About Icebreakers
Icebreakers set a positive atmosphere for member interaction
tutoring children, develop an icebreaker that initiates member
and encourage interest in the overall training experience. Used
discussion about their tutoring experiences or their viewpoints
as opening activities they should be short, typically not taking
about various youth tutoring situations; member responses will
more than ten minutes. Trainers often choose an icebreaker
provide useful information about what training areas need
only because it is a light, friendly start to a session. However,
emphasis. Your members are mostly adult learners who seek
an icebreaker can also set the tone for the session’s content
practical information and skills they can apply to real-life
and format, build momentum for the next training phase, build
situations (see Starting Strong). Consider the first activity as a
trainer credibility, and provide a feel for the group. An
“break the ice” opportunity to engage participants in the
icebreaker encourages involvement of all participants,
training topic. This can be very helpful when the topic is
energizes the group, and builds cohesiveness and trust. An
controversial or will generate emotionally-charged
icebreaking activity plays an important role by introducing the
conversations. For example, if the session topic is diversity
training topic in a creative way; an icebreaker that has a clear
awareness, develop an activity that allows individuals to
purpose and is relevant to the training topic sparks member
practice how to disclose experiences and opinions on low-risk
attention and lays the foundation for an effective session.
subjects (e.g., cultural and historical origin of member names,
Look beyond the fun and enjoyment that an icebreaker
whether one prefers one soft drink over another and why,
provides members, and your planning will make a big
etc.); members will then be prepared for taking greater risks in
difference for the training topic that follows. Approach the
the training session. (Name Game).
selection of an icebreaker as if you were choosing a training
technique or strategy — keep in mind important factors such
Choose an activity that fits your training session design.
as understanding the individual and group needs of your
An icebreaker can provide structure for activities later in the
members, relating the activity to the training content and
training agenda. For example, if you plan to use cooperative
format, and knowing the limitations of your training location.
learning group roles — i.e., facilitator, recorder, reporter,
Many trainers keep using the same icebreakers because they
observer, timekeeper — later in the session, identify
know only a few or the activities have succeeded with other
icebreaker activities that will form the small groups of four to
groups. Choose an icebreaker with specific training objectives
six participants that you need. An icebreaker also adds variety
in mind. Pick an icebreaker that is inclusive of your members’
to the training experience. If you plan to use a large group
diverse needs. Choose an activity that is appropriate given
format for the training session, identify an icebreaking activity
numerous individual factors such as physical mobility,
that pairs members or facilitates interaction within the large
personal interest, skill level, and comfort with the activity’s
group.
format. For example, a physically-rigorous outdoor activity
may suit predominantly young members for an environmental
Identify an icebreaker that fits the training location. When
restoration program; this activity would not be appropriate for
planning a large group activity, make sure that there is ample
a group with persons with physical disabilities or limited
room for members to move around comfortably or complete
mobility. Consider instead an interactive or small group indoor
their instructions. Also, ensure that your training space has the
icebreaker that achieves similar goals but does not limit
appropriate furniture for the icebreaker. Small group activities
member participation due to personal or physical needs.
may require moveable chairs and large enough tables to
Identify an activity that is appropriate for your group’s stage
accommodate four to six members and their assigned tasks
of development. Depending on a group’s sense of team, the
(e.g., drawing on newsprint). Some icebreakers may have
icebreaker can effectively serve different purposes. For
particular lighting needs, such as a candle-lighting activity that
example, when new members come together — at the start of
asks members to share their perspectives. In other settings, an
the program year — or when a new member joins an
icebreaker may need “break-out” space (i.e., room for private
established group, use an activity that helps members
conversation), such as in one-on-one personal interviews.
remember names, encourages them to learn about each others’
Icebreakers are an important part of an effective training
backgrounds, and promotes full member participation.
session package. When you select an activity that is not only
fun and interactive but also fits your desired training outcomes
Tie the icebreaker to the session topic. For example, use the
and needs, you and your members will see a positive
icebreaker as a needs assessment tool to gauge the level of
difference!
member experience or familiarity with the training topic.
When conducting a training session on ethical issues in
Updated and used by NAI with permission, August 2013
How to start: Explain purpose to develop comfort with each
other. All is “Challenge by choice;” i.e., any person may
excuse self from activity without explanation, but should
remain involved through observation. Explain day is part of
4-part series of events. Safety restrictions will be explained
with each event. Students’ job is to participate and garner
lessons for own leadership.
Websites:
http://adulted.about.com/education/adulted/library/blicebreakers
.htm This site is the Adult/ Continuing Education section of the
on-line magazine, about.com. It introduces and explains the role
of icebreakers as well as providing three links to particular
icebreaker types.
http://lonestar.texas.net/~tsberry/swepage/ice.htm This site
contains a long list of general ideas for icebreaking activity, and
discusses how long icebreakers should be, and how often to use
them. Links: good links to source material and related sites.
http://www.susqu.edu/campus_center/book2.htm This is a
University site which details the role icebreakers play in
minimising feelings of isolation and loneliness at the start of
each academic year for new It lists several basic games and
getting-to-know-you exercises.
http://www.topten.org/public/AU/AU20.html This site contains
the top 10 icebreakers for meetings and training seminars. It
includes an introduction to icebreaker activities and stresses
their adaptability for different audiences. It then details ten
different games. There is also a badly written piece about the
author of the page.
http://www.unep.or.jp/ietc/Publications/techpublications/TechP
ub-14/2-TMguide4.asp
http://www.wilderdom.com/games/Icebreakers.html
Adjective Game: This game will be sure to entertain and familiarize family members with each other. Each person must think of an
adjective that begins with the same letter as his or her name (first or last) and also describes a positive quality he or she has; for
example, doting Dorothy, or stellar Shannon. Once everyone has thought of an adjective for their name, have the first person say their
adjective and name. The second person will then repeat the first person’s adjective and name and add his/her own. At the end of the
game, it will be amazing to see how well people will know each other.
All My Neighbors: A fun, moving-around activity that breaks the ice, pumps up the energy, and loosens people up.Supplies:
Something to use as a place marker for each individual (a name tag, a napkin, a note card).Number of people: Works well in small or
large groups (12-60 people).Directions: Ask participants to form a shoulder-to-shoulder standing circle and then have each person take
a step back. Give each participant a place holder which they should place at their feet.The leader takes a place in the center of the
circle.The facilitator says: “This activity is similar to the game of musical chairs that you played as a child. As you’ll notice, there is one
less place than people in the group. That’s why I’m in the center of the circle. So, I’ll begin in the center of the circle, but my task is to
try and find a place on the outside of the circle and have someone else end up without a place. The way I’m going to do that is to make
a statement that is TRUE for me. For example, if I am wearing tennis shoes, I might say ‘All my neighbors who are wearing tennis
shoes.’ If that statement is also true for you, then you must come off your place and find another spot in the circle. I could also say
something like ‘All my neighbors who love to swim,’ and if that’s true for you on the outside of the circle, you must move and find a
new place. You may not move immediately to your right or left and you may not move off your space and return to it in the same round.
Let’s do this safely. No running. No body-checking, kicking or pinching. OK. I’ll start.”When you think people have had enough,
simply say “OK, this is the last round.” Give a round of applause to the last person who ends up in the center.
Birthday Partner: Have participants mingle in the group and identify the person whose birthdate (not year - just month and date) is
closest to their own. Find out two things they have in common.
Body Parts: Purpose: to encourage careful listening, review vocabulary, create an informal atomosphere. Caution must be used with
this activity in order to avoid cultural taboos about touching and care must be used when picking body parts! Materials: none Time
Needed: 10-15 minutes Number of Participants:10+ Description of Activity Participants form two circles, one on the inside and one on
the outside. A leader asks the outside group to turn to the right so they are directly behind the person in front, while the inside group
turns to the left. Then, they start to walk forward i n opposite directions. If a person has music, this could play. The leader calls, "stop"
and the person on the inside is matched up with a person on the outside circle. This will be the person's "partner". The leader then calls
Updated and used by NAI with permission, August 2013
out two body parts, and the partners must connect these two parts. For example, the leader might call out, "hand to thumb." This would
mean that one person would put a hand to the other person's thumb. Some parts which might be used: elbow to knee, ankle to ankle,
thumb to pinkie, ear to elbow, palm to wrist, shin to shin, etc.Then the people in the two circles are asked to walk in opposite directions
once again. When the leader calls stop, the partner s must find each other once again and connect the body parts that are called.
Brag circle: Create large circle that has one less spot than people participating. The extra person stands in the middle of the circle.
That person begins by saying, “My name is _____.” The group responds by saying back, “Hi, ____________.” The person then says,
“I like people who ____________ (e.g. like to bicycle, have a tattoo, are wearing blue jeans). Everyone who feels like that statement
applies to them must leave their spot and relocate in an empty spot. The person in the middle also finds a spot. This means one person,
probably a new person, is left without a spot. He or she becomes the person in the center, and the process is repeated. Safety: no
running, only fast walking. (Karl Rohnke)
Catch phrase: What is your catch phrase? In cartoons, sitcoms or comic strips many characters have a catch phrase. This is something
memorable that they say that helps to define and reinforce their character. For example Charlie Brown-"good grief" Oscar the Grouch
"scram" Homer Simpson- "doh" Elmer Fudd -"ssssh I'm hunting wabits". After brainstorming some of these catch phrases from
popular culture give everyone a few min. to think of one that would work for them. Then share your catch phrase and why you picked
it. We had a ton of fun with this one and even found ways to work some of the memorable ones into skits and other activities during the
class.
Challenge Cards: Instructions This ice-breaker: Works best with a group of 15 or more people May require that teams leave the
classroom to complete challenges (depending on the nature of the questions). 1. Make Challenge Cards ( below), create a card relevant
to your particular group. 2. On the day of the ice-breaker, break the class into smaller, even groups. 3. Working as a team, each group
should discuss the questions/ challenges, fill out the Challenge Card and present it to you. 4. When all have finished, ask each team to
role-play overcoming an obstacle that they've listed on the Challenge Card (give them 10 or so minutes to rehearse). NOTES: a) There
are no winners per se as it's helpful to everyone if all the teams think about and complete all the challenges b) The challenges/obstacles
can be more physically or mentally challenging... or just fun and informal based on the nature of the class. Challenge Card Team
Name: Names of Team Members: List a common objective your team has in taking this course: What are some of the obstacles
you might face in this class? List ways that these obstacles can be overcome:
Circle of Friends: This is a great greeting and departure for a large group who will be attending a seminar for more than one day
together and the chances of meeting everyone in the room is almost impossible. Form two large circles (or simply form two lines side
by side), one inside the other and have the people in the inside circle face the people in the outside circle. Ask the circles to take one
step in the opposite directions, allowing them to meet each new person as the circle continues to move very slowly. If lines are formed,
they simply keep the line moving very slowly, as they introduce themselves.
Crest or Coat of Arms: Members (or groups) create their own “Coat of Arms” by filling in information about themselves using words
or drawings. Information can include: Hobbies Hometown Major Favorite Emotion Family Members Five or Ten Year Goals
Did you know?: This game requires a bit of preparation and research in advance but will help family members get to know themselves
a lot better. Call members before the reunion, and find out odd facts about Grandpa Roy and Aunt Judy. The weirder the facts and the
more far-out the trivia are, the better the game. Once you have collected a number of interesting tid-bits put them into a question answer
format, and the game can begin. Gather your family around and start asking away! Before you know it people will be rolling on the
floor with laughter when they realize all the crazy talents their family possesses.
Dream Vacation: Ask participants to introduce themselves and describe details of the ideal, perfect dream vacation.
Dried Beans: This game requires a little preparation, but will be well worth the work. Give each player 10 dried beans. Place the beans
in a small plastic bag or envelope before passing them out. The goal of the game is to have family members start shaking hands with
each other, over and over as many times possible. Why? Because each player gives away a bean to every tenth person he or she shakes
hands with. The ultimate goal is to get rid of all of your beans. Of course, while you're trying to get rid of your beans, and handing them
Updated and used by NAI with permission, August 2013
out to every tenth person you shake with, you're getting beans back from other shakers! You can also play this game in exactly the
opposite way. In the second way, the one who ends up with the most beans is the winner. Then everything changes and everyone is
anxious and eager to become the tenth player.
Dyads: Members get into groups of two and find out information about each other. Possible questions to use: Who do you think is the
most important person who has lived in the past 100 years? What is the best movie you have seen recently? What is the title of the last
book you have read? If you could be any animal other than human, what would you be? If you could travel to any place in the world,
where would you go? What is your favorite sport? One adjective to describe me is... The emotion I find most difficult to control is...
Exciting Life Awards: Have students find a partner. Have each partner tell the other one true story that fits into the category Best
Drama in Real Life (the most dramatic thing to happen in your life). After the pairs have finished, have the students choose new
partners and share true stories from the category Best Comedy Situation (the funniest thing that has happened to you). Continue having
the students change partners, using the following categories for the stories: Best Horror Show (the scariest thing that’s happened) Best
Mystery (the most mysterious thing that’s happened) Best Sporting Event (the most exciting athletic achievement witnessed or
participated in) Best News Coverage (the closest you have come to being an item on the eleven o’clock news) When finished with the
categories, have students nominate people for awards from the categories. They must explain why they chose to nominate the person
by summarizing the story he/she told.
Famous people/cities: As each participant arrives, tape a 3 x 5 index card on their back with the name of a famous person or city. They
must circulate in the room and ask questions that can ONLY be answered with a YES or NO to identify clues that will help them find
out the name of the person or city on their index card. EXAMPLES: Paris, Madonna, Santa Claus, John Wayne, Casablanca
Famous people: To prepare for this game, write the names of well-known people, living or dead on slips of paper. At a family reunion,
it would also be fun to write the names of ancestors or family members on the slips of paper. As the family members arrive, pin the
slips of paper on the player’s back without showing them the name. This way they can see the names pinned to everyone else’s back,
but not their own. The object of the game is to figure out what their identity is by asking an array of questions, except “What’s my
name?” Answers can only be given in the form of “Yes” and “No.” For example, a player could ask, “Am I a general?” “Am I a man?”
“Do I appear on TV?” Players must move from one person to the next. The first one to guess their identity correctly wins. This game
is noisy and funny, because everyone is busy trying to be the first one to find out who he or she is. Players must always answer
questions put to them by others. A word of caution: If you are playing indoors, make sure you cover or remove all mirrors.
Favorite animal: As the guests arrive, and before you write their names on a name card, ask them to tell you their favorite animal and
three adjectives to describe the animal. As they tell you, write the three adjectives on a nametag BEFORE their name (omit the name of
the animal). Ask them to mingle with the crowd, sharing why these adjectives best describe their own personality. EXAMPLES: Loyal,
cuddly, playful Dan
Favorite T-shirt: Ask attendees to bring (not wear) their favorite T-shirt to the meeting. Once all participants have arrived, ask each
person to show the shirt to the group and explain how the T-shirt best resembles their personality.
First Impressions: Sometimes it is fun to get to know people by writing down your first impressions of people. When guests arrive,
have someone tape a piece of card onto their back and give them a pen or pencil. Then, as the mingling starts, ask family members to
write their first (positive!) impressions of that person on the card on their back. Ask them to write witty nice comments, such as: Million
dollar legs, bright eyes, soothing smile etc. Make them funny and sincere! After everyone has had a chance to talk to players, have
people take the cards off their back and read them out-loud.
Fortune Balloon: Compile slips of paper with a fortune written on it. Push a fortune into each balloon and blow it up. The fortunes
may be funny, serious or silly – anything you think will add to the fun of the party. Here are a few suggestions: You will marry a robot
and have 14 children. You will be a prisoner in the zoo. You will get a pleasant surprise before the day is out. If you don't stop eating so
much cake, you'll get fat. Watch out for clones. You get the idea. When everyone has arrived, throw the balloons up in the air and let
Updated and used by NAI with permission, August 2013
the players catch them. After they have each captured a balloon, tell them to burst the balloon if they want to find out their fortunes. The
party begins with a BANG.
Four Corners (forced choice): Have group stand in the middle of the room. Explain that you will call out a variety of categories that
each student will need to decide into which category he or she belongs. Explain that as you call out the categories, you will point to an
area in the room for each of the choices. Students go to whatever area they think “fits” time. Begin by saying “Are you more like
___________ (fill in the blank with one of the following options): 6 A.M., noon, 6 P.M. or midnight, a fire truck; a pick-up truck, a
school bus, or a Ferrari; chef salad, hamburger and fries, spaghetti, or filet mignon (steak); English, social studies, art or science; A golf
club, a catcher’s mask, swim goggles, or a bowling bag; A western, a comedy, a romance, or a thriller; A merry-go-round, swings, a
slide, or monkey bars; Hawaii, Colorado, Washington, D.C., or Las Vegas; A giraffe, a tiger, a parrot, or an elephant. After you finish
each category and all group members are in their areas, go around the room and let individuals share a few of the reasons they chose
that group. When that step is completed, pick another category and begin again. When you’ve completed as many categories as you
wish, have the students answer these questions. What did you learn about the reasons people chose their categories? Were you with
different people every time? Why do you think that is? What were some of the most unique reasons people had for choosing a group?
What did you learn about others from this activity? More choice ideas: More like a Cadillac or a Volkswagen? More of a saver or a
spender? More like New York or Colorado? More yes or no? More like a student or a teacher? More here or there? More like the
present or the future? More like a file cabinet or a liquor cabinet? More intuitive or rational? More like a tortoise or a hare? More like
an electric typewriter or a quill pen? More like a roller skate or a pogo stick? More like a babbling brook or a placid lake? More like a
gourmet restaurant or a McDonald’s? Communication Obstacles Icebreaker from Lisa Tabachnick Hotta
Group juggle: Participants get into circles of about 12 people (can be an outer circle standing and an inner circle sitting). A pattern
within the circle is created whereas a soft object (e.g., tennis ball) is tossed from person-to-person in a specific order (i.e, one person
always throws the object to the same person). Once the pattern is established, the number of objects increases, and the several objects
are following the pattern.
Head to Head: Ask family members to select partners and then form two circles – one partner in the outer circle and one in the inner
circle. One person is selected to be “It” and he/she stands in the middle of the two circles. When the music starts, the circles move in
opposite directions. When it stops, the circles stop moving and the person in the middle calls out a command such as “Head to Head”
The partners must then find each other and quickly put their foreheads together. “It” wins this round when he/she can get his head
together with a partner who hasn’t been found yet. This way, a new “It” is found, the music will begin and a next command will be
issued. The fun is in the many possible commands. Here are some other commands to try: Nose to nose Eye to eye Cheek to cheek Foot
to foot Head to toe Hand in hand Hand to ear Back to front Hand to know Heel to Shoulder…
Human Bingo: Materials Needed: Bingo sheets, 1 per participant Prizes for first three winners (e.g., book marker, candies)Instructions
to the Trainer Reproduce and distribute Bingo sheets (in next page). Read instructions and check for understanding. Announce a 10minute time limit, at the and of which, you can announce the winners, award the prizes, and thank the participants. Each box below
describes at least one other person in your group today. Find the person who fits EACH description, have them print their name clearly
inside the box, and submit your sheet when all squares have been filled. ( Be sure you do not ask any person to sign more than once!)
Your Name _________________ Enjoys Mountaineering ____________ Enjoys the ocean/beach ____________ with the same
mariTal status as yours ____________ speaks more than one language ____________ in your age group ____________ shares your
reason for joining the program ____________ is musically talented _____________ is athletic or sports-minded ____________ can
recite "she sells seashells by the seashore" three times in 5 seconds, without error ____________ You have ten minutes! More ideas:
Sings in shower, Has been to Asia, Has never gotten a speeding ticket, Speaks three languages, Plays the lottery, Has been to an opera
In What Order?: Purpose: group cohesion and mixing, categorizing skills Materials: none Time Needed: 10-15 minutes Number of
Participants: 8+ Description of Activity In this activity, participants work in groups of equal numbers between 4 and 8. The group
members decide together on some order that is not obvious and line up. For example, they might line up by birthdates with those in
January at the start of the line t o those with birthdates in December at the end of a line. Then, the people from the other groups try to
guess what the order is based on. They can ask yes/no questions. The object is to create an order that is difficult to guess. A few more
examples: light colored clothing to dark colored clothing, alphabetical by mother's maiden name, hand size, short to tall, etc.
Updated and used by NAI with permission, August 2013
Lap sit: Have everyone for a circle shoulder to shoulder, then turn clockwise. Place hands on waist of person in front of you. One
count of three, guide person to sit upon your knees. On count of three, all stand up. If group can handle it, have group sit, then walk as
connected group.
Line Up Count Down!: Divide the group into two teams. The team that completes your instructions first wins. Give the teams 30 or 60
seconds (depending on the number of participants) to arrange themselves in a line alphabetically by the first names of team members.
Blow a whistle when time is up and have the teams freeze in place. Then have them sound off their names. Which team wins? The one
with the largest number of alphabetically correct participants. Or have participants line up by the date of their births—from 1 to 31.
Long lost relative: As a group, 1) ask each person to turn to the person on their right and greet him/her as if they really didn't want to
be there. Yeah, you know what I mean - you can't wait to get out of there! Then everyone (simultaneously to create lots of fun and
excitement) turn to the same person and greet him/her as if (s)he is a long lost, deeply loved relative who has just returned home and
you're about to see the person for the first time in years! In fact, you thought you may never see this person again until this very
moment. Okay, now ask everyone (again simultaneously) to turn to the same person and greet him/her as if this person just told you that
you won the state lottery for 50 million dollars and you have the ONLY winning ticket!~~
Mingle: To get people to mix and to encourage conversation Materials: a whistle, harmonica, bell or loud voice to signal group
changes a list of conversation topics Time Needed: 10-15 minutes Number of Participants: 10+ Description of Activity This activity
is very simple, but it can have a number of variations limited only by one's imagination. The leader explains the rules as follows: The
leader will call out a number between two and 10. This number will not be more than half of the number of participants The leader will
also call out a topic of conversation. For example, the leader might say, "groups of three, favorite ice cream" Upon hearing the number,
everyone must get into groups that contain that number and discuss the topic called out. The participants should try to talk to everyone
in her or his group. After a short amount of time, the leader will blow the whistle and call out new groups and new topics. Possible
topics: favorite colors, food you like best, food you like least, your hero, your heroine, your hometown, a surprising experience, a
memorable day, an interesting relative, an accident, a beautiful place, a difficult situation, etc.
Name Chain: Stand in circle, each person think of an adjective that begins with the same letter as the first letter in their first name and
describes something about their personality, i.e: “Rowdy Rex”. The instructor starts by saying her adjective and name, the second
person says his and then the instructors, the third person says hers and the two before her and so on around the circle. The instructor
goes last so he ends up saying everyone’s name. Invite everyone to help the person who’s trying to remember names–this gets
everyone involved in learning everybody’s names. The adjective could also be “favorite animal”, “favorite plant”, or anything that
correlates with the theme of your program, class or site.
Name Game: Ojectives: To create a comfortable atmosphere. To build acquaintanceship among members meeting for the first time or
to acquaint members with a new member joining a pre-established group. To encourage team building among members in a training
session. Instructions: Instruct members to write their full first name vertically on a piece of paper. Then have them write an adjective
describing themselves that begins with each of the letters of their first name. After everyone has completed their list of adjectives, give
each member time to share their names and adjectives to the full group. The entire activity should not exceed 10 minutes. Variation:
Ask members to write their full names. Then ask how they received their names — have members think about the cultural and historical
origins of their names as well as any stories behind how their names were chosen. Give members the option of using pens or crayons to
draw symbols that represent the stories that describe how they were named. Have members spend two minutes sharing their names and
stories to the full group. Also, consider pairing members to conduct “interviews” about each other’s first names or full names. During
group sharing, have members introduce their interview partners’ names and adjectives or stories with the large group.
Name That Flag: Purpose: to get people to ask for and receive information, to make people more aware of national symbols. This
could also be done with corporate logos or any other symbols. Materials: an answer sheet, flags of many nations (color copies from an
almanac or encyclopedia) Time Needed: 10-15 minutes Number of Participants:10+ Description of Activity: Participants will each be
given a card with the flag of a nation on each one. They will also have an answer sheet numbered from one to fifteen. Each person will
then circulate throughout the room to find the flag associated with each number. The answer sheet might have a hint on it which will
Updated and used by NAI with permission, August 2013
help guide the player to the flag. Participants may not show any person his or her flag until the activity is over. They may ask as many
questions as they like.
Natural Groupings: Materials Needed: Natural Groupings Worksheet, 1 per participant Instructions to the Trainer: Reproduce and
distribute Natural Groupings Worksheet. Read instructions and check for understanding. Announce a 10-minute time limit, at the end
of which you can ask each group to briefly introduce themselves and share their common characteristic as a group, based on the
exercise. Natural Groupings Exercise: Instructions to Participants Look for 5-6 other persons in the room that fit any one of the
following descriptions by interviewing as many persons in the room as necessary. Write their names in the space provided. (Remember
to choose only one category!) Those who Note names down here: 1. Have the same educational degree or background
_______________ _____________ 2. Have the same idea of what goes into a perfect vacation _______________ _____________ 3.
Share the same hobby _______________ _____________ 4. Have the same expectations of an ideal evening partner or date
_______________ _____________ 5. Would do the same thing first, if they won a Million Dollar lottery _______________
Pass the Apple: Want to make even the most reserved person physically interact with others? Divide into teams of six to 10 players
each. Have the first person on each team place an apple under his or her chin. The object is to pass the apple from one person to the next
without dropping it or touching it with hands or arms. The first team to complete the apple exchange among all its members wins.
Personal Bingo: The host will need to do a little homework before the meeting to find out a few tidbits about each participant (favorite
hobbies, books, vacation spots, number of children, favorite foods, etc). Prepare a bingo card (duplicate the card for all attendees to
have the same one) with one tid-bit for each square, and instruct the participants to mingle with the group to identify the person for each
square. As the information is uncovered, they ask the participant to sign their corresponding square. Keep moving among the guests
until all squares are filled. Rules: only open-ended questions may be used. First person who fills card wins a prize.
Prui: One person is prui; all others try to find prui. Leader chooses prui. Prui has eyes open, but cannot speak. Others cannot see, but
can speak. So go around with eyes closed, shaking hands. When encountering person, shake hands and say “prui.” If other person is
not prui, he or she also will say prui. The prui, however, will not speak. Once you find prui, open eyes and join hands to create a larger
prui. Continue until everyone has linked to prui. (New Games Book)
Quick On Your Feet: Divide the group equally into two lines labeled as group A and group B. Inform them that they must rearrange
themselves within their line according to the instructions you give them. The group which completes each of the instructions first earns
a point for each round. Keep a tally on the board. The group with the most number of points at the end of the activity wins. (The Trainer
may opt to prepare a simple group prize. Be imaginative on the kind of group prizes). Read any or all of the following instructions to
the group, one at a time: Arrange yourselves according to: Height (from shortest to tallest) Birth month (from January to December)
No. of children (from zero (none) to as many) No. of years in present position Distance traveled to reach the training venue (from
nearest to farthest) Note to Trainer: After each instruction is completed by the groups, verify that they are in proper order by quickly
going down the line and interviewing each member on the topic (e.g. for birth month, "what month were you born?") If an error in
sequencing is uncovered, the point is credited to the other group.
Rumors (telephone): This old favorite never fails to entertain. Divide into teams of 10 or more people. Give the first person two
sentences of information and have that person whisper it in the next person's ear. The object is to pass the information from person to
person. When both teams finish, ask the last person on each team to tell aloud what the information was. Then read the original two
sentences to demonstrate how stories change as they pass from person to person. The team that comes closest to reciting the original
two sentences correctly wins. The two sentences could be a fictitious news item or rumor about someone. Examples: "NASA
announced plans to eventually send astronauts to Mars. Getting there will take five weeks of space travel—each way!" "Mary just
moved here from Louisiana. She's looking for a farm where she can keep Scout, her five-year-old horse."
Say cheese, please: As each participant arrives, take their picture with a Polaroid type camera and hang their photo on a piece of easel
paper in the entrance area of the meeting room in groups of two or three photos (depending on size of meeting - you may have only 2
per group or more if the group is large). Use your creativity and decorate the easel paper to extend a Warm Welcome and set the tone of
the meeting. Once all participants have arrived, ask them to find their partner(s) from the photo display on the easel and spend about 5 10 minutes getting to know the person(s). Then have them introduce their partner(s) to the rest of the group and share something they
discovered they have in common.
Updated and used by NAI with permission, August 2013
Sensuous Sam & Inquiring Ida: Ask each participant to choose an adjective that begins with the first letter of their first name and one
that really matches their personality. Have them introduce themselves just as they wrote it on the card and allow time for others to ask
questions.
Sign My Arm: Give all your guests a marker and a paper bag. Ask them to put the bag around their writing hand’s arm. When you say
“Go” everyone in the room must obtain as many signatures as they can. It isn’t as easy as it sounds though, because each person has to
keep the paper bag on the signing hand and sign other people’s bags with their opposite hand. At the end of 15 minutes, the person with
the most signatures is the winner.
Signature Game: A fun, no-physical-impact activity that gets people out of their chairs and talking to other people in the
room.Supplies: A pencil and a piece of paper, note card, or something to write on.Number of People: This activity works well with
slightly larger groups (30-100).Directions: On a flip-chart at the front of the room, the facilitator makes a list of five categories. These
categories can be things like —Someone with an exotic pet Someone who’s been on TV Someone who has five or more siblings
Someone who’s been in trouble with “the law” Someone who’s run a marathon Someone who can wiggle their ears Each participant
is given pencil and paper and asked to make five lines across their paper, one under the other. Facilitator says the following: “Please
draw five lines on your paper with enough room on each to have someone sign their name. In just a moment, I am going to turn over a
list of categories. Your job, in the next five minutes, is to move around the room and obtain the signatures of a person who fits each
category. Please sit down once you have obtained all five signatures, so I’ll know when you’re done. And have fun with this. It’s a great
opportunity to talk to other people. And, by the way, categories can be broadly defined, so don’t worry about being too exact. If you
were on TV when you were five as part of Captain Kangaroo — well, that counts. Everybody stand up. Go.”At the end of five minutes,
when people look like they’re getting close, ask them to sit down. Then take a few minutes and see what the group found. For example,
“Who did you find that has an exotic pet? Jerry. Great. Jerry, tell us about your iguana.” Run through all five categories. At the end, ask
people to give themselves a hand.
Smaug’s jewels: This activity sometimes becomes competitive, so safety rules must be enforced. First of all, the “jewels” must be
soft. A handkerchief works well. Second, people must be aware that people might bump into each other, maybe even whack heads –
So play carefully? Break the game into groups of about eight people. One person in each group is Smaug, carefully guarding the
jewels. Smaug may hover around the jewels, but cannot touch them. Everyone else tries to get the jewels from Smaug. This is
accomplished by grabbing the jewels and lifting them over his or her head. Smaug, however, turns everything it touches to stone.
Therefore the goal is for someone to get the jewels before Smaug turns everyone to stone (New Games Book)
Sinking Boat: Instructions to the Trainer: Gather participants in a big circle. Inform them that you will be saying the phrase, "the boat
is sinking. Group yourselves into (number)." The participants must listen for the number and group themselves accordingly. For
example, if the Trainer says, "The boat is sinking. Group yourselves into five," then participants must group themselves into five.
Anyone left without a group is out of the game. The Trainer quickly interviews the participant before asking him to take a seat and
thanking him for his participation. Interview questions must be kept light, e.g.." what is your name? (if participants are not familiar with
each other yet), or "Describe yourself in one word." Participants who are part of a group must also quickly memorize each other's
names. Trainer approaches any one group in the room and randomly chooses a member of that group to recite the names of his/her
groupmates, without coaching. Repeat steps two to four, gradually increasing the pace. The activity ends when almost all participants
have been eliminated from the game and you are left with only two or three participants standing. The Trainer may opt to award simple
prizes to them, or ask everyone to give them a hearty round of applause.
Snowball fight: Have students write three things about themselves. They should not put their names on their papers. Then have each
student crush his or her paper into a ball. Now you're ready for a getting-to-know-you "snowball fight." Tell students they cannot begin
until you say "go" and that they must stop when you say "freeze." Remind students not to throw "snowballs" at anyone's face. When
you say "go," give students 30 seconds to a minute to toss their "snowballs." When you say "freeze," every student should pick up one
snowball. Each student should open up the snowball and find the student it belongs to. Students should chat with their partners about
the information on the sheets. Then students will be responsible for introducing the students whose snowballs they "caught" to the rest
of the class. Carly Sween, Randy Smith Middle School, Fairbanks, Alaska Penelope Cook, Chrisman (Illinois) Grade School
Sweet Talk: 1 Pass around a bag of small candies (Skittles, M&M's, anything similar). Tell each person to take as many as they want,
but not to eat it yet. 2 When all participants are done, then you tell them they have to tell something about themselves for each piece of
candy they have. It sometimes helps to set a minimum number that has to be taken as well.
Updated and used by NAI with permission, August 2013
Team Scavenger Hunt: Elect one person to recruit a member of another team to join your team (switch members if necessary). List
the locations of the two closest bathrooms In what year was the school opened? How many people in your group are from Canada? List
the location of the nearest McDonald's restaurant: How many students attend this school: Find and bring back a signature item from the
school. For example, a pen with the school's name embossed on it (pay for it or return it later if necessary).
The Memory Game: Materials: Name tags Instructions to the Trainer: Gather the participants in a big circle. Choose one person to
be "it," and have him/her stand in the middle of the circle. Make sure that all are wearing their name tags. Inform them that they must
prepare one-word answers to a single question you will ask. Suggested questions are as follows: (choose only one at a time). What is
your favorite food? What is your favorite color? Which internationally famous person do you admire most? (living person) What
environment sector do you represent? (forest, mountain, coastal areas, urban, agriculture, etc.) What is your hobby? Each participant
must quickly interview the person on his/her right and on his/her left to learn their answer to the question asked by the Trainer. The "It"
in the middle waits patiently for his instructions. After 15 seconds, the Trainer asks the "It" to cover his eyes, turn around twice and
point at random to any one in the circle. The participant selected must quickly share the information about his co-participants on his/her
right and left sides based on the Trainer's earlier question. If the participant answers correctly, the "It" must repeat step no. 4. If the
answer is not correct, the participant selected must replace the "It" in the middle of the circle. To make the activity more challenging,
the Trainer can, at any point, ask everyone in the group to change places in the circle within a count of five seconds, so that they are not
standing next to someone they have already interviewed. The Trainer can alternate/change the questions as often as he/she waits, and
end the activity after ten or fifteen minutes When you have identified 6 persons for any one grouping, gather in one corner of the room
for a 3 minutes sharing among yourselves on the following: How you vary with respect to the thing you have in common Two other
things you have in common as a group When the Trainer gives the `go' signal, introduce your group to the others by briefly sharing
some information about yourselves and saying what common characteristic you share in your group.
This is my life in…: This is a great way to get to know people of an older generation. Break people into small groups and give each
person a penny. Ask them to introduce themselves to the group and talk about what they were doing during the year on the coin.
"This is one of my favorite things." Ask the members of the group to choose something they have with them that has a special
meaning. It could be a key chain, a ring, a baseball cap, any item that has some meaning. After they've identified the item, ask them to
pair up with someone they don't know. The members of each pair explain to their partner the significance of the item. Then the pairs
introduce their partners to the group explaining what they've learned through the explanation of the special item.
Turnstyle: With retired climbing rope, recruit partner from class to turn giant jump rope. Start out by having participants get through
rope one at a time, then two at time, then four at a time, then 8 at a time. This is practice. The real challenge is to get entire group
through rope without stopping rope – with the following stipulations; 1) there must always be someone jumping in the rope, 2) no single
person may stay in the rope for more than three rotations. Any mistake and the entire group must start over.
Wagon Wheel: Have everyone stand. Divide the group in half. Direct one half to form a circle facing outward. Direct the other half
to form a circle around the first circle, facing in. Give these directions in your own words: “You now face your first partner. I am going
to read a question and you are to share your answer with your partner. After you both have answered, I am going to call ‘Rotate,’ and
the outer circle is to move one person to the right so that everyone has a new partner. Then I will read another question for you and
your new partner to answer.” Read the following questions one at a time. Direct the outer circle to rotate after each question: What’s
the best place you’ve ever visited? What is one nice thing about you? How many members are in your family? Where were you born?
What’s the best thing that happened to you this summer? What is your favorite food for lunch? What would you be doing right now if
we weren’t here? What’s your favorite thing about school? Add questions of your own that you think will help your group get
reacquainted.
Updated and used by NAI with permission, August 2013