams, and learn to make authentic pasta from scratch. Not only will you cook mouth-watering meals, but you will also foster better communication and collaboration skills. You will also learn cooking basics like knife skills that you can use back in your home kitchen.
3. Online Culinary Team Building Activities
If you have a remote team, you can still have fun with interactive online team building activities. It doesn’t matter if your team is scattered across the country — you can all try online cooking classes, where you craft flavorful meals from the comfort of your own kitchen by logging on to the platform. Prefer some a little more low-key? Spice up your after-work cocktail hours and try online mixology classes or virtual wine tastings instead.
4. Scavenger Hunt Through the City
Looking for team building activities in Philadelphia that allow you to see the city? A scavenger hunt will have your team racing through Philly to solve riddles to reveal the clue that will take you to the next location. This friendly competition is sure to have your team working together, thinking creatively and communicating effectively as they race to the finish line. Scavenger hunts are fun team building events in Philadelphia for both established and new teams. You can even plan a virtual scavenger hunt from home!
5. Create With a Pottery Class
If you want to get your team to start thinking outside the box, then you need corporate team building activities in Philadelphia that will encourage that creativity. With pottery classes at Yay Clay!, your team can try a new hobby while bonding over a fun weekend outing. Ceramic artists will guide you through the basics of throwing a pot on a wheel, glazing and firing your pieces. Create your next favorite coffee mug or a decorative bowl!
6. Conquer a Ropes Course
Team building activities in Philadelphia that get your adrenaline pumping are a great option for corporate team building events. Build communication and boost morale by encouraging coworkers to conquer the course at Treetop Quest. There are ziplines and tightropes that the staff will assist you through as you soar high in the streets to overcome over 60 obstacles. With this activity, your team can build their confidence and trust in each other.
7. Explore Longwood Gardens
Get outside and explore the beautiful side of the city with this team building activity in Philadelphia. Longwood Gardens has plenty of grounds to explore and events to enjoy. Nights and weekends at Longwood Gardens will provide especially unforgettable team building events for Philadelphia music lovers, as the garden often hosts live music and shows then.
8. Race With Go-Karting
Go-karting is a team building activity that Philadelphia does very well. Head to the racetrack at Speed Raceway for a corporate event that fosters a little friendly competition. Your team will love racing around the track, competing to be first to cross the finish line. This venue also has meeting rooms to host the rest of your corporate outing. With eight racers allowed on the track at a time, you can alternate between racing and meetings.
9. Late Night at Franklin Institute
For an unforgettable corporate team building activity in Philadelphia, head to one of the best museums in the city. The Franklin Institute is a leader in science and technology education and offers fun programs for adults at night. The Science After Hours program features demonstrations and exhibits centered around a fun theme. Your team will love exploring the museum together while enjoying magic and cabaret shows and sipping on drinks.
10. Sip and Paint
Allow the creativity to flow with a fun team bonding event. A paint and sip night is a fun thing to do in Philadelphia and will have your team creating works of art, no previous experience necessary. An expert artist will guide you step by step through creating a stunning painting on canvas, but you can put your own spin on your work. With this team building activity in Philadelphia, you’ll feel much closer to your coworkers as you create, chat and sip together.
11. Murder Mystery Dinner
An unforgettable Philadelphia team building event would be a murder mystery dinner at The Dinner Detective. You and your team will sit down to dinner and enjoy a show with a twist: a murder. The cast will ask for your help in solving the mystery and bringing the faux killer to justice. A murder mystery dinner is a team building activity in Philadelphia that will have your crew improving their critical thinking and problem-solving skills as they use the clues to determine who the murderer is. Communication and collaboration skills will also improve as the team works together to solve the mystery.
12. Try Axe Throwing
Axe throwing provides an exciting opportunity for a team building event in Philadelphia that gives a cathartic release you won’t find with more relaxing activities. At Urban Axes, you’ll learn the art of axe throwing from trained experts — so don’t worry if you’ve never done it before. The facility is a great place for a team building retreat. The “axeperts” will teach you the proper methods and techniques of axe throwing and allow you to have a few practice runs to get the hang of it. Then your team can get a bit competitive with a throwing tournament and compete for who has the best aim. This is one team building activity your Philadelphia crew will be talking about for months to come.
13. Relaxing Yoga Class
Take away some of that work stress with a relaxing yoga class at On the Goga. Yoga classes are fun team building activities in Philadelphia that the office can do regularly. You can schedule a workshop for desk yoga that will provide some moves and stretches anyone can do at their work station without needing a yoga mat. Yoga classes also embrace wellness, ensuring that your employees have good physical and mental health.
14. Board Game Night
Have a fun and competitive work-family game night for a team building activity in Philadelphia. Head to Thirsty Dice, a board game café that also sells craft beers and cocktails and is the perfect venue for an after-work happy hour. You can book a private party and reserve any game in the store. Play strategy or team building games to improve communication and critical thinking. If anyone’s not in the mood to play, no problem — you can also just bond by being an onlooker and enjoying each other’s company.
15. Play Bubble Soccer
This team building activity in Philadelphia puts a unique spin on soccer. At Bump N Play, teams compete in a rousing game of bubble soccer, which is like regular soccer except you’re inside a large, plastic bubble, bumping your opponents as you compete to score a goal. We don’t know who first thought of combining bumper boats and soccer, but we’re glad they did. It makes for a fun and hilarious Philadelphia team building event.
16. Escape Room
Work on your communication, collaboration and problem-solving skills with this team building activity in Philadelphia. At Escape the Room, you can have a corporate event that’s fun while also bringing your team closer. Together, solve puzzles and find clues around the room to escape. With engaging storylines, you’ll be enthralled and challenged as you race against the clock. Escape rooms are some of the most sought-after team building activities in Philadelphia because they’re fun while also teaching valuable soft skills that just so happen to transfer back to the workplace.
17. Make Your Own Candles
Who doesn’t love a nice-smelling candle to add a relaxing atmosphere to their space? With this team building activity in Philadelphia, you can create a custom candle even if you don’t have any experience with candle making. At Wax + Wine, you can host a private party where an expert will teach you the basics of candle making. You’ll have over 75 scents to choose from so you can create a truly customized candle. The facility also allows you to bring your own drinks, so this Philadelphia team building activity could be fun for happy hour.
18. Trivia Competition
Test your knowledge of pop culture, sports and history with a trivia competition for a team building activity in Philadelphia that provides some serious office bragging rights. Break into teams and compete to see who knows more answers. This can be a fun after-work event combined with a cocktail hour. This team building activity in Philadelphia is easy to have as a standing option and makes for a fun perk at work.
19. Ride Horses at Chamounix
For a team building activity in Philadelphia unlike all the rest, head to Chamounix, one of Philly’s best-kept secrets. The mansion was once home to the police stables but is now an equestrian sanctuary where teams can take a riding lesson from the experts. Horseback riding will teach the importance of non-verbal communication and teamwork, skills that can be taken back into the office. Chamounix also offers polo classes as a unique bonding opportunity.
20. Go Indoor Skydiving
Jumping out of a plane might not be an option for your team building activity in Philadelphia, but what about indoor skydiving? At iFLY, get your heart pumping as you simulate traditional skydiving with a VR headset. You can even dive tandem to share the experience. With this heart-pumping team building activity that Philadelphia is lucky to have, you won’t forget the memories or the feeling any time soon.
21. Support the Local Sports
Philadelphia has some incredible sports teams and a ton of local pride, so getting tickets for a local sports game is sure to be a crowd-pleaser in the office. Nothing like watching teamwork and an exciting game. See the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers or the 76ers, all of which can be a great team building activity in Philadelphia for Employee Appreciation Day. You can even rent a box for corporate team building activities in Philadelphia so you can enjoy the game with your teammates by your side.
Why Your Team Needs Team Building
Every business wants a seamless workplace where its employees can work well together. Hiring managers do their best to source potential employees with the best qualifications who can bring complementary skills to the office, but all of that would be for naught if those highly qualified employees couldn’t work as a team. Whether you’re trying to tackle routine issues or an unprecedented obstacle, you need a group that communicates effectively and works as a unit.
Unity doesn’t always come naturally. The relationships that create a strong team need to be fostered; they don’t happen overnight. And you don’t always get those deep bonds by working together in the office. Instead, fun team building activities in Philadelphia or (any city) can aid in creating those relationships while also targeting communication, creative thinking and problem-solving skills. In short, your team can learn how to work better together while also creating relationships that will bring them closer to each other.
Team Building Activities Are a Boost to Business
You want your business to prosper, and successful businesses invest in their employees. Team building activities in Philadelphia won’t only be beneficial to your employees and your relationships with each other. These activities can improve the company culture by instilling communication and collaboration among coworkers. The skills developed outside the office can translate to the work being done in the office. Colleagues can learn how to better work with each other, boosting productivity throughout the workplace, according to Vantage Circle.
Team building activities in Philadelphia can also improve individual employee skills and help them build confidence within themselves. A strong sense of confidence can help employees approach their work with a positive attitude. An extra boost of confidence can also make employees more likely to speak up and put forward new ideas, which can provide your business with a new perspective or a more efficient way of running.
You can do team building during an onboarding process for new employees or throughout the year for current employees. Investing in your business is not always about putting more money towards products and services; it’s about investing in your people as well.
Benefits of Team Building
Team building activities in Philadelphia aren’t only a way to create fun memories. These activities have plenty of positives for employees and for the business. Here are a few of the benefits according to HR Morning:
- Fosters a positive company culture — Team building activities in Philadelphia can give employees something to look forward to, creating a culture of fun within the office. They can also help bring people together, fostering relationships that make a friendlier work environment, all of which boosts morale.
- Helps employee retention — When employees enjoy where they work, they’re much less likely to leave and take their skills and knowledge with them. Fun team building activities can increase employee happiness and make them feel like the business cares about them as a person, not only an employee. This can lead to better employee retention in the future.
- Identifies leaders — Team building activities in Philadelphia are a great way to pinpoint who the leaders of the office are. You will also be able to recognize different leadership styles and identify potential roles for employees back in the office.
- Spotlights talents — You might be surprised by what talents your employees have. Team building activities can reveal someone’s incredibly creative solutions or skills in motivation and encouragement.
- Allows for interdepartmental mingling — Not all of your employees may know each other, especially when working in different departments. Team building activities can allow people from all over the company to meet and form friendships. This can come in handy for inter-departmental projects or coming up with solutions.
- Boosts creativity — There are creative team building activities that allow your employees to get artistic. While these may be fun, they also get your employees to embrace their creative side and come up with new approaches. Some team building activities require you to think differently and figure out creative solutions.
- Improves employee confidence — Team building skills can increase an employee’s personal confidence and also the confidence they have in their coworkers. This leads to feeling more comfortable putting new ideas forward and trusting their own abilities.
- Builds trust and respect — Regular team building activities in Philadelphia can help your employees build trust and respect between each other. This will improve the company culture and lead to higher employee engagement.
- Leads to better communication and collaboration — There are many team building activities in Philadelphia that focus on communicating and collaborating in order to solve an issue. These activities can teach employees each other’s communication styles and the best ways to work with those styles. Knowing how to communicate will lead to better communication in the office.
- Results in higher productivity in the office — Team building activities often have employees working together to complete a common goal, which can translate back into the office and lead to high productivity.
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Through fun team building activities in Philadelphia, you can create an enviable company culture in your office. Boost morale, improve communication and explore the city with your team. You will definitely see a difference in your employees and within the office, which can lead your business to more success.
For even more team building activities in Philadelphia and beyond, check out other experiences happening on Cozymeal.
Team Building in More Cities Near You
For even more great team building inspiration in cities near you and around the U.S., check out our comprehensive guides:
- A Guide to Team Building Activities in Boston
- A Guide to Team Building Activities in D.C.
- A Guide to Team Building Activities in NYC
- A Guide to Team Building Activities in Chicago
- A Guide to Team Building Activities in Austin
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