23 Fun Kwanzaa Activities, Games, & Ideas for Work

You have found our list of the best Kwanzaa activities, games, and ideas for work.

Kwanzaa activities are fun events and activities for celebrating the cultural holiday Kwanzaa. This holiday is a time to honor and uplift the African heritage. These activities include holding a candle-lighting ceremony, a karaoke party or sing-along, and giving gifts. The purpose of these activities is to help participants reflect on the African culture and foster unity among individuals of African descent.

Kwanzaa activities are holiday party ideas and are similar to end of year celebrations, Juneteenth celebrations, and Diwali celebrations. Celebrating Kwanzaa in the workplace encourages diversity and inclusion and holiday team building.

This article includes the following:

• Kwanzaa activities for adults
• Kwanzaa team building activities
• Kwanzaa party ideas for work
• Kwanzaa games

Here we go!

List of Kwanzaa activities, games, and ideas for work

Kwanzaa is a seven-day celebration observing African heritage and recognizing those of the African diaspora. This holiday starts the day after Christmas and ends on New Year’s Day. Kwanzaa is a perfect time to reflect on faith, community, and individual and organizational impact. Here are some activities to help businesses celebrate the holiday and incorporate its principles into their company culture.

1. Discussions around the Principles of Kwanzaa

As with any holiday, it is always a good idea to take some time to spend time reflecting on the reason for the celebration. Discussing and reflecting on Kwanzaa’s principles is a great activity to consider for celebrating Kwanzaa in the workplace. These principles include unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. You should encourage open dialogue and have employees share personal experiences related to these principles.

2. Indoor and Outdoor Decorations

A great way to get into the Kwanzaa spirit is decking out the office environment for the festivities. Corn holds tremendous significance during Kwanzaa celebrations, and ears of corn are typically one of the most popular decorative items. Creating corn husk accents or placing corn at the door is a good way to welcome guests and fill the office with the Kwanzaa spirit. Red, green, and black fabrics are great for adorning the workplace and setting the mood. Engaging employees in the decoration process will help encourage bonding and team building and create opportunities to have fun together.

3. Candle-Lighting Ceremony

Lighting the candles is one of the most memorable activities of Kwanzaa, and this activity is a great way to bring employees together for a fun time. You can start with the black candle representing Kwanzaa’s first principle, unity. Then, every day for the remaining six days, light candles from left to right in the order of principles. One of the company’s top executives can lead the process, or you can hold the ceremony together as a team. This practice helps foster bonding and community spirit between staff members.

4. Honor for Ancestors

One of the primary objectives of the Kwanzaa celebration is to appreciate the African culture globally and honor and reflect on our ancestors. Pouring libations into the unity cup to honor those who have paved the way for the living marks the opening of the Kwanzaa celebration. Organizers can plan a session to salute those who have sown seeds of freedom and ancestors who have passed on. The eldest attendee in the gathering or a top executive in the organization can anchor this session.

5. Story Sharing

The art of storytelling is central to the Kwanzaa tradition, and this activity can add a lot of life and fun to the celebration. Some fun ways to incorporate stories into the celebration include dance, songs, and recitations. Staff members can take turns sharing their fondest Kwanzaa memories or oral histories that they may have heard from elders in their family. Storytelling will help create an atmosphere of laughter and fun and also help build a strong sense of community and pride in sharing a beautiful culture.

You can create a comfortable atmosphere for team members to share personal stories and experiences related to Kwanzaa’s seven principles. This approach is a great way to build rapport and trust among colleagues and promote empathy and understanding.

6. Brainstorming Session

Brainstorming is essential for maximum creativity. However, many professionals usually need more time to catch up with work demands to focus on new ideas. The sixth principle of Kwanzaa, Kuumba, meaning creativity, can help employees express their thoughts and emotions through innovation and design.

During this session, employees will take some time to think outside the box and develop creative new ideas that can help improve their motivation and contributions at work. Then, each employee will note their ideas, map out a system for actualizing them, and share them with the team afterward. The brainstorming session is one of the most productive Kwanzaa activities for adults.

Here is a list of virtual brainstorming ideas.

7. Kwanzaa Display

This activity is a great way to kickstart the Kwanzaa celebrations. Staff members come together to set up a display representing Kwanzaa’s seven principles.

​Here is a step-by-step guide to arranging this display:

1. Decorate a display table in festive cloth using one of the three Kwanzaa colors or traditional African material.
2. Put a mkeka mat at the center of the table.
3. Place the kinara, which is the candleholder, on the mat.
4. Light the central black candle symbolizing your commitment to Umoja.
5. Put the Kikombe cha Umoja, or the unity cup, on the mat. You can put the cup on either side of the candleholder or in front of the black candle.
6. Fill a bowl with vegetables, nuts, fruits, or all of the above, and place it close to the kinara.
7. Lay some ears of corn on the table to honor children in the community.
8. Place gifts around, on top, or under the table.

Setting up this display is a great way to unite workers and honor each day of Kwanzaa.

8. Office Feast

Kwanzaa is all about bringing folks together. A Kwanzaa feast is a unique event that helps to bring individuals closer to their African roots. This feast is one of the best Kwanzaa party ideas for work, and it usually features fun games, cultural displays, and African-American delicacies. This feast traditionally occurs on December 31st and is a cooperative and communal effort.

The activity can involve welcoming, reassessing, and recommitting to the African-American culture. Attendees share drinks from a communal cup, the Kikombe cha Umoja, passed among the attendees.

The whole office contributes by making flags, building a homemade kinara, and creating a woven mat. Finally, the feast ends with a farewell statement and a call for greater unity.

9. Kwanzaa Workshop

One of the reasons to celebrate Kwanzaa is to meditate on the principles and values of African heritage. Considering that your workforce may have individuals who are not of African descent, hosting a workshop that teaches about Kwanzaa and its principles is a great idea to consider. This workshop can also include reading history books about African-American culture and history. This activity is an interactive and informative way for workers to celebrate the holiday and learn about African-American culture.

Here are more office workshop ideas.

10. Employee Talent Show

You can create a fun-filled atmosphere in the office by having teams engage in a talent show. This activity can include art exhibitions, dance, poetry, or singing competitions. Including some live African drumming during this activity can add flavor and fun to the atmosphere. Employees can wear African cultural garments to honor their African origin further. You can also feature Black-owned vendors during the event to display their ingenuity and crafts to attendees.

Check out this guide to staff talent shows.

11. Goal-Setting Sessions

One important Kwanzaa team building activity to consider is setting goals for the forthcoming year. Organizers can set up a goal-setting session for staff members to reflect on the year ahead, discussing their personal and organizational goals. Employees can carry out this activity on the fifth day to address Nia, the purpose principle. Or, teams can host this activity on the last day, which marks Imani, the faith principle. It is essential to make this session interactive and ensure that it uplifts and encourages reflection and growth. During the session, team members can highlight critical accomplishments of the past and share lessons learned and hopes for the future.

Here are more goal-setting activities.

12. Kwanzaa Trivia

For a fun game night, you may create a Kwanzaa trivia game with questions about the holiday’s history, symbols, and traditions. There are online resources that can help develop engaging questions, or you may write your own based on your research. This activity is a great way to spice up the workplace holiday mood and build camaraderie among colleagues. A fun and interactive way to celebrate the holiday in the office is to have a time set apart for Kwanzaa games and activities.

Here are more trivia games for adults.

13. Kwanzaa-Themed Movie

During the Kwanzaa festive week, employees can have time set apart to check out some relevant educational content about Kwanzaa. A great way to learn more about the holiday is to watch a movie about African-American history and culture, such as Roots and 12 Years a Slave. Many informative documentaries are also available that embrace Kwanzaa’s core principles. Or, you can watch cinema that centers around Black joy. Black filmmakers and storytellers have made many great movies in recent decades, the past few years especially, so there is a wealth of options for your event. Participating in this activity as a team or company can be a fun and entertaining way to celebrate the holidays and learn about African-American culture.

14. Kwanzaa Potluck

Food is one of the best parts of any holiday, and Kwanzaa is no exception. A great way to celebrate the holiday in the office is to encourage coworkers to bring a dish that represents their cultural heritage or their interpretation of Kwanzaa.

A common centerpiece for Kwanzaa food is a braised or stewed food that hails from different cultures, such as:

• Ghanaian groundnut stew
• West Indian or South African curry dishes
• Philadelphia pepper pot stew, jambalaya
• Nigerian jollof rice
• Senegalese thieboudienne

​This activity is a perfect way to honor the various cultures of the African diaspora while also sharing in the spirit of unity and community.

15. Local Celebrations

You can help your employees enjoy a full day of fun-filled celebration by searching for an event in your city. Numerous Kwanzaa events throughout the country mark the holidays, and these events help attendees bask in the Kwanzaa euphoria and honor the holiday with style. Attending one of these celebrations can help workers unwind and get some fun outside the office setting. These events often feature special performances, reading, and vendor exhibitions.

Check out more team celebration ideas.

16. Gift Exchange

One of the core tenets of Kwanzaa is the exchange of gifts, and each gift has a meaning behind it. During Kwanzaa celebrations, colleagues join in twos to exchange gifts. There is no rule about what gifts participants cans give during this holiday. However, the focus is to have colleagues invest time and thoughtfulness in giving each other unique gifts.

Such gifts can include handmade trinkets, educational books by African-American authors, or personalized items connected to the African-American culture. This activity is a great way to promote the spirit of giving and appreciation between colleagues.

Here are more gift exchange ideas.

17. Cultural Performance

Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday, and one way to celebrate the holiday is to incorporate activities that showcase African culture. Organizers can put employees into groups, and each group presents a cultural performance to their colleagues. Alternatively, the company may invite a local cultural group to perform traditional African-American music or dance. This activity can be a great way to learn about African-American culture and celebrate the spirit of Kwanzaa.

18. Support Black-Owned Businesses

Day four of Kwanzaa is about cooperative economics, and a great way to mark this holiday is to support Black-owned businesses. You and your team can patronize local stores, shops, and businesses. You can prioritize using Black vendors to cater, decorate, and entertain during holiday parties. Also, you can use Black-owned small businesses for employee gifting and care packages. In addition, you can promote your favorite brands and local businesses during the holidays and beyond and encourage employees to do the same.

19. Karaoke Party or Sing-Alongs

A karaoke party is one of the best ways to introduce fun to any holiday celebration. Having workers show off their singing talents and sing along to their favorite Kwanzaa songs will help to add some laughter and fun to the holiday mood. This activity also allows employees to bond and spend time cheering each other on. At the end of the karaoke party, the best performers may get gifts, fun titles, and rewards. The team can either hold this activity at a karaoke bar or set up a virtual karaoke night.

20. Kwanzaa-Inspired Crafts

One of the best Kwanzaa team building activities is to set up a crafting station where colleagues can make Kwanzaa-inspired crafts. Workers can split into groups, create Kwanzaa items, and present them to the whole office. Such crafts include a kinara candleholder, a mkeka mat, a kente cloth bookmark, or a unity cup. This activity can be a fun and creative way to celebrate the holiday while promoting teamwork.

21. Volunteer Work

Ujima, the third principle of Kwanzaa, is about collective work and responsibility. This day aims to collectively build the community, identify problems around us, and work together to solve these problems. As a company, volunteering is the best way to give back to the community. Therefore, it is essential to inform and educate employees on the need for the project, how it helps the community, and the personal and professional rewards.

One way to give back to the community is to engage staff members in a community service project and donate to a charity that supports African-American communities, such as the NAACP and the UNCF. Employees can also volunteer at a local community center to contribute to positive growth and build a better community.

Check out this list of group volunteer opportunities.

22. Kwanzaa Scavenger Hunt

You can organize a Kwanzaa-themed scavenger hunt where teams must search for items that represent the seven principles of Kwanzaa.

These principles include:

• Umoja, or unity
• Kujichagulia, or self-determination
• Ujima, or collective work and responsibility
• Ujamaa, or cooperative economics
• Nia, or purpose
• Kuumba, or creativity
• Imani, or faith

​Participants must find the items within a set period. This activity is a fun and interactive way to learn about Kwanzaa and build teamwork skills.

Here are more scavenger hunt ideas for adults.

23. Kwanzaa Mural

To add some artistic flair to your event, have employees break into small teams to create Kwanzaa-themed murals that incorporate the seven principles of Kwanzaa. For this activity, you should get paint kits and a board for participants. This activity can be a fun and creative way to build teamwork skills and celebrate the holiday.

Conclusion

Celebrating Kwanzaa in the workplace can be an excellent opportunity to build a positive and inclusive work environment that celebrates diversity and the spirit of Kwanzaa. These activities help participants meditate on Kwanzaa values and principles and develop ways to incorporate them into their personal and work lives. Kwanzaa activities help create a memorable celebration for colleagues while promoting unity, community, and purpose. These exercises also help increase employee motivation and improve the workplace and community.

Next, check out our lists of holiday icebreaker questions, virtual Black history month ideas, and benefits of diverse workplaces.