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10–15 min Activities
5 games
How to play
- Set up the Kubb pitch: Place the king block in the center of a rectangular field (approx 8x5 meters). Place 6 wooden kubbs on each baseline (the short ends).
- Split into two teams. Each team stands behind their baseline. They take turns throwing wooden batons underhand to knock over the opponent's kubbs.
- If a team knocks over an opponent's kubb, that kubb is thrown back into the opponent's half and stands upright (these are 'field kubbs').
- Before targeting the opponent's baseline kubbs, the throwing team must knock over all field kubbs lying in the opponent's half.
- Once all baseline kubbs on one side are knocked over, that team can aim for the central king block. The first team to knock over the king wins — but if you knock the king too early, you lose instantly.
- Rotate teams after each full game so everyone gets a turn. Keep a running leaderboard for a picnic tournament.
How to play
- Everyone stands in a large, outward-facing circle (backs to the center). No one can see each other.
- The facilitator calls out a category: 'Someone who plays a musical instrument.' Anyone who fits that category turns around to face the center.
- Those who turned now have 10 seconds to make eye contact with someone else who turned, walk to them, and say that person's name and one thing about them ('You're Sarah — you play guitar').
- If you correctly name someone, you both stay facing the center. If you're wrong or freeze, you turn back outward.
- Repeat with new categories: 'Someone who speaks another language', 'Someone who has run a marathon', 'Someone who joined the company in the last year'.
- The game ends when 80% of the group is facing inward. The last few outward people get a fun 'spotlight' intro where the group cheers them in.
How to play
- Simple large group ice breaker for 100+ people.
- At the picnic, display the QR code on a screen, or printed out and placed on picnic tables, or on a portable screen. Ask everyone to scan with their phone camera.
- Each attendee receives a conversation prompt or challenge with 16–25 unique prompts about colleagues.
- Attendees walk around the picnic, approach someone new, and ask them a question based on a prompt square. If that person matches, they exchange game codes (or scan each other's QR code) to mark that square.
- The first person to complete a row, column, or full card shouts 'Bingo!' and wins a prize. But encourage everyone to keep going to complete their prompts.
- Before the picnic, set up your Company Networking Bingo Game (on Jam Bingo). Add prompts like 'Find someone who has worked here longer than 5 years', 'Find someone who started in a completely different role', 'Find someone who can teach you one word in another language'.
How to play
- Split the group into two teams. One team sits on the ground facing away from the blanket. The other team stands behind a raised blanket held by two volunteers (like a curtain).
- One person from the sitting team quietly moves behind the blanket and crouches. Everyone else closes their eyes or looks away.
- The blanket is dropped suddenly, revealing the crouching person for 2 seconds. The sitting team must shout that person's name before the blanket goes back up.
- If they're correct, that person joins the sitting team. If they're wrong, the crouching person returns to their team.
- Alternate who hides and who guesses. The team with more members after 10 rounds wins.
- Add a picnic twist: after each correct guess, that person shares one word about their favorite picnic food before joining the team.
How to play
- Divide into two teams. Mark a center line on the grass with cones. Tie a bandana or flag to the exact middle of the rope.
- Each team holds their end of the rope. On 'Pull!', they try to drag the other team so the bandana crosses the center line toward the opponent's side.
- The twist: Every 10 seconds, the facilitator shouts a category (e.g., 'Someone who has a sibling!', 'Someone who likes pineapple on pizza!').
- Anyone on either team who fits that category must immediately let go of the rope with one hand and raise that hand in the air — but keep pulling with the other hand.
- If someone fits the category and doesn't let go, their team gets a 2-second 'free pull' penalty where the other team can yank extra hard.
- The first team to pull the bandana past the center line on their side wins. Best 2 out of 3 rounds.
~30 min Activities
6 games
How to play
- Before the event, write a get-to-know-you question on a slip of paper and tape it inside each potato sack (e.g., 'What's a skill you learned outside of work?', 'Who here has a hidden talent?'.
- Pair participants into teams of 2 (or groups of 4 for larger picnics). Give each pair one sack.
- One person from each pair puts their feet in the sack and hops to a cone 20 meters away and back.
- When they return, their teammate must pull out the question from inside the sack and answer it aloud to the group before they can take their turn hopping.
- The first pair to complete the relay AND both answer their question wins.
- For larger groups, run heats and then a final round with new questions.
How to play
- Form two lines of participants facing each other, about 10 meters apart. Place a rope on the ground between them.
- One person from each line steps forward to face each other. They interlock arms at the elbows (like arm wrestling but standing).
- On 'Go!', each tries to pull, push, or guide the other over the rope line. First person to step over the rope loses.
- The loser sits out. The winner stays and faces the next challenger from the opposite line.
- Keep going until only one person remains undefeated. They become the 'Boi na Sombra' (ox in the shade) champion.
- Add a twist: after each round, the winner must answer a fun question about themselves before the next challenger steps up ('What's your go-to karaoke song?').
How to play
- Simple large group ice breaker for 100+ people.
- At the picnic, display the QR code on a screen, or printed out and placed on picnic tables, or on a portable screen. Ask everyone to scan with their phone camera.
- Each attendee receives a conversation prompt or challenge with 16–25 unique prompts about colleagues.
- Attendees walk around the picnic, approach someone new, and ask them a question based on a prompt square. If that person matches, they exchange game codes (or scan each other's QR code) to mark that square.
- The first person to complete a row, column, or full card shouts 'Bingo!' and wins a prize. But encourage everyone to keep going to complete their prompts.
- Before the picnic, set up your Company Networking Bingo Game (on Jam Bingo). Add prompts like 'Find someone who has worked here longer than 5 years', 'Find someone who started in a completely different role', 'Find someone who can teach you one word in another language'.
How to play
- Using chalk or eco-spray paint, draw 10–20 large footprints in a winding trail across the picnic area. Each footprint is numbered.
- Next to each footprint, write a prompt: 'At footprint 1: Share a place you've traveled that changed you.' 'At footprint 5: Share a mentor who believed in you.' 'At footprint 10: Share a failure that taught you something.'
- Participants walk the trail alone or in pairs, stopping at each footprint to answer the prompt aloud to whoever is nearby or reflect silently.
- After every 3 footprints, participants switch pairs so they hear different people's stories.
- The final footprint (#20) says: 'Share one word about how you feel right now.' The group gathers in a circle and says their word aloud together.
- The facilitator closes by thanking everyone for sharing — no commentary, no judgment, just witness.
How to play
- Everyone stands in a large circle (or long line if space is tight). One person starts as the 'wave starter'.
- The starter turns to the person on their left, makes eye contact, and says their own name and a motion (e.g., 'I'm Priya!' while doing a small dance move or clap).
- The person on the left repeats the starter's name + motion, then turns to the next person and says THEIR OWN name + a motion.
- The wave continues around the circle: each person repeats the previous person's name+motion, then adds their own.
- When the wave returns to the starter, the starter must repeat EVERYONE'S names in order around the circle with the correct motion.
- If the starter succeeds, a new starter is chosen. If they forget someone, that person gets to lead a 10-second happy dance while everyone cheers.
How to play
- Before the picnic, write a lighthearted question on a small slip of paper for each person. Fold it and insert into a balloon. Inflate and tie. Questions: 'What's a skill you want to learn?', 'Who here would you trust with your plant?', 'What's a smell that makes you happy?'.
- Tie a balloon to each person's ankle with string (about 6 inches of slack). Everyone stands inside a large roped-off circle.
- On 'Go!', everyone tries to stomp on others' balloons while protecting their own. Last person with an unpopped balloon wins round 1.
- BUT — after a balloon pops, that person must retrieve the paper slip from inside their popped balloon, read the question aloud, and answer it before they're eliminated from that round.
- Play 3 rounds with new balloons (and new questions) each round. Rotate pairs or teams between rounds to mix people up.
- Optional: After answering, that person finds someone else who's also been popped, and they share answers before returning to the game sidelines as cheerleaders.
~1 hour Activities
1 game
How to play
- Simple large group ice breaker for 100+ people.
- At the picnic, display the QR code on a screen, or printed out and placed on picnic tables, or on a portable screen. Ask everyone to scan with their phone camera.
- Each attendee receives a conversation prompt or challenge with 16–25 unique prompts about colleagues.
- Attendees walk around the picnic, approach someone new, and ask them a question based on a prompt square. If that person matches, they exchange game codes (or scan each other's QR code) to mark that square.
- The first person to complete a row, column, or full card shouts 'Bingo!' and wins a prize. But encourage everyone to keep going to complete their prompts.
- Before the picnic, set up your Company Networking Bingo Game (on Jam Bingo). Add prompts like 'Find someone who has worked here longer than 5 years', 'Find someone who started in a completely different role', 'Find someone who can teach you one word in another language'.
Incentivize People to Talk & Interact With Each Other.
Jam Bingo
No Prep, Easy Icebreaking Activity
Display.
Guests scan.
Prompts.
Get People Talking.
How to Host a Killer Icebreaker Session at Your Company Picnic
Warm up with a low-stakes, no-talking game first
Don't start with something that puts people on the spot. Begin with Circle of Names or Mexican Name Wave — games where people can observe, listen, or participate with minimal speaking. This lowers anxiety and lets latecomers ease in.
Mix high-energy and low-energy games strategically
Alternate between active games (Tug of War, Balloon Stomp) and reflective ones (Footprint Story Walk, Circle of Names). After a loud game, give people 10–15 minutes of unstructured picnic time to eat and recover. After a quiet game, run something physical to wake everyone back up.
Create game stations instead of forcing everyone into one activity
Set up 3–4 stations around the picnic area (e.g., Kubb station on the far lawn, Tug of War near the trees, Footprint Walk along the path, a 'casual connection zone' with conversation prompt cards on picnic blankets). Let people choose what suits their energy and comfort level. Forcing everyone into a single activity creates bottlenecks and disengagement.
Train a few 'Game Captains' beforehand
Recruit 1–2 outgoing volunteers from each department. Have them learn 2 games deeply — rules, timing, how to include quiet folks, how to handle rule disputes. On picnic day, they run that station for 30–45 minutes, then swap with another captain. This prevents you (the organizer) from being the only person yelling instructions.
Use a 'two-round' structure for any bingo or people-finding game
Run the first round for 15–20 minutes right after people arrive — this breaks the ice immediately and gives everyone a reason to talk to strangers. Then break for lunch and unstructured mingling. Run a second round with different prompts for another 15 minutes after dessert. Two short bursts work better than one long session — people get tired and hungry halfway through a picnic.
End on a reflective, low-energy note
Close the icebreaker portion with Footprint Story Walk or One Word Wrap-Up (everyone shares one word about their picnic experience). This brings the energy down gently, gives introverts a final moment of quiet connection, and leaves people feeling seen rather than exhausted. Never end with a competitive game — it leaves half the group feeling like losers.
Have a visible 'How to Play' sign at every station
Print a large, simple sign for each game with: (1) game name, (2) 3–4 bullet point rules, (3) time per round, (4) a 'quiet person' role option. Place these on easels or tape to picnic tables. This removes the need for constant verbal instructions and empowers people to self-organize.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many games should we run at a 3-hour picnic?
Run 4–5 games total. Start with Company Networking Bingo App for 20 minutes (high energy, people mingling). Then open stations for Kubb, Tug of War, and Balloon Stomp for 45 minutes. After lunch, do Circle of Names (15 min) and close with Footprint Story Walk (20 min). This gives variety without overwhelm.
What if it rains on picnic day?
Have an indoor backup plan. Kubb can be played in a gym or large conference room. Footprint Story Walk can be done on paper footprints taped to an office floor. Company Networking Bingo works anywhere with WiFi. The Mexican Name Wave is perfect for a crowded indoor space.
How do we include people with mobility challenges?
Every game here has a 'quiet role' — timekeeper, referee, cheerleader, question reader, or strategist. For Tug of War, they can anchor the rope seated. For Balloon Stomp, they can manage the question slips. For Footprint Walk, they can sit at one footprint and have people come to them. The key is asking ahead of time: 'How would you like to participate?'
Are these games appropriate for very large picnics (200+ people)?
Yes — but scale differently. Company Networking Bingo App handles 500+ easily. Mexican Name Wave works with 100+ in a large circle. For Kubb or Tug of War, run multiple simultaneous games with 20 people per game. Footprint Story Walk works as a 'quiet zone' that 20–30 people can cycle through while others play active games.
Do we need to buy special equipment for Kubb or Tug of War?
Kubb sets cost $30–60 on Amazon or you can make your own with wood scraps. Tug of War ropes cost $20–40. Balloons and string are under $10. The rest of the games require no equipment or just basic picnic supplies. Company Networking Bingo App has a free trial tier for events under 50 people.
How do we encourage cross-department mixing instead of cliques?
The secret: assigned seating for lunch. Before the picnic, randomly assign picnic blankets by department mix (e.g., 'Blanket 7: 2 from Engineering, 2 from Sales, 1 from HR'). Run Company Networking Bingo App before lunch so people already have 'permission' to approach strangers. Finally, make the Tug of War teams mixed-department by random draw, not by department.