presentation ideas for meetings

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Blog Marketing 15 Interactive Presentation Ideas to Elevate Engagement

15 Interactive Presentation Ideas to Elevate Engagement

Written by: Krystle Wong Aug 04, 2023

As attention spans continue to shrink, the challenge of engaging audiences in a short timeframe has never been more significant. Let’s face it — grabbing and keeping your audience’s attention can be quite the challenge, especially when time is ticking away. But fear not, I’ve got the perfect solution: interactive presentations!

Believe it or not, creating an interactive presentation is easier than you might think. In this guide, I’ll show you how to effortlessly turn ordinary slides into captivating experiences with 15 interactive presentation ideas that will leave your audience begging for more. From quirky polls and fun games to storytelling adventures and multimedia magic, these ideas will take your presentation game to the next level.

Venngage is a game-changer when it comes to empowering interactive presentations. With just a few clicks, users can customize their favorite presentation templates , add multimedia content and create immersive experiences that leave a lasting impact. Whether you’re a seasoned presenter or a newcomer, get started with Venngage to elevate your presentation game to new heights of engagement and creativity.

Click to jump ahead:

What is an interactive presentation?

15 ways to make a presentation interactive, 7 best interactive presentation software, what are some common mistakes to avoid when creating interactive presentations, interactive presentation faqs, how to create an interactive presentation with venngage.

An interactive presentation is a dynamic and engaging communication format that involves active participation and collaboration between the presenter and the audience. Unlike traditional presentations where information is delivered in a one-way manner, interactive presentations invite the audience to interact, respond and contribute throughout the session.

Think of it as a two-way street where you and your audience have a friendly chat. It’s like playing a fun game where you ask questions, get live feedback and encourage people to share their thoughts. 

To make a good presentation , you can utilize various tools and techniques such as clickable buttons, polls, quizzes, discussions and multimedia elements to transform your slides into an interactive presentation. Whether you’re presenting in-person or giving a virtual presentation — when people are actively participating, they’re more likely to remember the stuff you’re talking about.

Interactive presentations leave a lasting impression on the audience. By encouraging active participation and feedback, interactive presentations facilitate better understanding and knowledge retention. Here are 15 innovative 5-minute interactive presentation ideas to captivate your audience from start to finish:

1. Ice-breaker questions

Start your presentation with intriguing and thought-provoking questions or a fun icebreaker game. These questions should be designed to pique the audience’s curiosity and encourage them to think about the topic you’ll be covering. By doing so, you create an immediate connection with your audience and set the stage for a more engaged and attentive audience.

For example, if you’re giving a business presentation about management and leadership training, you could ask audience questions such as “What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received, and how has it impacted your career?”

2. Live polling

Incorporate live polls during your presentation using audience response systems or polling apps. This allows you to collect real-time feedback, opinions and insights from active participants. Live polling encourages active participation and involvement, making your presentation feel like a collaborative and interactive experience.

3. Q&A sessions

Encourage the audience to ask questions throughout your presentation, especially for pitch deck presentations . Address these questions in real-time, which fosters a more interactive and dynamic atmosphere. This approach shows that you value the audience’s input and promotes a two-way communication flow.

4. Clickable buttons

Add clickable buttons to your slides, allowing the audience to navigate to specific sections or external resources at their own pace. For example, you could include links to your social media accounts or extra reading materials in your education presentation to give further information about the topic and get your students engaged.

By providing this autonomy, you empower the audience to explore areas of particular interest, creating a more personalized and engaging experience through your interactive slideshow.

5. Storytelling

Incorporate anecdotes or personal stories related to your topic. Storytelling is a powerful way to emotionally connect with your audience, making your presentation more relatable and memorable. A little storytelling along with a set of creative slides draws the audience in and keeps them engaged as they follow the narrative.

6. Interactive charts and graphs

Use interactive charts and graphs that respond to user input to make your presentation interactive. For instance, allow the audience to click on data points to view more detailed information or to change the displayed data series. Creating charts with interactive visuals help the audience interact with the data, fostering better understanding and engagement.

7. Animated infographics

Add animations to your infographics, making them visually dynamic and progressive. Animated infographics reveal information gradually, keeping the audience curious and attentive. This transforms complex data into an easily digestible and engaging format.

Venngage’s extensive library of infographic templates is a powerful tool to visualize data and elevate the interactivity of your presentations. Personalizing the visuals ensures a cohesive and professional look throughout your interactive presentation. The templates are highly customizable, allowing you to adjust colors, fonts, and styles to match your presentation’s theme and branding. 

8. Gamification

Introduce an interactive quiz, puzzles, or challenges related to your presentation content. Gamification adds an element of fun and competition, motivating the audience to participate actively and boosting their learning experience. Here are some gaming presentation templates you could use. 

9. Virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR)

If applicable, leverage VR or AR technologies to provide immersive experiences. These interactive presentation tools transport the audience into a virtual or augmented environment, making your presentation more captivating and memorable.

10. Collaborative whiteboarding

Get your audience involved in your presentation by utilizing digital whiteboards or collaborative tools to brainstorm ideas collectively. This fosters teamwork and creativity, enabling the audience to actively contribute and feel a sense of involvement in the presentation.

11. Hyperlinked text

Keep the information in your slides minimal with a simple presentation and incorporate hyperlinks to direct viewers to relevant websites or blogs , resources, or additional information. This encourages self-exploration and gives the audience the opportunity to delve deeper into topics of interest.

12. Role-playing

Engage the audience in role-playing scenarios to explore different perspectives. Role-playing promotes active learning and helps the audience relate the content to real-life situations, enhancing their understanding and retention.

13. Embedded videos

Include video clips in your slides to provide visual explanations, demonstrations, or interviews. Videos add a dynamic element to your presentation, enriching the content and keeping the audience engaged.

14. Audience-generated content

Encourage the audience to contribute ideas, stories or examples related to your professional presentation . Audience-generated content fosters a sense of ownership and involvement, making the presentation more interactive and personalized.

15. Slide transitions

Use slide transitions to create smooth animations between slides. Well-planned transitions maintain the audience’s interest and keep the presentation slides flowing seamlessly.

Interactive elements aside, enhance your presentation with these guides on how to summarize information for a captivating presentation and how to make a persuasive presentation to captivate your audience. 

If you’re looking to create engaging and interactive presentation slides that captivate your audience, these presentation software options are sure to elevate your game:

Prezi is renowned for its dynamic and non-linear presentation style, enabling users to craft visually stunning and interactive presentations. With an array of templates and animation effects, Prezi enhances audience engagement, making your presentations more captivating and memorable.

2. Mentimeter

Mentimeter serves as an audience response system, empowering real-time interaction during presentations. Users can create interactive polls, quizzes, word clouds and more, allowing the audience to respond using their smartphones or other devices. This fosters active participation and provides valuable feedback instantly.

3. Google Slides

Google Slides is a free cloud-based presentation software that not only offers collaboration features but also enables real-time interactions. It includes add-ons and third-party integrations to further enhance interactivity, making it an excellent choice for collaborative and engaging presentations.

4. Microsoft PowerPoint

PowerPoint, a classic presentation software, has evolved to incorporate more interactive features like live captions, real-time collaboration and interactive elements such as quizzes and forms. With its familiar interface and versatile functionalities, PowerPoint remains a reliable choice for interactive presentations.

5. Prezentor

Prezentor caters to sales-oriented presentations focusing on interactive storytelling and data-driven content. It offers analytics to track audience engagement and behavior during presentations, allowing you to fine-tune your approach and keep your audience hooked.

6. Opinion Stage

Opinion Stage is a visual and interactive data collection tool designed to engage and excite audiences whether sitting in a lecture hall, participating in a live Zoom, or watching an on-demand webinar. The Opinion Stage tools are simple and intuitive, making it easy to create attention-grabbing quizzes, surveys, and polls in minutes. A great way to spice up any presentation, encourage audience participation, and collect authentic feedback.

7 . Venngage

Venngage stands out as a versatile design tool that facilitates the creation of interactive infographics, data visualizations and presentations with ease. Offering various interactive elements and animations, Venngage empowers you to craft visually appealing and engaging presentations effortlessly.

With these interactive presentation software options at your disposal, you can unleash your creativity and deliver presentations that leave a lasting impact on your audience. So, go ahead and make your presentations interactive, captivating and memorable!

For more presentation software options, check out this blog on the 12 best presentation software for 2023.

Creating interactive presentations can be a game-changer for engaging your audience and enhancing your presentation skills, but steering clear of common pitfalls is essential. Here are some key mistakes to avoid when crafting your interactive presentations:

1. Overloading with interactivity

While interactivity is fantastic, bombarding your audience with too many interactive elements can backfire. Strive for a balanced approach that enhances engagement without overwhelming your listeners.

2. Ignoring audience relevance

Failing to tailor interactive elements to your audience’s interests and preferences can lead to disconnection. Make sure your interactions resonate with your specific audience for a more meaningful experience.

3. Not testing interactive elements

Skipping thorough testing of interactive features before showtime can spell disaster. Avoid technical glitches by diligently testing all interactive components in advance.

4. Poor timing and pace

Timing is everything, especially with interactive activities. Ensure seamless integration by planning your key points and the timing of your interactive elements carefully.

5. Lack of clear purpose

Every interactive element should serve a purpose and contribute to your presentation’s objectives. Don’t add interactions just for the sake of it — ensure they add value and align with your message.

6. Failing to engage beyond interactivity

While interactive elements are powerful tools, remember that content is king. Combine your interactive features with compelling storytelling and valuable insights to create an immersive and impactful presentation.

Incorporating animated slides into your interactive presentations enhances the overall appeal and interaction, turning an ordinary presentation into an engaging experience. Try it out with one of our animated presentation templates to get started. 

How do you start an interactive presentation?

Begin by grabbing the audience’s attention with an intriguing question or a surprising fact, setting the tone for a dynamic and engaging session.

Which type of presentation is the most interactive?

Workshops and seminars are often the most interactive types of presentations as they encourage active participation, discussions and hands-on activities.

How can interactive presentations enhance audience engagement?

Interactive presentations foster a two-way communication flow, involving the audience through polls, quizzes, discussions and multimedia elements, leading to increased interest, attentiveness and better retention of information.

What are some common interactive elements to include in a presentation?

Common interactive elements include clickable buttons, hyperlinked text, polls, quizzes, interactive charts, multimedia content and audience participation activities.

Can interactive presentations be used for educational purposes?

Absolutely! Interactive presentations are highly effective for educational purposes as they promote active learning, encourage critical thinking, and provide real-time feedback and knowledge exchange opportunities.

Need inspiration on how to give an engaging presentation ? Here are 120+ presentation ideas you could use. 

Venngage makes it easy for anyone to infuse interactivity into their presentations. From clickable buttons and hyperlinked text to interactive infographics and dynamic charts, Venngage offers a diverse range of interactive elements to captivate and engage the audience. Here’s how you can make your presentation more fun and interesting with Venngage:

• Sign up or log in to Venngage to access the platform.
• Choose a presentation template or start with a blank canvas to begin designing your interactive presentation.
• Add and edit slides in the Venngage editor to structure your presentation content effectively.
• Customize the design by selecting themes, fonts, colors and backgrounds to match your style and branding.
• Use interactive elements like buttons, links, pop-ups and hover effects to engage the audience during the presentation.
• Enhance engagement by incorporating interactive media such as videos and audio clips.
• Preview and test your entire presentation to ensure everything works smoothly before presenting it to your audience.
• Save your interactive presentation on Venngage and share it online or download it in various formats for presenting purposes.

Well, I hope these 15 5-minute interactive presentation examples can help unlock a new level of audience engagement for your next presentation. From fun quizzes and interactive storytelling to multimedia magic and gamified challenges, the possibilities are endless. So, don’t be afraid to experiment, tailor the ideas to suit your audience members and let your creativity shine.  

That said, remember to strike a balance and keep the interactivity purposeful and relevant. Some common mistakes to avoid when creating interactive slides include overloading the presentation with too many interactive elements and failing to align the interactive elements with the overall presentation goals and content. 

Got it? Great. Now let’s turn that boring presentation around!

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120 Presentation Topic Ideas Help You Hook Your Audience

Updated: January 15, 2024

Published: August 09, 2023

Cooking is easy. The puzzle is figuring out what to eat. As soon as you know that, you can get started. The same holds for presentations. The sooner you can whip up a good, informative, and catchy topic, the easier the rest of the process becomes.

Pick a good topic that resonates with you and your audience to set a strong foundation. But select the wrong topic, and it becomes difficult to connect with your audience, find mutual interests, or hold their attention.

So, let’s learn how to develop thought-provoking and relevant topics for your presentations. You’ll also find some best practices to make your presentation memorable.

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How to Choose a Great Presentation Topic in 5 Steps

120 presentation topic ideas, 5 presentation tips.

4. Choose an appropriate presentation style.

There are many ways to present a topic. Your personality, the topic at hand, and your audience’s personas will help you determine which style would best fit you and your audience.

Select a presentation style that will communicate the main idea clearly and have a lasting impact on your audience.

For instance, explore a freeform style presenter by Sir Ken Robinson.

5. Engage with your audience.

Work on your presentation skills to make a strong connection with your audience, get through to them and leave a mark.

Think of the presenter as the link between the topic and the audience. A strong or a weak presenter can make a difference between a presentation being a thriving success or a boring failure.

Hone your skills by engaging and interacting with your audience. Make them feel like a part of the presentation and not just spectators. 70% of marketers have found presentations with interactive content to be more effective than those without.

Here are a few ways you can make your presentation interactive:

• Start your speech with uncommon questions to your audience. Involve them from the get-go, like ask to raise their hands if X.
• Make eye contact to build credibility and show confidence. Don’t stare at your slides or notes. Smile occasionally and talk to the audience directly.
• Have an active and confident body language. Don’t stand in the same place the entire time. Move around the stage.
• Don’t be monotonous. Speak as you would to a colleague — with enthusiasm.
• Ask close-ended questions in between to keep the audience engaged without losing time. Address them using their names to keep things interesting.
• Share personal experiences and stories that your audience will find fascinating and relatable.
• Practice thoroughly before you present so you’re fluent with the material and delivery.
• Energy and excitement can be quite contagious. Make sure you exude enough to spread some to your audience.

Feeling Inspired Yet?

Now you have all the right ingredients for choosing amazing topics and a hundred ideas to drive inspiration from. So, go ahead and start cooking presentations that will blow your audience away.

Don’t forget to choose a super-relevant topic and add meaty information. Do it with excitement to make it enjoyable for you and your audience. Best of luck!

Don't forget to share this post!

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20 Interactive Presentation Ideas

Giving a presentation at work can be intimidating, even if this isn’t your first rodeo. You want to convey the information clearly and intelligently, but you also want it to be a crowd-pleaser. But how? The presentation has to be conducted professionally, but you don’t want to bore everyone or yourself, for that matter.

‍ Tedious, boring meetings serve no one and are a waste of time. This is a pity, as often good information is shared, but delivered in such a sterile way, that the audience doesn’t find it useful. What you want to give is an interactive presentation – where your audience feels seen by you and where real communication of ideas has occurred.

What Are The Benefits of an Interactive Presentation?

While you might feel that you just want to present the information and get this over with, audience engagement is crucial. Going the extra mile to make your presentation engaging and interactive won’t just make it more enjoyable for you and the audience, but a better learning experience for both of you. ‍

Think of interaction as a means of making your presentation more consumable for the audience. Trying to pull all of this together can drive you mad, but MeetingPulse is here to help. We’re an online platform, completely customizable for your company or organization.

We offer live interactive opportunities throughout your meeting with your audience, using computers, tablets, even their phones. Your audience will be completely engaged with your presentation, and you won’t have to worry about it. We can take this task off your plate.

‍ Related: Top Interactive Online Meeting Ideas

Putting together a creative and interactive presentation can be challenging. Here are 20 interactive presentation ideas:

We love icebreakers, don’t we? We secretly dread the ones that embarrass us, but the good news is, they don’t have to be embarrassing. The goal of ice-breakers is to warm up the audience and to initiate a rapport with them. This usually happens by getting to know one another better.

In a small audience, you might share a bit of information about yourself and ask each audience member to do the same. In a large meeting, you might ask the audience to introduce themselves to the person sitting next to them, or another favorite is Five of Anything .

Video Clips

We’ve all heard of death by Powerpoint, haven’t we? It’s a ghastly way to go. But fortunately, if you include a video clip or two in your slides, boredom may be avoided. A new voice can help your audience to remain engaged, and you can have help presenting bits of information.

Pro Tip: Let the video do the boring bit. A video clip can be a presentation within your presentation.

Keep the audience guessing. One slide doesn’t have to follow the next. You can mix things up a bit. Moving around your presentation, not following a predicted order, will engage your audience as you pique their interest. One exciting idea is to allow the audience to determine the course of topics — more on this one later.

Q&A Session

Asking and answering questions is a great way to get the audience involved. This can be more than a brief time at the end of a presentation for the audience to ask questions. Open questions may be asked of the audience throughout or breaks taken between sections for questions to be answered.

Interactive Quiz

Take your question-asking to a new level, and create an interactive quiz . The audience may engage with it on any device they have with them — even their phones. MeetingPulse is the expert on that. The quiz may also be embedded within your presentation, with questions strategically placed to gage audience expertise, attention, and engagement.

Bring Props

No, we don’t mean a bag of cool, but random stuff. Delivering an excellent presentation has a lot to do with storytelling. So a prop can be useful in injecting energy and adding another dimension to the topic. For maximum effect, the props should be few, and they shouldn’t distract from what you’re saying.

Tell a story

Everyone loves a good story! Telling your audience a story during your presentation will draw them to you and your topic . Stories stir our interest, our emotions, and they stay in our memory. The best speakers are excellent storytellers — so hone this skill.

Audio Narrative

Speaking for an extended period can be challenging, so add some audio narrative to your presentation. Pre-record audio on a few slides or sections so that you can have a break, and your audience hears a slight change in presentation. An audio narrative can go into more depth than the slide shows, or it can be an opportunity to add music or other invigorating elements.

Poll Your Audience

A sure-fire method for engagement is polling the audience . Asking questions that have to do with the topic or just a lot of fun questions, is an enjoyable way of interacting. Your poll can be with raised hands, or you can use software.

‍ MeetingPulse is experienced at creating interactive meetings with live polling for real-time engagement .

Related: 35 Funny Poll Questions to Ask Your Audience

Discussion Questions

An audience divided into small discussion groups during a presentation, is a fantastic way of keeping everyone engaged and interested.

‍ Discussing topics relevant to the presentation will help the audience retain the information and the audience members will help each other gain a better understanding.

Encourage Movement

Our other ideas stimulate activity in the mind of the audience, but physical movement is necessary for the body. Many people fall asleep when they’re sat in one place for too long. If the audience is to be kept awake and fresh, movement is vital. This may be accomplished by frequent intermissions, where people can walk and stretch their legs, or by directed “movement breaks.”

Get Your Audience Asking Questions

Questions aren’t just for the end of the presentation. Audience members may be invited to write their questions on the topic at the beginning of the presentation . This helps them to be listening out for the information they especially wanted and fosters engagement. Frequent question breaks throughout the presentation are also helpful.

Let Your Audience Direct

This will mean a little extra work on your part, but giving the audience some say in the flow of the presentation, can be very rewarding. Your slides may be arranged on several points, and the audience may be allowed to choose which points they want to hear first, second, and so on. 

Share a Hashtag

If you’re presenting at an event that already has a branded hashtag, encourage your audience to use it as they ask questions and make comments on social media. But if your presentation is standalone, you can still create a hashtag and encourage the audience to use it. You can keep track of their questions and comments by tracking the hashtag on social media.

What can be more energizing than a little music at just the right moment? You can use music as a background to some of your slides, or do a fantastic blast of pop music to move onto a new section of your presentation. This will refocus your audience and keep them enthusiastic about your presentation. It’s also suitable for those directed movement breaks, aka dance breaks.

Transitions and Animations

Transitions on your slides may be automated, so they move smoothly from one to the next. You can create a theme with animation that shows itself throughout the presentation. Transitions can be made fun and visually appealing for your audience.

‍ This doesn’t have to bog you down, at MeetingPulse, we can integrate your Powerpoint with our interactive software and create a wildly engaging presentation.

Data Visualization

Data visualizations can demonstrate the facts and figures of your presentation in a display that helps the audience to understand it better. Visualizations can be in the form of colorful charts, graphs, infographics, etc. They are fun and engaging while helping to convey the meanings of your figures succinctly.

‍ Related: Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos’ Tips for Running a Great Meeting

Get Off The Stage

It can be exciting for you and your audience if you occasionally leave the stage and walk among them. While we don’t recommend crowd surfing (unless it’s that kind of event), this is a great way to interact with the audience and heighten the energy in the whole room.

Augmented Reality

If you’re especially daring, augmented reality is making its way into the professional space. You can forget all about a slide presentation and create a 3-D experience for the audience. This idea is tech-heavy and tough on the budget, but if you can swing it, they won’t forget it. There won’t be one sleepy eye in the place!

Play With The Length and Structure

While you may have been allotted the usual stretch of time, it could be very refreshing to audiences if you got to the point, made the point, and sat down. Feel free to mess with the structure of your presentation as well.

Why not redesign your talk and forget the expected norms, and instead, consider your audience. Prioritize getting the information into their hands and making it a memorable and quality event.

Well, there you have it, twenty of the most exciting and interactive presentation ideas ever! What you have to present is important, so why not take the time to create an event that will be enjoyable, interesting, and engaging for everyone involved. You don’t have to try all of these ideas in one presentation, but add them to your toolbox for future ones.

‍ And remember that MeetingPulse is here with an online platform to take your presentations and meetings from mundane to memorable. Visit us here.

Get started with MeetingPulse today!

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Need a good presentation topic? Here are hundreds of them.

Get your team on prezi – watch this on demand video.

Anete Ezera November 04, 2022

If you’re looking for good topics for presentations, you’ve landed on the right page. In this article, you’ll find plenty of good presentation topics, tips on choosing the most suitable topic for you, and essential design elements to make your presentation a success. 

Many factors go into an excellent presentation. You need to have confident body language and engage your audience to hold their attention. You also need eye-catching visual aids like images, data visualizations, GIFs, and others (all of which you can find in Prezi ), not to mention a great opening to grab attention and a strong closing line to stay memorable. However, the most essential aspect of your presentation is the topic. It’s the core of your presentation, so it has to be strong, insightful, attention-grabbing, and appealing to yourself and your audience in order to evolve into a successful presentation everyone will love. 

How to choose a good presentation topic

There are millions of topics you could create a presentation on, but what defines a good topic? If you’re struggling to either come up with a good topic for a presentation or you can’t decide between multiple ones, here are a few questions you should ask yourself before choosing a topic. 

What’s the goal of your presentation? 

When you’re choosing a topic, consider the meaning behind it. Ask yourself what the purpose of talking about this topic is, and what you want to say about it. Whatever topic you choose to present, the conclusion needs to provide a takeaway or lesson you want to communicate to your audience. A meaningful goal will make your presentation more memorable.  

Are you interested in the topic?

If you’re not interested in the topic, others won’t be curious either. Interest, enthusiasm, and passion enrich your presentation and are noticeable when presenting. Interest shines through and inspires others to find the topic as fascinating as you do. Think about the last time you saw someone sharing something they were passionate about – their excitement drew people in to pay closer attention to what they were saying. 

When choosing a topic, you need to find it or a particular angle of it interesting for yourself. For example, perhaps you’re not a pop music enthusiast, but you’re passionate about studying cultural phenomena. In this case, you can talk about pop music’s influence on early 2000s youth culture. 

Will your audience find this topic relatable? 

While you have to find the topic you’re presenting interesting, you also have to think about your audience. When choosing a subject, consider your audience’s background in terms of demographics, interests, culture, and knowledge level about the topic. Think about what others will find fascinating and relevant, so they’re not bored or confused during your presentation.

Do you have prior experience or knowledge about this topic?

Personal experiences are always great to share in a presentation, providing your unique perspective for anyone listening. While you can easily prepare your presentation based on a quick Google search, it won’t make the same lasting impact on your audience. Choose a topic you have some prior knowledge about, or have an interesting opinion you can share with others. It’ll make your presentation more engaging and memorable.

Ideas for good presentation topics

It’s not easy to come up with a good presentation topic from scratch. It’s much easier to get inspired from other good presentation topics to build your topic on. Whether you’re looking for presentation ideas for work, about me presentation ideas, unique or easy presentation topics, you’ll find them all here.

Without further ado, here are some good presentation topics to choose from or get inspired by.

Presentation topics about social media

• The role of social media in portraying gender stereotypes
• How social media impacts our body image
• How social media shaped Gen Z 
• The most significant differences between the Facebook and TikTok generations
• The negative effects of social media
• The positive impacts of social media 
• The effects of social media on behavior 
• How social media impacts our physical (or mental) health
• How social media has shaped our understanding of mass media
• Should we teach about social media in schools?
• The rise of social media influencers
• How AR Instagram filters impact our self-image
• How to go viral on social media?
• The origins of social media echo chambers
• Social media as a news outlet

Author: Ish Verduzco

Presentation topics about movies

• How movies influence our understanding of good and evil
• Beauty standards represented in movies
• How female characters are depicted in Hollywood movies
• How horror movies and global fears have developed through time
• The adverse effects of romance movies
• How movies have changed our understanding of the Western culture
• Charlie Chaplin and the silent movie era
• The globalization of culture: Hollywood vs. Bollywood
• The psychology behind the music in films
• The ethics of using animals in movies
• Social media’s influence on the film industry
• The history of filmmaking
• The role of color in movies
• The cultural impact of romance movies
• How are gender stereotypes depicted in Hollywood movies?

Author: Cinto Marti

Presentation topics about music

• The impact of pop music on beauty standards
• Should digital music be free for everyone?
• The psychology behind the music in advertisements 
• The effectiveness of sound therapy
• Can music inspire criminal behavior?
• The psychological effects of metal music
• The origins of K-pop
• How does music influence our understanding of the world?
• Can music help in the learning process?
• The positive effects of classical music
• The history of hip hop
• Why is music education essential in schools?
• The psychological benefits of playing piano
• Can anyone become a famous musician?
• The role of music in fashion

Author: Prezi Editorial

Presentation topics about health

• The link between food and mental health
• Inequality in the healthcare system
• Myths about healthy practices
• Simple practices that help you stay healthy
• Health education in schools: Should it change?  
• Toxic positivity and mental health
• The impact of superfoods on our health
• The psychology behind unhealthy eating habits
• Sex education in schools: Why should we have it?
• How to trick yourself into getting better: The placebo effect
• How to strengthen your immune system
• How to tell if someone is depressed
• The health benefits of regular exercise
• The impact of junk food on mental health
• Stress-caused diseases

Author: Prezi Education Team

Presentation topics about human psychology

• What is social depression?
• What triggers panic attacks?
• The impact of testosterone on aggressive behavior
• How to overcome social anxiety
• Differences in the functioning of the brain of a child and adult
• The impact of violent video games on children’s brain development
• How does the use of social media influence our attention span?
• How to overcome childhood trauma
• The influence of marijuana on the human brain
• How does behavioral therapy work
• The psychology behind fame
• The causes of personality disorders
• The differences in brain functioning between men and women
• What happens in therapy sessions?
• The psychology of substance abuse 

Presentation topics about self-development

• The impact of exercise on productivity
• How to deal with stress
• How to deal with procrastination
• The positive effects of meditation
• Why new–year’s resolutions don’t work
• How to overcome bad habits
• The impact of negative thoughts
• The negative effects of self-criticism
• The role of creativity in self-development
• Benefits of journaling
• How to learn something fast
• How to be mindful
• The importance of curiosity 
• How to become more self-aware
• Why it’s essential to spend time with yourself

Author: Nir Eyal

Presentation topics about education

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of online education?
• The positive effects of a gap year
• Should university education be free?
• Inequality in education access
• How language learning benefits brain development
• Emerging gender issues in education
• The importance of socialization in school
• School bullying and student development
• The benefits of reading 
• Is the education system broken?
• What you don’t learn in college
• The link between education and brain development
• The history of schools
• The gender gap in STEM
• The connection between equality in education and economic growth

Presentation topics about culture

• Is graffiti a form of art or street vandalism? 
• Cultural diversity in the workplace
• The impact of culture on gender roles
• The issue with orientalism
• Are humans the only species that has culture?
• How do different cultures view death? 
• The ethical issues of pop culture
• The impact of culture on personal development
• Sexism in different cultures
• The impact of globalization on local cultures
• The viral spread of the #metoo movement
• The history of subcultures
• The problem with romanticizing toxic relationships in movies
• 90s pop-culture influence on fashion trends
• The evolution of cultural psychology 

Author: Devin Banerjee

Presentation ideas for work

• What it’s like to be a digital nomad?
• How to deal with workplace conflicts
• The secret to a productive day
• How to set achievable goals
• The importance of diversity in a workplace
• The positive effects of creative thinking at work
• How to give constructive feedback
• The characteristics of a valuable team member
• Inequality and the glass ceiling
• Racial discrimination in the workplace
• Work habits of different cultures
• How is work perceived in various countries?
• Technological development and the future of work
• The importance of a healthy work/life balance
• The rise of health problems in office work

Author: Charles Huang

Presentation topics about hybrid work

• The positive effects of hybrid work on work/life balance
• Is hybrid work the future work model? 
• How to stay connected in a hybrid work model
• The challenges of hybrid work nobody talks about
• How to stay productive when working from home
• The social effects of hybrid work
• The economic impacts of hybrid work
• Case study: Hybrid work model in [company]
• What causes Zoom fatigue?
• The problem with online meetings
• Is hybrid work better than remote work?
• How to develop a close relationship with colleagues in a hybrid work model
• What kind of company culture is best for a hybrid work model?
• Is hybrid work sustainable?
• Cybersecurity consideration for hybrid working

Author: Barbie Brewer

Presentation topics about public speaking

• The importance of body language in public speeches
• How to appear confident when you’re not
• How to become a better orator
• The use of eye contact in public speaking
• Breathing exercises that will calm you down before public speaking
• The benefits of public speaking
• Ways to improve public speaking skills
• How to leave a great first impression on stage
• How to engage your audience during a public speech
• How to best structure your public speech
• How to end your presentation speech
• Can anyone learn to be good at public speaking?
• How to prepare for a public speech
• What not to do right before a public speech
• How to address a controversial topic in a public speech  

Author: Prezi Team

Presentation topics about entrepreneurship and leadership

• The main principles of a good leader
• The impact of leadership skills on professional performance
• The mistake every entrepreneur makes
• How to successfully lead a cross-cultural team
• How to celebrate inclusivity in a diverse team
• What are the common personality traits of a successful entrepreneur?
• The impact of entrepreneurship on the global economy
• The characteristics of a leader
• The most common challenges of entrepreneurship
• Can anyone learn to become a successful leader? 
• What affects new venture growth?
• The psychology of leadership
• What is crowdsourcing? 
• The benefits of being an entrepreneur
• Common mistakes leaders make

Author: Jill Sinclair

Presentation topics about technology

• The rise of technological development
• Is technology addictive?
• Should we use drones for military and non-military purposes?
• The sustainability of electric cars
• What are deepfakes?
• Limitations of AI machines
• The future of programming
• Ethical issues of AI
• The future of AR in business
• How VR can be used in the medical field

Author: David Vandegrift

Sales presentation topics

• How to make a cold email intro
• What is sales enablement?
• How to build better relationships with customers
• The best way to improve pipeline management
• Coaching via verbal and written role-play
• How to plan cold calls
• What’s a deal-breaker for most customers? 
• All about personalized coaching
• How to manage objections
• How to close more deals
• How to keep your prospects engaged
• Effective sales communication strategies
• How to conduct a competitor analysis
• The most valuable sales skills
• What soft skills do you need to become a successful sales rep?

Author: Cindy McGovern

Easy presentation topics

• Benefits of daily exercise and how to incorporate it into your routine
• Simple and nutritious meal recipes
• Tips for improving time management and productivity
• The importance of recycling
• The history of a local landmark or festival
• Ways to reduce stress
• Exploring different types of renewable energy sources and their impact on the environment
• The basics of budgeting and saving money for future goals
• The benefits of social media for professional use
• Tips for overcoming stage fright
• How to start a meditation practice
• The impact of technology on modern society
• The basics of personal finance
• The health benefits of a plant-based diet
• The history of Earth Day

Good how to presentation topics

• How to create a successful social media marketing strategy
• How to give a persuasive presentation
• How to create effective and engaging content for your blog
• How to discover your strengths and weaknesses
• How to use project management tools to increase productivity
• How to make the most out of boring meetings
• How to build a personal brand
• How to conduct effective market research
• How to use data analytics to improve decision-making
• How to improve your decision-making process
• How to write a winning proposal
• How to create a visually stunning presentation
• How to manage stressful situations at work
• How to make friends as an adult
• How to network at work events

About me presentation ideas

• My journey to becoming who I am today
• My passion for [insert topic or activity]
• My career aspirations and goals
• My travels and adventures around the world
• My hobbies and interests outside of work/school
• My role models and influences
• My strengths and weaknesses
• My favorite books, movies, and TV shows
• My proudest achievements and accomplishments
• My favorite childhood memories
• My family and friends
• My education and academic background
• My volunteer and community service experience
• My personality traits and values
• My vision for the future and how I plan to achieve it

Author: Adam Grant

Student presentation ideas

• The history and evolution of video games
• The history and cultural impact of tattoos
• The impact of social media on body image and self-esteem
• The effects of globalization on local cultures and economies
• The role of education in promoting social justice and equity
• The ethical implications of autonomous weapons in warfare
• The impact of mass media on society and culture
• The causes and effects of deforestation on biodiversity and climate change
• The history and cultural significance of dance in different parts of the world
• The psychology of addiction and recovery
• The impact of the gig economy on labor rights and job security
• The history and impact of feminism on gender equality
• The benefits and drawbacks of renewable energy sources
• The impact of colonialism on indigenous cultures and identities
• The role of technology in promoting global connectivity and intercultural understanding

Author: Edward Quinn

How to create a good presentation 

If you know what you want to present on, it’s time to create an impactful presentation that grabs everyone’s attention. Presentation design plays a crucial role in how your presentation is received and remembered. To stand out and leave a memorable impact on your audience, create a Prezi presentation. Instead of a linear, slide-based presentation, offer an engaging and dynamic storytelling experience to your audience. Breathe life into your presentation with motion, zoom, and spatial relationships. When creating your presentation, consider the following three essential elements: 

Visuals play a significant part in presentation design. They evoke emotions, make a memorable impact, and give more context to the story. Not to mention, 65% of people are visual learners , so visual aids are helpful when explaining a complex topic. 

In your presentation, include different types of visuals, such as images, videos, GIFs, and stickers, all of which you can find in Prezi’s content library. When selecting your visuals, consider what’s relevant and brings additional value to the story. Only add what’s meaningful and necessary. A video or image at the right place and time will enrich the viewing experience and make your presentation more memorable. 

The layout of your presentation is the structure of your story. It’ll help you introduce the topic, intrigue your audience, and unfold the layers of your topic one by one until you disclose your main arguments and summarize the presentation. A good presentation layout has a hierarchical, chronological, or logical flow that leads the viewer from start to finish. 

If you’re creating a Prezi presentation, you can create a dynamic storytelling experience by experimenting with your layout. Instead of going from slide to slide, you can zoom in and out of topics and experiment with different shapes, animations, and effects that draw the viewer into your story world. Here’s an example of a Prezi presentation with a great storytelling layout:

Author: Lydia Antonatos

Data visualizations can elevate your presentation from being a good one to a great one. By providing data behind your arguments, you’ll appear more trustworthy and confident in your audience’s eyes. 

Add charts, graphs, interactive maps, and more to your presentations with Prezi Design. You can choose from a wide selection of charts and maps to illustrate your data. With interactive elements, you’ll be able to engage your audience and make a memorable impact. 

Engaging visuals, a well-structured layout, and relevant data visualizations will provide a great starting base to create a memorable presentation. Discover other tips and tricks that make your presentation effective and capture people’s attention. 

Choosing a topic for a presentation isn’t easy. When selecting a topic, think about the goal of your presentation, your interest and knowledge about the topic, and whether or not your audience will find it relevant and interesting for them. Also, get inspired by other topics that’ll help you figure out what you want to talk about. Lastly, when creating your presentation, consider the impact of visuals, layout, and data visualizations. To simplify the creation process, follow the step-by-step process of making a presentation with helpful tips and resources.

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7 Interactive Poll Ideas for Your Next PowerPoint Presentation

Looking for new ways to make your PowerPoint presentation more interactive? Try live polls .

With polls , you can collect non-verbal responses from your audience in real time. This is priceless – especially when you’re presenting online.

Not only will you learn what your meeting participants think but you can also collect insights and ideas from them and trigger a meaningful discussion.

Here are 7 tips for using live polls during your PowerPoint presentation to make it more interactive , productive , and engaging for your audience.

Add live polls directly to your PowerPoint presentation.

1. set the mood with an interactive icebreaker.

Open your meeting with a poll question – try one of these icebreakers – so you can involve your team in a conversation right from the beginning. You’ll let them know that their input matters and that you expect to hear their thoughts and opinions throughout the meeting.

For example, you can check in to see how everyone is feeling with a poll such as:

• 1-7, how motivated are you feeling after our last all-hands meeting? (Rating)
• In one word, how was last month for you? (Word cloud)

Or, you can spend the first minutes of the meeting sharing highlights from last week/month and celebrating the people that made them happen with a poll like one of these:

• What was your highlight of the last week/month? (Open text)
• If you could thank one person from the team, who would it be? (Word cloud)

Tip: Here is a list of 200 icebreaker questions for your upcoming meetings

2. Get buy-in from your team

It’s important to know whether your team understands the bigger picture – be it your company strategy, your team goals, or the project plan for the next quarter. Only then can you reach alignment and make sure you’re all rowing in the same direction.

Live polls provide a safe space for your team members to share how they feel. Your colleagues can be 100% honest because their responses in polls are anonymous . This helps you uncover any hidden issues.

After you have presented the strategy to your team, ask them a poll question such as:

• On a scale of 1-6, how clear is our strategy for you? (Rating)
• Is there anything unclear about our goals that you’d like to discuss? (Open text)

3. Involve everyone in the decision-making

Making a decision online through a video conference can be quite painful. Some people interrupt, and speak over their teammates, while others are reluctant to speak up and express their opinion.

If you already have the options that are to be considered by the team but can’t agree on which direction to take, here’s a solution for collaborative decision-making : Let people vote on their preferred option.

It’s quick, efficient, and most importantly, politically neutral. Each person’s vote is anonymous and has the same impact – regardless of their role, or their previous influence over decisions.

4. Brainstorm priorities together

Similarly to the previous point, you can use polls to brainstorm the options together – for example, priorities for the next quarter – and then let people vote on the ones they find most impactful.

During the meeting, give your teammates a couple of minutes to think about what projects or activities would help your team achieve its goals and ask them to submit them into a Slido open text poll.

Once the ideas come in, review them, and discuss them together with your team.

5. Collect your team’s insights for a discussion

Planning a new project? Discuss how your project is moving forward to make sure you’re all on the same page. Live polls will help you here as well. Ask your team a poll question such as:

• How confident are you that we will meet the project deadline? (Rating)
• Are there any roadblocks that hinder the progress of the project? (Open text)
• What should we continue doing to move this project forward? (Open text)

These types of poll questions work as springboards for you to start a discussion. Once your teammates have submitted their answers, review them together, and encourage people to share their thoughts or follow up on what others have posted.

6. Address your team’s questions and concerns

At the end of your presentation, be sure to leave time for your team’s questions. Especially after important strategy meetings or planning meetings that may give rise to many questions and concerns.

With Slido’s integration with PowerPoint , you can add an interactive Q&A slide to the end of your presentation so your teammates can post their questions into Slido.

You can also enable your team to ask anonymously for greater transparency. They can also upvote (or downvote) questions posted by other colleagues, which helps you identify the most burning questions and answer them with priority.

Tip: You can start collecting questions for the Q&A in advance. Just send your team a link to your Slido and ask them to post their questions. Here are more tips on how to run a great Q&A session through Zoom .

7. Gamify your meeting with a quiz

A short interactive quiz will upgrade your PowerPoint presentation and make it more engaging.

With Slido for PowerPoint, you can create and run a quiz directly inside your presentation deck, no need for you to switch apps or screens.

For your inspiration, here are our two favorite quizzes that we like to run during our meetings:

Business numbers quiz Why not give a different twist to presenting business results during your company meetings? Let your teammates guess how well your company did in terms of sales, sign-ups, net retention, or NPS.

Here are 110 Trivia Questions to help your team bond better over some fun competition

‘Get to know your colleagues’ quiz Enjoy some social time with your team and help them bond, even at a distance. Collect interesting facts about each member of your team and then let their colleagues guess away. We’re sure you’ll dig out plenty of fun stuff!

We run this type of quiz when we introduce a new team member or as a holiday fun activity.

Over to you

Want to try any of the interactive activities we have listed above in your PowerPoint?

Be among the first to try Slido for PowerPoint – the easiest way to engage your audience in PowerPoint. Watch this video to see how Slido for PowerPoint works. To try it for yourself, click below.

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How to Give a Presentation During a Meeting (Without Screwing Up)

Tips and tricks for being persuasive and keeping your audience engaged.

A methodology for amazing meetings. Say goodbye to boring, long, and unproductive meetings.

Giving a presentation during a meeting may seem easy on the surface, but many factors can get in the way of being effective.

You may be shy and stumble over your words. You may get nervous and rush through things too quickly in hopes of “getting it over with.”

You may even confuse your audience by sharing information in a scattered or illogical way.

It happens to the best of us.

The good news is, with thoughtful preparation, even the shiest among us can give killer presentations that captivate our coworkers.

Here’s how:

• How to start a presentation
• Effective presentation skills ‍
• When to use PowerPoint ‍
• Presentation tips and tricks

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1. How to start a presentation

The best presenters capture audience attention from the beginning. They know that a lackluster start to anything will immediately sow seeds of disengagement.

Whether or not you believe human attention spans are like goldfish , the fact is, a strong start to your presentation will fill the room with energy that perks people up, while a weak start paves the way for staring off into space and discretely checking email.

Here are a few tips to start your next meeting presentation right:

Ask a question

Everyone likes feeling heard. One of the easiest ways to hook an audience from the start is by inviting them to respond to a relevant prompt. If a VP of marketing were giving a presentation about the company’s upcoming brand refresh, they might start by asking something like “How many people here feel like they have a good sense of how we’re perceived as a company?”

Share a story

As humans, we’re wired to pay attention to stories. They’re especially useful when the subject matter at hand isn’t particularly interesting on its own. If a CEO were giving a presentation aimed at motivating the entire company, they might share a story about how many people it once took to operate a battleship.

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2. Effective presentation skills/techniques

Effective presentations are usually the result of careful preparation. Here are a few skills to refine during the preparation phase:

Knowing your audience

Giving an effective presentation means knowing your audience. To earn and sustain their attention, you need to assess what they already know about the subject and how much they care about it.

Use this information to calibrate your approach. You don’t want to assume they’re enthusiastic experts if they’re not, but you also want to respect their intelligence by meeting them where they are without lecturing them.

It’s a delicate balancing act, but when you get it right, you’ll leave them enough room to figure some things out on their own.

WHAT Ask questions that anyone in the audience could answer. ‍ WHY This allows you to engage the room and keep the audience energy level high.

Framing your story

If you’ve ever watched TEDTalks, you know firsthand that many of the best presentations unfold like a detective story. The speaker presents a problem, describes the quest for a solution, and leads the audience to a collective “aha” moment where their perspective shifts and they become even more engaged. 

Take the time to plot your points in a meaningful way so that your message is not only easy to follow, but also easy to remember. That means eliminating any diversions that don’t serve the story. 

When framed correctly, even the most serious and complex subjects can be riveting.

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3. When to use a PowerPoint and when not to

PowerPoints have become the de facto tool of choice for meeting presentations. You can share visuals, advance slides with the click of a mouse, and they don’t take a ton of technical or design chops to look pretty.

The problem is, people tend to hide behind them. While it’s undeniably handy, PowerPoint isn’t the best vehicle for every presentation.

You should use a PowerPoint when:

• You want to review team progress against metrics
• You need to share a revenue report
• You have a lot of technical and/or data-rich information to convey

You shouldn’t use a PowerPoint when:  

• You need to create a strong connection with your audience
• You have an important story to tell (e.g. why the company is pivoting)
• You want to motivate and inspire people

If you’re still on the fence about whether you should use a PowerPoint for your next presentation, consider the goal of the meeting.

When your meeting goal is something straightforward, like assigning action items or reviewing team performance, go for the PowerPoint. 

If you’re aiming to convey something less cerebral—and potentially more emotional—don’t distance yourself from the message. Leave PowerPoint (and all technology) out of the equation.

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4. Presentation tips and tricks

There are a few universal tips that will make your next presentation more effective no matter what it’s about:

Follow a logical structure ‍ Even if you can’t think of a relevant story, the information you present have a clear structure to keep people on track.

Slow down ‍ Speaking too fast breeds boredom and confusion. Even if you think you talk slow, talk slower.

Use questions as segues ‍ In addition to being great presentation starters, asking questions enables the presenter to shift from one topic to another without losing momentum.

Build your confidence ‍ Letting your personality shine through is a surefire way to convince people they should listen. Practice your presentation until it feels like you’re talking to a friend.

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7 Fun Ideas to Make Your Team Meetings More Engaging

• Christopher Littlefield

In a virtual setting, working hard may come with playing hard.

With more companies adopting flexible work-from-home policies, virtual meetings are quickly becoming a norm.

• Leaders and team members alike should consider ways to make virtual meetings more meaningful and engaging.
• Here are seven simple ideas to make your next video call more fun.

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

With companies like  Google  extending working from home until as late as 2021, and others like  Twitter  giving employees the option to continue working remotely indefinitely, virtual meetings are more likely to become the norm than the exception. With this new reality comes the need to start making these meetups more meaningful and fun. How can groups quickly identify easy ways to make their meetings more engaging?

• Christopher Littlefield is an International/TEDx speaker specializing in employee appreciation and the founder of  Beyond Thank You . He has trained thousands of leaders across six continents to create cultures where people feel valued every day. He is the author of 75+ Team Building Activities for Remote Teams—Simple Ways to Build Trust, Strengthen Communication, and Laugh Together from Afar . You can follow his work through his weekly mailing  The Nudge .

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14 Fun & Interactive Presentation Games for Teams and Students

So you've got an audience to energize, students to engage, or a team that needs a little extra fun — playing an interactive presentation game is an easy way to do just that.

We've done the research and found the best of these games for you: we looked specifically for games that are simple to set up, fun to play, and flexible enough to be used with a variety of presentations and audiences. Most of these activities work virtually with Zoom/PowerPoint and can also be used in person.

Which of these 14 presentation games do you like best? Take a look and let us know your favorites:

1. Live Trivia Competition

A great way to ramp up the excitement and engagement is to enable a little bit of friendly competition. Trivia is an easy way to do this—plus, it can be whole-group inclusive and large-audience friendly (if you use the right tools).

Here's a great trivia game you can run with your team, students, or any large audience. It's already created for you with questions and scoring built in to make it even easier:

Here's how to play:

• Make a free account here: https://slideswith.com/  
• Click the slide deck and copy it. 
• Launch the trivia game by clicking "Start Event."
• Invite your group to join in and submit answers using their mobile devices (show the winners automatically).
• Interact and play during your presentation!

This trivia game has questions on many topics to keep your audience's attention and appeal to everyone. It only takes 10-15 minutes to play, so it's a great game for long discussions! Also, this interactive activity is free for up to ten participants and is totally customizable.

2. Sing and Swing 

To really liven up your group, encourage your listeners to play Sing and Swing. This activity is best for long presentations because it boosts energy, creates a fun, light-hearted environment, and makes people laugh a lot. 

Here's how to play: 

• Before your presentation, pick a well-known song and rewrite the chorus (replace parts of it with words and phrases from your presentation) 
• When you're ready to play, show the song on your screen. 
• Invite your audience to sing it with you!

If you have a fun group or a class of energetic students, consider adding choreography to engage your audience even more. 

3. 20 Questions

If you want a presentation game that requires your listeners to talk more than you, 20 Questions is the one to play! A classic and simple activity, this game immediately boosts engagement and gets people laughing. 

Here's how to play: Have someone put an appropriate image or word on the screen behind you (this can be an audience member you trust or a colleague or co-presenter). To make things more fun, put on a blindfold so that everyone knows you can't cheat. From there, ask 20 "yes or no" questions to guess what's displayed on the screen. Your group should respond "yes" or "no" to guide you to the correct answer. 

4. Scavenger Hunt Challenge

To get your audience out of their seats, a scavenger hunt challenge is one of the best interactive games for presentations. It'll immediately energize your audience , team, or students while giving them a fun way to learn.  

There are tons of in-person and virtual scavenger hunt ideas you can use to dive deeper into your topic or help everyone learn about one another. But if you want a ready-to-play game that you can instantly launch without having any tech skills, here's a fun one to play: 

• Use an email address and password to create a free account here: https://slideswith.com/ (a free account guarantees up to ten people can play at no charge). 
• Click the game and press "Copy and use this slide deck." 
• In the top right corner, click "Start Event."
• Ask listeners to join the game by using their mobile devices to scan the QR code. Players should continue using their mobile devices to submit answers to questions.
• Have everyone start hunting for items! 

This activity is a particularly fun game because it's a photo-hunt, show-and-tell challenge! That means your audience will not only get out of their seats to find items, but they'll also get to take pictures and share and discuss photos of what they find. This conversational element will help engage your group! 

5. Group Word Clouds

Whether you're speaking to team members, students, or conference-goers, this activity lets you ask questions and get your listeners' thoughts on specific topics. 

This game is the perfect way to start your presentation, especially if you're discussing something with a wide range of opinions or are unsure how much your listeners know about a certain subject. Group Word Clouds is also beneficial if you want to do a quick meeting pulse or know how your listeners feel going into your presentation—understanding their energy levels and mood can help you adjust (if necessary) to get maximum engagement and excitement.

To enjoy this activity, keep things simple by using a tool that already offers a ready-to-play Group Word Clouds game. Here's a popular one you can launch immediately: 

• Create a free account by entering an email and password here: https://slideswith.com/  
• Click the game and then copy it (the button to do so is right underneath the slide deck).
• Press "Start Event" in the top right corner. 
• Tell participants to play by scanning the QR code. 
• Create word clouds and have fun!

This interactive game only takes 5-10 minutes to play, so it's a fast, fun way to engage your audience and feel out the room. Players can use their mobile devices to answer questions. This activity is also free for up to 10 people and is easy to personalize.

6. The Get to Know You Game

This activity is one of the best presentation games if you have a small group that doesn't really know each other. The Get to Know You Game is a creative way to do introductions, and it's really simple.

Here's how to play the game: Before the event, ask group members to bring a favorite song or item to the presentation (you can do this by emailing them). When you're ready to play, ask each person to introduce themself, present their song or item, and explain why they picked it. For those sharing a song, have them play it on their phones before they explain why it's their favorite. 

7. Live Poll Questions 

When you have a large group, it's not easy to find ways to boost engagement—but poll questions are the solutions, especially when they're live and interactive. With this unique setup, large groups engage by answering questions and seeing their answers displayed in a fun way. 

Your job is to make sure you actually find a game that showcases responses uniquely to captivate your group. For a quick and great option, here's a popular icebreaker activity that promises to display responses using fun formats like word clouds, donut charts, live graphs, and per-player: 

• Create an account for free to access the game:  https://slideswith.com/  
• Click the slide deck and press the button to copy it. 
• Look in the top right corner of the deck and press "Start Event."
• Invite your group to play the game. They only need to use their mobile devices to scan the QR code. 
• Start polling your audience!

This activity is one of those fun presentation games everyone will want to enjoy, so invite all of your team members and students to participate. This game can accommodate up to 250 players and takes 5-10 minutes to complete. Tell your group to use their mobile devices to submit their responses. 

8. Assumptions 

This interactive game is a great way to break up your presentation to see who's paying attention and who can answer questions pertaining to your topic. 

• Ask your audience to stand up (for virtual presentations, make sure everyone's video is on). 
• Show true or false statements on the screen one by one. 
• Tell people to raise a hand if they think the statement is correct and sit down if they think it's incorrect.
• Continue until one person is left standing.
• Award the winner. 

This activity can be as short and challenging as you want. Also, if your presentation is long, you can play multiple rounds to break up your speaking time and test your audience throughout your discussion.  

9. Controversial Questions 

Want to see where your audience, students, or team lands on controversial topics? Then, energize your presentation with a fun, creative game called Controversial Questions. This activity has prompts that inspire lively debates, so it's a great way to get your group excited and chatty. 

However, to maintain a positive environment, make sure to find a tool that offers an office-friendly, classroom-friendly, and conference-friendly game. You don't want to sour the mood by creating uncomfortable division during your presentation. To make sure this game is fun and light-hearted, here's a popular one that's suitable for all audiences and ages: 

• Sign up for a free account by inputting an email address and password here:  https://slideswith.com/pricing  
• Click the game and press the button that says, "Copy and use this deck." 
• Press "Start Event" (the button is in the top right corner). 
• Have participants join the fun by asking them to scan the QR code with their mobile devices. 
• Get controversial and play! 

This interactive game for presentations asks fun (but appropriate) questions like:

• Does pineapple belong on pizza?
• Does the person flying in the middle seat get both armrests?
• Should the toilet roll go over or under? 

Players should use their mobile devices to submit answers. Up to ten people can play for free, and you can customize the game by updating the questions!

10. Word of the Day 

With this activity, you can keep your audience, team, or students engaged throughout your entire presentation. This  game requires listeners to be alert and recognize whenever you say the word of the day. 

Here's how to play: At the beginning of your presentation, tell your group the word of the day (it can also be a phrase if you'd prefer). Say that you'll weave the word into your presentation and that your audience must shout it out whenever you mention it. 

11. Mini Activity: Group Icebreaker

Whether you're doing an in-person or virtual presentation, you need to warm up your audience to get things started on a positive note. The best way to do that is with a quick icebreaker game. 

However, make sure your questions are fun, positive, and engaging. You can easily do this by finding a game that already has the best icebreaker questions included. Here's one that's ready to play (and requiring no tech skills to launch): 

• Input an email address and password to make a free account here: https://slideswith.com/  
• Click the deck and copy it (press "Copy and use this deck). 
• Click the button in the top right corner that says "Start Event."
• Invite participants to play by asking them to scan the QR code. 
• Break the ice to warm up your audience!

Your group should use their mobile devices to submit responses to poll questions. Also, this game accommodates up to 250 players, but only ten people can join for free.

12. Process of Elimination 

This activity is one of the best games for presentations because it's simple yet fun and great at helping listeners get to know each other. You can play it at the beginning of your presentation or in the middle to give your group a chance to stretch their legs. 

• Before your event, create a list of "yes or no" questions. 
• Once you're ready to play, tell your group to stand up (if you're doing a virtual presentation, make sure everyone's video is on). 
• Ask each question one by one. 
• Tell attendees to stand if their answer is "yes" and sit if their answer is "no." 

The questions can relate to your topic or be totally random. Also, if you'd prefer to thin out the number of people standing, you can take a creative twist and ask your questions by saying something like this: "Stay standing if (insert scenario)." When phrasing each question this way, the game will end with one person standing. To acknowledge the winner, you can give them a round of applause or award them a prize. 

13. Conference Opener Icebreaker 

If you're speaking at a big conference, you need an interactive game for presentations that can get everyone involved and ensure every voice is heard. To achieve these goals, you should create an icebreaker game that works for large groups . 

Using an easy, intuitive template is the best step to take. That way, you don't have to start from scratch or spend hours making your game. For a template that requires no code or tech-savviness to build on, here's the best option: 

• Sign up by making a free account here: https://slideswith.com/  
• Click on the game. On the next page, click the button to copy and use the deck. 
• Customize the template using the instructions HERE . 
• During your presentation, press "Start Event" in the top right corner. 
• Ask the group to use their mobile devices to scan the QR code and join the fun. (Also, make sure participants use their mobile devices to submit answers.) 
• Play and engage your audience!  

This template has fun, interactive features built in to keep your large audience engaged. Those features include polls, word clouds, and ratings. Just make sure you sign up for a paid plan to accommodate the large number of people in your group—the free account only works for up to ten players. 

14. Two Truths and a Lie 

This classic game is a fun, energizing way to help your listeners get to know one another. It's perfect for small in-person or virtual groups and is an ideal activity for the beginning of your presentation. 

Here's how to play: Pick any topic (for the purposes of this article, the topic will be "movies"). In no particular order, say two movies you've really watched and one you haven't watched. Ask your audience to guess which statement is the lie. The winner picks the next topic and says two truths and a lie. 

Be Memorable With Presentation Games

Oftentimes, people forget presentations within a week or even days, and that's because the discussions are boring. But you don't work hard preparing a presentation for it to be forgotten. If you want your message to stick, all you have to do is make it enjoyable without being corny.  

If you want to be remembered and actually get people engaged, you need to make your presentation fun and enjoyable, without coming off as corny or desperate to please. Ivan Dimitrijevic, 10 Secrets of Making Every Presentation Fun, Engaging, and Enjoyable

Luckily, the interactive presentation games in this article are unique and exciting—they're far from corny. So, use them for your upcoming presentations to make your messages compelling and memorable. 

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39 Team Meeting Ideas & Topics that are Out of the Box 

By: Angela Robinson | Updated: December 29, 2023

You found our list of fun out of the box team meeting ideas and topics.

Out of the box team meeting ideas are change-ups from the normal meeting routine that make for more fun and interesting gatherings. Example ideas include walking meetings, field trips, and team Pomodoro sessions. The purpose of these activities is to engage and energize attendees, spark creativity, and facilitate team building. These insights are also known as “staff meeting ideas.”

These ideas are a type of unusual team building activity , virtual team building activity and remote employee engagement exercise . The ideas are similar to team building meetings , morning meeting ideas , virtual morning meeting ideas and community building activities .

This list includes:

• positive staff meeting ideas
• out of the box meeting ideas
• fun team meeting topics for discussion
• weekly team meeting ideas
• team meeting activities
• fun activities to liven up meetings
• fun ways to start a meeting
• activities for staff meetings
• meeting engagement ideas

Here we go!

List of team meeting ideas & topics that are out of the box

Here is a list of creative meeting ideas to shake up the routine and engage employees.

1. Team Pomodoro session

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that involves working in 25 minute intervals followed by five minute breaks. To keep your team on-track and engaged, you can hold group pomodoro sessions. You could either bring tasks to work on and co-work together, or split the meeting or discussion into this format. During the breaks, teammates can chat, grab a snack, take a stretch, and recharge.

Here is a list of free pomodoro apps you can use.

2. Competitions

Competitions are one of the most fun activities to liven up meetings. By gamifying the gathering and pitting participants against each other in friendly rivalries, you can capture attendees’ attention and keep energy high.

First, split the group into two or three teams. Then, break up the meeting with mini-games and trivia questions. You can also award points for work accomplishments like delivering a strong presentation or sharing a milestone. At the end of the meeting, count the scores and give a prize to the team with the highest tally.

Here are more tips for workplace competitions , and here is a collection of trivia questions for work meetings .

Get our free team building toolbox

• icebreaker games
• bingo cards

3. Outdoor meetings

In the same way teachers take classes outside on warm days, you can move your meetings outside to give your teams a much-needed dose of fresh air and sunshine. Simply designate a meeting space outside, or have your team meet inside and walk outdoors together. Keep in mind that there may be noise, and you may also want to avoid this format if you have confidential matters to discuss or presentations that require extensive technology. For the full effect, bring blankets or lawn chairs to sit on, and pass out snacks for a picnic feel.

Here is a list of outdoor team building activities .

4. Powerpoint party

Powerpoint parties are eccentric team meeting ideas that involve participants presenting on irrelevant topics. Before the meeting, instruct participants to prepare a slideshow on a subject of their choice. Any matter that is safe-for-work is fair game. For example, a teammate might give a lesson in ukulele music appreciation, an overview of The Great Emu war, or just share pictures of cute dogs they met in their neighborhood.

When the meeting begins, give each participant a maximum of five minutes to present the slideshow to the group. At the end of the meeting, attendees can ask additional questions or vote for the best presentation.

Reunions are one of the most unexpected meeting ideas. For this type of meeting, invite back team members who left on good terms to spend time with the team. Former teammates can catch up and re-ignite their camaraderie, and the surprise visit can be a quick morale booster for the team. Plus, the gesture sends the message that you value staff as human beings and remain on good terms with former employees, which can strengthen your relationship with your current team.

Former team members can either visit in person, or call into the meeting via video conferencing software. Be sure to leave buffer time for teammates to chat and connect.

Rewinds offer a chance to reflect on the past and measure progress. These meetings give the group the opportunity to celebrate and re-celebrate team and individual wins together. You can include work wins, team outings, life changes, and more, and can do the year in review or look back over a longer period of time. You can make a slideshow or video of highlights, or ask each team member to come to the meeting prepared with one past win to share. This meeting theme enables the group to take stock of accomplishments and can inspire the team to keep moving forward.

7. Breakfast meeting

One way to perk up first-thing-in-the-morning meetings is to serve breakfast. You can lay out a spread of bagels and cream cheese, set up an omelette station, fire up the waffle iron, or special order from a beloved local breakfast spot. Be sure to have plenty of coffee on hand to help wake the team up, and leave buffer time for attendees to get food and get settled.

8. Field trip

Field trip meetings provide a change of scenery and an environment that stimulates teammates. First, choose a nearby destination, such as a botanical garden, museum, coffee shop, or co-working space. Venues with free admission or low-admission costs are probably best suited to this format, since the group will be working and may not be able to have a typical visit. Plan out time to enjoy the space as well as time for discussions, progress reports, team building, or brainstorming sessions. Be sure to double check with the venue beforehand that accommodating the group is possible. Many spaces offer meeting spaces where you can hold your work. Also keep in mind that you will have to coordinate transportation. Best to choose a spot not too far away so that the group can carpool or walk over together.

For inspiration, here is a list of virtual field trip ideas .

9. Walking meeting

If you have ever found yourself saying “walk with me,” to a colleague during a conversation, then walking meetings are for you. This format ditches the conference table and stuffy meeting room for a track or trail. Movement can get your team’s blood pumping and ideas flowing. Be sure to give your team a heads up to wear walkable shoes that day, because few folks want to take a trek in heels! When meeting time arrives, gather your group, take a stroll, and have a talk.

You can walk a nearby track or large indoor space, or you can travel to a destination. For instance, you can go to a park where your team can play games or an ice cream shop where you treat your crew to small cones.

10. Guest speaker

Inviting a guest speaker is one of the easiest ways to make meetings interesting. These special guests can take part in the group discussion or give a talk to the team. The speaker may train team members in a skill, share interesting and little-known history, explain a philanthropy mission, or simply talk about a cool topic. You can gauge what subjects interest the group and reach out to an expert to pay the team a visit. Feel free to encourage employees to make recommendations from within their social circles as well.

For ideas, here is a list of virtual keynote speakers .

11. Support session

Support sessions are meetings where teammates can gather to talk out things that are bothering them or confusing them. These sessions are a type of check-in activity leaders can use to gauge group morale and take care of the team’s mental and emotional health. Participants can swap tips, talk, listen, and vent. These sessions are a way to build camaraderie and assure employees that team members have their backs. Attendees can bring up work and non-work topics, and this can be a valuable exercise for encouraging empathy among the group.

For best results, set ground rules to ensure that these meetings are a safe place where team members feel comfortable sharing, and keep conversations healthy and productive.

For similar activities, check out employee resource groups .

12. Mini retreat

Mini retreats are intensive team bonding experiences. Like longer retreats, these activities enable development in a structured setting free from distractions. Mini retreats take place over a day or half day and are close to the office. You can plan a getaway to an outside venue for the day, or find a secluded space in the building for the team to meet. Then, organize team building activities, discussions, lectures, meals, and other programming for team members to take part in. These gatherings are like mini conferences just for your team, and allow your group to focus on topics like professional development, current projects, and team building without interference or interruptions from outside influences.

Here is a guide to holding retreats remotely .

13. Working lunch

Working lunches are one of the most common out of the box team meeting ideas. In this format, participants bring their laptops to the lunchroom or a restaurant and enjoy a meal while finishing tasks. Keep in mind that lunches are meant to be a break for employees and that larger groups tend to take more time to get served in restaurants. Plan to extend the lunch hour to allow some time for relaxing alongside business, and cover the cost of the meal. Dining tables are great spaces for conversation, and meeting in a restaurant can feel more intimate than meeting in a conference room.

You can also hold a remote lunch where attendees eat together during a Zoom call. Here are instructions to hold a virtual team lunch .

14. Virtual reality meeting

Virtual reality has progressed to the point that professionals can hold meetings in virtual spaces with avatars. This meeting idea is useful for dispersed teams, especially if team members have grown weary of Zoom screens. Even if the group works in the same building, this meeting can be a novelty and a welcome change of pace.

First pick a platform, then design your virtual meeting space. Make sure your teammates download the software or app needed to access the area and know how to navigate to the digital space at meeting time. Then, gather digitally and hold your meeting in the metaverse.

Here are virtual events platforms to try for VR meetings.

15. Video game quest

Teams looking for new and different ways to meet can play video games together. Many games and gaming platforms have online multiplayer modes and built-in communication systems like text or voice chat. Teammates can complete missions together to improve collaboration and communication skills. Plus, playing the games can help workers de-stress and blow off steam.

According to The New York Times , even some executives use video games for meetups in place of traditional conference rooms or restaurants.

16. Animal therapy

Animal therapy may be one of the most appreciated motivational meeting ideas. People love pets, and employees will likely be much more psyched to attend a meeting if it means the chance to cuddle a cat, dog, rabbit, or other fuzzy friend while listening to the agenda.

To host this type of gathering, reach out to a local animal rescue or adoption center and ask about the possibility of arranging a visit. Many such organizations coordinate dog or cat therapy sessions with colleges and may be able to accommodate. Or, you can bring your team to the center to volunteer for a couple of hours and meet aftward.

Pro tip: Make sure no team members are allergic before you bring in the critters! Also, be sure to clear the activity with leadership, and be ready to clean up any animal accidents.

For more fun with furry friends, check out this list of office pets .

17. Work skills workshop

Work skills workshops are activities that help teammates develop work competencies. Professional development is important to employees, and making skills training the focal point of a meeting gives workers the opportunity to learn while on the clock.

Here are a few example topic ideas:

• Time management
• Financial literacy
• Negotiation
• Navigating cultural differences
• Storytelling
• Personal branding

First, find out which subjects most interest the staff. Next, find a pro to lead the workshop and set a date and time.

It tends to be best to structure these sessions to involve hands-on activities that allow for practice and encourage participation.

Learn more about corporate workshops .

18. Battle of the…

Battle of the… is part competition and part experiment. In this activity, teammates try out different versions of a product and pick an overall winner. This activity is a fun way to start or end a meeting.

Before the meeting begins, decide on a category. For instance, cupcakes, apps, touchscreen gloves, or Chinese takeout. Each participant should decide on a different brand or shop to buy from. Participants will order the items online, or else visit a local shop the day of or day before the meeting to pick up the product.

During the meeting, participants will try each other’s items and compare notes before deciding on a winter.

You can structure the activity to be more work-related, for instance, trying out different industry apps. Or leave the activity just for fun, such as “battle of the cannolis.”

This exercise can be a fun bonding exercise and is sure to appeal to folks who make everything into a competition.

Here are more ideas for team bonding .

Recess gives team members a chance to play and embrace their inner child. This type of meeting is unstructured time where team members can escape the office and blow off steam. You can organize team playground games such as kickball and tag, or simply hang out outside together. Recess can happen inside too, with team building board games or indoor team building activities . Allow at least 15 to 30 minutes of free time. The point of the exercise is to give employees a break and re-energize the team.

20. Virtual lunch and learns

Lunch and learns are educational activities where employees meet on lunch break to hear a lecture while enjoying a snack or meal. These activities are common in the workplace, however you can get creative in the topics covered. Beyond basic subjects like time management or leadership training, you may consider more eccentric topics, for instance, tips on confidence and presentation skills from a drag queen or prepping work snacks with a chef.

You can also shake up the format of lunch and learns by meeting remotely. Even if your team works in-office, you can stream the session so that teammates can tune in from wherever they are in the building and staff outside the office can still participate. You can even deliver lunch to desks, or reimburse the faraway folks the cost of takeout.

Here is a guide to doing virtual lunch and learns .

21. Hourly check-ins

Hourly check-ins are motivational meeting ideas that can help keep team members on-track and on task. At the appointed time, team members will gather and give updates on the work and/or on their moods. This is especially useful on days of events.

The group does not have to physically gather for these meetings, and can respond to a Slack thread or group chat instead. The get-togethers do not have to happen every hour either, and can occur a couple of times throughout the day. These check-ins can give team members needed support and encouragement, as well as encourage accountability.

Here is a list of employee check-in questions .

22. Workout meetings

Workout meetings do the double duty of helping employees get exercise while accomplishing tasks. This meeting format can counter sedentary work styles and encourage healthier habits. The community element promotes team bonding. Plus, the accompanying endorphin boost can improve employee moods.

It is best to do a low-intensity workout such as yoga, hiking, or casual bike-riding, otherwise teammates may get winded and it will be hard to communicate.

For inspiration, check out this list of team workout ideas .

23. Brainstorm graffiti

Brainstorm graffiti is an idea-generating exercise that encourages participation from all team members. The one-at-time format of more traditional brainstorming sessions may make shyer teammates hesitant to participate. In brainstorm graffiti, team members write down all ideas at once, and then explore the different topics as a group.

To do this exercise, get a large whiteboard or roll out a big piece of paper on the floor. Then, give each attendee a different color marker. When you say go, teammates will have five to ten minutes to write down every thought that comes to mind. When time runs out, team members take a seat, and the meeting host guides the group through the mural of ideas. The host should touch on at least one word in each color to give every team member the chance to contribute.

Since this activity is time-limited and higher-pressure, ideas do not need to be fully formed and can be rough. The point of the exercise is to spark creativity, limit second-guessing, and get as many ideas as possible into the open.

For more inspiration, here are books on creativity .

24. Timed segments

Occasionally in meetings, one team or team member hogs the floor, causing other participants to have to rush through their updates. Skilled moderators can ensure that talking time gets divided evenly, however doing timed segments is another alternative. As each presenter begins to speak, set a visible timer for 5 to 15 minutes. Participants can challenge themselves to race against the clock and be as brief as possible. As host, you can save some time at the end and have teammates compete for the extra slots.

This exercise is intended for fun and should not cause anxiety among staff. If there is a topic in need of further discussion, then the teammate can have a private conversation after the meeting or the team can circle back to the topic in the future.

25. Q&A

Q&A sessions give teammates the chance to satisfy curiosity, clear up confusion, and have a back-and-forth with an expert in the know. You can host Q&A’s to address upcoming organizational changes, for instance, rebranding or restructuring, or to get to know individual team members better, for instance, a meet-and-greet with a member of a different department or an introduction to a new team member. Higher management can use these sessions as a way to have dialogue with the staff, and can benefit from feedback and insights just as much as employees benefit from having questions answered. You can also host experts outside of your organization, and can facilitate Q&A’s virtually.

26. Town Halls

All hands meetings and town halls are not unusual in the workworld, yet you can structure these meetings in a way that is engaging, welcoming, and valuable to all attendees. For example, you can plan activities that offer a chance for attendees to get to know colleagues in other departments, or by offer employees a chance to guest-host segments. You can even have random prize drawings, games, and perks to incentivize attendance and participation.

Here is a guide to doing all hands meetings .

27. Buddy Up

Introducing a buddy system for meetings gives team members a chance to bond and strengthen relationships. There are a few different ways to achieve this end. For instance, you could match up meeting attendees to talk through prompts and complete tasks together, can pair up teammates for 1:1 peer-learning calls during weeks when the manager is away, or can invite another department to hold a joint meeting with the team. This format gets employees more familiar with more distant coworkers and builds stronger bonds throughout the organization.

Check out more relationship building activities .

28. Scavenger hunt meeting

Scavenger hunts are one of the most out of the box meeting activities. There are many ways to structure the activity. For example, you can open the meeting by having attendees retrieve materials they will need to complete a team building exercise during the meeting. Or, you can ask each presenter to submit a question relating to an important topic they will cover, make a worksheet out of the questions, and ask attendees to fill in the blanks as the meeting goes on. You can also hold a more traditional scavenger hunt as a team building exercise.

For more tips and ideas, here is a guide to doing scavenger hunts virtually .

29. Meeting soundtrack

Because meetings do not typically have music, adding a background playlist can elevate the experience. You can pick a different team member to act as DJ every meeting, or ask teammates for song suggestions to build a team playlist. Team members can also choose songs to play during presentations. Playing music can help team members focus and feel comfortable, and can eliminate awkward silences and set a mood for the meeting.

Pro tip: Send out the playlist post-meeting in the recap email or notes.

For inspiration, here is a list of team building songs .

Fun team meeting topics for discussion

Here are suggestions for topics to talk about in work meetings to incite lively discussion.

1. Moonshots

Moonshots are ambitious ideas that may seem impossible at first glance. These projects can drive innovation and push teammates beyond perceived limits. Moonshots can also be one of the most fun talking topics for meetings. Teammates can come up with over-the-top ideas together, and then brainstorm ways to make these distant aims achievable. The more outrageous the thought, the better. While not every moonshot may succeed, by striving for great results team members are likely to grow and achieve more than they initially expected. Plus, dreaming big is fun and can ignite the team’s passion and imagination.

For further inspiration, here is a list of books on innovation .

Discussing goals in a group setting can be fun and useful. Team members can give each other encouragement, and announcing the goal can create a sense of accountability that makes participants follow-through and take action. We recommend structuring the discussion so that teammates share one work goal and one non-work goal. During future meetings, check in and assess progress. This idea can serve as an ongoing discussion point and icebreaker activity.

Here are goal setting activities for teams .

3. Predictions

It can be fun to make forecasts about the industry and the company, especially during times of significant change. This exercise can improve the team’s critical thinking abilities. Simply have participants weigh in and predict events and developments that may occur within the next month, quarter, year, etc. You can even start a for-fun betting pool and award the participant with the most accurate prediction with a prize.

Predictions do not need to be serious or long-range. For example, the group can make predictions like “who will be the next team member to get a positive review?” or “who will be the next participant to forget to unmute their mic on Zoom?”

4. Client catch ups

Client catch ups give employees the opportunity to learn more about customers and encourage the team to keep current with clients. You can highlight a few exciting developments at client companies in a slideshow, ask participants to volunteer news, and can even make a trivia game to reward employees who are most well-informed on client goings-on. You can even invite a client to call in and share their news within the first five minutes of the call, have the team offer congratulations, and generate goodwill between you and the customer.

Everybody makes mistakes from time to time. Owning up to failures can normalize imperfection and make team members feel better about mess-ups. Not to mention, stories about things-gone-awry can be entertaining. Team members can take turns confessing to mess-ups, and you can even award a fail-of-the-week. The team can comfort each other and offer advice and suggestions to help each other learn.

6. Hypotheticals

Hypotheticals are fun tangents to explore in work meetings. Team members can take turns thinking up different scenarios and challenging other team members to talk through their problem-solving approach. This exercise can help team members plan more thoroughly and consider multiple angles when making decisions. Plus, it can be fun to think about different possibilities, even unlikely ones.

Here are more problem-solving activities .

7. Personal updates

It is good for team members to get to know each other as human beings and to keep tabs on each others’ important events outside of the office. You can leave room in meetings to share personal updates. For example, engagements, births, house-buyings, pet adoptions, and graduations. Team members can also share less monumental developments like starting a new hobby, planning a weekend trip, or finally cleaning their desk.

8. New member introduction

New member introductions are a way to welcome new employees and facilitate team bonding. Each member of the team can tell a little bit about themselves, and established team members can ask the new hire questions or give advice. The new team member can also use this opportunity to ask questions, or just to banter with their new coworkers. These discussions help to break the ice and build relationships among the team much faster.

Here are more get to know you activities .

9. Work Wins

Recognition is an important part of the job satisfaction puzzle. Plus, hearing positive news can boost employee morale. You can dedicate time each meeting to acknowledging work wins. Managers can announce these achievements, team members can praise each other, or employees can toot their own horns. Starting the gathering with these conversations can set an uplifting tone for the rest of the meeting. You can also host an entire meeting devoted to talking about each team member’s accomplishments, like an informal award ceremony.

10. Today I learned

Today I learned is one of the most fun meeting discussion topics. This exercise encourages constant learning and empowers team members to share fascinating facts with the team. To do this activity, have each attendee share one tidbit that they recently learned. These snippets could be work-related or non-related, on any topic of the speaker’s choice, and can be serious or silly.

Final Thoughts

The average employee spends a significant amount of time in meetings. The routine can grow stale, and team members can tune out. Introducing new and interesting meeting topics and formats can reinvigorate the team and lead to more thoughtful discussion, better morale, increased creativity, and greater productivity.

For more tips, check out virtual meeting etiquette and these corporate workshop ideas .

We also have a list of the best games for team meetings .

Book wildly fun team building events with expert hosts

FAQ: Out of the box team meeting ideas

Here are common questions about out of the box team meeting ideas.

What are out of the box team meeting ideas?

Out of the box team meeting ideas are unusual and unexpected activities and topics for meetings. The purpose of these exercises is to add variety to the workday routine and to engage and re-energize employees.

What are some unexpected work meeting ideas?

Some unexpected work meeting ideas include animal therapy, meeting soundtracks, reunions, and video game quests.

How do you engage employees during meetings?

To engage employees during meetings, incorporate elements of participation such as games, quizzes, and questions. A change in scenery can also shake up the routine and make employees more alert and receptive to discussion, as can changing the standard meeting format and planning unexpected activities.

Author: Angela Robinson

Marketing Coordinator at teambuilding.com. Team building content expert. Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses.

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