5 Summer team building ideas with rewards they’ll love

Dena Kasabri
Dena Kasabri
Posted July 25, 2025 in Employee Gifts & Incentives

Summer’s in full swing—and for many teams, that means it’s time to swap the boardroom for backyard games, team lunches, and creative ways to stay connected. But here’s the challenge: with no major holidays and many employees cycling in and out for vacation, it can be tough to keep engagement high.

That’s where summer team building comes in.

Whether you’re planning a one-off event or a full season of activities, adding small rewards—like a customizable Giftogram—can boost participation, morale, and momentum all summer long.

Coworkers laughing and pushing each other on office chairs in a bright office space

Why summer is the season for team building

There’s a reason HR teams and culture leads search “summer engagement ideas” every summer season:

  • There’s no built-in holiday to anchor team bonding
  • Burnout tends to peak in Q3
  • It’s the perfect time to build relationships before the busy fall season

That makes summer a prime opportunity to re-energize your team with creative events, friendly competitions, and meaningful moments together.

5 Summer team building ideas and how to reward them

  • Office olympics: Host relay races, desk chair sprints, and trivia rounds. Use Giftogram’s bulk ordering tool to upload your winners and customize each gift card with a unique denomination and message
  • Summer potluck or BBQ cook-off: Hosting a team potluck? Send Giftograms ahead of time with a custom gift card catalog featuring grocery and food brands to help employees cover ingredients for their dish.
  • Team walk or step challenge: Encourage movement and wellness with a month-long step contest. Giftogram makes it easy with wellness-themed gift card designs and a dedicated category of fitness, mindfulness, and self-care brands.
  • Field day or park picnic: Plan lawn games like tug-of-war or cornhole at a local park. Giftogram’s physical delivery option lets you hand out gift cards on the spot—adding a fun and tangible prize to the day.
  • Ice cream social + surprise gifting: Set up a sundae bar with a surprise twist: a few “golden ticket” bowls come with a $5–$10 Giftogram. Add your company logo and a playful message using custom branding tools to make it feel special.

Showcasing Giftogram on desktop and mobile

Make rewarding easy and actually fun

Team building doesn’t need to break the budget or eat up bandwidth. With Giftogram, you can:

  • Send instantly via email, SMS, or physcial cards
  • Add your company’s branding and message
  • One card, thousands of top brands to choose from
  • Order in bulk with one spreadsheet
  • Automate rewards through Zapier or integrations

You can even choose between prepaid Visa and Mastercard options or retailer-specific cards for more flexibility.

Ready to reward smarter this summer?

Whether you’re planning one event or a full summer series, Giftogram makes it easy to reward your team with a gift card that lets them choose what they want. Sign up for a free Giftogram account or book a demo with our team to get started.

Ready to simplify your company's gift card program?

Create a free account to get started or call us, Monday-Friday, 9am-9pm EST, at +1 (973) 887-1600.

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