icebreakersforsmallgroups

8/12/2019 IceBreakersForSmallGroups

1/16

By Darcie Davis

Published 2012

www.GamesAndTeamBuilding.com

Ice BreakersFor Small Groups

(25 people)Volume 1

+-
http://www.gamesandteambuilding.com/http://www.gamesandteambuilding.com/http://www.gamesandteambuilding.com/


2/16

Ice breakers are not one-size-fits all. Each ice breaker activity must fit the group

dynamics, meeting location, time of day, schedule, age of participants, culture

differences, gender, etc..

Ice breakers must be selected based on the make up of your group and the goal

you wish to accomplish. You will know what works best with your group but wehave provided a Legend next to each Ice Breaker title to indicate what kind of

group the ice breaker idea seems most appropriate. Use your own discretion, of

course.

If the group description is highlighted in magenta (why not magenta?), we believe

the ice breaker idea on the page is likely to be a good fit.

Our Legend

Boards and Committees

Women Only

Men Only

Women and Men

Strangers

People Who Know Each Other

People Who Work Together

Chipmunks (just kidding)


3/16

Title Page

Never, Not Ever 4

How I See the World 5

Wheres My Mate? 6

Who the Heck Are You? 7

Heroes and Role Models 8

How Do You Line Up? 9

Last Person Standing 10

Purse Diving 11

Wallet Diving 12

Finish the Thought 13

I Wear Many Hats 14

What Exactly Did He Say? 15


4/16

Never, Not Ever

This is a great icebreaker activity to do during mealtimes; its

quick and easy to implement and requires only a tiny bit of

preparation. Its a good way to help Boards of Directors or

committee members get better acquainted.

Determine something you can use that can be considered as

chips. You can use pennies, pebbles, paper clips, poker chips,pencils, candy, toothpicks, or rubber bands, for example.

Chips will be distributed equally to each person and each person

will receive chips equal to three times the number of people

present. If a dozen people are participating in this icebreaker,

each person should have 36 chips to play with, which will be 432

total chips needed. Dont spend a lot of money because the chips

play a small role.

Everyone sits in a circle or around a table(s), which is why this is

great at a mealtime.

The ultimate goal is be the person with the most chips!

Each participant will in turn make a statement about an activity

they have NEVER done, not ever. They must be asked to complete

this sentence, Never, not ever, have I _________________________.

When completing the sentence, its a good strategy to complete

this statement with something that most people have done but

that you havent. Youll see why in a second.

As an example, player #1 could say, Never, not ever, have I ired

an employee. If any of the players have ired an employee, they

must now give player #1 one of their chips. The art is in inding

actions that may be common to others but something you have

never done. You want to be unique.

For groups of 10 or less, go around the table at least 3 times.

State ahead of time that you will go around the circle 3 times or

when someone runs out of chips, whichever happens irst.

Of course the person who gets the most chips wins! And they

should get a prize. Your prize should it your group. Some

groups want material rewards such as gift certiicates, iPods or a

new Bentley. Other groups may be thrilled by winning a title

such as The Never King or Queen Who Has No Life.


Women Only

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Women and Men

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Chipmunks (just kidding)

This is Page 4


5/16

How I Seethe World

Every individual sees the world from their own perspective.

That perspective is evident in what people see when viewing art.

Everyone sees and experiences something unique.

Preparation: Bring about ive images from books, magazines,

tear sheets or the Internet to the meeting. All of the images

should be complex, mostly abstract and have the quality that thecontent can be interpreted in many different ways. Illusions are

fun. Here is an example to give you some ideas:

Each participant should receive paper and a pencil/pen. Use a

seconds timer and ask someone to be the timer to keep everyone

to a 15second rule.

Tell the participants they will be asked to quickly look at an

image and immediately write down what they see. They can

draw their own image or use words. What did they see or

interpret in the image?

Get everyone ready, then hold up the irst image and let everyone

view it for 15 seconds. When the timer goes off at the end of the

15 seconds, each participant must privately write down his

interpretation or impression of what he saw.

This should go quickly. When everyone has had a chance to view

the art and write down their notes, you will begin with one

person and ask them what they wrote. You will learn a lot about

each of your participants! There can be discussions and a revisitof the art piece to see what each person interpreted.

Do this again for 3 to 5 art pieces, depending on the time you

have available to complete this icebreaker activity.

The moral? (yes there is one) Each participant will see the same

things differently yet they can all work artfully together to get

things done.


Women Only

Men Only

Women and Men

Strangers



Groundhogs (just kidding)

Here is Page 5


6/16

WheresMy Mate?

When two people are asked to work in partnership toward a

common goal at a meeting or retreat, it often presents some

awkwardness. This is a fun activity to assign partners of two.

When participants irst enter a room they are given a card that

shows one half of a pairing on it. Their assignment is to igure

out who their mate is. For example, the card might say Baconand ... In this example, their mate would be Eggs (yet there

are other possibilities). Both Bacon and Eggs will walk

around to all other participants and ask questions which can

only be answered with a Yes or No.

In this example, Bacon may think his mate must be Eggs and

would ask questions such as Can you be fried? Are you yel

low Are you high in cholesterol Did you come from a

chicken? Those are questions someone can answer with a Yes

or No. If he has talked to everyone and the Yes or No answers do

not it with a pair for Bacon he must change his questions be

cause he will learn he may be searching for the wrong mate!

Participants circulate to each person until they get enough Yes

answers to determine correct mates. When someone believes

hes found the correct mate, he must go to the facilitator and tell

her who his team mate is. Remember, Bacons mate will also be

looking for Bacon but on Eggs card it will read: .and Eggs.

No one is allowed to show their cards to anyone until the facilita

tor matches them together! The facilitator keeps the master list

to make sure the participants are matched to the right mate.

First person to guess their mate gets a prize!

Suggestions for Mate names include:Mickey and Minnie Sunrise and Sunset

Rock and Roll Lewis and Clark

Burger and Fries Rogers and Hammerstein

Holmes and Watson Bill and Hillary

Black and White Obama and Biden

If you need to build bigger teams of more than two people, use the same

process but the cards would list group or team names. If you want 5 members

on each team, youll have 5 cards distributed that have the same name on it.

Those ive people must circulate through the group to ask questions to ind

who is on their team.

Suggestions for Group Mates include:

The Steelers The Wind

The Coalminers The Rolling Stones

The Bumblebees The Longshoremen

The Buzzsaws The Longhorns


Women Only

Men Only

Women and Men

Strangers



Squirrels (just kidding)

You are on Page 6


7/16

Who the HeckAre You?

This easy and fun ice breaker is especially good with people who

think they already know each other. I recommend using this

activity after lunch or irst thing in the morning because it gets

people moving a bit.

This is how it works: The facilitator tells everyone they will be

answering questions and, based on the answers they provide,will be moving to one of four areas of the room. The A answers

gather in this corner; the B answers meet over here; the C

answers meet in that corner and the D answers meet in that

other corner.

With everyone standing up, the facilitator reads a question and

the participants respond by deciding which one of the multiple

choice answers its him best. As each question is read, people

will walk to a designated area of the room to assemble with

others who also selected the same answer.

Once in their groups (still standing), the facilitator can say, Look

around and see your colleagues who picked the same response.

You have at least that in common now.

Each question gets read and participants mentally select their

answer and migrate to that place in the room that has been

designated for his answer which will likely be a different place

each time.

Your participants will learn a lot about each other based on the

answers each person selects. This activity is fun to use when

people have been discussing serious or deep issues and simply

need a break.

Sample questions:

If I had to see a movie, I would rather see: (A) Transformers (B)

Gone With The Wind (C) Dumb and Dumber (D) Crash

If I could go out to eat and had to pay my own way, I would eat at:(A) Bens Chili Bowl (B) Olive Garden (C) (name of a fancy

restaurant in the area) (D) IHop

My favorite thing about myself is:

(A) My eating habits (B) My looks (C) My car (D) My brain.

If I had to give up one thing at home, it would be:

(A) My pet (B) Television (C) Microwave (D) Computer.

If I had to change my job, I would rather be:(A) Politician (B) Comedian (C) Radio Host (D) Professional

Athlete.

If you are using this ice breaker to form groups or sub groups for

any purpose, you would tell participants to assemble together

according to the answers they gave.


Women Only

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Women and Men

Strangers



Armchairs (just kidding)

Yep, this is Page 7


8/16

Heroes andRole Models

Heroes, role models and mentors have shaped the path of

personal and business development for people all over the

world. This is a more thoughtful activity that works well during

a meal or at the end of a tough day.

There are four parts to this ice breaker.

1. Ask each participant to name three people, past or

present, they admire and to state what it is they admire

about the individuals.

2. If the particpants could have oneonone time with each

of the people they admire, what would they ask them?

3. What would the participants want their heroes to know

about them?

4. If it hasnt already been done, have your participants

select opposite gender heroes. Who would they be and

why?


Women Only

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Women and Men

Strangers



Sponges (just kidding)

Heres Page 8


9/16

How Do YouLine Up?

How Do You Line Up is a series of lightweight activities, each of

which takes a few minutes to accomplish.

This icebreaker for boards and committees is perfect to use

when people need to be revived after lunch, for instance, or

when people might not be open to any extensive or time

consuming icebreakers. When you want a group to get to know

each other and bond well, its often important to go easy at irst.

This activity is perfect for breaking the ice.

1. Have all board members get in a line based on their height.

Ask them to remember who is on their right and left.

2. Next, have all board members line up by birthdays (month

and day only in case anyone is sensitive). Again, have them

remember who is on their right and who is on their left.

3. Then get them to line up by shoe size and again to remember

who is on their right and their left.

4. Have each of them line up alphabetically by the spelling of the

city where they were born. Again, notice who is on their right

and left.

5. Have them line up based on the numbers of their street

address (ex. 1006 Essex Street).

6. Last, have them line up based on the total number of aunts

and uncles they have (alive or not alive).

Briely, let them discuss if there were any crossovers when they

were standing next to the same person. Did anyone match up

with someone else with the same height, same birthday, same

shoe size, same birth city or street number? This is all for funand nothing more.


Women Only

Men Only

Women and Men

Strangers



Pencils (just kidding)

Page 9 is this one


10/16

Last PersonStanding

This is just a fun little ice breaker and is appropriate to use with

people who know each other or not. Its good to use shortly after

lunch when participants seem to have trouble staying awake

(wink wink). Its light, easy and will not humiliate anyone.

Make a list of behaviors, activities and life occurrences that could

happen to people. Gather your group in a circle to the best that

you can and have everyone stand up. You will begin reading out

the items on your list one at a time. As each person qualiies,

they must sit down. In other words, the last person standing has

had the least eventful life (ha ha).

The Last Person Standing gets a prize and a lot of ribbing

throughout the day.

Here are examples you can use for your list. Make it a very long

list but be sure the items on your list will not create

embarrassment or pain for anyone.

1. Who was born in California?

2. Who is an only child?

3. Who has traveled outside of our state?

4. Who has traveled outside of the United States?

5. Who can speak another language luently?

6. Who has had a speeding ticket?

7. Who has never had the lu?

8. Who can play a musical instrument?

9. Who has owned a motorcycle?

10. Who has pulled taffy?

11. Who has never had a cavity?

12. Who has written a book?

13. Who has been to the Emergency Room of a hospital?

14. Who has a pet?

15. Who has never eaten in our company/school cafeteria?

16. Who has read the book War and Peace?17. Who has never learned to whistle?

18. Who has used a pogo stick?

19. Who can run a marathon?

20. Who has never memorized a poem?

21. Who has no idea who the Kardashian sisters are?

22. Who has never ridden a bus of any kind?

23. Who has touched a dolphin?

As you see, the list can include a variety of life experiences. This

ice breaker is a good way to get lighthearted conversations

going.

What?! You cant even whistle!!??


Women Only

Men Only

Women and Men

Strangers



Potato Mashers (just kidding)

This is not page 9; its Page 10


11/16

PurseDiving

Sometimes this ice breaker is just what a meeting needs to rev

up the attendees. Most women tote purses around and each

purse is an expression of the woman. This ice breaker makes

fun of that.

The facilitator will ask everyone to take ive minutes and

ind the following items in her purse:

Something that ..

1. youve had a long time

2. youre proud of

3. concerns or worries you

4. reminds you of a fun time

5. reveals a lot about you

Have each person hold up the item that responds to the request

#1 to let everyone see what shes ished out of her purse to

respond to the requirement. Go around again on the second

item, and again until you have gone through each request. If you

have a really talkative group and little time, dont feel like you

have to use the whole list because it will take too long.

This activity is hysterical and if it is appropriate for your

objectives, can be followed by a rousing discussion on a variety of

issues such as:

fashion,

expressing yourself,

importance of accessories,

personalities and purses,

getting wallets stolen,

being organized.


Women Only

Men Only

Women and Men

Strangers



Purses (just kidding)

Page 11 is here


12/16

WalletDiving

Men respond to ice breaker activities and also need activities to

keep their interest and get them in a good mood. Most men

carry a wallet and each wallet is an expression of the man. This

ice breaker makes fun of that.

The facilitator will ask all the men to take a few minutes to ind

the following items in their wallets:

Something that ..

Should really be removed from your wallet

Has been in your possession longer than anything else in

the wallet

Best represents you

Have each man share the item that responds to the irst request.

Go around again on the second item, and again until you have

gone through each one. If you have a big group, dont feel like you

have to use the whole list because it will take too long.

This activity can be hysterical as long as there is suficient teasing

involved. Encourage teasing from all the participants if they dont

provide it themselves.

As with womens groups, it could be appropriate to follow up

with discussions that touch on a variety of issues such as mens

fashion, expressing yourself, criteria you use for selecting a

wallet, personalities and wallets, getting wallets stolen, being

organized, and a whole host of other topics all related to the

things that men carry around in their wallets.


Women Only

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Women and Men

Strangers



Wallets (just kidding)

This page comes before Page 13


13/16

Finish the Thought

If your meeting requires inspiration and creative thinking from

your team members, it will be helpful to get their brains warmed

up irst. Heres a way to help them prepare together for the task

at hand.

A facilitator will ask each person to complete one of these

sentences (or develop ones more appropriate for your group):

The best job I ever had was

The worst project I ever worked on was

The riskiest thing I ever did was

One of the things that scares me is

A movie that made me laugh out loud was

I cry when I see

One of my pet peeves is.

I drive like a..

If I could travel anywhere tomorrow, I would go to

My favorite animal is

If you ask the person why they picked that certain sentence to

answer, it may provide more insight into their thinking. It will

also keep the dialogue going.

What many groups have done is to have all participants answer

all of the questions. If time allows, you will learn a lot about each

other and will give that old brain some warming up that will be of

positive beneit to your meeting objectives.


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Women and Men

Strangers



Axles (just kidding)

Lucky Page 13


14/16

hat to the pile when her turn is done in case others may wish to

select the same hat.

After everyone has chosen a hat, the group

may do more rounds of this activity with

different instructions. You may ask them to

select a hat that represents:

How they feel when they are with

this group,

How they feel when they are with

their family,

How they feel when at

school or work,

How they will want tolook ten years from now

Compare the different

hats people wear when

with different groups.

This activity is particularly effective if coupled with discussions

about work/life balance, accountability, responsibility, career

development, fashion.

I WearMany Hats

Who thinks they run the country, do the most work, raise the

kids, take care of everything, are most responsible and never

have enough time to do what needs to be done? Women! In

general, women are more apt to state that they wear a lot of

hats when asked about their work or personal life. This

icebreaker activity takes advantage of that and provides some

light weight fun as well.

There is a bit of preparation that is needed for this activity.

The facilitator must gather together as many different and

unique kinds of hats and place them in the center of the

room or table. Ideally, there should be at least as many hats

as there are women participants but more hats are even better.

Ask the group members to sit in a circle around the hats. Select

one member of the group to start. Ask this person to choose the

one hat that best speaks to her. She will pick up the hat, put it on

and tell everyone else why this hat seems to speak to her.

Allow everyone to take a turn selecting a hat and explaining why

they chose the hat that they did. Each person should return her


Women Only

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Women and Men

Strangers



Pixies (just kidding)

Page 14


15/16

What ExactlyDid He Say?

This icebreaker activity is particularly useful for employees of

companies or associations. I have also used it for parties at my

house where lots of people are coming together who dont know

each other.

Find a famous quote and put each word from the quote on

separate index cards. The quote can be from any source. If you

are a business group within one company, I recommend pulling a

quote from the top executive. Perhaps pull a quote by the CEO

from the companys annual report, brochure, newsletter or

recent speech. The quote must not be one that everyone knows

well or the activity will be too easy.

The research to be done ahead of time is to know exactly the

number of people who will be participating. Your quote will

contain as many words as there are team players. It is okay if the

quote is more than one sentence long. If your headcount is a bit

uncertain, you can always give someone two cards, the second

card containing a word that is a simple article or connecting

word such as the or a or and.

Give each participant an index card that has just one of the words

of the quote on it. They are not allowed to trade their word with

anyone else. Everyone has to work together to determine the

order of the words that will reveal the quote or saying. They may

use the loor or table to assemble their cards with words. Or,

they can use a board or wall to put their words up to assemble

the words to identify the inal quote.

If about 20 people will be participating, you would ind a quote

that they must assemble using only the words they have on their

cards.

For example, here is a 22word quote by Muhammad Ali:

A man who views the world the same at ifty as he did at twentyhas wasted thirty years of his life.

Here is a 25word quote from by Rosa Parks:

I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up,

this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away

with fear.

If it is a group of coworkers in your meeting, the quote may

represent something said by the president of the company or

head of the department. Its a splendid way to do learning and

work as a team along the way.


Women Only

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Women and Men

Strangers



Dust Bunnies (just kidding)

This is the last page of ice breakers, Volume 1.

Its Page 15


16/16

For more ways to build teams and

play games to solve problems, contact:

Darcie [email protected]

www.GamesAndTeamBuilding.com

Ice Breakers

For Small GroupsVolume 1

All Rights Reserved - Copyright 2012
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