Meeting Ice Breakers

Ice breaker activities are funny, silly, entertaining and create enthusiasm. They are means by which one can minimize the anxiety and tension that is in the air before a session or a meeting begins. They help members to loosen up and that in turn makes them more amenable to listen in and be productive. When people are relaxed with their environs and peers, they are more likely to grasp and acknowledge new ideas. Often, people come to meetings edgy from a previous one. Ice breakers are thus just the right set of fun activities that can help to turn around such unconstructive feelings. Ice breaker activities also facilitate in building a team environment and generate zest. They set you thinking and bring out the funny bone in many. They also get ones creative juices flowing and one can easily calm down and be at ease. This in turn helps one to focus as well as bond with others in the group. So are you ready to get rid of the tension in the room? Here are some ice breakers that you can consider just in case you have scheduled a meeting. Read on.

In this game ask each participant to take a coin and look at the date on it. When it is his or her turn, s/he tells the year that's on their coin and remembers something eventful that happened that year.

Ask if anyone in the team requires a standing ovation. If any member feels that he or she will stand to benefit from it long term s/he can raise their hand and say that they want one!  Have the rest of the team give them a resounding round of applause. It makes a very funny activity.

For this game, you can use a roll of toilet tissue paper. Have it passed around the room and ask each member to take how much ever s/he needs. When everyone in the room is done, ask each member to tell as many things about themselves as they have tissue squares (segments).

For this activity ask the team to split up into groups according to their favorite car, sport, color, dessert, movie, etc. This is an excellent activity to have people up and moving and to find out common likes. 

Ask your participants to split into groups of four or five and give each group a topic. Remember to choose topics that are enjoyable like, "What would you take on a trip to the forest?" or "name things in the room that are brown". Give each team just two minutes, and tell them "The team with the most objects on their list wins." Ask the teams to write down as many things as they can and not to discuss things among themselves. At the end of the stipulated time frame, the team with the most objects on their list wins!

Bridging The Gap

Split up the group into bands of two to four. Give each band a small ball of play dough or clay and twelve toothpicks. Tell them to erect the longest plank bridge they possibly can. You can give points for speed of building, length of the bridge, ability to stand without leaning over. Team members will be at their creative best and will learn problem-solving, harmony and manual deftness.