Teaching is an art form, and so is putting on a great workshop. Successful workshop facilitators hold our attention, make us laugh, help us fully understand any complex subject matter, and inspire us.

Achieving this kind of engagement from your students, co-workers, or attendees takes practice and experience, plus a brand-building strategy tailored to your presentation style (hint: Eventbrite Boost can help, and creators who used Boost marketings tools saw 2.5x more listing views*). Even if you’re new to the classroom, you can make your in-person or virtual workshop as enjoyable as possible with just a few fresh ideas.

Interactive workshop activities and ideas

Meetings are rarely fun. However, by including interactive workshop activities, you can host an event that fosters team productivity and improves workplace culture.

What activities can you do in a workshop? Let’s take a look at some ideas that are sure to keep attendees excited and engaged.

Fun workshop icebreakers

Whether you are meeting in person or virtually, there’s usually some awkwardness at the beginning. Starting your event off with fun activities can help bring everyone together as a group.

Here are a few ideas for lighthearted workshop activities to kick off your meeting.

1. Have attendees share a little information

This workplace activity requires very little planning. Event organizers only need to come up with one or two lighthearted questions for attendees to answer. The goal is to get everyone to share a little bit about themselves. It’s a great way to start conversations and learn about one another.

2. Find out when attendees completed a specific action

The aim of this activity is to get attendees engaged and ready to participate in the event. You’ll want to keep the question light and fun when you ask when the last time they completed an action was. If the meeting is virtual, the question can be along the lines of the last time they wore work pants. Other ideas for questions can include the last time they went to the grocery store or had dessert before dinner. The goal is to keep it light and allow everyone to get to know each other better.

3. Envision the event space as a map of the world

Your attendees may have grown up in different states, cities, or even countries. The same may also apply to their current residency if your classroom is virtual. Some individuals may have also traveled to get to your in-person event. To help break the ice and make it easier for attendees to form connections, have attendees visualize the space as a world map and stand in the area representing where they’re from. Have them share one or two items about their lives in their home cities, states, or countries.

4. Create an interactive puzzle

You will have to put in a little work for this fun and engaging activity. Create a jigsaw puzzle using a template and jumble the pieces together. Depending on the size of the group, you can create multiple puzzles or have everyone work together on putting the pieces together. Give everyone a specific time limit to ensure your event stays on time and on track.

5. Have an indoor snowball fight

All you need for this engaging workshop activity is paper and some creativity. Write down five questions on the slips of paper and hand them out to your attendees. After they write down their answers, have everyone crumple their paper into a ball, then start your snowball fight. After a couple of minutes, have attendees pick up a snowball and try to guess who wrote the answers to the questions.

Workshop energizer activities

These engaging workplace activities can help boost energy levels and productivity.

1. Create fun challenges

You will need a bowl and some sticky notes for this engaging workplace activity. On the sticky notes, write down a question (nothing too serious), or create fun challenges for attendees to complete. Have everyone pick a sticky note from the bowl and try to accomplish the challenge. It’s a great way to get everyone’s energy levels up for the remainder of the event.

2. Use your five senses

Energizing your attendees doesn’t necessarily mean having loud and boisterous workplace activities. Sometimes, participants need time to mentally prepare for the event. In this activity, attendees focus on using their five senses. Incorporate items with different textures for touch or sounds for hearing. Once attendees are mentally energized, they are ready to get the most out of your event.

3. Hunt for the secret spy

Get your attendees enlivened through this fun game. Pick one team member as the secret spy and let the others try and discover who it is. This game will get attendees working together while also helping to build communication skills.

4. Play a version of Simon Says

Not only will attendees be ready to participate in the event, but this workplace activity is also a lot of fun. Have your team stand in a circle with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them. Have them jump forwards, backward, and even side to side. To foster a sense of community (and ensure plenty of laughter), mix and combine the commands to keep everyone guessing at their next move.

Workshop activities for students

Workshop activities are a time to have fun and heighten your group engagement. Here are some ideas for your students.

1. Have fun with hats

A student’s age doesn’t matter when it comes to this fun workplace activity — all you need is a box of hats. Have your participants try to collect different types of hats (for example, party hats, baseball caps, fedoras, or straw hats). Have the students pull hats out of the box and act out their purpose. It’s a fun way for children to relax and get to know each other.

2. Make slime

This is a great idea for younger children who are still old enough to execute this task. Making slime teaches them to follow directions and work together, all while having fun. Don’t forget to bring confetti and glitter for decorating the slime. To keep this workplace activity relatively mess-free, it’s a good idea to skip using any colored dyes.

3. Personalize keychains

Students of any age will love participating in this fun and engaging workplace activity. You will need to supply several items like beads, tassels, and even plastic figurines. You’ll also need thread and the metal circles typically found on keyrings. Pour the objects onto a table and let your young team get creative.

4. Create personalized storage boxes

Whether students want a place to stash their special belongings or create a gift box for a family member, this workplace activity is sure to keep them engaged. You can find different styles of plain boxes, and from there, let students run wild with their creative ideas. Be sure to have plenty of crayons, stickers, and other accessories on hand so they can decorate their boxes.

5. Combine essential oils

This workplace activity is geared more toward older students, but young ones can also participate. All you need are some essential oils and empty, small misting bottles. Let students mix the various oils to create unique scents they can wear or gift to others. Make sure there are no allergies to certain oils or fragrances before beginning.

Workshop activities for adults

1. Hold a rock, paper, scissors tournament

This workplace activity can get a little loud, but it’s also a great way to build team spirit. Have attendees pair off with the winner moving on to another player. Instead of sending eliminated players to the sidelines, have them cheer on the winners. By the time only two players remain, they will have a large support section.

2. Start doodling

You will need several blank pieces of paper and colored pencils. You’ll also need to put together a set of drawing instructions. The goal of this workshop for adults is to get them working together as a group. Have everyone start doodling on their postcard, without finishing it. The postcards go back into the pile, and other attendees complete them.

3. The question game

Whether you have a large or small team, chances are not everyone is on a first-name basis with all of their co-workers. This workshop activity can help bring your team closer together. Have attendees write down two or three questions and pair them off with other team members. Attendees then ask and answer the questions, allowing everyone to get to know each other more. Perhaps there are commonalities that everyone was unaware of!

4. Make a square rope

You’ll want to take this activity outside or hold it in a large space. Divide the group into two teams and give them a rope. The objective is for the teams to work together to see which one can create a square with the rope. Set a time limit, and don’t forget the blindfolds!

5. Create a problem-solving activity

If you are holding your event during excellent weather, take your team outside for this workplace activity. You will need two ropes, some string, and something sturdy to tie the ropes to (looking for a couple of poles or older trees is a good idea). Tie the ropes to the poles or trees and add the string. The goal is for the team to create a rope obstacle. Have everyone try and make it through the ropes and strings without touching anything. It’s a great way to get everyone working through a challenge together.

Hands-on workshop ideas

1. Create a coat of arms

Get participants engaged and give them a sense of pride with this workplace activity. You’ll need paper and something to draw with. Have attendees create their coat of arms — it doesn’t have to be historically accurate. Then, have everyone show off their artwork at the end. It’s a great way to ensure their participation throughout the rest of the workshop.

2. Who can build the tallest structure

When people work as a team, they can accomplish amazing things. This engaging workplace activity encourages teamwork and a lot of laughter. Grab a bag of marshmallows, uncooked spaghetti noodles, tape, and string. The goal is to use the items to build a towering structure.

3. Make a historical timeline

You’re going to need a large sheet of paper and something to draw with. Think about a project your team has recently completed or another milestone event in the company. Have participants draw out the timeline, stopping to share experiences along the way. It’s a great way to build team spirit and encourage a sense of pride and accomplishment.

4. Play cross-the-circle

All you need are willing participants for this hands-on workplace activity. Have everyone stand in a circle, with one person in the center. The individual in the center asks a simple question. Everyone who can answer gets to cross the circle. The last person to cross the circle moves to the center to ask the next question.

Virtual workshop ideas

1. Host a mind-mapping session

This fun virtual workplace activity helps to build stronger teams. Give participants a subject and tell them to write down similar words. These words can then be turned into themes, leading to a more productive and creative workforce.

2. Virtual sketches

Having attendees submit virtual sketches is a great way to break the ice and create excitement for the rest of the event. You can give your team a topic to sketch or allow them to use their creativity.

3. Conduct a temperature check

It’s a little harder to gauge your audience’s reactions to virtual events. Prolonged screen time can lead to things such as eye strain, and you don’t want to lose them partway through the event. Along with reading facial cues, take a moment to ask everyone how they are doing. Sometimes, the best workplace activity is allowing everyone to take a short break. When they return, they are ready to engage in the remainder of your workshop.

4. Include virtual polls and anonymous voting

Online events can make attendees feel a little disconnected. To keep everyone engaged, take a minute to conduct a poll or allow for anonymous voting. You can ask attendees how the event is going or if they want to make any minor changes. The goal is to let your team know that their opinions matter.

5. Host virtual quizzes

Quizzes are a fun way for attendees to learn and encourage new ideas. Quizzes can also help break the ice. Keep the questions simple so the event keeps moving along. It’s also a good idea to include one or two silly questions to keep the mood light.

Workshop brainstorming ideas

1. Brainwriting

This engaging workshop idea gets everyone to participate in a low-pressure environment. The goal of the activity is to get participants more comfortable sharing their ideas. It can translate to improved productivity at work, along with fostering a more comfortable work environment. Have team members work on each other’s ideas to encourage collaboration.

2. Give your team random words

Chances are, your team has several great ideas hiding in their brains. This workplace activity helps bring these ideas out into the open and allows everyone to feel heard. Toss out a random word and encourage everyone to come up with associations. It’s also an excellent team-building activity.

3. Answer who, what, where, when, and how

Having your team answer the who, where, what, when, and how to the problem or idea you give them encourages teamwork, shows various thought processes, and gets your team thinking outside the box.

4. Create a mind map

Come up with a problem or a basic idea, and let your team devise various solutions. It’s an effective way to encourage participants to work together, and the exercise can also help improve productivity.

Workshop games

1. Play catch me if you can

Designate one team member as the catcher, and everyone else as a spy, ensuring no one knows the other players’ roles. Everyone works to figure out who the catcher is without revealing their role in the game. It will keep attendees energized and help break the ice.

2. Tag

Instead of players working solely, create teams. Don’t forget to have a safe zone and let the teams try to tag each other out of the game. Not only does this help build team spirit, but it also helps to keep everyone engaged.

3. Hold a dance off

Get everyone into groups of three or so and designate one person as the leader. When the music starts, the groups must follow their leader’s dance moves. It’s a fun workplace activity that inspires camaraderie and allows for showcasing various leadership opportunities.

Fun end-of-training activities

1. Mingle and gather feedback

At the end of the workshop, you want your team to leave with positive energy. Give everyone a post-it-note and have them deliver messages to other attendees. Having everyone share their notes fosters a feeling of inclusion and team spirit.

2. Write letters to the future

This workshop activity encourages participants to focus on what they learned during the day. Have them write a letter to themselves detailing how they will use the information to inspire actions.

How do I make my workshop more engaging?

Making your workshops engaging is crucial for success. Here are a few ideas to help keep your team energized and ready to participate.

1. Make your content relevant

First and foremost, to earn people’s attention, you need to ensure that the content you deliver is helpful to them. How do you learn exactly what they want out of your course? Ask them! Conduct some initial research with your target customers to shape your course content or send a pre-event survey to your attendees to pinpoint problems or topics they’d like to explore. On the day of your training or workshop, start by giving a brief overview of what attendees will learn and how those skills will help them achieve their goals.

2. Skip the traditional presentation

People learn in different ways. Some of us are visual learners who prefer pictures, videos, and diagrams, while others respond to the spoken and written word, music, logic, or even physical activities. To create an inclusive learning environment, combine traditional teaching methods with audio and visual presentations, written handouts, interactive tasks, and group work. For example, you could start your workshop with a quick PowerPoint, then move into a clip from a relevant podcast. Later, you could have attendees draw short comics based on what they have learned and ask a few to present their comics to the rest of the group.

When thinking about how to host a virtual workshop, consider software like Zoom or Google Meet that allows your students to chat and interact with one another. This way, the workshop feels more like an integrated experience than a lecture. For more ways to encourage audience participation, check out these nine interactive event ideas.

3. Update the room’s layout

Training rooms are often laid out in the same way – rows of tables and chairs. Challenge the convention and surprise your attendees by perhaps providing beanbags instead of chairs, standing podium tables, or tables with just a few seats to encourage small groups.

Your choice of venue can also have an impact on engagement. A space full of light, color, and texture can prove far more inspiring than a bland, windowless meeting room.

A virtual workshop can even include breakout groups or teams to allow attendees to discuss topics or play games in smaller, more intimate numbers. Platforms like Zoom enable presenters to create these separate virtual rooms for attendees to enter without completely leaving the presentation.

4. Use props

Props can make teaching even more engaging. These could be practical and represent your subject matter (think scales, an abacus, or a mannequin), or they could be silly (try a rubber chicken or magic wand). Props liven up your session and will help people remember what they learned. Your training or workshop might be serious, but people learn best when interacting and having fun.

5. Play games

Need to keep your attendees focused? Tap into their competitive sides. Puzzles or riddles, crosswords, memory games, and ordering tasks are great ways to keep your attendees engaged and on-task. For an added challenge, impose a time limit. Try introducing a quick quiz at the end of each content section, helping to recap what they have learned, and offer a small prize for the winner.

For online workshop ideas, consider games attendees can access via a shared link, like Scattergories or online bingo.

6. Tell a story

Whatever you’re teaching, try to make it relatable to everyday life by using real examples, case studies, and creative metaphors. People will sit still for hours watching a movie — why not use some cinematic tricks as engaging workshop ideas? Storytelling is central to the way our memories work. We search for narrative not just in media but in everyday life. If you can find a way to integrate the information in your course into an overarching narrative, attendees will be more engaged and have something to look forward to during breaks.

For inspiration, check out Speechless, an improv comedy show where people give PowerPoint presentations on slides they have never seen before. Watching people create a narrative from even the most ridiculous content will show you how easy it is to do the same with your real (and related) content.

7. Set the tone with music

Music can set the mood and energize attendees before your session and during breaks. Play something upbeat to pump them up and lower it back down to let them know it’s time to start. You can also use music during the session — soothing classical pieces help people concentrate while completing tasks or group work.

Bonus idea: provide some instruments and let people jam between sessions. Not only will it be fun, but it will also build camaraderie between attendees.

8. Limit presentation length

One of the best ways to keep your audience engaged is not to overload them with information. Give them too much, and their brains will shut off. This is particularly important for virtual events — attendees are likely to be dealing with more potential distractions than if they were attending an in-person event.

Either make your session a maximum of two hours or, if it takes place over a day, schedule plenty of short breaks. Give attendees a chance to get up, walk around, and grab a cup of coffee. Give them time to write and organize notes and assist them by providing pens, pads, sticky notes, and highlighters.

Our new and improved online event tools can help you to plan an enjoyable event that doesn’t overwhelm your virtual audience.

9. Recognize and award attendees

Attendees will be more motivated to complete the course if their efforts are recognized, and they have something to show for it at the end. Let attendees know that they will receive personalized certificates to mark their participation. You should also consider extra incentives for standout students, such as a competition or small prizes. Again: tap into those competitive streaks!

10. Create unique resources

Using unique resources can help keep your team engaged. Some ideas include using industry data or discussing your experience in the field. You can also bring in a keynote speaker for an expert perspective.

11. Check understanding by integrating polls

Polls are often an invaluable tool for event planners. Integrating polls into your event lets you know if the information resonates with attendees. The poll can also let you know when it’s time to move on to the next topic.

Get ready to lead a workshop your attendees won’t forget

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