An ice breaker is a game or activity that can be incorporated at the beginning of a meeting, webinar, or other event. We've picked out some good ones.
An ice breaker is a game or activity that can be incorporated at the beginning of a meeting, webinar, or other event. Ice breakers for meetings are effective tools. They can have a big impact on the success of your entire occasion. Ice breakers can help get people comfortable and engaged, raise people’s energy levels, establish personal connections, and create a sense of community.
A good ice breaker is casual, positive, and interactive. It should generally be:
There’s a lot to think about when selecting the right ice breaker activities for a large meeting or gathering. Important considerations include:
A training seminar with 40 participants can accommodate more intimate ice-breaker activities than a large shareholder meeting or fundraiser with thousands of attendees.
Different ice breakers are appropriate at different types of corporate events and meetings.
In-person events also may call for different types of ice-breaker activities than virtual meetings or presentations.
The AV technology and planning used in your event may influence the ice breakers you choose to incorporate.
The speakers at your event may help you determine the right ice breakers for your group.
Does your event take place at a large concert hall with elaborate stage designs? Are there multiple, smaller conference rooms with separate projector screens in each room? Your venue should help you determine the right ice breakers.
It’s important that people really get to know one another if you’re hosting a week-long seminar or training session, while you may just want to get people comfortable and talking at a two-hour fundraiser.
Ice breaker bingo, or “human bingo” is a fun activity to help people get to know each other. In order to play, you’ll need to create bingo cards with squares of identifiable characteristics. Then, participants are invited to go around the room and fill in their card as they meet people who fit descriptions on the squares.
Here are a few examples of good ice breaker bingo squares to include:
“Hello, my name is” is a simple ice breaker that makes introductions more fun. It works by having everyone form a circle (you can split people up into smaller groups if it’s a large event). Then, have the group take turns saying their name followed by a funny or interesting fact about themselves.
“Never Have I Ever” is a classic party game that works well at just about any type of corporate event. Participants will take turns revealing an experience they have never had. Others will put up a finger for each experience that’s mentioned that they have had. The person who puts up 10 fingers first is the winner.
For example, participants might say: “Never have I ever…”
With this ice breaker, organizers will prepare a list of things, locations, and/or small tasks for guests to search for and cross off the list. Scavenger hunts are a fun and interactive option, as they encourage participants to work together and get familiar with their surroundings.
If you’re looking for an ice breaker that gets people talking, “Two Truths and a Lie” is a great option. In this activity, each person will tell the group three facts about themselves. However, only two of them are true, while one is completely made up. Then, the group is tasked with figuring out which fact is the lie.
Polls are great for especially large groups and virtual events, because you can have people vote electronically and there’s really no limit to the number of people who can take part. If you plan to have an LED wall at your event, you might even try incorporating a live word cloud to show the results of your poll in real-time!
“This or That” is a straightforward game that encourages people to express their opinions in a fun and easy-going way. It can even start some funny and light-hearted debates. It works by giving people a choice between two things or scenarios.
Here are a few examples:
Trivia is a wonderful ice breaker for events of all shapes and sizes. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for an ice breaker to play with people who may already know one another to varying degrees because it doesn’t assume everyone is a stranger and it’s easy to play in teams. It can also be themed to include event-specific questions that will get your audience excited about the rest of the agenda.
Large corporate events often bring together diverse people from a wide range of places. Playing “Where in the World” is a fun way to learn about people’s unique backgrounds, experiences, and cultures.
In order to play, each player must think of three clues that might help others determine where they’re from. Then other players guess based on these clues, until everyone has had a chance to reveal their hometown.
A great option for smaller events or large gatherings (if you’re comfortable splitting people into groups), charades is a game almost everyone knows how to play.
This classic word-guessing game involves one person acting out a word or phrase and everyone else guessing the answer. It’s a high-energy ice breaker that can help people come out of their shells.
Ice breakers are a great way to get the ball rolling at any work event. But making sure your meeting goes smoothly also requires reliable audio and visual production.
Catalyst is a leading AV company with over a decade of experience in event management, design, and production. With our comprehensive and innovative solutions, you can create an event that’s show-stopping from start to finish.
Contact us to set up your free consultation today!