6 Responses

1. do something physical
   If there’s room, stand in a big circle (you included) and throw a tennis ball to person in front of you who then does the same but to someone new (next to you). Once everyone has caught/thrown the ball the cycle is complete. ask everyone to remember what they’ve done and do it again – quicker, then feed extra balls in for fun, see how many you can keep going.

   I find this gets everyone giggling, interacting but above all doing something physical. Don’t try to justify the exercise – just say its to wake us all up.

   Rick

2. This… and that…
   Hi Lisa,

   Try this one…

   Get the group to stand up towards the back of the room in a (relatively) clear space.

   Then ask the group to align themselves with a series of statements along the lines of ‘Are you more (this) or (that)?’

   If they’re more ‘this’ move to one side of the room and if they’re more ‘that’ move to the other side (or stay in the middle if they’re neither or can’t decide!)

   Examples we have used include:

   Rock and Roll / Classical
   Ferrari / Rolls Royce
   Sun / Moon
   Beach / Castle

   etc; etc.

   As well as re-energising and getting people moving, its also gets people to consider similarities (and differences) within the group.

   Happy energising!

   Colin Hamilton
   email: colin@bis-improve.co.uk
   web: http://www.bis-improve.co.uk

3. Balls and juggling
   I’ve used something similar to Rick’s suggestion but its a bit more free-flowing.

   Get three small juggling balls and pass them out within the group. Everyone spreads out round the room and then the balls are thrown round the room from person to person – with the proviso that when throwing you have to call out the name of the person you are throwing the ball too.

   I’ve had excellent results with this but be careful of things that can get knocked over.

   An alternative for if you have a bit of time to fill is to get those in the group who can juggle (even a bit) to coach others to juggle. Thus you need expert jugglers to do this.

   Have fun whatever you use.

   Nigel

4. Take Your Pick
   http://www.johnsleigh.com.au/energizers.htm
   http://www.ventureup.com/teambuilding/indoor_energizers.html
   http://www.zhaba.cz/materials/misc/energizers.html
   http://www.cornell.edu/OHR/TNET/Icebreakers/Icebreakers.html
   http://www3.sympatico.ca/thetrainingoasis/febspice.htm
   http://www.johnsleigh.com.au/visuals.htm
   http://www.johnsleigh.com.au/activities.htm

   All the above links take you to web sites where energisers which can be used in meetings and on training courses can be found.

5. And More!
   on another forum I was asked for Why and How To web sites relating to ice breakers, so here they are as well:

   The following web sites has a brief explanation of ice breakers and their use, but not up the level your asking for Mike, but the first web site reference is particularly good:

   http://www.etr.org/nsrc/pdfs/TB.14.pdf

   https://www.bo.uiowa.edu/~TrainersNetwork/handouts/Handout_3.pdf

   http://www.educationalconsulting.ca/icebreak.htm

   http://adulted.about.com/library/blicebreaker2.htm

   http://www.reproline.jhu.edu/english/5tools/5icebreak/icebreak4.htm

   http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/icebreak.html

   Training Tip Number 354: As an icebreaker never start the training session by asking the group to ’get in contact with their inner selves’, and demand that they remove their clothes. I have not found this helpful, especially on my ‘Understand the Function Keys on your PC’ foundation programme.

6. Secret Agent
   I ‘borrowed’ this one form one of the many websites on the topic (I really can’t remember which or I would give it an explicit credit).

   Ask each person to identfy (in their own heads, i.e. NOT revealed publicly) one other person in the room who is going to be an enemy secret agent trying to ‘kill’ them. Then get them to identify one other person (again secretly) who is going to be their bodyguard to protect them from the secret agent.

   The task, in a large room or outdoors, is to move around such that you keep your bodyguard between you and your secret agent.

   Sit back and watch the antics develop….

   Just fun, no other justification.