25 Summer Wellness Challenge Ideas for Your Workforce in 2024

Welcome to the sunniest season of the year!

Summer is the perfect time to infuse your employees’ lives with energy, fun, and a vibrant focus on well-being. As the days get longer and the weather gets warmer, let's take this opportunity to engage your team in a series of creative wellness challenges.

This blog post features 25 exciting summer activities that are designed to enhance employee health, happiness, and team spirit. From beachy step challenges to refreshing hydration goals, we’re turning wellness into an adventure.

Get ready to make this summer unforgettable with recreation, laughter, and a whole bunch of healthy habits!

25 Energizing Summer Wellness Challenge Ideas

As summer unfolds, it brings an irresistible call to embrace vibrancy, health, and joy in our daily lives. So, why not take the opportunity to rejuvenate your team with wellness challenges that spark excitement and foster well-being?

Below are 25 unique summer wellness challenge ideas designed to boost morale, foster team spirit, and promote overall well-being that lasts all summer:

1. Breath of Fresh Air Challenge

This summer, inspire your employees to step into a natural environment and savor the benefits of fresh air and breathwork. Encourage them to spend 10-15 minutes daily on invigorating deep breathing exercises outdoors to reduce workplace stress levels, lift their mood, and boost energy levels.

They can pair it with light activities like walking or gentle stretching to enhance the experience. Make it fun by offering incentives like gift cards for those who participate consistently.

2. Summer De-stress Challenge

No amount of nutrition or hydration feels right if the mind seems uptight. Employees must wear a lot of hats: They have the pressure to be outstanding performers, team players, helpful colleagues at work and let’s not forget the overwhelming family duties. It’s quite a lot to take.

That’s why we have designed a Summer De-Stress Challenge for your dear employees. Encourage them to engage in daily stress-relief activities like meditation, deep breathing exercises, or mindful nature walks.

Introduce themed days such as "Mindful Mondays" for meditation, "Tech-Free Tuesdays" for unplugging, and "Wellness Wednesdays" for on-site Yoga sessions after work. Create a shared space for individuals to share their experiences and progress and offer relaxation-themed prizes for consistent participation.

This summer health challenge will help them manage their emotions, recharge, and shine bright all season long.

3. Cardio Crusade

Get hearts pumping and energy levels soaring with this exciting 30-day summer health challenge. In cardio crusade, employees commit to at least 30 minutes of cardio exercise each day. They can choose from activities such as running, calisthenics, cycling, swimming, or even dancing.

Encourage mixing up the workouts to keep things interesting and to engage different muscle groups. For example, employees can run on Mondays, cycle on Wednesdays, and swim on Fridays.

4. Couch to 5K

The "Couch to 5K Wellness Challenge" is a structured running summer wellness program designed to help employees gradually build their stamina and running ability over several weeks.

The benefits and opportunities of running are available to anyone. You don’t have to be born a natural athlete, and you don’t have to be uniquely gifted. A life-shaping experience is there for the taking, waiting right outside your door.
—Donald Buraglio and Michael Dove

It is perfect for beginners and aims to get participants from a sedentary lifestyle to running a 5K (3.1 miles) by the end of the program. Employers can provide resources such as:

• Offering sessions on proper running form, strength training, breathing techniques, and stretching exercises to prevent injuries.
• Providing nutrition advice to fuel their runs and aid recovery.

Rewards like medals, certificates, or physical fitness gear can be given to all participants who complete the challenge.

5. Mindful Moments

Amid the hustle of deadlines and constant work demands, individuals often crave a sense of renewal. Introduce the "Mindful Moments Challenge" to bring calm and focus to your team. Encourage them to spend 5-10 minutes daily on mindfulness practices like meditation, mindful observation, or simply savoring a quiet moment.

You can help your employees kick off their mindfulness journey by providing them resources such as guided sessions and mindfulness apps. Try adding a fun twist with weekly "Mindfulness Bingo," where employees can check off activities like five-minute meditations, mindful walks, or mindful listening. Give rewards on completion.

6. Book Club at the Beach

Start a summer reading wellness challenge with a twist. Choose a health and workplace wellness-themed book and host book club meetings at a local park or beach. Discuss chapters, share insights, and relax in the sun.

7. Squat Squad

Invite employees to join the "Squat Squad"! Ask them to start with 20 squats a day and increase the count gradually. The goal is to make them do 100 squats (with ease) by the end of 30 days.

Suggested Read: 30 Day Squat Challenge- Track Your Growth

This challenge is a fun way to build serious lower body strength, improve balance, and sculpt those amazing legs everyone will be raving about! Employees can log their progress with a squat tracker or use our in-house platform, Vantage Fit, and celebrate their squat milestones together!

Types of squats they can try: Shrimp Squat, Pistol Squat,Wall Squat.

8. Summer Swimmer

Dive into the "Swim & Slim Circuit" and incorporate swimming sessions into your employees' routines. Swimming engages various muscle groups while allowing them to enjoy the refreshing water.

Whether it's a lap in the pool or a leisurely swim at the beach, swimming offers a fantastic full-body workout. Encourage employees to share their swim stats and favorite swim spots with the team.

After all, who doesn’t love a good swim on a hot summer day? This challenge not only promotes physical health but also provides a fun way for employees to cool off and relax during the summer.

9. H20 Hero Challenge

Water is crucial for maintaining hydration, especially during the hot summer months. Create an H20 Hero Challenge that encourages employees to drink at least 8-10 glasses (64 ounces) of water daily. Provide them with hydration apps or a water logging platform like Vantage Fit for tracking progress.

Enhance your summer water wellness challenge with hydration stations stocked with infused water flavors like cucumber-mint, lemon-ginger, or strawberry-basil. This can make drinking water more enjoyable and encourage employees to stay hydrated. Reward the top performers with smoothie shop gift cards or sleek water bottles.

10. Dora the Explorer Challenge

As summer rolls in, employees can feel sluggish after months of indoor work. It's the perfect time to shake things up and soak in the sunshine with the "Dora the Explorer Challenge"!

Organize weekly hikes in local trails or parks to boost their cardio, strength, and overall health. This recreational and adventurous challenge immerses them in the beauty of nature, burning 300-900 calories per hour.

Your employees will love embarking on these outdoor escapades, snapping photos, sharing experiences, and reaping the benefits of fresh air and exercise.

It’s a fantastic way to promote wellness, teamwork, and a love for nature among your staff.

11. Summer Step Challenge

Going for a walk at an average to brisk pace can provide people with a tremendous health benefit. It’s free, easy, and can be done anywhere.
– Alpa Patel, The American Cancer Society

Modern life involves a lot of sitting. Due to which, many issues regarding backbone health have come up. Biologically speaking, humans weren’t built to sit and stare at a screen all day which is why movement is key to breaking away from that monotony.

And what better way to move than to walk? It can fill you up with serotonin and maintain your circadian rhythm.

This season, we challenge you to participate in our Summer Step Challenge with Vantage Fit. Our wellness platform makes tracking your steps, setting personalized goals, and seeing real-time progress easy.

Want to step-up your wellness-game? Book a demo.

12. Sweet Surrender

Excessive sugar intake has been linked to a concerning rise in chronic diseases. From obesity and type 2 diabetes to heart disease and even some cancers, sugar's impact on long-term health is significant.

To empower your employees and promote a healthier workforce, launch the "Sweet Surrender: No-Sugar Challenge". This initiative combines education and action, offering a comprehensive approach to reducing sugar intake.

Throughout the challenge, they'll receive practical guidance and support to gradually reduce added sugars, making healthy swaps and incorporating naturally sweet alternatives.

13. Eat the Rainbow

Dr. Alessio Fasano once famously said, "Your gut is not Las Vegas. What happens in the gut doesn’t stay in the gut.” The implications of what you eat have wider consequences than one can imagine. Keeping that in mind, you can host an ‘Eat the Rainbow Challenge’.

Motivate employees to improve their nutrition by adding a variety of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins to their diets. Share healthy recipes, meal prep tips, and offer virtual cooking classes. They can use platforms like Vantage Fit where they can log their meals and keep track of their nutrition and progress.

Recognize those who make significant improvements with small rewards.

14. Plank Power-Up

Help your workforce strengthen their cores with the "Plank Power-Up"!

Ask them to start with 20 seconds and gradually increase their plank time by 5 seconds each day. The goal is to hold a two-minute plank by the end of the month. This challenge is perfect for building core strength and stability.

Want to add a fun twist? Host this exciting summer wellness program at your workplace called the CUP-STACK PLANK CHALLENGE! Here are the steps:

• Place 8 cups on the floor, forming a semi-circle.
• Come into plank position. Now with one hand remove each cup from the circle to form a cup-stack.
• Repeat with the other hand.

The person who takes the least amount of time to complete the challenge wins!

15. Dead Poets’ Society Challenge

When we were young, we all wanted to be artists of some kind. We dreamt of being poets, artists, musicians and whatnot! There were no limits. But life has a plan of its own. Not everyone gets to live the life that they dreamt of as a child.

This challenge is to revive the dead artists in us. As an employer, you can launch this challenge to remind your workforce that besides having a 9-5 job, they can still make time to create things and immortalize their existence.

Remember the scene from the American sitcom called ‘The Office’ where Pam displays her artworks in a show and Michael, her boss, visits her and admires her for her work?

You can do something of a similar sort. You can provide a platform this summer where the artists, musicians, comedians can come together and display their talents. A small push and a pat on their backs from you might help them bring their sparks back!

Creativity is not about being artistically accomplished or professional. On the contrary, the benefits may be greatest if you are a beginner.
- Arthur C. Brooks

16. Summer Gratitude Challenge

Summer is a great time to be grateful. Be it feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin, listening to the joyous chirping of birds, or savoring the refreshing taste of a perfectly ripe, seasonal fruit – this season has it all.

Promote this feeling of gratefulness with a Summer Gratitude Challenge! For 30 days, ask your employees to write down three things on their gratitude journals that they are truly grateful for. Then, you could hold meetings wherein they could share their reflections with their colleagues, fostering a spirit of camaraderie.

17. Fitness Scavenger Hunt

Create a scavenger hunt with physical fitness-related tasks like cycling for 3 miles, doing 20 squats at a landmark, or hiking up a hill. Divide employees into small teams of 3-6 members. They can complete as many tasks as possible within a set time frame.

Offer prizes for the most tasks accomplished.

18. Journey Challenge

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
– Lao Tzu

Embark on an adventure with the "Journey Challenge"! This wellness challenge adds a touch of excitement to step contests by turning them into a virtual journey. Each team logs their steps to move along a virtual map, aiming to reach various destinations.

Imagine walking through the virtual landscapes of famous cities or exotic places, with every step bringing you closer to your next destination. The team that makes it the farthest wins!

Use Vantage Fit's Journey Challenge feature to design and track your own unique adventure, making physical activity fun and educational for your employees.

19. Sweet Summer Retreat

What’s the use of having an abundance of sunny rays if one doesn’t get to enjoy it with their friends and family? Help your employees prioritize time with their loved ones this summer through the "Sweet Summer Retreat" challenge.

Summer means happy times and good sunshine.
- Brian Wilson

Whether it's a family picnic, a beach day with friends, or a simple backyard barbecue, the goal is to celebrate these precious moments together. Set up fun themes like "Throwback Thursdays" for recreating childhood activities or "Sunny Sundays" for outdoor adventures.

Encourage them to share photos and stories of their outings in a shared virtual album to inspire others and foster a sense of community. Rewards could include picnic baskets, outdoor games, or family-friendly event tickets.

20. Saturday Self Care

Ah! Nothing beats a good self-care regime in the 21st century. This summer, invite your workforce to indulge in some well-deserved pampering with the "Saturday Self-Care" challenge.

Encourage everyone to set aside Saturdays for "me time." It could be a luxurious skincare routine, a relaxing bath, or getting lost in a good book; the goal ultimately is to recharge and rejuvenate. You can also create a virtual space where individuals can share their favorite self-care tips and routines.

Add a touch of excitement with wellness gifts like skincare kits, bath bombs, or relaxation-themed prizes for those who share their self-care stories.

21. Screen-free Sundays

Screens have become ever-present companions in our lives. We can’t do without them, and yet, too much of them can prove to be disastrous. At our workplace, we are glued to our laptop screens, and then there’s our smartphone addiction. It is indeed a screen zombie apocalypse situation.

This summer, declare a war on the screen zombie apocalypse with "Screen-Free Sundays!" Challenge them to rediscover the simple pleasures of life – like painting, gardening, cooking up a storm in the kitchen, or just spending time with loved ones.

Share quirky activity ideas each week and award small prizes like books, puzzles, or outdoor gear for those who share the most creative screen-free experiences.

22. So-You-Think-You-Can-Dance

Named after the famous American Reality Show, this challenge embarks to unleash one’s happy feet! Here’s how it goes:

Each week, employees explore a new dance theme—from Hip-Hop Hits to Pop Party. And every Friday, they can showcase their routines in a fun dance-off, competing for titles like "Best Moves" and "Most Creative".

To make it even more exciting, encourage themed costumes and hold a "Best Costume" contest; offer prizes to the winners.

Let the dance-off begin!

23. Sleepathon Challenge

Encourage your team to commit to a set bedtime and aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Share tips on creating a relaxing bedtime routine, such as reducing screen time before bed, using calming essential oils, or reading a book.

Suggested Read: Try the Sleep Challenge and Feel More Productive at Work

Provide them with a "Sleep Tracker" where employees can log their hours of sleep and share their progress. Offer fun incentives like sleep masks, soothing teas, or a comfortable pillow for those who consistently meet their goals.

24. Whack-a-mole Challenge

via GIPHY

Recently, a company in Louisville, Kentucky set up a real-life set-up of the whack-a-mole game as a part of their team-bonding activity. Here’s what you can do:

Transform a common area into a playful whack-a-mole arena. One employee stands in the middle with a soft mallet (like an inflatable hammer) and tries to "whack" his/her colleagues, who pop up from behind safety barriers. It’s hilarious! It could help bust a lot of stress and lead to ‘rolling on the floor laughing’ moments.

Give it a try!

25. “Sun-sational" Summer Sport

Get ready to soak up the sun and excitement with the "Sun-sational" Summer Sport! Picture teams bursting with energy, sharing laughter, and cheering each other on as they dive into friendly soccer, volleyball, or ultimate frisbee matches.

These exhilarating activities are perfect for boosting physical fitness while leaving everyone with a sense of joy and camaraderie that will outshine even the brightest summer sun.

You might also like: 10 New Year Challenges For The New You!

Importance of Offering Incentives for Participation in Wellness Challenges

Offering incentives for wellness challenges is like a double win in ensuring employee participation. They can act as that initial push to get people involved, especially those who might be hesitant to start. Plus, they can help keep people engaged throughout the summer wellness program, preventing them from falling off track when the initial excitement fades.

But the benefits go beyond just that.

Incentives can also be tied to achieving specific goals within the challenge. This can encourage individuals to push themselves further and make significant strides in their health and habits. Additionally, incentives can create a fun and competitive atmosphere around the challenge, fostering a sense of community and friendship among your workforce.

It's important to remember that they don't have to be extravagant. Consider offering a variety of rewards to cater to different preferences, like gift cards, healthy snacks, or even extra time off. The key is to choose something that shows employees that the company values their participation and effort, ultimately leading to a healthier and happier workforce.

Uplift Your Workforce Well-Being: Vantage Fit's All-in-One Wellness Challenges Platform

This summer, bring wellness to the forefront with Vantage Fit—your all-in-one platform designed to energize and uplift your workforce. Our platform is here to help you create wellness challenges that don’t just track progress, but spark excitement and connection.

Whether it’s tracking daily steps, staying hydrated, or practicing mindfulness, our platform ensures every employee feels involved and motivated with personalized experiences.

For you, Vantage Fit offers real-time insights into your team’s well-being, giving you the power to create challenges that matter. From celebrating small victories to offering meaningful rewards, this platform ensures your employees stay inspired all summer long.

And with the flexibility to customize activities, you’ll create a wellness experience that truly reflects your company’s unique culture.

Ready to inspire your employees and create a healthier, happier workplace? Take the first step by scheduling a demo of Vantage Fit today. Let’s make this summer the turning point in your team’s wellness journey.