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ICEBREAKERS
TYPE:
Icebreaker
AGE:
5 and up
PARTICIPANTS:
10 or more
EQUIPMENT:
None
OBJECTIVE:
Get to the top of the food chain.
DESCRIPTION:
A king of the jungle is appointed. Everyone must name a correspondingly smaller animal, along with the noise the animal makes. If someone messes-up they go to the bottom of the food chain.
TYPE:
Icebreaker
AGE:
6 and up
PARTICIPANTS:
10 or more
EQUIPMENT:
Paper, Pens, Two Hats
OBJECTIVE:
Have fun
DESCRIPTION:
Each person writes two statements: "If I were..." and "I would..." These statements are collected in two separate hats. The "I would" hat and the "If I were" hat. Everyone picks one from each hat and reads them.
TYPE:
Social
AGE:
10 and up
PARTICIPANTS:
15 or more
EQUIPMENT:
Chairs, Story
OBJECTIVE:
Perform the action assigned when the key word is read.
DESCRIPTION:
Everyone sits in a circle on a chair. Everyone draws from a hat to get the action they must do. The leader reads the story and whenever the person's key word is said, they must do the assigned action. The action and the story can be very creative and custom made for the age group.
TYPE:
Social
AGE:
10 and up
PARTICIPANTS:
10 or more
EQUIPMENT:
Poster paper, Markers, List of things to draw.
OBJECTIVE:
To have your group guess the object the one person from your group is drawing.
DESCRIPTION:
Same as Win Lose or Draw. The group is divided into two teams. First team selects a person from the group to be the first drawer. The drawer is shown a topic and must draw pictures so that his team can guess what the topic is. The team only has one and a half minutes to guess. After the time is gone and the team still has not guessed correct, the opposition gets one guess to steel the point. The winning team is the team with the most points at the end of play. In this case, a Christmas theme was used, but any theme will work.
TYPE:
Icebreaker
AGE:
5 and up
PARTICIPANTS:
20 or more
EQUIPMENT:
Blanket
OBJECTIVE:
Name the person before they name you.
DESCRIPTION:
The group is divided into two teams. Two people not on a team must hold up a side of the blanket. One person from each team approaches to blanket. When the blanket is dropped, the person to call the other by their correct name wins. The slower person switches teams. The game is won when one member is left on a team.
TYPE:
Icebreaker
AGE:
5 and up
PARTICIPANTS:
10 or more
EQUIPMENT:
Boundary marked on floor.
OBJECTIVE:
To get your entire group within the boundary.
DESCRIPTION:
The group is divided into teams of seven or more. The team tries to get all their teammates entirely into a circle on the floor. To make it competitive, the first team to do so wins. Make the circle small enough that the teams have problems fitting everyone in. A variation on this game is called Blanket Stand. Instead of a circle on the floor, the team must fit everyone onto a blanket. Once successful, they fold the blanket in half and try it again. The team to fold their blanket the most times wins.
TYPE:
Active, Icebreaker
AGE:
4 and up
PARTICIPANTS:
10 or more
EQUIPMENT:
One less 'object' than the total number of participants
OBJECTIVE:
The ultimate goal of this game is to get to know your everyone. The game objective is not to get caught inside the circle.
DESCRIPTION:
The group forms a large circle with one person in the middle. Everyone except the person in the middle have 'objects' used to mark their spot on the outside of the circle. Bean bags are great to use for this game. The person in the middle starts the game by saying, "The winds of Lake Superior blow on all those who..." and finishes the statement with something many have in common. As an example: "The winds of Lake Superior blow on all those who have a sister." Everyone on the edge of the circle who have sisters must leave their spot on the outside and run to another open spot marked by an 'object'. The person left without a spot becomes the new person-in-the-middle. Encourage questions that let the group discover things about each other. Usually, the name of the lake is substituded for a local lake as well. The group leader should emphasise safety when running around with 'objects' on the floor.
TYPE:
Icebreaker
AGE:
8 and up
PARTICIPANTS:
15 to 20
EQUIPMENT:
Cards, Chairs for each participant
OBJECTIVE:
Get to know people.
DESCRIPTION:
Sitting on chairs on a circle, everyone is given a suit. (Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, or Spades) Cards are picked from a deck. If your suit is drawn, you must move a number of chairs to the left as what's on the card drawn. People being sat on can't move. Aces are worth one and face cards are worth 11, 12 and 13 for Jack, Queen and King respectively.
TYPE:
Icebreaker
AGE:
8 and up
PARTICIPANTS:
10 or more
EQUIPMENT:
None
OBJECTIVE:
Not to break the chain
DESCRIPTION:
Sitting in a circle, the leader picks a topic, "North American Universities," and picks a person to start. The first person must name a university starting with the letter "A", the next must name a university starting with the letter "B" etc.. People that break the chain, take too long for an answer or say a fictitious university, can be dealt with in several ways. You may chose to have an elimination where the chain breaker must leave the circle or you may chose to have that person perform some embarrassing task.
TYPE:
Icebreaker
AGE:
5 and up
PARTICIPANTS:
10 or more
EQUIPMENT:
One Paper and Pen per person
OBJECTIVE:
To guess the person who's description is being read.
DESCRIPTION:
Sitting in a circle. Describe yourself on a piece of paper (not too obviously). Papers are collected and exchanged. Each paper is read out loud and everyone guesses who it is.
TYPE:
Icebreaker
AGE:
7 and up
PARTICIPANTS:
10 or more
EQUIPMENT:
None
OBJECTIVE:
To switch places with someone on the outside of the circle.
DESCRIPTION:
Standing in a circle, one person in the center must approach someone forming the circle and either say "PUT" or "PUT THE LITTLE OLD MAN OUT." When saying "PUT," if the person says anything, they must switch places. If the person says nothing the man in the center moves to another person. If the person in the center can say the whole sentence "PUT THE LITTLE OLD MAN OUT" before the other says "PUT," they must switch.
TYPE:
Social
AGE:
7 and up
PARTICIPANTS:
10 or more
EQUIPMENT:
None
OBJECTIVE:
To have one person act out a topic for their group to guess it.
DESCRIPTION:
Two teams, one person from the team that gets to go first must act out a topic without saying a word. After one and a half minutes and the team has not successfully guessed the correct word, the other team has one guess. A team is awarded one point for each correct answer. The team with the most points wins.
TYPE:
Icebreaker
AGE:
5 and up
PARTICIPANTS:
20 or more
EQUIPMENT:
None
OBJECTIVE:
Assume one of the 3 positions as fast as possible
DESCRIPTION:
Everyone randomly walks in a selected area. Any of the three poses, Knight, horse, or cavalier is called. Once called you must assume the position with someone as soon as possible. Knights carry their partner. Horses are on all fours with a rider on top, cavalier are holding a person's hand while that person in on one knee. A new partner must be found after each pose.
TYPE:
Icebreaker
AGE:
7 and up
PARTICIPANTS:
10 or more
EQUIPMENT:
None
OBJECTIVE:
To get out from inside the circle
DESCRIPTION:
Sitting in a circle, one person is in the center, approaches someone and says, "Darling if you love me please won't you smile." The person must respond without smiling, "Darling you know I love you but I just can't smile." If the person smiles, they switch places.
TYPE:
Icebreaker
AGE:
7 and up
PARTICIPANTS:
10 or more
EQUIPMENT:
Paper slips with names, Tape
OBJECTIVE:
Guess the object's name taped to your forehead.
DESCRIPTION:
Names are taped to your forehead. You must approach people, introduce yourself and ask a yes or no question to figure out "what you are." The names can be of a certain theme ex: Christmas Names.
TYPE:
Icebreaker
AGE:
10 and up
PARTICIPANTS:
10 or more
EQUIPMENT:
Toilet Paper
OBJECTIVE:
To learn about each other.
DESCRIPTION:
Leader hands out toilet paper to a group sitting in a circle. The leader tells the group to take as much toilet paper as they need for the week. After, they must share one thing about themselves with the group for every square of toilet paper.
TYPE:
Icebreaker
AGE:
5 and up
PARTICIPANTS:
2 or more
EQUIPMENT:
None
OBJECTIVE:
To have you and your partner's hands come back together.
DESCRIPTION:
With a partner, stand facing each other, palms touching. With your eyes closed, both take a step back, spin three times and try to bring your hands back together with your partner.
TYPE:
Icebreaker
AGE:
6 and up
PARTICIPANTS:
20 to 25
EQUIPMENT:
None
OBJECTIVE:
Have Fun
DESCRIPTION:
Sitting in a circle, someone starts by saying "Gobble" in one direction. The saying continues until someone says "Chew" which changes the direction.
TYPE:
Icebreaker
AGE:
6 and up
PARTICIPANTS:
15 to 20
EQUIPMENT:
Blindfold
OBJECTIVE:
To cross the circle without being caught.
DESCRIPTION:
Standing in a circle, one person is blindfolded in the center. The person in the center calls out a number. The people who's number was called must traverse the circle gobbling. If they are caught, they are switched with the blindfolded person.
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Submitted by Paul Rainville