Virtual Workshop Suminagashi
Photograph courtesy of Coursehorse
Photograph courtesy of Coursehorse

Best Virtual Arts and Crafts Classes for Groups & Team Building

Whether you want to play with clay or make mosaics, we've got a craft class for you

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With remote work and virtual collaboration becoming more common, finding innovative ways to bring team members together to bond and boost morale is more important than ever. A virtual arts and crafts workshop is an engaging and creative way to connect coworkers no matter where they are in the world. From watercolor painting and sketching to building your very own terrarium, these virtual activities can help strengthen relationships in a relaxing and accessible atmosphere. No matter which one you select, a virtual team building experience is sure to build bonds and provide a refreshing break from your team’s daily routine.

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Most popular arts & crafts classes for groups

Virtual Clay Hand Building

If your group is full of creative people who aren’t afraid of getting their hands dirty, this hand-building ceramics class could be the perfect fit. In this beginner-friendly workshop, participants will learn simple but effective pottery skills to create a small ceramic piece like a candle holder or planter. The materials that are shipped to each student include two bags of air-drying clay (no kiln required!), a fabric bag of wooden tools, acrylic paints and brushes, and jars of base coat and gloss varnish to finish off the final product.

Virtual Terrarium Workshop

If your team is in need of some peaceful relaxation, spending a couple of hours creating their own terrariums could be a perfect activity. The cost of the workshop covers all of the required supplies which are mailed to each person before the event. The supplies include a glass terrarium as well as items to fill it, like reindeer moss, decorative rocks, crystals, organic soil, and a succulent. Throughout the event, the host will also teach your group about feng shui, which are Chinese organizational principles designed to bring good luck and prosperity through the balance of your design. At the end of the workshop, each participant will have a terrarium they can proudly display in their home or office.

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Virtual Candle Making

If you’ve ever wanted to make your own candle, check out this workshop and find out just how simple and easy it can be! Each participant will receive supplies before the event, including stirring sticks, a melting/pouring pitcher, candle tins and wicks, adhesive, labels, and fragrance oil. This class is also a great choice for groups who feel that sustainability is a priority since the candles are made from soy and beeswax. During the event, participants are encouraged to grab a drink and a snack as they unwind and create a beautiful candle from scratch. They’ll be expertly guided through each step of the candle-making process so each person can end the course with something they can be truly proud of.

Virtual Brick Building Team Challenge

Those interlinked cubes you played with as a kid are the building blocks of a fun and creative team challenge experience. You’ll face both solo and team challenges as you battle to create the most unique structure and emerge the best at brick building. This fun event is great for team building because it helps you embrace diverse ideas and outside-of-the-box thinking. You don’t need to have prior experience, just an open mind and a willingness to play. Using identical kits of blocks, each round of the challenge offers a prompt that requires teams to collaborate and tell a story with their creations. You might try to build the tallest structure, create a form of transportation or build something that represents your favorite hobby. One prompt even challenges you to create your likeness using building blocks. Your team will love this ever-popular class that is sure to create plenty of laughs and memories.

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Virtual Paint and Sip Party

If you’re looking for a stress-free activity for your team, what could be better than grabbing a bottle of wine and letting your creativity shine. In this popular paint and sip event, each group member will receive the following materials before the workshop takes place: a set of acrylic paint, brushes, a canvas, an easel, a palette, and a bottle of wine; non-alcoholic wine is available as well. The group can send their own photo that they’d like to paint or choose one from CourseHorse’s gallery of preselected images. As your group members enjoy their wine, they’ll also learn fundamental acrylic painting techniques, and everyone will end the evening with a complete piece of artwork.

Make art with paint and ink

Virtual Acrylic Painting

Acrylic painting is a relaxing and beginner-friendly activity that even the most inexperienced artist can enjoy. The cost of the workshop includes a package of materials that will be shipped to each person. The materials include paints, a canvas, brushes, a wooden easel, and a palette. You can also add a bottle of wine to your package for an additional $30 per person. Your group can select an image to paint from CourseHorse’s gallery of images, or choose your own photo or painting that represents your group. Each team member will be creating their own version of the same image, and part of the fun is to see the ways that each person puts their own unique spin on their finished painting. The workshop is designed to be totally beginner-friendly; everyone will be able to learn new skills and end the class with a finished work of art to display at home or give as a gift.

Virtual Watercolor Workshop

If the main priority for your group is relaxation, this is the event for you. Participants will specifically learn a basic “wet on wet” painting technique that allows colors to blend and spread to create unique images and color mixtures. This technique can be used to create a variety of images and can be applied to several different painting styles. The supplies that will be sent to each participant before the workshop include 18 different colors of paint, premium-grade paper, and brushes in various shapes and sizes. Your group can choose an image from CourseHorse’s catalog or bring your own image to paint. This watercolor workshop is a great choice for beginner artists since the end result is designed to be abstract and creative above all else.

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Virtual Cartooning & Doodling Workshop

If you have a few teammates who are always doodling during breaks, why not lean into that habit and take their drawing skills to the next level? This beginner-level class teaches fundamental cartooning skills that will turn basic stick figures into complete drawings in only 90 minutes. The class starts with a short demo before everyone can get started on their own drawing. There will also be time at the end to share your work with others, but only if you feel comfortable. Before the day of your event, each person will receive a PDF of materials to print. Materials aren’t included in the workshop, but all you’ll need to participate is a pen, a pencil, and a sketch pad or other type of paper.

Virtual Acrylic Pour Art

Acrylic paint pouring is a fun and easy way to create a striking work of art with flowing lines and colors that will make you think of galaxies and oceans. You don’t need any traditional painting skills to create a beautiful work of art and the process is fairly quick, so it’s a great way to get your team’s creative juices flowing. This activity will get you playing with color and freely exploring an incredible range of creative possibilities and techniques. No two pieces will be alike in this vibrant team building experience.

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Virtual Calligraphy Workshop

Calligraphy has become an extremely popular form of art, but many people assume that it must always look the same. On the contrary, there are many unique styles of modern calligraphy, and it’s designed to be expressive and freeform. This workshop focuses on brush lettering, so participants will learn how to adjust the thickness of their lines to create appealing letters with any tool, whether it’s a brush pen or a simple marker lying around the house. By the end of the workshop, everyone will know how to create upper and lowercase letters and connect them into words and phrases so they can add an elegant flair to their penmanship. Materials are not included in the cost of the workshop, but the items needed for the class are minimal. They include either a Tombow Fudenosuke Pen or a Crayola Super Tips Marker and a printed copy of the workbook provided by the host. Students can also purchase tracing paper for the class, but it’s not required.

Creative crafting experiences for groups

Virtual Perfume Making

Scent is strongly tied to memories and emotions. You may notice how lavender helps you relax or citrus has an energizing effect. Fragrances can help you remember special people or places. If your team is interested in how fragrance formulas are created or wanted to capture a specific fragrant fragrance for your body or home, this is the perfect class. A seasoned perfumer will demonstrate basic steps to making perfume and lead you through hands-on activities. You’ll explore the world of essential oils and aromatic compounds as you take this olfactory journey together.

Virtual Soap Making Workshop

Homemade soaps offer a luxurious experience that you just don’t get with a manufactured bar from the grocery store. This team building class will introduce you to the exciting world of soap making. You’ll use melt-and-pour soap with a shea butter base to create unique bars with your choice of botanicals, dyes, and fragrances. Your host will explain the types of materials used in soap making, the basic techniques you can use, and why making your own soap is so beneficial. Plus, you’ll get to try different recipes so you can decide which soap is your personal favorite. This is a fun shared experience with your team and you’ll enjoy using your hand-crafted soap every day.

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Virtual Marbled Resin Cutting Board

Poured resin is enjoying surging popularity because of its versatility and ability to create beautiful and unique swirl designs. This class will guide your team through creating your own stunning marble cutting board using epoxy resin. You’ll receive a kit with all the materials you need, including the wood board, epoxy resin, and twelve colors of paint to tint your resin with your favorite color combination. This is a seamless and enjoyable team-building experience that you can do from anywhere. The finished resin cutting board is stunning and you’ll love displaying it proudly.

Virtual Clay Marbling Workshop

Groups who love working with their hands will also love this beginner-friendly ceramics activity. In this highly hands-on class, participants will use polymer clay to build beautiful marbled bowls and plates, learning a variety of fundamental sculpting techniques in the process. Participants will also learn how to marble their clay together to create interesting shapes and unique colors. The materials that will be sent to each team member include 15 blocks of clay, a sculpting knife, a roller for smoothing the clay, gloss glaze, and a gold Sharpie to add exciting visual details to the final product.

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Virtual Mosaic Tray Workshop

Mosaic is the art of creating an image or a pattern out of small, colorful tiles or stones. If the members of your group enjoy putting puzzles together, this workshop could be the perfect fit. Participants will learn how to arrange their tiles in an eye-catching way and how to stabilize their image using grout. Once the grout dries, everyone will be able to show off their unique mosaic tray to serve loved ones at their next gathering. Before the event, each student will receive a package of supplies including grout, glue, paint, various mosaic tiles, and a 16x11 wooden tray to decorate. As this can be a messy process, it’s also recommended that students have plenty of paper towels or a drop cloth on hand to ensure their area stays clean.

Virtual Wood Burning Workshop

Wood burning is a great way to adorn decorative and functional objects like cutting boards, wooden boxes, decorative spoons, or coasters. You can make smaller items like unique keychains and bookmarks, or even go large with woodburning on a piece of furniture like a chair or headboard. This team building class shows you how to use a wood burning tool and how to choose different nibs depending on the effect you want to create. You’ll learn how to prepare your wood base, transfer your design onto it, and then create your work of art. You can even use watercolor and colored pencils to add color to your design. This is a fun way to spend time with your group and you’ll have a finished work of art that you can use every day.

Create designs inspired by nature

Virtual Grow Your Own Home Garden

Even if you don’t have a backyard plot of land you can experience the joys of growing a garden and harvesting your own food. Herbs are hardy and easy to grow in pots or strips of earth where other plants might wither. This workshop introduces you to the magic of growing your own herbs and creative ways to use them in your cooking. Your host will show you the best way to plant your seeds in starter pots so they’ll thrive, and share how to care for your new herb garden. All the materials you need will be sent to each participant, including seeds for much-loved herbs like parsley, cilantro, basil, chives, and thyme. Your cooking will taste even better with fresh herbs you grew yourself.

Virtual Workshop: Moss Wall Art

Teams who love the soothing experience of nature will appreciate this moss wall art experience. Unique and handmade moss art brings a sense of zen into your space, whether at home or at work. Your naturally inspired creation will provide a pop of texture, color and tranquility. In this workshop, you’ll craft a stunning moss masterpiece like the trending items you see in handmade marketplaces. Each piece features framed greenery adorned with elements like mushrooms or butterflies. You can choose from a spring and summer theme in shades of green and pink, or a fall and winter theme in shades of green and white. You’ll use natural moss that has been carefully preserved using an eco-friendly process.This is a simple craft that yields striking results no matter how much experience you have with crafting.

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Virtual Sun Printing Workshop

If you’re looking for a unique creative experience that goes beyond the typical drawing and painting, a sun printing workshop is the perfect choice. This photographic process is called Cyanotype and was used by engineers as a way to create quick and affordable copies of their designs. In fact, it’s where the term “blueprint” comes from. Each participant will receive a shipment of materials that includes several sheets of paper in various sizes, blank greeting cards with envelopes, foam letters, and a dry erase marker. With these supplies, common household items, and natural sunlight, everyone will create their own unique patterns and arrangements to hang around the house, use as stationary, or give as a thoughtful gift.

Virtual Origami Workshop

Origami is a fun and relaxing experience to share with your team. In this ancient Japanese art form, pieces of colorful paper are folded into shapes like birds, butterflies, and flowers. Origami shapes can range from extremely complex and challenging to simple forms that are easy to fold and immediately recognizable. The models require carefully planned folds, easing your mind into an immersive and relaxing state. This class will show you how to fold origami shapes like Fish, Butterfly, Crane, and Jumping Frog that you can use as a bookmark, hang on your wall, or simply set on your desk. Origami is a fun skill to entertain friends and family with, and it’s a delightful experience to learn together.

Enhance your well-being with art

Virtual Vision Board Workshop

If your priority is for your teammates to feel motivated and to learn more about each other, this vision board activity is an excellent choice. Prior to the event, each participant will receive a package of supplies in the mail that includes a corkboard, push pins, and a booklet of inspiring images and quotes. During the 60-minute workshop, the host will guide everyone through this reflective and creative activity that is designed to help each person focus on their goals by envisioning their future self. The host will provide reflective questions and prompts to help each person create their final vision board, encouraging plenty of interaction and engagement along the way.

Virtual Art and Meditation

If you’re looking for a way to unwind and let go of stress, coloring is the perfect antidote. Coloring mesmerizing figures like mandalas helps your mind enter a state of flow where you are fully immersed in the present moment. This creative experience will give the opportunity to explore your sense of color and design as well. The event sets the stage for relaxation with a simple breathing meditation from the comfort of your chair. A set of gel pens and a coloring book are included in the class, so all you have to do is show up prepared for an immersive and peaceful creative experience.

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Virtual Workshop: Suminagashi

Experience the art of suminagashi as it’s practiced in Japanese culture to foster relaxation and creativity. This team building class takes you on a meditative journey into the ancient art of marbling. You’ll find your creativity blossoms and you experience new levels of relaxation as you create beautiful marbling on simple rice paper or functional wooden coasters. You’ll float three colors of sumi ink in water in a provided tray container, draw your paintbrush through the ink to create marbled patterns, and then slide your paper or coasters under the ink to capture the vivid swirls and designs. This class provides everything you need to create suminagashi and includes a snack for you to enjoy together during your class.

Celebrate the holidays with virtual arts and crafts

Gingerbread House Holiday Party

You can bring your inner architect out to play in this gingerbread house building class. You’ll groove to some holiday tunes while you assemble your house and decorate it with icing, candies, candy canes, and sprinkles. All materials are shipped to your participants ahead of time, so it’s an easy way to share this classic holiday tradition. When you’re finished, it’s time for a show and tell to see everyone’s creations.

Virtual Wreath Making

A wreath is a beautiful accent for your home or office during the holidays or any time of year. In this virtual class, you’ll learn to craft beautiful seasonal decor that is uniquely your own style. You’ll learn which materials are the best for creating a long-lasting wreath, and how to use them to adorn an elegant grapevine base. All materials are shipped to participants ahead of time, including a 12-inch grapevine wreath, faux branches and flowers, berries and pine cones, a colorful bow, and the wire and twine you’ll need to assemble it. You’ll love the warm and welcoming holiday vibe for your space that a holiday wreath imparts.

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Virtual Wood "Gingerbread" House

Save your cookies for eating and craft a “gingerbread” house made of durable and long-lasting wood. This diy kit makes it easy to assemble with precut pieces and glue sticks. Once you’ve built your house, you can decorate it with the provided stickers, glitter, puffballs, and more. You won’t have to get your hands sticky or struggle with crumbling cookies or messy frosting. This is a fun way to share the holiday spirit with your team and enjoy a bit of holiday decoration to remember it by.

Virtual Classic Gingerbread Cookie Decorating

Here’s a craft that’s good enough to eat. Nothing says holidays like gingerbread cookies decorated with frosting and candies. This fun cookie-decorating workshop is led by a professional chef who will walk you through all the secrets of turning a cookie into a holiday masterpiece, including techniques like icing, flooding, and writing. All the materials are shipped directly to your group members, including fresh baked cookies from a bakery in NY.

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Ugly Sweater Making Party

Nothing screams holiday party like an ugly sweater. In this virtual event, you’ll jam out to some holiday tunes and test your knowledge of holiday trivia while you adorn your one-of-a-kind red sweater with treasures like pom-poms, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, and buttons. Your sweater will be talked about at the holidays for years to come! This is the perfect way to connect with your team in a silly and fun way. When you’re finished you’ll all show off your masterpieces, and the ugliest sweater wins.

Your guide to virtual arts & crafts classes for groups and for team building

Reasons to book a virtual arts and crafts event

Booking a virtual arts and crafts workshop can be an excellent team building activity for multiple reasons. Hands-on activities like painting, drawing, or sculpting provide a much-needed break from a demanding work schedule. Engaging in a creative activity allows team members to unwind and temporarily escape the pressures of the workplace and get to know their colleagues in a new and more relaxed setting. Reducing stress is also a crucial factor in reducing turnover and burnout, making these activities not only beneficial for small groups but an entire company. It could also be a way for folks to discover a new hobby or passion, further improving their overall quality of life.

Engaging in an activity that produces a complete, tangible product at the end is also great for boosting morale. A virtual arts and crafts workshop can serve as a visible reminder to people that they are capable of creating something beautiful and learning something new in a short amount of time. This sense of accomplishment and pride can translate directly to the workplace, since these experiences can build confidence and lead to a more motivated workforce.

A virtual team building activity is also an accessible and convenient option for a remote workforce. These workshops remove geographical barriers and allow teammates to meet for a relaxing bonding experience without the need to travel. You can try a virtual cooking class, virtual mixology class, or a virtual team building game. Enhancing inclusivity often encourages greater participation, since nobody feels left out or that their needs were overlooked. Meeting over Zoom makes it easier for colleagues to bond and collaborate and provides increased flexibility to accommodate those with busy schedules or who live in different time zones.

Why is arts and crafts a good group activity?

Regardless of anyone’s level of experience with art, activities that encourage creativity are an excellent way to build trust between team members. Expressing creativity with others can feel vulnerable and scary, but vulnerability is also how we connect with others. Creative exercises often encourage people to open up and share personal details about themselves. For instance, if your team selects the virtual candle making class, everyone can share why they selected their fragrance or a happy memory they associate with that scent.

Many arts and crafts workshops are also customizable to your group’s preferences and interests. A lot of the painting activities allow groups to bring in a photo or image that they want to paint rather than selecting from a catalog of existing images. Painting something that somehow represents the company you work for or the work you do can serve to further solidify your relationships with your teammates. Trying to agree on an image can even be a team-building exercise in itself, since getting a large group to come to a consensus requires patience and positive communication skills.

Participating in an artistic workshop can also help promote innovation in your group. These activities often require people to experiment with new ideas, step outside their comfort zones, and explore unconventional solutions. They inspire a new level of open-mindedness and flexibility, which can positively impact skills in the workplace. Professionals who are comfortable with creative thinking are often better able to adapt to changing circumstances and approach problems from new angles. Incorporating creative activities in the workplace can inspire a culture of innovation, leaving your employees feeling empowered to think more creatively when faced with a challenge.

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How to choose the best virtual arts and crafts event for your group

Before you select the best activity for your team, it’s important to consider what the overall goal of your event is. If you want them to relax after finishing a big project, you might select a more laid back activity, like watercolor painting or building a terrarium. On the other hand, if you have a new team who needs to bond and break the ice, an event like the Virtual Vision Board Workshop that promotes more conversation might be a better fit. It’s often a good idea to allow the interests and preferences of your group to guide your selection process as well, so be sure to allow your team members to share their preferences before you narrow your choices.

Budget is another factor when determining the team building activity that best suits your group. Many CourseHorse events include all materials in the price, which could be the most cost effective choice for your group if they’re not artistic in their personal lives and therefore may not have these supplies readily available. However, there are other virtual workshops that don’t supply materials but could provide additional savings for the more budget-conscious group. For example, the Virtual Cartooning and Doodling Workshop is only $400 for a group of ten, and the required materials are all things that people are very likely to have at home. Regardless, an arts and crafts workshop is likely to be more affordable than another common team building activity, like an escape room group event, white elephant gift exchange, or a rage room.

A virtual arts and crafts class is extremely engaging. Even though participants aren’t in the same room, it is still an interactive and hands-on experience that naturally encourages participation as everyone works to finish their piece. While virtual classes don’t allow for a ton of collaboration, they are extremely accessible since everyone can participate from the comfort of their own homes. With many of these activities also supplying the materials ahead of time, all your group members have to do is log on, grab their favorite snacks, and be ready to get creative!

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