5 virtual campfire team building activities (That are actually fun)

If you've ever been camping, you know that the moments spent around a campfire are some of the most memorable. Whether you're roasting marshmallows, telling ghost stories, or enjoying the time together, there's no denying that campfires are special.

If you're looking for an interesting and fun way to engage your team in virtual team building activities, consider a virtual campfire. Virtual campfire team building is an effective way to build team bonds and boost employee engagement.

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Virtual campfire activities for team building

When it comes to virtual campfires, there are a few key ingredients that you'll need to create a successful experience.

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1. You'll need a video conferencing platform like Zoom, Veertly, or Google Hangouts. You could also use your team's employee engagement platform or engagement app if your team uses one. 
2. Of course, no virtual campsite is complete without the campfire. Share your screen to use a virtual campfire website or play a campfire video with crackling sounds. Or, send your team scented candles or battery-operated tealights in advance for a personal touch.
3. Finally, you'll need campfire team building activities for your virtual camping field trip. Employee engagement statistics show positive relationships and organizational culture are key drivers of employee engagement, so your campfire activities should focus on strengthening team relationships.

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Not sure what game to play or need campfire activities for adults? Consider these virtual campfire ideas:

1. Take a virtual hike 

Hiking and campfires go together like chocolate and marshmallows. Before you light the virtual fire, take your team on a hike. Choose a team member to be the "guide" and lead the group on a hike through a national park or nature trail, pointing out interesting landmarks along the way. There are several online hikes and park tours available, including:

• Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, USA
• Vancouver Island, Canada
• Black Forest National Park, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
• Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA

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2. Play a round of virtual charades 

Charades is a classic campfire game that's perfect for a virtual setting. One team member acts out a word or phrase while the rest tries to guess what it is. This is a great way to get everyone laughing and involved. If charades isn't a good fit, try another virtual team building Zoom game like bingo or trivia.

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3. Chow down on s'mores with TinyCampfire 

Tiny Campfire hosts virtual campfire events for team building. Book a 90-minute event on their website, and they'll ship packages to your team containing gourmet s'mores kits, campfire-scented candles, and everything else needed for a team campfire online.

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4. Send your team on a campsite scavenger hunt 

For this activity, each team member will need to find items around their house that they would use on a camping trip. The first person to find all the items and return to the "campsite" (the video call) wins. If it's a hit, try a few other virtual scavenger hunt options, like a selfie hunt or an outfit hunt.

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5. Sing along to campfire songs 

Singing campfire songs is a great way to bond with your team, get everyone in the campfire spirit, and spark plenty of laughs. Have everyone toss out a song idea and vote on the favorites, then get the music going. Whether you go with traditional campfire songs like "Camp Granada" or step it up with a funny adult song like "The Joker," there are bound to be plenty of laughs.

Shine the flashlight on virtual campfire stories

Telling stories around the fire is one of the most iconic campfire activities. After the fun and games wind down, end your virtual evening with a few spooky (or not-so-spooky) campfire stories. Sharing stories is a great online team building activity because it encourages everyone to bond and connect personally.

Not sure how to get started? Share a favorite childhood camping experience or ask for a volunteer to tell the first story. If you're looking for ideas, check out these spine-tingling campfire stories:

• Bloody Finger
• The Yellow Ribbon
• New Cell Phone

Rather spark laughs than chills? You could also try telling a ghost story with a twist ending or a funny story about a time when things went wrong on a camping trip.

For a team building twist on the traditional campfire tale, try Gomada's Random Fairytales.

Create a random sentence by combining two generated words, then take turns drawing pictures based on the sentence or guessing a team member's drawing. The results are revealed on a storyboard, ending with a hilarious, nonsensical story that everyone will enjoy.

Whether you go with classic campfire tales or make up your own, sharing stories is a great way to end a virtual camping field trip and build team camaraderie.