Category Archives: Icebreakers

Activities intended to help a group to begin the process of forming themselves into a team. Youth icebreakers are commonly presented as a game to warm up the group by helping the members to get to know each other.

Icebreakers

Olympic Icebreaker: Famous Olympic Athletes

August 13, 2008 kensapp Leave a comment

Description
This icebreaker is appropriate during the Olympics or for special sports events.

Preparation
On small slips of paper write down the names of numerous athletes. (Best if they are the more prominent athletes from the Olympic Games or the more famous athletes from a variety of sports.)

What to do

Tape the names of Olympic athletes to the back of students as they arrive.
The task of the students is to discover which Olympic athlete’s name is pinned on their backs by asking only “yes” or “no” questions.
This continues until everyone arrives and has learned the name of the famous Olympic athlete on his/her back.
Then go around the group and ask each youth their name, favorite Olympic sport, and other information you might like to know.

Famous Olympic Athletes

Here’s a few well known Olympic athletes to get you started

Bruce Jenner – Track and Field
Carl Lewis – Track and Field
Dorothy Hamill – Figure Skating
Edwin Moses – Track and Field
Eric Heiden – Speed Skating
Ian Thorpe – Swimming
Jesse Owens – Track and Field
Jim Thorpe – Track and Field
Lance Armstrong – Cycling
Mark Spitz – Swimming
Mary Lou Retton – Gymnastics
Michael Phelps – Swimming
Muhammed Ali – Boxing
Nadia Comaneci – Gymnastics
Usain Bolt – Track and Field

Keen to use some of the most promising Athlete from the 2012 Olympic Games in London?
Here’s a list of the top 2012 Olympic Athletes to Watch

Go for the Gold
Need an evangelistic Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series with an Olympic Theme?

What is salvation all about? What does it mean to be saved? This sports themed Bible Study / Camp Curriculum uses the Olympic Flag to introduce the concepts of sin (black circle), forgiveness (red circle), purity (white background), spiritual growth (green circle), heaven (Yellow Circle) and (Baptism) blue circle.

-> Tell me about “Go for the Gold”

Destined to Win
Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?

The race as a metaphor for the Christian life is used in several places in the Bible. This series is a great follow up for new Christians or to re-emphasize the basics of our spiritual Journey in the Faith. This Bible Study / Camp Curriculum has a sports theme and is great for athletes as well as a tie in to the youth Olympic Games.
->Tell me about “Destined to Win”

Icebreakers

Olympic Icebreakers: Spiritual Sports Similies

August 12, 2008 kensapp Leave a comment

Description
Youth will compare thier spiritual life to an Olympic sport.

What to do
Ask each youth what sport best describes his/her spiritual life and why.
“My spiritual life is like ____________ because __________________.”

A list of sports is included below if the youth need help thinking of some.

Baseball
Basketball
Bobsledding
Bowling
Boxing
Canoeing
Chess
Cross-country Skiing
Darts
Diving
Downhill
Skiing
Fencing
Football
Fencing
Figure skating
Golf
Gymnastics
Horseshoes
Ice Hockey
Kayaking
Luge
Ping-pong
Rappelling
River Rafting
Rock Climbing
Horseshoes
Rugby
Ski Jump
Slalom
Soccer
Speed skating
Swimming
Synchronised swimming
Tennis
Track & Field
Volleyball
Water polo
Wrestling

Go for the Gold
Need an evangelistic Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series with an Olympic Theme?

Destined to Win
Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?

Icebreakers

Evaluating Icebreakers

August 3, 2008 kensapp Leave a comment

Were the directions clearly understood by the participants? Were they loud enough?
Was the leader facing the entire group? Did the leader make good eye-contact with everyone?
Was the leader enthusiastic? Did the leader pick up on humorous situations?
Was everyone involved? Were there periods of waiting?
Were the materials prepared and ready-to-go? Was there minimal delay in getting things ready for the icebreaker?
How did the group respond? Did it engage the participants? Did they enjoy the activity? Were they bored? Did the icebreaker get out of control?
Evaluate the length of the icebreaker. Was it too long? Too short? Did it leave people wanting for more?
What was the atmosphere after the icebreaker? Did it lead into the next activity or talk?
9. How could the icebreaker, or the leadership of the icebreaker, have been improved?
Were safety measures maintained?

Looking for some effective icebreakers that smoothly transition into lessons on values, character, and other youth related issues? Find out More!

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Game Ideas, Icebreakers

Valentine’s Day Forward and Backward

February 12, 2008 kensapp Leave a comment

Description
In this Icebreaker game for your Valentine’s Day Party, youth will move forward or backwards when they meet the Valentine’s day criteria that is called out.

Resources

List of actions related to valentine’s Day or Dating
Chairs in a circle, one chair per person.

Preparation

Arrange the chairs in a circle, facing inward to the center of the circle.
Prepare the list of items

What to do

Sit everyone in a chair and then read the instructions for participants to follow. Instructions should be related to Valentine’s Day or dating.
If someone is in the chair you move to, just sit on his or her lap. You can stack people three or four high.
The first youth to make it all the way around the circle wins. Have youth to take note of the chair they start in before you begin calling out situations.

Sample Instructions

“If you are wearing something red, move forward one chair”
“If you are wearing black, move back three chairs”
“If you have a cute stuffed animal at home, move forward one chair.”
“If you are not dating anyone right now, move back one chair.”
“If you like chocolates, move forward one chair.”
“If your birthday is in the month of February, move forward one chair.”
“If you didn’t buy your sweetheart something for valentine’s Day, move back Two chairs.”
“If you have said “I love you” to someone today, move forward two chairs.”
“If your sweetheart has a habit that irritates you, move back one chair.”
“If you have ever sang a serenade to your sweetheart, move forward 1 chair.”
“If you have ever gone out on a date with a best friend’s boyfriend/ girlfriend move back 2 chairs.”
“If you have ever made your own home-made Valentine’s Day card move forward one chair.”
“If you kissed on a first date, move back one chair.”
“If you have ever bought or received a red rose on Valentine’s
“Day, move forward one chair.”
“If you have never enjoyed a candlelight dinner on Valentine’s Day please move one chair backward.”
“If you have ever shared a drink using two straws in the same glass move forward one chair.”
“If you have ever forgotten to celebrate Valentine’s Day move back one chair.”
“If you have a special love song that you share as a couple move forward 1 chair.”
“If you have ever been embarrassed by your date on Valentine’s day, move backward one chair.”
“If you have ever received roses or a gift from a secret admirer move forward one chair.”
“If your car broke down on a date, move back 1 chair.”
“If you have ever called your sweetheart just to hear his/her voice move forward two chairs.”
“If you have ever called your boyfriend or girlfriend by the wrong name move backward 2 chairs.”
“If You have ever sent flowers to someone anonymously move forward 1 chair.”
“If you have ever gone to McDonald’s on a date move backward one chair.”
“If you have ever left your sweetheart a message of love on an answering machine move forward one chair.”
“If you have ever sent a Valentine without signing it with your name move backward one chair.”
“If you have ever Sent you sweetheart a mushy SMS message move forward one chair.”
“If you have ever bought your sweetheart an item of clothing that was too small or too large move back one chair.”
“If you initiated the very first kiss with your sweetheart move forward one chair.”
“If you blush when kissed move backward one chair.”
“If you have never been on a romantic date then move forward two chairs.”
“If you have held hands with your sweetheart in a public place move back one chair.”
“If you like to do things for someone to show you love them move forward one chair.”
“If you have ever received a call from an ex boyfriend / girlfriend while out on a date with your new sweetheart move back two chairs.”
“If you have ever been chaperoned on a date before move forward one chair.”
“If you have ever dated someone on the rebound move back one chair.”
“If you tend to be the decision maker in the relationship move forward one chair.”
“If you have ever refused to answer the phone after an argument with your sweetheart, move back one chair.”
“If you think having a steady is overrated, move forward one chair.”
“If you have ever walked out on a date move back one chair.”
“If you have ever been offended by the body odor of your sweetheart, move forward one chair.”
“If you have ever gone to a party with a date, but left with someone else move back one chair.”
“If you like to give gifts to show someone you love them move forward one chair.”
“If you have ever made an embarrassing body noise while on a date, move back one chair.”
“If you have ever been recognized by a friend while on a date, move forward one chair.”
“If you have not brushed your teeth today, move back one chair.”
“If you wore something special on Valentine’s day move forward one chair.”
“If you have ever eaten at a lousy restaurant on Valentine’s day move back one chair.”
“If a friend introduced you or set you up with your sweetheart, move forward one chair.”
“If you tend to be passive in relationships move back one chair.”
“If you are still friends with someone you used to date move forward two chairs.”
“If you have a difficult time expressing love move back one chair.
ADD your own…

Take It to the Next Level

Do you ever feel that some of your dating relationships are like this game – sometimes you move forward and sometimes you find yourself moving backwards?
As you think back over the past year, do you think you have moved forward in your relationships or backwards?
How do you measure progress in your relationships?
Do you ever feel you are going in circles in your relationships? Why?
What are some things that move relationships forward?
What are some of the things that create setbacks in relationships?
What are some Biblical guidelines for relationship?

Action Point

Take a few moments to commit your self to a couple plans of action (things to avoid or things to do) in order to improve the significant relationships in your life!

Click here to get 52 of my best Icebreakers in the digital eBook: Icebreakers Ahead: Take it to the Next Level. You can download it immediately and each icebreaker has teaching ideas so that you can use them as lessons or introductions to lessons.

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

=> Tell me more about the Holiday Collection

Icebreakers

Valentine’s Day True or False

February 10, 2008 kensapp Leave a comment

Description
Can you separate the Valentine’s Day related facts from the fiction?

Resources
Valentine Heart shaped pieces of paper or Index cards and pens (or pencils)

Preparation
None

What to Do

Let everyone write four statements about themselves on the heart related to Valentine’s Day. (They can be in any order, but three must be true, and one must be false.) People should be encouraged to make the false statement sound plausible to make it more fun. (The clever ones will use something true about someone else in the group in order to mislead the group about the author’s identity.)
In this Valentine’s Day variation of a classic icebreaker, the statements should relate to Valentine’s Day or romance / love:
- Write down four things you have received or given your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day.
- Write down your four favorite love songs.
- Write down four things you find romantic.
- What happened on your four most memorable dates?
The Valentine’s Day Hearts are then distributed randomly to the participants.
As each person receives a heart, he or she will read the statements out to the group that are written on it. The group tries to decide which statement is false and the identity of the person who wrote it.
Once the group guesses the correct person, the next person reads his or her heart until all the hearts are completed.

Take It to the Next Level

What are some of the things our hearts reveal about us?
What are some of the things the Bible teaches is about our hearts?
Is honesty important in relationships?
What are some of the potential consequences of dishonesty?
What are some of the other essentials for a good relationship?
What are some of the Biblical guidelines for relationships?
How can we restore relationships that have been damaged by dishonesty?

Action Point

Make a point to be truthful in your relationships and to do those things that will make them last!

This Valentine’s Day Icebreaker is adapted from “True or False” in the digital eBook: Icebreakers Ahead: Take it to the Next Level. Click here to get 52 of my best Icebreakers. Each has teaching ideas so that you can use them as lessons or introductions to lessons.

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

=> Tell me more about the Holiday Collection

Icebreakers

Valentine’s Day Boggle

January 28, 2008 kensapp Leave a comment

Valentine’s Day Game Description
In this Valentine’s Day Game, party participants are to create as many words as possible before the timer runs out using only the letters in the word “Valentine”

Valentine’s Day Game Resources

Word List (possibly a dictionary as well)
Timer
Paper and pencil/ pen for each person

Valentine’s Day Game Preparation
None

What to Do

Participants are to create as many words as possible using only the letters in the word “Valentine”
You may wish to allow only those words for which the participants can give the definition.

Word List
ae, ai, ail, ain, ait, al, ale, alee, alevin, alien, aline, alit, alive, alt, alvine, an, ane, anele, anent, ani, anil, anile, ant, ante, anti, anvil, at, ate, ave, eat, eave, eel, el, elain, elan, elate, elative, elint, elite, en, enate, enliven, entail, entia, et, eta, etna, eve, even, event, evil, evite, ilea, in, inane, inlet, inn, innate, invent, it, la, lain, lane, lat, late, lateen, laten, lati, lav, lave, lea, lean, lean, leant, leave, leaven, lee, leet, lei, lenient, lenite, lent, lenten, let, lev, levant, levin, li, liane, lie, lien, lieve, lin, line, lineate, linen, linn, linnet, lint, lit, lite, live, liven, na, nae, nail, naive, naivete, nan, native, nave, navel, ne, neat, neat, neaten, nee, nene, net, neve, nieve, nil, nine, nit, nite, nival, ta, tae, tael, tail, tain, tale, tali, tan, tav, tea, teal, tee, teel, teen, tel, tela, tele, ten, tenail, tenia, ti, tie, til, tile, tin, tine, tinea, vail, vain, vale, valet, valine, van, vane, vat, veal, vee, veena, veil, vein, veinal, veinlet, vela, velate, vena, venal, venetian, venial, venin, venine, vent, ventail, vet, via, vial, vie, vile, vina, vinal, vine, vineal, vita, vital

Icebreaker Game Variation

Pin a large card bearing a letter from one of the above words to each person’s sleeve
Give each person a small card and a pencil.
The goal is for people with the various letters to get together and spell words.
Once they have spelled a word, they must write the word on their cards and have both people sign it.
They can then separate and look for new words.
Award a prize to the person with the longest list of words.
And you might award a special prize to the members involved in making the longest word.

NOTE: If your group size is bigger than the length of the word, double up on some of the letters, but realize that there may be additional words possible that are not in the list above.

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

=> Tell me more about the Holiday Collection

Discussion Questions, Icebreakers

Favorite?

November 19, 2007 kensapp Leave a comment

These discussion questions make great icebreakers to allow people to get to know each other a little better.

DO YOU Have other discussion questions using the word ‘favorite”? Please add at least ONE as a comment so we can increase this list together!

Do you have a favorite painting or drawing? What makes it special to you?
Growing up, what was your favorite comic strip?
Growing up, what was your favorite fairy tale or children’s story?
What are your favorite television shows? How frequently do you watch them?
What is one of your favorite quotes? Why is it special to you?
What is your all-time favorite movie, and how many times have you seen it?
What is your favorite bumper sticker or t-shirt slogan?
What is your favorite poem or saying? Why is it your favorite?
What is your favorite style of music?
What was your favorite subject in school? Why?
What’s one of your favorite birthday memories?
What’s one of your favorite questions to ask? What’s your favorite question to answer?
What’s one of your least favorite things to do? Why?
What’s the name of your favorite magazine? What do you like most about it?
What’s your all-time favorite band?
What’s your all-time favorite meal, and how often do you enjoy it?
What’s your favorite aroma or fragrance?
What’s your favorite beverage?
What’s your favorite Bible verse and why?
What’s your favorite board game? Do you usually win?
What’s your favorite color? Why?
What’s your favorite fast-food restaurant and how often do you go there?
What’s your favorite genre of literature?
What’s your favorite kind of candy?
What’s your favorite picnic memory?
What’s your favorite place to go when you want to be alone? Why?
What’s your favorite room in your home? Why?
What’s your favorite spectator sport, and how often do you watch it?
What’s your favorite subject to discuss? Why?
Where’s your favorite place to take out-of-town guests?
Who was your favorite teacher growing up, and what did you like most about him or her?
Who’s your favorite comedian?
Who’s your favorite talk show host?

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Icebreakers

Eye Contact

September 26, 2007 kensapp Leave a comment

This icebreaker game is similar to Connected but the connections are visual ones as participants make eye contact with one another. You can use this icebreaker to discuss communication, attention, community, and connections or relationships. It can also be used for team building and relationship building in training events.

Description
Sitting or standing in a circle, youth look across the circle at someone and then when mutual eye contact has been made, they switch places while maintaining eye contact the entire time.

Resources
None

Preparation
None

What to Do

Sit the group in chairs in a circle, or stand in a circle with everyone facing inward toward the center of the circle.
Each person must announce his or her name and one characteristics about himself/herself. You could also have everyone answer the same common question like “What is your favorite movie?”
Participants then look across the circle to another participant. At any time two persons make mutual eye contact, they must announce the name of the other person and begin moving to switch places. They must maintain eye contact the entire time until they have switched. They must not rush, but move slowly and purposefully.
Once they have switched they must again look around the circle until they make mutual eye contact with another person. They cannot exchange places with the same person twice in a row.
Many pairs can exchange at the same time.

Variations

Play the game silently
Have participants exchange greetings in the middle of the circle.
As the game continues, periodically call out various emotions they people should try to express through their eyes only (care, love, anger, disappointment, honesty, encouragement, forgiveness, trust, hope, joy, etc).

Taking it to the Next Level

Did anyone feel uncomfortable maintaining eye contact the entire time? Why?
How did you feel to have someone’s attention focused completely on you? Why?
Ok, admit it. Who broke eye contact during the exchange? How did it affect the exchange?
Is eye contact important in relationships? Why or why not?
What functions does eye contact have in relationships?
What feelings did you experience in this game? Why?
Did you have different feelings with different people? Why?
Is there anyone you did not make eye contact with? Why? Look at that person now. Are your feelings any different than from those people you made eye contact with?
It has been said that the eyes are a window into the soul. What do you think this means?
What things do a person’s eyes reveal? How accurate are they?
If you were to look into Christ’s eyes what do you think you would see?
If Christ were to look you straight in the eyes, how would you feel? What do you think he might see?

Teacher’s Note: This is a fun way of looking at Bible Stories that involve encounters between two people. Read the story. At crucial points throughout the story, stop the narrative and then ask: “What feelings might you see reflected in each of the characters eyes at this point in the story?” For example, in the story of Jesus and the woman at the well. Do you think the woman was trying to avoid eye contact? When Jesus asked her for a drink, what might you see reflected in her eyes? As she looked back at Christ, what do you think she might have seen reflected in his eyes? Then continue the story. Later, when he tells her he has living water from which she will never thirst again, stop the story and ask the same questions. This can be applied to numerous narratives and events in the Bible and may provide a fresh perspective on a well known story.

Conclusion
Our eyes reveal a lot about us. Look a person in the eyes and you can learn a lot about them. As you seek to build meaningful relationships with others, take some time to look into their eyes. Try to see the world through their eyes. Try to see them through Christ’s eyes! When you do, you will get a little more insight into God’s love and place for you in this world.

Action Point

Try to see others through the eyes of Christ?
Take a little time, away from the hustle and bustle of life, and spend some focused time with someone this week in eye to eye communication. By your attention let them know you care!

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Icebreakers

Steering Your Icebreaker: Successful Ice-Breakers

September 8, 2007 kensapp Leave a comment

Using icebreakers successfully is similar to being able to tell a good story: you need to know your audience, delivery is everything, and good stories build up intensity as they go along. And props never hurt if you have them.

1. Make Course Corrections (Be Flexible)

As with most games, you can change the rules to suit the group. Icebreakers may start off well but may degrade into a stale activity quicker than we anticipate. Always be ready to change your routine and learn a new game to become enthusiastic about. Generally, with youth you can move pretty quickly into highly active, or silly games that get everyone laughing. For “too-cool” teens or “very serious” adults, you need to proceed very slowly. You can always tell how things are going by the level of conversation and laughter.

2. Iceberg Ahead! (Obstacles to Avoid)

Anything that causes embarrassment to individuals: “my most embarrassing moment” speeches might be entertaining for the instructor, but they don’t do anything to foster a conversation.

Also watch out for icebreakers that involve:

uncomfortable or forced communication
fun and games that detract from course content
time consuming activities
competition
assignments that highlight differences
cultural bias
activities in which success requires prior knowledge or experience

3. Let’s Try a New Heading (Variation)

Use fun props. Buy rubber chickens, silly rubber faces, fun stuffed animals, or other objects that create laughter or interest by themselves. Whenever possible, use these props in place of tennis balls, or whatever standard objects you might use. If you don’t have any, don’t worry, the activities are fun enough, fun props are just a bonus! You don’t always have to use the same icebreaker the same way. Feel free to experiment with a different variation or add a new twist to an old, familiar icebreaker to spice things up a bit.

4. Put Your Backs Into It! (Enthusiasm)

Participate enthusiastically. The whole point of name games and icebreakers is to help participants break down barriers, learn something about the others in the group, and most of all… have fun.

Encourage everyone to participate, but it is not advisable to force someone to participate and risk bringing the whole group down. An extremely introverted person may not immediately be comfortable participating in icebreakers, along with youth with below average physical abilities. You will find that when given the option to decide on their own, most people will choose to participate.

Be sure to play an active role in the game, as it is important that the participants learn something about you as well. This is equally true for youth or corporate groups, too. Always encourage your participants to play full out, 200% – that includes you! Be a good example of enthusiasm.

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Icebreakers

Ice Breakers : Knowing the Ice

September 7, 2007 kensapp Leave a comment

When planning ice breakers, think about the “ice” that needs to be broken.

If you are bringing together liked-minded people, the “ice” may simply reflect the fact that people have not yet met.
If you are bringing together people of different grades and levels in your organization for an open discussion, the “ice” may come from the difference in status between participants.
If you are bringing together people of different backgrounds, cultures and outlooks for work within your community, then the “ice” may come from people’s perceptions of each other.

You’ll need to handle these differences with sensitivity. Only focus on what’s important to your event. Remember, you want to break some ice for your event, not uncover the whole iceberg! And as you move on to design and facilitate the event, it’s always best to focus on similarities (rather than differences), such as a shared interest in the event’s outcome.

A simple way to figure out what kind of “ice” you’re facing is to consider the following factors:

1. Size of the Crew

Some icebreakers work best in large groups of 20 or more, some are better for small groups of 5 or so. If you have too many people for the icebreaker, split into smaller groups of the right size and run the icebreakers concurrently.
Another often overlooked consideration is the size of the premises you will be conducting your activities. It’s always advisable to have twice as much free room as participants if there is to be any running or moving around.

2. Knowing Your Crew (Participants)

One obvious point to consider is the audience. You will want to consider:
A) Age (which affects the physical energy level and mental ability)
B) Backgrounds (Familiarity between participants, culture, personality types, etc.)

3. Plotting Your Course (Purpose)

The tone for the remainder of the event is set by the icebreaker. What are you doing after the ice breaker?

Are you brainstorming new ideas?
Discussing year end results?
Kicking off a new project?
Teaching an important lesson?
Team building?

Match the mood of the ice breaker to the mood for the meeting. The participants may immediately come to a conclusion about how the rest of the session will go based on the tone of the opening ice breaker.

Ask yourself: Is the icebreaker there to:

ease introductions
increase understanding of others
improve communication
build group cohesion
build trust
get mental juices flowing
just be downright silly
increase the energy level of the group in the MIDDLE of a meeting

In any case, the group members should be able to take something away from the activity that will be beneficial to the remainder of the session.

4. Preparing for the Journey (Preparation)

Try out your explanation of how to play in advance and carefully choose your words and instructions.
Run through it with other leaders and facilitators in advance.
Take note of any materials you might need before leading the icebreaker.
Consider the safety of participants. (Dangerous activities, furniture, etc)

5. ETA (Time)

Be realistic about the time you have for the meeting ice breaker and stick to it.

Choose a short punchy icebreaker to get energy levels up.
Choose longer icebreakers when more disclosure is desired.
Remember icebreakers always take a bit longer than we think they will take.

6. Full Speed Ahead (Take It to the Next Level)

An important part of choosing an icebreaker is deciding whether or not a serious message will be incorporated into the activity. One must remember that regardless of whether or not learning is a focus of the activity, icebreakers inherently contain hidden messages.

We always prefer to use icebreakers that contain significant learning points because they can create powerful teaching opportunities without appearing like we are lecturing the students.

7. Disembarking (Debrief)

When finished with an icebreaker, it is important to take a few minutes to help the participants find meaning in the activity. If the time is not taken to bring it all together, the participants may feel as if they were simply playing a game. Discuss the purpose of the activity, what was learned from it, and how it can be related to their lives. Be sure to make the discussion interactive. The participants will take more away from the debriefing if they are a part of it, rather than being lectured to.

A standard debrief that we use following our icebreakers or activities has this basic structure:

“What happened?”
What actually happened in the activity? What did you do?
“Why?”
What factors limited your success? What factors contributed to your success?
“What changed?”
What did you do it differently? What changes did you make in your strategy? What made it more successful the second time around?
“So what?”
How does this apply to us? What lessons can we learn from this?
“Now what?”
What is one thing you would change in your life because of this? What would you do differently as a result of this activity?

Be sure to give participants the opportunity to ask questions throughout the activity. Nothing promotes learning like dialog. We encourage participants to discuss among themselves what they have learned and what the activity means to them. You may be surprised at the level of depth and insight your participants will have!

A well chosen icebreaker is worth it’s weight in… ice!
Choose your icebreakers wisely and you can impact many lives.

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

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