MEETING
1. NAMETAGS
Prepare nametags for each person and put them in a box. As people
walk into the room, each person picks a nametag (not their own).
When everyone is present, participants are told to find the person
whose nametag they drew and introduce and say a few interesting
things about themselves. When everyone has their own nametag,
each person in the group will introduce the person whose nametag
they were initially given and mention something of interest about that
person. This helps participants get to know and remember each other.
2. PENNY GAME
This also works best for small groups or for each small group sitting
together as a team (4-6 learners). Everyone in the group gets 10
pennies/toothpicks/scrap of papers, etc. The first student states
something they have done (e.g. water skiing). Everyone else who has
done the same thing admits it and puts one penny in the middle of
the table. Then the second person states something (e.g. I have eaten
frogs' legs). Everyone who has done it puts another penny in the
center. Continue until someone has run out of pennies.
3. SIMILARITIES GAME
Tell the newly formed groups that their assignment is to find ten
things they have in common with every other person in the group that
have nothing to do with work This helps the group explore shared
interests more broadly.
4. “QUESTIONS”
Have each student write a question they want answered about the
class on a Post-it note. Have them introduce themselves and their
question. Post all questions on a wall chart. During, at the end of the
first class, or at the onset of the next class session, address any
questions that were not addressed during the first class.
5. MAROONED GAME
Break class into groups of 4-7 and tell them “You are marooned on an
island. What five (you can use a different number, such as seven,
depending upon the size of each team) items would you have brought
with you if you knew there was a chance that you might be stranded?”
Note that they are allowed five items per team, not per person. Have
each group report their five items and briefly share why they selected
those items. This activity helps them to learn about another person’s
values and problem solving styles and promotes teamwork.
6. FACT OR FICTION GAME
Have students write on index cards 2 true facts about themselves and
1 false. Other students have to guess which fact is false.
7. MAGIC WAND GAME
You have just found a magic wand that allows you to change three
work related activities. You can change anything you want. How would
you change yourself, your job, your boss, coworkers, an important
project, etc.? Have them discuss why it is important to make the
change. Another variation is to have them discuss what they would
change if they become the boss for a month. This activity helps them
learn about others' desires and frustrations.
8. ICE BREAKER BALL TOSS
Playful way for students to share some new facts about themselves.
Students toss the ice breaker ball to other students. Where their
thumb lands they share some new fact about themselves and toss the
ball to another student.
9. TRAIT TRADER GAME
You have just taken a job as a trait trader in the fictitious exchange, the
Personality Market. You will be given a piece of paper (trade slip) with
a personality or character trait written on it (e.g. tall, creative, adventurous, quiet, etc.) Write your name on the slip. You must trade your slip
with someone else. If your new trait also applies to you, write your
name on that slip. If not, move to step three. Trade again. When the
facilitator calls out “exchange closed,” the game is over. Remember,
your goal is to end up with a trait that applies to you and to have
written your name on more slips than anyone else. Trait Slips
(Consider: Over 5’8”, Born in the 70s, Red Hair, Curly Hair, Athlete,
Creative, Talkative, Adventurous, Quiet, Bossy, Demanding, Funny,
Dare Devil, etc.) You design the slips based on your group. Remember to be sensitive to age, gender, etc.
10. CANDY CONFESSIONS GAME
What makes this candy different from other candy is that each flavor is
associated with a fact about you. Choose four candies from the bowl
without looking. In a moment, a key code will be revealed, indicating
which truths you should tell. Once the code has been revealed you
may begin your confession.
Key Code (e.g. Kit Kats = Favorite Movie, Favorite Magazine, Favorite
Song, or Favorite Book, Krackle = Favorite Vacation Spot, Place You
Would Like To Visit, Place You Would Least Like To Visit, or Worst
Vacation, Lollipop = Number of Years in Current Position, Where You
Work, What You Do, or Brief Description of First Job, Gum Drops =
Something About Where You Live, Something About Where You Grew
Up, Something About Your Family, Something About Your Town/City,
Kisses = Wildcard - tell us anything)
11. AUTOGRAPH BINGO
A simple icebreaker that asks people to mingle and find people that
match interesting facts listed on a bingo card. The game is useful in
that it causes players to discover interesting and humorous facts about
each other.
12. CONCENTRIC CIRCLES
Divide the group in two. Have one group form a circle inside a larger
circle, so that each participant is facing another person. Begin by
having each person introduce themselves to the person they are
facing and answer a question. After two minutes, have the inner circle
move, one or two people to their left, while the outer circle remains
where they are. Depending on the size of the group, have the inner
circle move several people, or just a few. Sample questions are listed,
but be creative and make up your own!
• Who is a leader you admire and why?
• What is your wildest career fantasy?
• What is one goal you hope to accomplish this year?
• If you were a street sign, what would you be? Why?
• Who would you trade places with in history?
13. SKITTLES AND M&M’S
This activity uses the colors of the skittles or M&M’s to determine
which question a participant will answer for the group. It is best to use
peanut M&M’s so you can tell the difference between M&M's and
Skittles! Make a sheet with the colors of each candy and the
corresponding question. (see samples below.) After the participant
answers the questions, let them eat their treats! Make up questions
related to the organization.
M&M’s
• Yellow: If you were president, which one policy would you
change?
• Red: If you could travel anywhere with all expenses paid for two
weeks, where would you go?
• Orange: Would you eat a bowl of crickets for $10,000?
• Green: What color represents love and why?
• Brown: Who would you like to trade places with in history?
SKITTLES
• Red: What magazine cover would you like to be on and why?
• Orange: If you could use a voodoo doll on someone, would you?
• Purple: If you could do anything without repercussion, what
would you do?
• Green: If you could change one thing about your working
conditions, what would it be?
• Yellow: If you could have any talent, what would it be?
14. TOILET PAPER
The facilitator should hold a roll of toilet paper between the fingers of
two hands. Approach each participant and tell him/her to take as long
a piece as he/she would like. Do not tell people what the toilet paper
will be used for, but encourage them to take a lot. After everyone has
taken as many squares of toilet paper as they want, the facilitator
should tell them that each person has to say one thing about
themselves for every square they have! Participants should tell things
such as where they live, how many people are in their family, what a
favorite food is, etc.
15. HAMMER OR NAIL?
Concept: metaphorical, abstract, right brain, control over one's life
Explain that this activity is meant as an exercise in abstract thinking.
"Use your imagination. Think of yourself in non-concrete terms." Ask
students which of the two choices best describes them. Give them
time to think, and then ask them to raise their hands to indicate their
choice. "Who is a hammer?... Who is a nail?" Then have them ask
others near them why they feel like a hammer or a nail and give them
about a minute to discuss their choice.
In one session probably no more than six to ten of these should be
done. If the class is very small, students might be asked to walk to one
area of the room (nails over here; hammers over there) and talk about
why they feel the way they do.
• Hammer or nail
• Racket or ball
• Child or old man
• Picasso or De Vinci
• Jeans or a suit
• Egg white or egg yolk
• Sun or moon
• Cube or ball
• Present or future
• Rock group or string quartet
• Yes or no
• Mountain or valley
• Physical or mental
• Pencil or ball point pen
• Teacher or student
• Question or answer
• Leather jacket or Harris tweed
• Black or white
• Leaf or wind
• Pencil or eraser
• Earthquake or typhoon
• Tortoise or hare
• City or country
• Dictionary or novel
• Pen or pencil
• Agape or Eros
• Cat or mouse
• TV or Radio
15. FIRST LETTER NAME GAME
Have each person describe themself by using the first letter of their
name. For example: My name is Steve and I like Spaghetti, my favorite
candy is Sugarbabies and my favorite animal is a Snake.
16. SENTENCE FROM A NAME GAME
Have everyone pair up with someone they don't know. Each person
writes his first name on a piece of paper and exchanges it with his
partner. After a minute or two getting to know each other, each person
makes up a sentence with words starting with the letter of the other
person's name. For example: KEVIN:
Koala
Enjoy
Vegetables
In
November
17. SUPER HERO
Have each person draw a picture of them as a superhero they make
up. Each person shares their costume idea, super hero name, and
special powers they possess.
STUDENT LEA DER SHI P
& DEVELOPMENT
get
involved
Aims Student Clubs & Organizations