Team building for new teams

Team building for a new team works best as a short series, not one big event: a hosted get-to-know-you game in the first two weeks, a puzzle that gives everyone a first shared win by day 60, and a kit workshop by day 90. It fits any team that didn't exist last month, whether it came from a reorg, a merger, a new manager or a new project.

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A newly formed team meets in a bright conference room, colleagues introducing themselves around a table while two remote teammates join on a wall screen

Where your new team came from changes what it needs

A team formed in a reorg needs something different from one formed in an acquisition. Start from the one that matches yours.

  • Reorganization

    People who knew each other from a distance

    They have seen each other's names in email for years. Start with how each person likes to work, not with names.

  • Merger or acquisition

    Two companies, one team

    Each side has its own tools, jokes and way of running a meeting. Mix them in every breakout team from the first hour.

  • New manager

    A familiar team with a new lead

    The team knows each other; the manager is the newcomer. Pick a game the manager plays as a teammate, not a host.

  • New project team

    Borrowed from five departments

    People keep their old manager and gain a new deadline. One hour in week one saves a lot of who-owns-what later.

  • Rapid hiring

    Half the team started this quarter

    Treat the old hands and the new ones as one team. For the individual new hires, add an onboarding plan.

  • Spread out

    A team that has never been in one room

    Kits shipped to each home put everyone on the same footing. See remote team building.

The first 30, 60 and 90 days of a new team

One hosted hour per stage, each with one job. Every activity below runs about 60 minutes with a live host on your video call.

  1. Days 1 to 14

    Faces and names

    Book one hour in the first two weeks, before the work sorts people into the old groups. A show-and-tell game like Team Discovery Challenge in breakout teams of five or six works well, with sharing kept light and optional. Our get-to-know-you questions cover the next team meeting.

  2. By day 30

    How each person works

    Names are not the hard part. Knowing who wants a call and who wants a written note is. Spend ten minutes of a team meeting on working styles (when you focus, how you like feedback, what a good handoff looks like); our communication styles guide has a simple way in. A round of Poll Points shows how the group thinks, without anyone saying it out loud.

  3. By day 60

    A first shared win

    Give the team a problem that has nothing to do with the reorg. A hosted escape room like Beach Vacate-tion needs every person to solve it, and the teams should mix people from every old group. It is a safe first rehearsal for working together.

  4. By day 90

    Something slower, with a kit

    By now people talk without prompts. A kit workshop like Candle Making or Coffee Tasting keeps hands busy while the conversation does the rest. Book it about 3 weeks ahead for US addresses, about 5 with anyone in Canada or abroad.

  5. After day 90

    Set the rhythm

    A new team stops being new when its habits are its own. Pick a cadence (below) and put the next event on the calendar at the end of this one. It helps to know the stages a team goes through, so a bumpy month two does not surprise anyone.

Team building activities for newly formed teams

Prices are live from our catalog. Hosted games are one package for the group; kit workshops are a base fee plus a price per kit, with continental US shipping included.

The first month: names, and how each person works

Small breakout teams, light prompts and a host who keeps it moving. Nobody has to give a speech.

Months two and three: a first win, then something hands-on

Once names stick, give the team a problem to solve together, then a calmer hour with a kit at every desk.

See every virtual escape room and team building kit, or all activities.

Team building after a merger, without picking a winner

When two companies become one team, every choice can read as one side's way winning. Six rules keep the first events even.

Trust takes longer than one event. Our guide to building trust in the workplace covers the day-to-day part.

  • Neutral ground. Pick a format neither company has done before, so nobody is the expert and nobody is the guest.
  • Mixed teams, every round. Ask the host to split breakout teams so each one has people from both sides.
  • Neither company's traditions by default. Keep the old holiday party or Friday trivia for a later season, and build one this team owns.
  • Trivia about both. A custom round with questions about each company's history gives both sides a moment to shine. Custom questions need about 4 weeks' notice.
  • Not on announcement week. Let the news about roles, titles and systems land first. A game the same week as a layoff notice feels tone-deaf.
  • Leaders play, they don't host. When the host runs the room, the leaders from each side are just two more players.

What it costs for a new team of 8, 15 or 30

A hosted game is one package for up to 25 people, so a small new team pays one clear price. Kit workshops grow with every person.

Booking for December 2026? For Wednesday, December 9, 2026, book a hosted game by Wednesday, November 25, 2026 and a kit workshop for US addresses by Wednesday, November 18, 2026.

Total price for the whole new team, by headcount
Team Discovery ChallengeHosted game8 people$87515 people$87530 people$1,095
Beach Vacate-tion Escape RoomHosted escape room8 people$87515 people$87530 people$1,095
Candle MakingKit workshop, shipped to each person8 people$92315 people$1,39930 people$2,419
Coffee TastingKit workshop, shipped to each person8 people$1,09115 people$1,71430 people$3,049

Totals from our live catalog prices, with continental US kit shipping included. Kits to Alaska, Hawaii, US territories, Canada and other countries cost extra. Get a free quote for an exact number.

After the first event: a rhythm the team keeps

One good hour starts things. A steady rhythm is what turns a list of names into a team.

  • Every week

    Five minutes in the team meeting

    One question or a quick game at the top of the meeting. Pick from our team meeting games.

  • Every month

    A one-on-one with someone new

    Pair people from different old teams for a 20-minute coffee chat. Rotate the pairs each month.

  • Every quarter

    One hosted hour

    A game or a kit workshop with a live host. Alternate the two so it never feels like a repeat.

  • Every year

    A bigger moment

    The holiday party, an offsite or a company-wide event, planned as one multi-event program if several teams join.

What our clients say

Trusted by teams at

  • Google
  • Microsoft
  • Meta
  • Spotify
  • Netflix
  • Cisco
  • Coinbase
  • Dropbox

“Booked a trivia event for Hispanic Heritage Month and it was a lot of fun! The host, Andres was great and kept the attendees engaged the entire time.”

Claudia C. · Google review

“Stephanie was an incredible guide! She was so friendly, knowledgeable, and kind as she helped our group of ~80 people make candles virtually!”

Kristen M. · Google review

New team building questions

What is the best team building for a new team?

A short series instead of one big event: a hosted get-to-know-you game in the first two weeks, a puzzle or escape room that gives the team a first shared win by day 60, and a kit workshop by day 90. Keep breakout teams small and mixed, and keep sharing light and optional.

How do you do team building after a merger?

Pick a format neither company has done before, mix people from both sides in every breakout team, and let a host run the room so leaders from each side play as equals. Wait until the news about roles and systems has landed, and add a custom trivia round about both companies if you can book 4 weeks ahead.

How soon should a newly formed team do team building?

In the first two weeks, before the work sorts people back into their old groups. A hosted game can be booked about 2 weeks ahead, so plan it the week the new team is announced.

How is this different from new hire onboarding?

Onboarding helps one new person join a team that already exists. A new team has no existing habits at all: everyone is new to each other, including people who have worked at the company for years. The formats overlap, but a new team needs mixed groups and a shared win more than an introduction.

When do I need to book for a December 2026 event?

For Wednesday, December 9, 2026, book a hosted game by Wednesday, November 25, 2026 and a kit workshop for US addresses by Wednesday, November 18, 2026. With anyone in Canada or abroad, kits need about 5 weeks, so Wednesday, November 4, 2026 for that date.

How much does team building for a new team cost?

Hosted games are one package for the group, and kit workshops are a base fee plus a price per kit. Team Discovery Challenge is $35 a person for a group of 25 ($875 package). Candle Making is $68 a person plus a $379 base fee. Every card on this page shows its live price, and you see the full total before you book.

Can a new team spread across offices or countries play together?

Yes. Every activity runs on Zoom by default, or Microsoft Teams, Google Meet or Webex on request. Kits ship to each person's address, with add-on shipping for Canada, Alaska and Hawaii, US territories and international addresses.

Keep planning

Plan the first hour your new team spends together

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