6 Responses

1. Ice Breakers
   Hi

   Have you tried..

   1 to 1 interviews between delegates about hopes/fears for course followed by plenary/flipchart feedback?

   HIgh risk but send each person out of the room.Rest of delegates determine one question they want to know answer to about delegate, favorite food etc.Delegate returns to room makes a statement about why they are on course and then each delegate in turn using open questions tries to get the answer to the collective query building on first statement made.

   or PEOPLE BINGO – Capture various skills on a bingo card.Each delegate travels round room looking for these skills in other people.House declared once full line or row

   Bill
   chadwick@bill81.fsnet.co.uk

2. Ice Breakers
   You may have seen them on the bookshelves but McGraw-Hill publish a whole series of icebreakers and warm-up games for trainers. The authors tend to be American or Australian, but the content can be adapted to suit any audience.

3. Straws and Paperclips
   This icebreaker is a bit long (about 20 min), yet is great fun and works well.

   Give each group a box of straws (not flexible straws) and a box of paperclips. Check that the paperclips can fit snuggly into the end of the straws.

   Give each group a task (you can use the same one for each group if you want) and let them go.

   Sample tasks: Build the __________ structure as a group.

   tallest
   strongest
   longest
   most creative
   most functional etc.

   Debriefing can include describing teamwork and situational leadership skills used as well as how different models are needed to accomplish different goals.

   [Nigel, if you send me your email address, I will be happy to share a collection of icebreakers and quick activities that I put together over the years. — Bob]

4. True or false?
   Each person thinks of 3 facts about themselves. One has to be untrue. Rest of group have to guess which one is not true. Can be played in teams or by gender. Needs some advance notice. Can be played in 2 halves over a longer prorgamme.
   Is fun and brings out some remarkable truths!

5. Floating canes ice breaker
   Floating Canes:
   Team members stand in two lines of equal length facing each other. Each team member holds out both index fingers to form a platform on to which you rest a bamboo garden cane. Tell them to lower the cane to the ground, but their fingers MUST TOUCH THE CANE at all times. The cane will float up to the ceiling as if by magic!! Check out http://www.aardvarkendeavours.co.uk for more “hands-on” ideas!

6. Start the way you want to end!
   Best for presentations. Ask the audience to stand up, relax, ircle their heads, breath deeply, arms down by their sides, shake and relax. Add to this. Then say ‘after 3, I want you to put your hands together quickly … one, two, three .’

   You’ll then get everyone clapping at which point say ‘well this usually happens at the end, but I’m grateful to start with a standing ovation!’

   Enjoy!