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What Others Are Saying

The sessions were well planned yet flexible enough to allow group dynamics to flow towards areas of need. Our facilitator made himself aware of the Department’s functions and issues prior to the retreats in order to custom the events to target our problems. I was informed of potential benefits and risks inherent in this process. Following each session, he called to give a synopsis and recommendations about the group on which to build the next retreat.

Department Director

Large Group Icebreakers, Set II

Last month, we provided the first half of an hour-or-so-long icebreaker session for very large groups.  It was in response to an email request, i.e., "I have been assigned the role of leader of icebreaker games for 125 teachers at my high school. We will be in the gym and I'm looking for fun things to do with 125 teachers!"

Below is the second half of that series.  Although the progression below contains a few activities I've substituted because they are more "my style," original inspiration and much of the content is here thanks to Faith Evans, a superb facilitator.  Check out her book 99 of the Best Experiential Corporate Games We Know!, co-authored with Sam Sikes and Simon Priest.  As a heads-up, she also penned "the More the Merrier - Playful Activities for Large Groups" with Sam Sikes and Chris Cavert.

Icebreakers

(Click here for the first five activities in this progression)

6. "WHO DON’T I KNOW" CIRCLE
   1. Have participants form inward-facing circles of approximately 20 (note that the number must be even for this to work).  Everyone in the room, in whatever circle, begins with their heads down; everyone is instructed to think of the person in their circle whom they know the least; on your instruction of "Heads up," they will look up directly at that person.  IF that person is returning her gaze, both of them point directly at each other, proclaim loudly "I've found you!," link elbows, then remove themselves from the circle.  IF, however, anyone looks at someone who is looking elsewhere, their search for their soul-mate continues; on your (the facilitator's) instruction of "Heads down," they look down, and the process is repeated until everyone has a partner.
      
      
7. PAIRED SHARING
   1. Discuss with your new-found partner and identify three experiences that you have in common.  As facilitator, suggest that participants go deeper than "we've both eaten at McDonald's before" -- it's amazing what commonalities folks can find when they start sharing their stories.
      
      
8. SIMON SAYS – OOPS
   1. Have all participants re-form the large circle.  This plays just like Simon Says, with one variation: everyone who makes a mistake puts their hand over  their mouths, yells “OOPS,” and crosses to the other side of the circle to everyone’s applause.  A nice lesson in trying, failing, admitting your mistake, and then observing the situation from another point of view.
      
      
9. HUMAN ANIMAL
   1. Form your group into groups of 10-15; take the next 10 minutes to figure out how you will as a team represent an animal. The animal must move, make a sound, and all participants in the group must be connected.  After 10 minutes, each team shows out.
      
      
10. WONDERFUL CIRCLE
    1. Re-form your circle one last time, with everyone facing inward, arm over shoulder.  On your count, everyone in the group will begin shuffling to their left, so that the whole circle revolves.  This continues until someone (anyone) cries "stop," at which point the group stands still to hear whatever thoughts are on the mind of the person who cried stop (often reflections on the workshop, how the team is working together, new insights, etc., but totally up to the discretion of the speaker).  This same person cries "right," then the group begins the shuffle to the right, again until someone cries "stop," shares, then starts the group back to the left.
        
    2. After a number of folks have taken this opportunity -- your call; can be dictated by time, slowdown in folks willing to share, whatever -- you begin a countdown from 10 to zero.  At any point in your countdown, someone can still call for a halt and share, but this gives them the extra nudge that "we're about to finish so you should speak up if you have something to say."  Begin the shuffle and countdown again if folks take this opportunity; when time really does become an issue, speed up your countdown, and folks will get your drift.  Once you get to zero, applaud: others will join in, and YOU'RE DONE!