Our review of the best virtual team building kits [+providers]

After hours of video calls, it can feel good to do something tangible with your coworkers, even if you are all still remote. Virtual team building kits bring an activity into each team member’s home. 

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You get to talk through the experience, enjoy something pleasant together, or learn new skills. Overall, it's a great way to appreciate your team while also giving them a mental break they can take together. 

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Virtual team building kits for tasting

A tried-and-true way of sharing an experience is through remote team building kits for tasting. This way, no one has to cook or be the artist but everyone can share a focused experience of something complex and delicious. Just make sure you pick a kit that works for all palates and interests on your team. 

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Our rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Because tastings and other team building activities with food require few materials and promote great conversation, we give virtual team building kits with food and drink tasting five stars.

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Taste teas or coffees

There are a variety of tea tasting kits and coffee samplers that can be delivered, and watching a tutorial on the best tea tasting or coffee cupping technique together can set you and your team up for a successful tasting experience together. Chatting about the flavors you get and the way you brew can be a welcome break from more agenda-driven communication. Other providers include Brewed By Belinda, Real Deal Roasters or some of these virtual chocolate tasting providers.

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Taste and guess chocolate bars

The Mystery Chocolate Box comes with three chocolate bars and clues but you have to go online to find out what is in the chocolates. Get on a virtual platform and chat with coworkers during “Chocolate Happy Hour” while also guessing what is in each bar. When you reveal the answers, give a little chocolate prize to the best guesser. Other providers include Bean Bar You and Cocoa Runners.

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Taste wine flights

Perhaps alcohol is already a part of the culture at your workplace. In that case, a wine tasting kit like Voluptuary and Lucid Wines can create a fun virtual happy hour. You can pair it with the guided Youtube video that your team can watch together. There’s automatic conversation when you learn something along with the wines. Other providers include Wyflo and Honest Grapes.

Virtual team building activities with kits for cooking

Cooking something together can be a bonding experience. Each person learns, laughs, and grows through the experience. Sharing the meal or dish afterward while chatting can also be an organic way to bond. This happens even if you are together through a screen. Some online team building classes about cooking don’t lend themselves to being on a video call at the same time. Once you’re all done cooking, you can come together.

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Our rating: ☆☆☆☆

Since food can be a universal connection and a source of learning and enjoyment, we give cooking kits as a virtual team building activity four stars.

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You can have a company like Rockoly send ingredients to cook together. You can find a simple YouTube tutorial for a kind of basic cooking or baking that your team finds interesting, if you want a team building activity without materials that are very specialized. You can either arrange for a grocery delivery to each team member or provide a reimbursement for buying the ingredients themselves. 

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Options for cooking together:

• Bake cookies (get recommendations of favorites from your team)
• Make salad dressings from scratch
• Make pizza and share favorite topping options

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More providers of cooking kits include The Table Less Traveled and Life at the Table.

Virtual team building craft kits

Virtual craft team building may not be everyone’s favorite activity, but the right kit can give even the least crafty person give it a try. It’s a chance to do something physical that doesn’t involve a screen. It’s also a great way to create a little beauty and a sense of accomplishment while talking with team members.

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Our rating: ☆☆☆

Overall, we think crafts may not be everyone’s favorites, so they are best for teams where you know that they will be a good source of connection. That’s why we give virtual team building crafting kits three stars. 

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DIY moss art

These moss art kits are a great idea because they look good no matter how much artistic talent you have and they give your team all the tools they need. You want a kit that doesn’t require that everyone on your team already be an expert crafter, so this one can be fun and relaxing. There are a variety of moss kits on Etsy to consider.

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Suminagashi marbling art kit

To learn a new kind of technique together can be very bonding for a team. This marbling art kit provides a way to make art that can create abstract designs. An added bonus is that they work well for greeting cards or wrapping paper that your team members may use again in the future. Other options include Marblemajik on Etsy.

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Pottery kit

Companies like Sculpd have more open-ended kits that let your team work on attempting pottery techniques that they are interested in trying, or your team can all make the same kind of pottery together. Sculpting clay can be a soothing, pleasant experience in itself, which makes it an ideal virtual team building kit. Another option is Pottery with a Purpose.

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If the above team building providers don't cover your needs, why not check out our list of best team building event companies?

Bond over virtual team building kits

Choose a kit that fits your teams’ various personalities. The bonding experience that results helps your team members get to know each other. The connections formed are organic. Lots of people prize in-office connection, and kits get close to creating those chat moments. Using an excellent virtual platform helps you to make the most of the interaction. 

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Want more team building strategies for when the kits are finished?

• Use free, quick activities to boost connection. 
• Learn more about virtual team building
• Create more leadership potential with these leadership activities. 
• Solve problems together as a team. 
• Try virtual painting kits to switch things up.