Suggested Ice Breaker/Energiser Activities
1. Fear in a Hat
Fear in a Hat (Also known as Worries in a Hat) is a teambuilding exercise that promotes unity and group cohesion. Individuals write their personal fears (anonymously) on sheets of paper which is then collected in a hat and read aloud. Each person tries to describe his or her understanding of the person’s fear. This leads to good discussion centred around the fears.
This teambuilding exercise requires writing utensils, sheets of paper, and a hat. Allow about five minutes of writing time, plus one to two minutes per participant. The recommended group size is at least eight, but no larger than 20. It’s possible to run this activity with a large group, if the group is divided into smaller groups and if there are enough facilitators.
Setting Up
Distribute a sheet of paper and a writing utensil to each person. Instruct them to anonymously write a fear or worry that they have. Tell them to be as specific and as honest as possible, but not in such a way that they could be easily identified. After everyone has finished writing a fear/worry (including the group leaders), collect each sheet into a large hat.
Running the Activity
Shuffle the sheets and pass out one per person. Take turns reading one fear aloud, and each reader should attempt to explain what the person who wrote the fear means. Do not allow any sort of comments on what the reader said. Simply listen and go on to the next reader.
After all fears have been read and elaborated, discuss as a whole group what some of the common fears were. This teambuilding exercise can easily lead to a discussion of a team contract, or goals that the group wishes to achieve. This activity also helps build trust and unity, as people come to realise that everyone has similar fears.
2. Call my Bluff
Call my bluff is a classic get-to-know-you icebreaker. Players tell two truths and one lie. The object of the game is to determine which statement is the false one. Interesting variations of this game are provided below.
This game is a get-to-know-you icebreaker. Recommended group size is: small, medium, or large. Works best with 6-10 people. Any indoor setting will work. No special materials are needed, although pencil and paper is optional. For all ages.
Running the Activity
Ask all players to arrange themselves in a circle. Instruct each player to think of three statements about themselves. Two must be true statements, and one must be false. For each person, he or she shares the three statements (in any order) to the group. The goal of the icebreaker game is to determine which statement is false. The group votes on which one they feel is a lie, and at the end of each round, the person reveals which one was the lie.
Variations to Try
“Two Truths and a Dream Wish.” - An interesting variation of Two Truths and a Lie is “Two Truths and a Dream Wish.” Instead of telling a lie, a person says a wish. That is, something that is not true — yet something that the person wishes to be true. For example, someone that has never been to Europe might say: “I often travel to Europe for vacation.” This interesting spin on the icebreaker can often lead to unexpected, fascinating results, as people often share touching wishes about themselves.
3. Unique and Shared
Unique and Shared is a get-to-know-you game as well as a team-building activity. The game helps people see that they have more in common with their peers than they might initially realize, while highlighting their own individual strengths that they can contribute to the group.
An indoor setting is preferable. Participants will split into groups of about five people, so this activity works fine with medium, large, and even some extra large groups. Each group of five needs paper and a pen. This activity is for all ages.
Running the Activity
Ask participants to form groups of five people with the people around them. Pass out sheets of paper and writing utensil. The first half of the activity is the Shared part. Instruct a notetaker for each group to create a list of many common traits or qualities that members of the group have in common. Avoid writing things that are immediately obvious (e.g. don’t write down something like “everyone has hair” or “we are all wearing clothes”). The goal is for everyone to dig deeper than the superficial. Allow about five or six minutes and then have a spokesperson from each subgroup read their list. If there are too many groups, ask for a few volunteers to read their list.
The second half is the Unique part. Keep the same groups or, optionally, you can ask everyone to rearrange themselves into new groups. On a second sheet of paper have them record Unique traits and qualities; that is, items that only apply to one person in the group. Instruct the group to find at least two unique qualities and strengths per person. Again, strive for qualities and strengths beyond the superficial and past the obvious things anyone can readily see. Allow another five or six minutes. When time is up, share the unique qualities in one of the following ways: (1) each person can share one of their unique qualities themselves; (2) have each person read the qualities of the person to their right; or (3) have a spokesperson read a quality one at a time, and have the others guess who it was.
Unique and Shared is a valuable team-building activity because it promotes unity as it gets people to realise that they have more common ground with their peers than they first might realise. As people become aware of their own unique characteristics, they can also help people feel empowered to offer the group something unique.
4. Desert Island
Lost on a Deserted Island is a teambuilding activity that also helps people share a little about themselves. Given the scenario that everyone is lost and stranded on a deserted island, each person describes one object that they would bring and why.
This game is a teambuilding and get-to-know-you icebreaker. The recommended group size is medium, although small and large group sizes are possible too. An indoor setting is ideal. No special props or materials are required. This icebreaker works well for any age, including adults and corporate settings.
Running the Activity
The situation is dire — following a shipwreck, everyone has been stranded on a deserted island! Each person is allowed to bring one object to the island — ideally something that represents them or something that they enjoy. The first part of this icebreaker is simple: each person is asked to describe what object they would bring and why. This need not be realistic; if someone loves music, he or she might choose to bring a guitar, or an animal lover might choose to bring a dog, a food lover might choose to bring sirloin steaks, and so on. Encourage people to be creative.
After everyone has introduced their object and why they have chosen that object, the teambuilding portion follows. Divide into smaller groups and ask everyone to work together to improve their chances of survival by combining the various objects that they introduced. If necessary, you can add more objects, but be sure to use all the objects that everyone mentioned. If you wish, you can reward the most creative group with a prize.
Lost on a Deserted Island is an approachable way to get people to open up and share a little bit about themselves and what they enjoy or value.
5. Who am I?
Prepare a card for each of your learners and write on it the name of a famous man or woman. On arrival, stick a card on the back of each learner who must then ask questions in order to find out their identity. Each question asked can only be answered with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response e.g. ‘Am I a man’, ‘yes’.
As an alternative you could ask each learner to secretly write the name of a famous person themselves and stick it to the back of another learner, this encourages increased involvement.
6. ABCs of Me
You have been hired by the Creative Classroom Company to illustrate a poster to help children learn their ABCs. By happy coincidence, you and your first name are the subject of the poster!
1. First, take a piece of flipchart paper and write your name vertically down the left side.
2. Next, choose a word that starts with each letter of your name. The word should describe something about you. Write those words horizontally across the paper, using the letters of your name as the first letter of each descriptive word.
3. After you have listed your words, draw an accompanying picture to illustrate each.
4. When you are finished, tape your poster to the wall.
Variations
Narrow the focus of the words. For instance, all words must be adjectives, nouns, or verbs related to work, related to foods you like, etc.
7. Tattoo
You have just arrived at Tony’s Tattoo Parlour for a tattoo. Tony is competing for “Tattoo King of the Year,” a contest sponsored by Needle Knows magazine. Every design is a potential entry, and Tony wants each of his tattoos to say something about the person wearing them. From you, he needs a little inspiration and a design before he can start his work. Tony is excellent at lettering, animals, characters, band logos, maps, etc.
1. On your piece of paper, you are to design a rough tattoo that reveals
something about yourself, your work, your hobbies, or your family, in
order to help get Tony’s creative juices flowing.
2. You must also make a note about how big the tattoo should be and
where you will have it applied.
Variations
Narrow the scope of the tattoo design: what you do at work, an animal most
like you, favourite song, favourite band, adjective that best describes you, etc.
8. The Magic Lamp
You and your team have just found a lamp. You rub it, and surprise! A genie appears. The genie grants you three wishes. You are allowed to make three wishes relating to your working life.
1. The facilitator will soon divide you into groups of three to five people and give your team a piece of flipchart paper and a marker.
2. Once you have your materials, design your wish list for your genie. When you are finished, post it on the wall and feedback to the group
9. FILL IN THE BLANKS
Ask these questions in a group setting, this allows for group members to find out more about one another.
I need ____________ to make my life complete. ...because . . . . . .
If I had ______________ I would be the happiest person in the world.
I can explain my life as an animal and that animal is a ________________
I like to imagine I'm the cartoon character _____________ because . . . . .
A gift I can give others is ________________
A gift I would like to receive from others is ____________
If I had all the money in the world, I would _________________
I will eat anything put in front of me except _______________
School for me was ________________
If I had to give up a prized possession, it would be _______________
My dream job is ________________
My nicest characteristic is ___________________
Family means _______________ to me
Again, make up your own question to best fit the characteristics of your group.
Taken from:
www.funandgames.org/Games_icebreakers.html
www.completetrainer.co.uk/
www.businesstrainingworks.com/Icebreakers
10. Water Carry
Objective
To problem-solve as a group and to deal with frustration if the task is not easily accomplished.
Group Size
4 to 12 participants (or break a larger group into small teams)
Materials
- 10 paper cups filled three-fourths full with water
- Cafeteria-type tray
Description
Prior to the activity, fill ten paper cups with water about three-fourths full and place five at one end of the room (or outside area) on the ground and five at the other end. The cups should be at least twenty feet apart from each other if possible.
Gather the group together in the middle of the room with a cafeteria-type tray placed on the ground and give them the following challenge. “You must retrieve all ten cups of water and place them onto the tray without spilling any of the water. You may only get one cup from one end of the room at a time. Before getting a second cup from that side of the room you must travel to the other side of the room with the tray and retrieve a cup from that side. When all ten cups of water are on the tray you must place it on the floor in the center of the room. By the way, each person can only use one foot and one hand for the entire duration of this activity and if any water spills the whole group must start over!”
Most groups will try to hop with the tray at first but this spills water. The best way to accomplish the task is to pass the tray down a line and for the person at the end to hop to the front of the line so that the chain can continue all the way to the end of the line.
Discussion Prompts
1. Did anyone get frustrated at any time during this activity? Why or why not?
2. Did you try different things before you came up with a solution?
3. Are you ever a part of a team and you just want to quit? When and why?
4. How do you feel when you are a part of a team and you work together to accomplish a difficult task?
11. Bridge of Life
Objective
For team members to work cooperatively in decision-making and planning.
Group Size
4 or more
Materials
- None
Description
Break the group into teams of four to ten. (This game may be played as a race or as a one-team challenge.) Mark off an area that is wider than all the team members standing side by side. The challenge is for each team to get one member from one side of the area to the other without touching the ground or being carried.