Every manager has been there — you're tasked with planning the next team event, you Google "team building activities," and you're immediately drowning in escape rooms, bowling alleys, and trust falls. Your team deserves better than that. A great team event isn't just an excuse to leave the office — it's something people actually look forward to, talk about afterward, and genuinely bond over. This guide covers exactly how to plan one.
Whether you're organizing something for a team of 10 or 500, in-person or remote, the principles are the same: choose an activity that's hands-on, inclusive, creative, and gives everyone something to walk away with. We'll walk through each step — and yes, we'll show you exactly why terrarium building has become one of the most requested corporate team activities in the country.
Why Most Team Building Events Fail
Before we talk about what works, it's worth being honest about what doesn't. Most team building events underdeliver for the same predictable reasons. Recognizing these traps upfront will save you a lot of planning headache:
It Feels Forced
Activities that require people to be vulnerable or performative — improv, trust falls, personality tests — create anxiety rather than connection. Real bonding happens when people are focused on a shared task, not on each other.
It's Too Competitive
Activities built around winning and losing create division more than they build bridges. The best team events are collaborative — everyone succeeds together and leaves with the same positive experience.
Nothing to Show for It
Happy hour ends and everyone goes home. The next week, nothing's changed. The most memorable team events produce something tangible — a physical reminder of the experience that keeps the memory alive.
Not Inclusive
Axe throwing, paintball, or highly physical activities exclude team members with physical limitations. A great team event works for every person in the room — not just the most outgoing or athletic ones.
What Makes a Great Team Building Event?
The research on what actually works in team building is pretty consistent. The activities that employees rate highest share a few key qualities — and none of them are "adrenaline" or "free beer."
- Hands-on and creative — doing something together, especially something with a physical creative output, produces more genuine conversation than any structured icebreaker
- Low pressure — people relax and connect when there's no right or wrong outcome. The activity should be light enough to feel like play, not performance
- Inclusive by design — works for introverts and extroverts, athletes and non-athletes, in-office and remote employees equally
- Something to take home — a physical keepsake turns a two-hour event into a lasting memory. Every time they see it on their desk, they think of the team
- Minimal logistical lift — the best events are easy to organize. You shouldn't need to coordinate venues, catering, equipment rentals, and vendors all at once
- Works at any scale — whether your team is 8 or 800, the experience should be equally good for everyone
Why Terrarium Building Works So Well for Teams
Terrarium building has quietly become one of the most popular corporate team activities in the US — and it's not hard to see why. It hits every single criteria for a great team event: it's hands-on, creative, stress-free, inclusive, produces something beautiful to take home, and works equally well in-person or shipped directly to remote employees anywhere in the country.
There's also something about working with plants and natural materials that genuinely relaxes people. The mood in a room full of people building terrariums is noticeably different from the mood at a trivia night or an escape room. It's calm, focused, and full of real conversation — not the kind people have when they're trying to win something.
Works for Any Group Size
CuteFarms handles events from 5 people to 500+, with kits shipped to a single office or to 300 different home addresses. No venue required, no catering to coordinate.
Perfect for Remote Teams
Each kit ships directly to your team members' homes. Everyone builds together over video call — same experience, no matter where in the country they're based.
Everyone Leaves with Something
Every participant builds and takes home their own custom terrarium. It sits on their desk for months — a daily reminder of the team experience and the company that made it happen.
Biophilic Wellness Benefit
Building with and caring for plants has documented stress-reducing effects. It's a team event that's also genuinely good for your employees' mental wellbeing — a rare combination.
Genuinely Fun — Not Forced
There's no right or wrong way to build a terrarium, no pressure to perform, and no losing team. The miniature dinosaurs included in every kit guarantee at least five minutes of pure joy regardless of seniority.
Trusted by Leading Companies
Meta, Starbucks, MongoDB, EY, Gusto, University of Minnesota — these teams have all run CuteFarms terrarium events. The reviews speak for themselves.
What's Included in Every Kit
Every CuteFarms terrarium kit ships with everything your team needs — no supply runs, no assembly required on your end. Just open, build, and enjoy.
Everything Included in Your CuteFarms Team Kit 🌿
How to Schedule Your CuteFarms Team Event
We've kept the process as simple as possible so you're not spending half your week on logistics. Three steps and you're done:
Fill Out the Event Form
Use the simple scheduling form to share your details — terrarium kit preference, plant type, number of participants, and your preferred date. Takes about five minutes.
Share Shipping Information
If you're shipping to multiple addresses (for remote teams), we'll send you a shipping form to collect everyone's details. Shipping to one location? Skip this step entirely.
We Ship, You Build
We handle everything from there. Kits arrive packaged and ready to build, with tracking numbers provided. Connect your team over video or in-person, follow the included guide, and enjoy the experience.
What Teams Are Saying
Don't take our word for it — here's what real HR managers and event organizers say about their CuteFarms experience:
Looking for an interactive virtual team activity that wouldn't be a "fun-ishment" for the team? Look no further! Everyone LOVED IT! Paulina was so helpful throughout the process — super responsive and helped with the logistics of shipping individual packages to each member of our team.
The process was super smooth and easy and the kits got delivered very quickly. We had an amazing time building these terrariums together. The results were really cute and beautiful — with lots of customization. The glass bowls are really good quality and look great. Overall, super happy!
Your Complete Team Event Planning Checklist
Whether you go with a terrarium event or something else entirely, here's the full checklist for planning a team building event your employees will actually enjoy:
- Define your goal: Is this for onboarding, appreciation, a holiday party, or just regular morale? Knowing the purpose shapes every other decision
- Know your headcount: Confirm exact numbers at least 10 days out — late additions are always harder to accommodate than you expect
- Consider your team's range: Think about physical ability, personality types, and whether remote employees are included. Choose an activity that works equally well for everyone
- Pick a hands-on creative activity: Research consistently shows that doing something together — especially something with a physical output — produces more genuine connection than passive or competitive activities
- Check logistics early: Venue, shipping addresses, timing, dietary needs (if food is involved) — the earlier you lock these down, the smoother the day runs
- Build in breathing room: Give people time to talk and connect before and after the activity. The structured event is just the catalyst — the real value is in the unstructured conversations it sparks
- Make it a keepsake: Activities that produce something physical — a terrarium, a piece of art, a built object — have significantly higher recall and satisfaction than activities that don't
- Get feedback afterward: A quick three-question survey sent 24 hours after the event tells you more than any amount of planning could predict. Use it to improve the next one
Ready to Plan Something Your Team Will Love?
CuteFarms terrarium events have brought together teams at Meta, Starbucks, MongoDB, EY, Gusto, the University of Minnesota, and hundreds of companies you'd recognize. Everything is shipped directly to your team — in the office or at home — with full instructions and everything they need to build and keep a beautiful living terrarium.