3 Fun Ice Breakers To Help Connect Your Guests
It is always great to make a first impression when you are hosting experience, but something else that will make your experience a hit is by helping your guests get to know each other first. Instead of a guest feeling solo, they become part of a group which enhances their experience.
Today we have three icebreakers that will not only help your guests to know each other better but will also help them have a lot of fun too.
CANDY INTRODUCTIONS
Candy Introductions is a get-to-know-you game that helps people learn new facts about each other in an easy way. They select various pieces of candy from a bag, and each candy variety is associated with a fact about themselves which they will introduce to the others. This game also goes by other names, including the M&M game, Candy Confessions, the Skittles Game, the Gum Drop game, among others.
Candy Introductions can work with any group size. The icebreaker works best when the group size is limited to 12, so if you have more than 12, divide the larger group and run the icebreaker within the smaller sized groups. This icebreaker works best indoors, and is well suited for classrooms or meeting rooms. Materials required are: candy with about five different variations (color or candy type), and an optional chalkboard/whiteboard.
Setup for Candy Introductions
Purchase several variety packs of candy, enough for each person to be able to have at least five pieces. They can be any candy type, but not too many choices (limit it to around five or six different varieties). Alternatively, you can buy gummy bears, life savers, gum drops, skittles, m&ms, or any other candy that already has a variety of colors.
Instructions for How to Play
Pass around the candy and tell each participant to choose anywhere from 1 to 5 pieces of anything that they want. Instruct them not to eat it yet, though. After they have chosen their candy, you will tell them what each candy type/color represents.
If there is a whiteboard or chalkboard present, write on the board the following:
- Red — Favorite hobbies
- Green — Favorite place on earth
- Blue — Favorite memory
- Yellow -Dream job
- Orange — Wildcard (tell us anything about yourself!)
This easy introduction game should go relatively quickly (assuming they weren’t greedy and that they didn’t take too many pieces of candy!)
The String Game
The String Game is an introduction icebreaker game and conversation starter that allows people to tell others about themselves. It’s a simple game and can be adapted according to your needs.
This getting-to-know-you game usually does not take long, unless you choose to run it that way. The recommended group size is small and medium groups, although with careful planning it might be possible to do this activity in a large group by splitting it into smaller groups. An indoor setting is ideal. This icebreaker is recommended for young children up through eighth grade. It’s well suited for classrooms, camps, or other settings where people may not know each other very well yet.
Instructions for the String Game
This activity needs a little bit of preparation work. Purchase a big roll of yarn or string. You can buy any color, or multiple colors if you wish. Take a pair of scissors and cut strings of various different lengths — as short as 12 inches, and as long as 30 or more inches.
When you are finished cutting the string, bunch all the pieces up into one big clump of string.
To play, ask the first volunteer to choose any piece of string. Have the person pull on it and separate it from the other pieces of string. Ask them to introduce themselves as they slowly wind the piece of string around their index finger. The funny part of this icebreaker game is that some of the strings are extremely long, so sometimes a person must keep talking for a very long time! This is a good way to get everyone to start talking. People might find out something interesting or new about each other! Feel free to adapt this game according to your needs. Have fun.
CATCH THE BALL INTRODUCTIONS
Catch the Ball Introductions is a get-to-know-you icebreaker that is very simple yet effective. This activity works well for small and medium sized groups. The only material that is required to play is a small ball or other object that can safely be passed around the room.
Playing Catch the Ball Introductions
Give the first person the soft foam ball. Introduce the game and explain that the ball is the “share an interesting fact” ball. The first person must reveal something interesting about themselves (hopefully not too controversial!) and then throw the ball to the second person. The second person also reveals something about themselves and throws it on to the next person. In this way, the icebreaker is an effective way to get people to start talking and sharing about themselves.
Variations
There are several possible variations. Instead of sharing interesting facts, you can have players share stories, questions, memories, embarrassing moments, or something related to a theme. For example, if you are a teacher who is teaching a unit on American history, you can announce that the game is about sharing facts about a history lesson. Each person who receives the ball must say a fact about the topic that you have established.
Another way to play is to use a marker and write a number of good questions on the ball that players can choose from.
Whatever icebreaker you decide to use, we hope you have a fun time and enjoy getting to know your guests more.
If you enjoyed this piece, please click the 👏 button and share to help others find it! Feel free to leave a comment below.
Pursue and discover new passions at PassionDig.com.
PassionDig.com
Facebook @passiondig
Instagram @passiondig
Twitter @passiondigger
CREDIT: https://www.icebreakers.ws/ for the 3 icebreakers we chose to use in this blog
