Planning an Onam celebration at work? These Onam games for office employees include traditional activities, indoor games, team challenges and quick competitions that are easy to organise at the workplace. From Tug of War and Pookalam competitions to Malayalam Dumb Charades and one-minute challenges, here are 40 fun Onam games for colleagues and office teams.
Jump to a Section: Traditional & Onam-Themed Games | Indoor Onam Games | Onam Team Games | Funny Onam Games | Best Onam Games: Quick Picks | How to Organise Onam Games | FAQs
40 Fun Onam Games for Office Employees To Make Celebrations Exciting
Traditional & Onam-Themed Games for Office Employees
1. Pookalam Competition
Divide employees into teams and give them flowers and a fixed time to create a Pookalam. Judge the designs on creativity, colour combinations, teamwork and overall appearance. Also Explore: Onam Rangoli Designs
2. Vadam Vali – Tug of War
Divide employees into two teams and see which side can pull the opposing team across a marked line. Choose a safe, open area and avoid slippery surfaces.
3. Uriyadi Office Challenge
Hang a lightweight decorated pot or container filled with chocolates or treats. Blindfolded participants try to locate and tap it while colleagues guide—or confuse—them.
4. Onam Quiz
Prepare questions about Onam traditions, Kerala, King Mahabali, Pookalam, Sadya, Vallam Kali and Malayalam culture. Divide employees into teams and conduct rapid-fire rounds.
5. Guess the Onam Dish
Show pictures of Kerala and Onam Sadya dishes and ask teams to identify them. Include dishes such as Avial, Olan, Thoran, Pachadi, Kaalan and Payasam.
6. Onam Treasure Hunt
Hide Onam and Kerala-themed clues around the office, with each clue leading to the next location. The final treasure can be chocolates, vouchers or a festive hamper.
7. Kerala-Themed Dumb Charades
Participants act out Malayalam movie titles, famous Kerala personalities, Onam traditions or popular songs. Their teammates must guess the answer within a fixed time. Also Read: Most Difficult Movie Names for Dumb Charades
8. Onam Pictionary
Prepare cards with words such as Pookalam, coconut, houseboat, Kathakali, Payasam and King Mahabali. One player draws while the rest of the team tries to guess the word.
9. Malayalam Song Antakshari
Divide employees into teams and organise an Antakshari featuring Malayalam songs. For multicultural teams, include Hindi, Tamil and Telugu songs as well.
10. Best Traditional Outfit Contest
Invite employees to wear Kerala-inspired festive attire. Give awards such as Best Traditional Look, Most Elegant, Best Team Look and Most Creative Outfit.
Indoor Onam Games for Office Employees
These indoor Onam games for office employees can easily be organised in conference rooms, cafeterias and common office spaces.
11. Pass the Parcel
Play music while employees pass a parcel around. When the music stops, the person holding it completes a fun task such as singing, dancing or performing a movie dialogue.
12. Musical Chairs
Arrange chairs in a circle and play energetic Malayalam or festive songs. Remove one chair after every round until only one participant remains.
13. Newspaper Dance
Employees dance in pairs while standing on a newspaper sheet. Fold the paper after every round, and the last pair that stays within the shrinking space wins.
14. Memory Tray Challenge
Place 15–20 Onam-related objects on a tray and let participants view them for 30 seconds. Cover the tray and ask them to write down everything they remember.
15. Cup Stacking Challenge
Give each participant paper cups and ask them to build a pyramid before returning the cups to a single stack. The fastest participant wins.
16. Lemon and Spoon Race
Participants balance a lemon on a spoon and walk from the start to the finish without dropping it. Keep the course short and safe for an office setting.
17. Balloon Balance Race
Participants move across the room while keeping a balloon between their knees. Anyone who drops the balloon must return to the starting point.
18. Freeze Dance
Play upbeat music while everyone dances. When the music stops, everyone must freeze, and anyone caught moving is eliminated.
19. Guess the Song
Play the first three to five seconds of Malayalam or festive songs. Teams score points for correctly identifying the song or movie.
20. Guess the Colleague
Ask employees to submit childhood photographs in advance. Display them during the celebration and let everyone guess which colleague is in each picture.
Onam Team Games for Office Employees
These Onam team games work especially well for medium and large office celebrations where you want maximum participation.
21. Office Scavenger Hunt
Give teams a list of objects to find around the office, such as something yellow, a flower, a banana or something shaped like a boat. The first team to complete the list wins.
22. Blindfold Pookalam
Blindfold one team member while others verbally guide them to place flower petals and create a simple Pookalam. Award the funniest or most impressive design.
23. Paper Boat Building Challenge
Give teams paper, tape and simple stationery and allow ten minutes to build a boat. Award prizes for the strongest, largest or most creative design.
24. Onam Relay Race
Create a relay combining tasks such as lemon-and-spoon, cup stacking, balloon balance and an Onam trivia question. The first team to complete every stage wins.
25. Human Knot
Employees stand in a circle and hold hands with two different people across from them. Without letting go, the team must untangle itself into a circle.
26. Telephone Game
Whisper an Onam-related sentence to the first person in a line and pass it from one employee to another. Compare the final message with the original.
27. Onam Jigsaw Race
Print an Onam or Pookalam image and cut it into puzzle pieces. Give identical puzzles to teams and see who can assemble theirs first.
28. Kerala Rapid-Fire Challenge
Give teams 60 seconds to answer as many Kerala and Onam questions as possible. It works especially well between longer activities.
29. One-Minute Pookalam Challenge
Give each team the same quantity of petals and just 60 seconds to create a miniature Pookalam. Judge the designs on creativity and presentation.
30. Build the Tallest Tower
Give teams cups, straws, paper or other office stationery and five minutes to build the tallest free-standing tower. The tallest structure still standing wins.
Funny Onam Games for Office Employees
These funny Onam games for colleagues are easy to organise and work well when you want light-hearted competition and plenty of laughs.
31. Saree or Mundu Draping Challenge
Give teams traditional attire or a piece of cloth and set a timer. Participants must drape it neatly around a teammate before time runs out.
32. Coconut Bowling
Set up empty plastic bottles as bowling pins and use a lightweight coconut-look ball or another safe round object. The participant who knocks down the most pins wins.
33. Biscuit Face Challenge
Place a biscuit on each participant’s forehead. Without using their hands, they must move it down their face and into their mouth.
34. Straw Transfer Challenge
Participants use a straw and suction to move small pieces of paper from one bowl to another. The person who transfers the most within 60 seconds wins.
35. Ping-Pong Bounce Challenge
Participants bounce ping-pong balls off a table and try to land them inside cups. Give each person ten attempts and count successful shots.
36. Balloon Cup Race
Participants use an inflated balloon to move lightweight paper cups from one spot to another without touching the cups with their hands.
37. Coin Balance Challenge
Give participants one minute to balance as many coins as possible on the back of their hand or another flat surface. The largest stable stack wins.
38. Don’t Laugh Challenge
Two employees face one another and try to make each other laugh using expressions, jokes or silly actions. The person who keeps a straight face longest wins.
39. Guess What’s in the Box
Place safe objects inside a covered box and ask employees to identify them by touch. Add an Onam twist with items connected to Kerala food, flowers or festive décor.
40. Onam Dance-Off
Play Malayalam and popular party songs and invite individuals or teams to perform. Give awards such as Best Dancer, Most Energetic, Funniest Dance and Audience Favourite.
Best Onam Games for Office: Quick Picks
If you don’t have time to organise all 40, start with these favourites.
For large office teams:
Vadam Vali, Pookalam Competition, Onam Treasure Hunt, Relay Race and Onam Quiz.
For indoor celebrations:
Dumb Charades, Pictionary, Musical Chairs, Memory Tray and Guess the Song.
For small teams:
Onam Quiz, Cup Stacking, Guess the Dish, One-Minute Pookalam and Telephone Game.
For funny office games:
Biscuit Face Challenge, Balloon Balance Race, Newspaper Dance, Don’t Laugh Challenge and Saree/Mundu Draping Challenge.
For team building:
Human Knot, Scavenger Hunt, Paper Boat Challenge, Blindfold Pookalam and Relay Race.
How to Organise Onam Games at the Office
For most office celebrations, five to eight games are enough. Mix traditional, team and quick indoor activities, keep the rules simple and choose games that allow maximum participation. Small prizes such as chocolates, vouchers or festive hampers can make the competition more exciting.
FAQs About Onam Games for Office Employees
What are the best Onam games for office employees?
Pookalam competitions, Onam quizzes, Tug of War, Dumb Charades, treasure hunts, Pictionary and one-minute challenges are among the easiest and most engaging choices.
What Onam games can be played indoors?
Popular indoor choices include Onam Quiz, Dumb Charades, Pictionary, Guess the Song, Memory Tray, Cup Stacking, Newspaper Dance and Pass the Parcel.
How many games should we organise for an office Onam celebration?
For a two- to three-hour celebration, around five to eight games are usually enough. Mix a few quick games with two or three longer team activities.
Onam is all about celebration, togetherness and community. These Onam games for office employees can bring that festive spirit into the workplace while giving colleagues a chance to compete, laugh and celebrate together.
Don’t Miss: Onam Games for Kids | Onam Wishes for Friends & Family