Build confidence, team spirit, creativity, and learn to laugh with each other using these low-preparation activities for groups. Whether you are running a classroom, birthday party, or summer camp, or even an office retreat, here are some activates for creating a fun, positive, and inviting atmosphere, without ever using a credit card.
Icebreaker Games
Does everyone know each other? Whether you have a new group, or a new addition to it, these are fun and friendly ways to get everyone acquainted.
#1: Do you like your neighbour?
- Suitability: Kids and teens.
- Goal: Introduce each other, and demolish cliques.
- Supplies needed: Chairs
To begin, everyone will sit in a circle of chairs, with one person standing in the middle. The middle person will ask someone "if they like their neighbour."
The answer can be either "NO!", or "Only if they like [a certain thing]."
If the answer is NO! Everyone must scramble into a new chair.
If the answer is only if they like soccer, everyone who likes soccer must switch chairs.
#2: Human Bingo
- Suitability: All ages.
- Goal: Learn names and interests, taking the awkwardness out of small-talk.
- Supplies needed: Premade bingo-style cards
To begin, each participant will be given a unique grid with a serious of yes/no questions are to ask others. If the questioned is answered positively, the name of the person is written in the appropriate square. Questions can range from the silly ("do you like the colour pink?") to personal knowledge ("Were you born in Australia?").
Taskbuilding Games
Can everyone work together? All participants must be involved in order to accomplish these challenging tasks.
#3: Human Knot
- Suitability: Teens, and adventurous adults.
- Goal: Overcoming shyness, empowering new leaders.
- Supplies needed: 7-17 sets of arms
Everyone will stand in a circle and grab hands with two different people. Without talking (for at least the first few minutes), the group will attempt to untie the knot. It can be done! This task favors the leadership skills of thinkers over the fast-talking natural leaders who often dominate group settings.
If personal contact or group size is an issue, a similar alternative is to have the group sort itself (by height, for instance) without talking.
#4: Crossing the River
- Suitability: Kids and teens.
- Goal: Imagination and inclusion.
- Supplies needed: Cardboard squares (equal or less than the number of participants)
To begin, the group will be given a pile of square cardboard stepping stones. The task will be to use these stones to cross a "river" of a certain distance. A square that is not being touched will be whisked away, as will participants not touching a square.
Energetic games
Need a break from a classroom lesson? These activities provide exercise and a metabolism conducive to learning.
#5: Human Scavenger Hunt
- Suitability: All Ages
- Goal: Meeting others
- Supplies needed: Friendly bystanders
This activity is great if you are dealing with a group within a larger gathering. Small groups will be each given a list of person-related things to find, such socks in sandals or a birthday in July. The winner is able to check off the most items within a certain time period.
#6: Steal the Coconuts
- Suitability: Older Kids, Teens.
- Goal: Lighthearted and silly competition.
- Supplies needed: 3 hula hoops, balls.
To begin, three people stand in three hula hoops placed in a close circle. Four balls are placed in the middle, and balls will be periodically added there. The aim of the game is to gather three balls by stealing from each others hula hoops, and taking from the middle. Those waiting turns to play can monitor for a winner.
Wind-down Games
Control hyper-active behavior the fun way.
#7: Buckle Buckle Beanstalk
- Suitability: Kids
- Goal: Hiding excitement.
- Supplies needed: Hiding places for an item.
While everyone is closing their eyes, one person is selected to hide an item and return. Everyone will individually look for the item, walking and without talking. The player who finds it will leave the item in its place, make their way the starting area, and yell "buckle buckle beanstalk." Participants will learn to watch others, and to hide the fact that they found the item. The game ends when a predetermined number of people have found the item.
#8: Wizard
- Suitability: Kids and Teens
- Goal: Observation
One person is secretly chosen to be the "wizard" who will have a secret handshake. Everyone will shake hands, and if struck by the secret handshake, will fall "dead" after shaking two more people's hands. As players start falling down, participants left unstricken will guess who the wizard is.
#9: Detective
- Suitability: Kids and Teens
- Goal: Not moving, not talking.
The group, except for the detective, will stand perfectly still. Those caught moving will join the detective. The last person continuing to stand without moving wins the game.
