The Icebreakers Book

8/12/2019 The Icebreakers Book

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ICEBREAKERS


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GETTING AQUATINTED

Aim: (1) To provide opportunities to become acquainted

with other members of the group.

(2) To promote feedback and selfdisclosure amongparticipants regarding initial perceptions.

Time: Appro!."#$% minutes.

&aterials: (1) 12 blank stick' labels or strips of masking tape for each participant.

(2) A cop' of the abeling ategor' ist for each participant. (*ee below).

(") +encils or felttipped markers.

+rocedure: The group leader distributes a cop' of the abeling ategor' ist to each participant along with blank name tags.

,ach participant must cop' each categor' on a separate blank nametag.+articipants mill around and choose a person who best fits each categor'. *tick label onto clothing of the person 'ou select and engage in a oneminuteconversation (2% minutes).

The group leader forms groups of #- members. ,ach group must discuss their reactions to being categoried and labeled (or not labeled) b' others/ first

impressions (1# minutes).

Labeling Category List:

0arm ntelligent

*h' app'

3un loving 3riendl'

*e!' *incere

&'sterious


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WORLD TRIP

Aims:

To find out the names of other members in the group

To provide low risk activit'To stimulate logical thought

4escription

A game to help group members learn each other/s names

Approach

The group could be sitting on the floor. The teacher enters the group and introduces the game b' sa'ing5 67one of us knows an' other/s name. et/s pla' a

game that will help us find them out. &' name is Tom5 am going on a world trip and am taking Tomatoeswith me. f 'ou want to come with me 'ou

have5 to sa' 'our first name and what 'ou want to bring. 8ou have to bring the right thing. The first letter of our first name must be the first letter of the thing'ou bring.

The game proceeds until ever'one can come.

At the end of the game the teacher asks each student two questions.

6ow man' names can 'ou remember96

60hich are the'96

Time

ould take one session

ackground

This activit' would be best used at the initial meeting of the group.


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WHO'S MISSING

&aterials: *mall pries5 such as sweets.(optional)

Aims: &emor' training5 concentration5 building groups5 fun.

+rocedure: ;roup is seated5 scattered around the room. oan said thank 'ou for helping me 'esterda'./ ontinue until messages run out.

=ariations: 4o as graffiti on large paper on walls. 4o with bits of paper being

delivered. 4o at a run5 speed up5 slow motion5 etc.


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THE NAME OF THE GAME

&aterials:


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TICK TOCK

&aterials: Two small different ob@ects5 such as a blue felt pen and a red felt pen.

Aims: reaking the ice5 concentration

+rocedure: eader has pen (or other ob@ect)5 passes it to his right5 sa'ing: /This is a tick/. +la'er 1 sa's: /A what9/ eader repeats: /A tick/. 1 thenpasses it on sa'ing5 /This is a tick/. +la'er 2 sa's: /A what9/ to pla'er 15 who sa's: /A what9/ to the leader. ,ach time the /0hat9/ must pass

all the wa' to the leader5 and the /A tick/ must pass all the wa' back5 before the pen is passed. 0hen this has been practiced a few times5

start over5 and at the same time5 start another pen to the left5 sa'ing: /This is a tock/ etc. onfusion is encouraged and acceptable. et the

group tr'5 as long as desired5 to return both ob@ects to the leader without losing the flow or concentration.

FAMOUS PEOPLE

&aterials: 3amous names on strips of card or paper5 straight pins. ould be real people (>oan of Arc)5 fictional (*uperman)5 etc.

Aims: &i!ing5 starting conversation5 icebreaking

+rocedure: As people enter5 leader pins a name on each person/s back. ,ach one must walk around and tr' to find out who he is b' asking 'esor

no questions of ever'one else. 0hen he knows who he is5 he pins the paper on his front and continues to help others.

=ariations: Tr' it nonverball'. Tr' insisting that ever'one must make statements (e.g. / am alive/)5 and no questions allowed.


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MOVE TO THE SPOT

Aims

ntroductor' &ovement Awareness Cela!ation

&aterials

arge5 empt' room or space

earning to follow simple instructions5 movement5 warmu for 4rama +

+rocedure

eader sa's: /3ind a place to stand b' 'ourself. 7ow look at and concentrate on a fi!ed spot on the floor5 somewhere across the room. 7ow5 move to that

spot in a straight line pacing 'ourself so as not to have to stop5 while avoiding bumping into an'one./

eader continues to give similar instructions5 allowing time for individuals to (A) concentrate on each spot5 () move at their own pace5 and () settle intothe new spot.

nstructions for () could include moving to the new spot:

backwards

in as few steps as possible

in as man' steps as possible

travelling in circles

travelling in squares

using as few @umps as possible

with hands on knees5 toes etc.

moving along floor without using hands

using onl' two out of four legs

=ariations

ave group invent more instructions.


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MRS O'GRADY

0ho: *mall ;roup

0here: nside or outside in room' area

AidsE,quipment 7one


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TOILET PAPER GAME

;roup *ie ? F people is mot effective5 but slightl' smaller or slightl' larger would also work.

&aterials A roll of toilet paper per group

0hen and 0here


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SCRAMBLED EGGS

;roup *ie ? and up

&aterials hairs for ever'one but one person

0here and 0hen A good game to get to know people or in between sessions when working with a small to middle sied group. A bonus in some

instances as no close ph'sical contact is involved.

+rocedure *eat 'our group in a circle5 but make sure that there is one less chair then the number of people on the group. 8ou stand in the middle

of the circle to begin the activit'.

,!plain that 'ou are going to call out a sentence and an'one to whom the sentence applies must get up and change chairs. t is not

possible to move to the chair on either side of their present position. 8our aim is to occup' one of the vacant places before someone

else5 so that 'ou are no longer the person in the middle.

Then the person who has been caught in the middle must think up a sentence that will cause others to change chairs5 so that heEshe canget to a chair first.

,!amples of sentences that can be called out 6All those wearing watches.6 6All those who had breakfast this morning.6 6All those

with blue e'es.6 0hen 6scrambled eggs6 is called out5 ever'one must change chairs.


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BE IT

;roup *ie An' sie

&aterials 7one

Time # minutes

0here and 0hen Gse to break the workload5 to use up e!cess energ'5 as a getting to know 'ou activit'.

+rocedure 1. Ask the participants to spread out around the room so that the' have plent' of space to swing their arms about

2. ,!plain that the activit' the' are about to do is called 6e t6 and is involves a bit of imagination and letting go of 'our inhibitions.

". Then e!plain that 'ou are going to name a series of ob@ects5 and each time the' should tr' to shape their bodies into the form of

that ob@ect.

=ariations 3or a group that is more comfortable with each other5 ask them to make a noise as well as an action.

*uggested deas ananaTree

*nail

ulldoer

,lephant

Telephone

=acuum leaner

+aper 0eight

3ood =ending &achine


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CAN I COME TO THE PARTY?

0ho: *mall groups (separated into pairs)

0here: ,nough room for the group to form a large circle


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MEMORY GAME

0ho: *mall teams of people (sa' "# in each)

0here: A room large enough for each team to be able to sit in a circle.

Aids A blanketA number of ob@ects (eg a book5 a spoon5 a phone etc)

+en E +aper E *core *heet


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THE WORLD

0ho: *mall groups5 no real limit on the total number

0here: A room

Aids arge sheets of paper

An atlas (for the @udges)

+ens for each group

*core *heet


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TEAM HOPSCOTCH

0ho: *mall groups

0here:


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TRAIN GAME

0ho: arge groups (appro! 2%)

0here: nside or


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ANIMAL NOISES

0ho: The more the merrier (at least 2%)

0here: n a large room or outside

Aids Animal names on slips of paper lindfolds if 'ou have them


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WINK MURDER

0ho: A group of people (preferabl' 1# L 2#)

0here: nside a room big enough for ever'one to walk around


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WHOS CHANGING THE MOVEMENT

0ho: ;roups of people (appro! 2%)

0here: ,nough room to sit in a circle5 inside or outside

Aids 7il


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TEAM BUILDING


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BOMB SHELTER

&aterials: 7one

Aims: Colepla'ing5 group decisionmaking5 group interaction.

+rocedure: 4ivide in groups of F 1%. ,ach group member adopts a specific role5 usuall' an occupation5 e.g. a doctor5 an athlete5 a teacher5 movie

star5 mother5 housewife5 etc. (These can be written out and picked from a hat). Tell groups the' are in an airraid shelter after an atom

bomb has fallen5 big enough and with enough air and food for onl' si! people5 therefore the' must get rid of several members. ,ach

group member must argue as to wh' he should be allowed to survive. A group decision must be reached as to who goes and sta's: no

suicides or murder allowed. *et a time limit for the decision. ater discuss how the group interacted making the decision5 whether each

person pla'ed an active or passive role5 how satisfied each was with his role5 etc.

=ariations: nstead of an airraid shelter5 have a life raft or desert island or space ship. Add incidents5 accidents5 rituals5 funerals5 ceremonies.

ONE SPECIAL THING

This e!ercise is a good one to use earl' in the semester because it helps to build a sense of group rapport through the establishment of an environment for

selfdisclosure.

4ivide the class into pairs. nstruct the students to carr' on a normal conversation for five minutes5 each person telling the other as much as possible about

himself. Ask the students to pick those things about themselves that the' think are important to share. After five minutes ask the class to come back together

again as one large group (preferabl' in a circle). Then ask each student to introduce his partner b' stating his partner/s name and the one special thing that

impressed him as most important about that person.

f 'ou like5 'ou can end the discussion b' asking the group to talk about what it was like to talk to the other person and what it was like to be talked about in

the group.

Every personneeds recognition. It is expressed cogently by theladwhosa's5Mother, let's play darts. I'll throw the dartsand 'ousay `Wonderfl.' !

Edcator "andboo# of $tories, %otes,and "mor

&. 4ale aughman


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BODY LIFT

Aims: Trust5 concentration5 group development

+rocedure: ;roup chooses each member in turn and elevates them to a horiontal

position above the heads of the group. The person is held there for a specific period5 and then lowered carefull' to the floor. The elevated

person must rela! and close e'es. t is often a good idea to have the groups raise and lower in unison. This often avoids confusion andhelps concentration.

=ariations: =ar' speed and control of lift5 walk5 rock5 etc.ave the person involved give instructions to the group.

ombine with ackward fall M catch.

SITTING CIRCLE

&aterials: ircle of over 2# people

Aims: Trust5 fun

+rocedure: a) ;roup stands in a close circle5 in queue form5 with right shoulders towards the center of the circle.

b) ircle closes so that ever'one is touching the person in front and behind them.

c) +articipants hold the waist of the person in front d ,ver'one bends their knees until the' feel themselves supported on the knee of the

person behind.

e) f successful (rare first time) the whole group is self supported5 each person sitting on the knee of the person behind.

7ote: This can onl' be successful if the circular shape is maintained throughout and it is helpful if the group leans slightl' towards the center as

the' are tr'ing to settle down.

=ariations &fter secre sitting position is achieved

1 ,ver'one leans inwards slightl' and raises left leg

2 Tr' alternate stepping with right and left feet5 (ver' difficult.)


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TANGLE

&aterials: 7one

Aims: ;roup development5 trust5 warmup

+rocedure: 0hole group links hands into a human chain. 3irst person leads chainthrough itself5 over and under arms5 between legs5 etc. ,!tra care must be taken not to break the chain5 to move slowl' and to be gentle.

Tangle ends when group is too tightl' packed to move.


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CONCENTRATION POINTS

&aterials: 7one

Aims: mprovisation5 movement

+rocedure: 0ork in pairs or teams: use mime or short improvisationsompare silence with noise5 running with slow motion (reall' slow5

almost imperceptible).

running and leaping with slow motion5 e!uberance with

sorrow

old people 'oung people

tall people short people

big (e!pansive and e!trovert) small (nervous and introvert)floating mud wallowing

sleek and darting slow and ponderous

slow witted quick witted

stiff person loose personrich poor

strong weak

industrious la'

taciturn person chatterbo!

,nglishman 3renchman

pompous person friendl' person

serious person sill' person

school teacher school childpoliceman criminal

angel devil

motorist pedestrian

slow people quick people

=ariations: 4evelopment into improvisations: dealing with various situationsB people might be involved in conversation51etter writing5 shopping


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TRUST WALK

0ho: arge ;roup

0here: 0alking outside

AidsE,quipment: lindfolds


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BODY ENGLISH

0ho: *mall ;roup (with presentation to the whole camp)

0here: ndividual groups then in large area or hall

AidsE,quipment 7one


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STRAW GAME

0ho: *mall ;roups of #-

0here: ,nough room for each group to have plent' of room around them

AidsE,quipment: ots of drinking straws


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THE MACHINE

0ho: A single group of # L 2% people.

0here: A room large enough to hold the entire group5 or outside (but not with lots of people standing around watching5 as participants ma' get

a bit embarrassed).

Aids: 7il


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PASSENGER BALLOON

0ho: ;roups of # L ?

0here: nside or outside


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BLINDFOLD NAVIGATION

0ho: *mall teams (sa' $# people)

Aids 2 blindfolds per team (one for walker5 one for ne!t person in line)5 halk5 1 hair per team5 1 *poon E bo! of matches E apple per team


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PLAYFAIR


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COLOURS

;roup *ie An' *ie

&aterials 7one

0here and 0hen A good game to pla' when the group/s concentration is fading. t is quick5 gets people/s bodies moving5 and 'ou can then lead into

another session or carr' on where 'ou left off. t is not advisable to use this activit' on groups who are unfamiliar with each other as it

can be threatening.

+rocedure The leader calls a part of the bod' and a colour that can e found in the room. ,ver'bod' must then rush and place that part of their

bod' on that colour eg noses on red. ,ver'one must sta' in that position until another colour has been called.

7


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SANDWICH GAME

;roup *ie 1% and up

&aterials 7one

0hen and 0here ;reat for breaks in between sessions and for use in pla'fairs. owever5 close ph'sical contact is involved and ma' be intimidating for

groups who are unfamiliar with one another.

+rocedure 4ivide the participants into # equal sied groups. 7ominate each group with a part of the sandwich. There must be 2 groups allocated

bread5 1 group allocated meat5 1 group allocated tomato and 1 group allocated lettuce. The aim is to then make the sandwiches. There

needs to be a piece of bread on the bottom (one person lies down)5 a piece of ham (the ne!t person lies on top of the first)5 the lettuce

and ham and then finall' the last piece of bread on the top of the pile.


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39/49

WET PANTS

;roup *ie " volunteers (but an' number of people can watch)

&aterials " funnels" spoons

" blind folds

" @ugs of water

1 packet of @affas

0hen and 0here Gse on a hot da' where people have the opportunit' to change their clothes. Also with people who will not kill the demonstrator.

+rocedure ;et three people up the front. +ut the funnel in the front of their pants and the spoon in their mouth. +ut the @affa on the spoon5 count

to three and get them to drop it in the funnel. ,as'. Tell them that the' will now be blindfolded and will have to do it again. lindfold

them. ount to three5 but on two pour water into the funnel.

MASTER#SLAVE

;roup sie: An' sie

&aterials: 7one

+rocedure: 4ivide the group into three groups and form a group of three with one person from each group. 7ominate one person as the leader on

the group. This person becomes the &aster of the other two people in the group who are now *laves. The &aster then has one minute

to command the slaves to do an'thing the' sa' ( within reason of course). *wap the roles to give ever' member of the group the

chance to be &aster


40/49

STEAMROLLER

;roup *ie An' *ie

&aterials 7one

0here and 0hen A trust building5 ph'sical boundar' breaking activit' which can be great fun for a group who are comfortable with ph'sical contact5

but ma' be awkward with groups who find ph'sical contact more difficult.

+rocedure ave the group lie diagonall' across the room on their backs5 as close to one another as possible. The person at one end then proceeds

to roll over the top of the others to reach the other end5 where the' lie down ne!t to the last person. 0hen the' arrive the ne!t person

does the same.

=ariations 1. ;roup lies on their backs on the floor5 with ever' person l'ing in the opposite direction to the person ne!t to them. lose ever'one

up so that their heads /interlock/. ,ver'one then stretches their hands above their heads.


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HUMAN TUNNEL BALL

;roup sie: Three or four groups depending on the sie of the group.

&aterials: 7one

+rocedure: The groups line up one behind the other5 facing the same direction each person about an arms length behind each other. The' spread

their legs apart and @oin hands5 the right hand going under their legs @oining with the persons left hand behind them. The race begins

the first person moving under the tunnel and not breaking the linking hands and the tunnel moves under itself until all the group has

gone through the tunnel hands alwa's linked.

HUMAN PYRAMID

;roup sie: Appro! 1%

&aterials: 7one

+rocedure: ,ach group must form a human p'ramid and walk the p'ramid forward towards the other end of the room. The first group to reach the

end wins. The p'ramid classicall' consists of $ people on the bottom level5 three on the ne!t5 then two and one person on the top.


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MUSICAL PARTNERS

;roup sie: An'

&aterials: &usic (that can be stopped and started)

+rocedure: The group forms into pairs. The pairs then kneel facing each other with their hands on each others shoulders5 forming an inner and

outer circle. 0hen the music starts the outside circle stands and begins to move clockwise5 the inner circle at the same time works in

an anti clockwise direction. 0hen the music stops the circles must repair and kneel with their hands upon each others shoulders. The

last pair to do so is


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HUMAN OBSTACLE RACE

;roup sie: Appro!imatel' si! or sie to suit &aterials7one

+rocedure: The teams line up and the race begins. 7o.1 moves down the line:+atting 7o.2 on the headB

;oing through 7o."/s legsB

inking arms and spinning twice with 7o.$B

*itting on 7o.#/s right knee5

lowing in 7o.?/s ear.

7o.1 then @oins the line and 7o.2 goes down the line carr'ing out the tasks in the same order5 and so on. The list above is onl' an

e!ample of tasks for each number. Gse 'our imagination

ARM LINKS

;roup sie: An' sie

&aterials: 7one

+rocedure: n pairs sit back to back and link arms. Then tr' to stand up. 4o the

same in threes5 fours5 fives etc until 'ou can do it with the entire group.


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BALLOON GAME

;roup sie: Appro! ten

&aterials: 1 alloon per +erson*tring

*cissors

+rocedure: 4istribute 1 balloon and a piece of string to each person.

nstruct each person to blow up their balloon and tie it to their ankle.


45/49

PEELING THE SNAKE

0ho: arge groups of people (up to #% in each group)

0here: nside a large room or outside

nstructions 3orm single file lines for each group

,ach person faces the back of the person on his or her right.

ending over5 each person places their right hand back between their legs and reaches their left hand to grab the right hand of the

person in front of them.

The last person in the line lies down5 and the snake unpeels b' the rest of the line slowl' walking backwards5 still @oined5 over the top

of that person who has la' down.


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PERSONALDEVELOPMENT


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INSIDE OUT

&aterials: 7one

Aims: 4eveloping imagination5 selfvalidation5 sensor' awareness5 awareness5 bod' control.

+rocedure: 0hole group lies on backs5 arms on the floor5 legs separate5 e'es closed. eader talks smoothl' and steadil' and asks the group tofocus their senses within their bodies. odies are described as containing blood vessels with blood pulsing throughB lungs e!changing

o!'gen for carbon dio!ide (good air for used air)B stomachs digesting food5 etc. ;roup is asked to concentrate on one particular

function of the bod' and the leader asks the group to be aware (even s'ntheticall') of the e!istence of the activit'5 without feeling for

signs with their hands.

ealsensations to notice

heartbeat

pulse

breathing

indigestiondigestionperspiration5 etc.

(sedo sensations )to imagine entirely*

hair growing

nails growing

air in the blood

food passing to muscles acids attacking the teeth5 etc.

=ariations 1 oncentration through breathing. Take a deep breath. magine 'our ribs e!panding5 the air rushing down 'our throat5 filling 'our

lungs5 entering 'our blood and kicking the old air out. (continue with e!haling.)

2 oncentration through heartbeat. lood sucked into onechamber e!pelled into ne!t chamber and then back into vein or arter'. oncentration upon the feeling (in rh'thm with the beats) of

this e!pansion and contraction.


48/49

ROAD MAP

&aterials arge sheet of paper per person and pencil or felt tip

Aims *elfvalidation

+rocedure ,ach person is asked to make a road map of their life so far. eginning with birth and e!tending to the present. ,ach map should

somehow show the good places (either scenic or open road5 etc.) or the bad places (bump' spots5 etc.)5 hospital (road works etc.) Also

barriers5 detours5 and the general direction of their present course.

ompare life/s past course with 'our imagined future5 i.e. goals5 etc. ow will the' be achieved9 0hat has made the good spots9

=ariations 1 ,!tend and pro@ect the map into the future. (con@ecture or da'dream)

2 onstruct lists of positive and negative problems and events. 4ecide on points s'stems5 i.e.5 O and 5 and evaluate 'our life." Colepla' passing detours5 etc.


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TIN SOLDIER

0ho: +airs of people

0here: nside a large room.

Aids

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The Icebreakers Book

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