Category Archives: Fun

July 6, 2011 · 1:56 am

Taco Sauce Pickup Lines (ICEBREAKER)


Time

10-15 minutes
Audience

Teens and adults

 

Description

This icebreaker can be a fun way to start group activities.  It uses Taco Bell ® hot sauce packets, which have quirky quotes on each packet (supposedly things that the hot sauce might say if it could talk).  Participants will take turns drawing out a packet and pretending that the quote is a pick-up line they would use when meeting someone of the opposite sex.  (Word of caution: some of the packets can be a bit racy (unintentionally)….you might want to hand-pick the packets you want to use.)

Materials

  • A handful of Taco Bell hot sauce packets for each small group (of about 4-8 people)
  • Alternately, you could print out the photos of the packets that are available on the Lesson and Material Downloads page at www.teachingthem.com.  The file name is “Taco Sauce Pickup Lines – Packet Photos (ICEBREAKER).”
  • Bowls (optional)

Preparation

·      Get the taco sauce packets or print the file, and cut out the different packets so that each one is on a separate slip of paper.

·      Put the packets or the slips of paper into bowls (one per group).

Procedure

Use the following script (or modify to suit your needs):

  • “Does everyone here know what a pickup line is?”  (If someone doesn’t, explain that pickup lines are things that a guy or a girl might say to someone of the opposite sex that they are interested in when they first meet them.)
  • “Has anyone here ever heard a really bad pickup line?”  (Let several people share their bad pickup lines with the rest of the group.)
  • “Let’s do an icebreaker where we can practice some really bad pickup lines with each other.”
  • “I’m going to divide you into small groups first.”  (Divide participants into groups of 4-8 each, and give each group a bowl of sauce packets or paper slips.  Try to get an even mix of guys and girls in each group.)
  • “Okay, pick someone in your group to go first.”  (Allow them to pick the person who goes first.)
  • “That person should reach into the bowl and draw out a packet.”
  • “Then, he or she has to turn to someone in the group of the opposite sex and pretend to meet them for the first time using the pickup line on the packet.”
  • “Ham it up, and have fun with it!”
  • “Then, the turn rotates clockwise to the next person.”
  • “Keep going until you are out of packets.”  (Let them begin.  When they are done, you can ask them what their favorite pickup lines were from the icebreaker.  If you would like to use this as a teachable moment, you can ask the following Debrief Questions.)

 

Debrief Questions

  1. How did you feel whenever you were given one of the pickup lines?  …whenever you were the ones delivering them?
  2. Why don’t you think pickup lines usually work?
  3. What do you think is a better way to get to know someone new?

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June 4, 2011 · 10:36 am

Annimuzzles (ICEBREAKER)


Time

45-55 minutes
Description

This icebreaker takes longer than most to facilitate, but it can be a fun way to start an event where it is important for the group to think creatively.  Participants will work together in teams to create puzzles from their own illustration of different types of animals.  Another team will solve the puzzle.

 

Materials

·      Sheets of blank paper (1 per team)

·      Notecards (3×5 inch – 31 per team)

·      Markers (several colors per team)

·      Masking tape (1 roll per team)

·      Prize for the winning team (optional)

 

Preparation

·      Use one notecard from each team’s supply to write down the type of animal they have to draw.  Here are some suggestions for what you can write on the cards (but feel free to make up your own):

o   Tasty Animal

o   Smart Animal

o   Arctic Animal

o   Australian Animal

o   African Animal

o   Ugly Animal

o   Unfriendly Animal

o   Mythical Animal

o   Dangerous Animal

o   Farm Animal

Procedure

Use the following script (or modify to suit your needs):

  • “Let’s do an icebreaker!”
  • “I need everyone to line up in order from least to greatest by your answer to this question: ‘How many pets have you owned over your lifetime?’”
  • “Those with the most should be on this side of the room.”  (Pick a side and point to it.)
  • “Those with the least should be on this side of the room.” (Point to the other side.  Allow them to sort themselves out.  Then debrief by finding out how many pets various people had.  Finally, divide the participants into groups by having them number off and having like numbers get together.  Make sure that there are no more than six people per team.  When they are in their teams, hand each team some markers, a sheet of paper and their 31 notecards, including the one with the assignment written on it.)
  • “I’ve handed each group 31 notecards, some markers and a sheet of paper.”
  • “On the top notecard is your assignment.”
  • “You are to work together to draw that type of animal on the blank sheet of paper.”
  • “Once you are happy with it, you are going to make a larger version of the same drawing on your 30 remaining notecards.”
  • “It’s easiest if you lay the notecards out side-by-side like a big canvas and then draw the picture on them.”
  • “You will be making a puzzle that another team will have to solve.”
  • “There are some rules you have to follow as a team:
    • Each person on your team must draw on at least four cards.
    • There must be some drawing on every card.  (It’s okay if it is background or landscape – it doesn’t have to be the animal itself.)
    • You will have only 20 minutes to make your drawing.”
  • “When your drawing is complete, shuffle your notecards.”
  • “When I give the signal, you will give them to another team, and we will see who is able to solve the puzzle first.”
  • “The first team to solve their puzzle will be the winner!”
  • “What questions do you have?”  (Answer questions, then let them begin drawing.  When it comes time to pass the cards, you can have them pass them in any order you want as long as every group gets a set.  Make sure everyone starts solving at the same time.  When you have a winner, award the prize, if you chose to have one.  Then, have groups debrief using the following three questions.  After they are done, you can use the tape to tape the puzzles on the back so that they can be hung for everyone to see.)

Debrief Questions

  1. What was challenging about that activity?
  2. What would have made it easier?
  3. How is this like the work and challenges you experience in your teams?

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Filed under creativity, Energizer, Facilitation, Fun, Game, Icebreaker, Teaching, team, teambuilding, teamwork

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June 4, 2011 · 9:18 am

Zing, Zang, Zowie! (ICEBREAKER)


Time

10 minutes
Description

This fun icebreaker energizes and adds some silliness to a workshop.  It requires focus and concentration.

Materials

·      None

Preparation

·      None

Procedure

Use the following script (or modify to suit your needs):

  • “Let’s do an icebreaker!”
  • “I need everyone to come stand in a circle.”
  • “Now, place your hands together like this (demonstrate) as if you were about to say a prayer.”
  • “This is your ‘Zinger!’”
  • “You use it to point to someone and say a word.”
  • “There are three words that you must say in the right order; they are ‘Zing,’ ‘Zang,’ and ‘Zowie!’”
  • “Everyone say them with me….’Zing!’….’Zang!’…..’Zowie!’”
  • “Excellent!”
  • “Here’s how this icebreaker is done…I’ll start and point to someone with my Zinger.”
  • “I’ll say, ‘Zing!’”
  • “Then that person has to quickly point to someone and say, ‘Zang!’”
  • “Then that third person has to quickly point to someone and say, ‘Zowie!’”
  • “The fourth person now starts over, quickly points to someone and says, ‘Zing!’”
  • “It’s okay to point right back at the person who pointed to you if you want to try to catch them by surprise.”
  • “This keeps going until one of two things happens:
    • Someone gets confused and says the wrong word (or a correct word in the wrong order).
    • Someone takes too long to respond.”
  • “If either of these two things happens, that person is out, and whoever used their Zinger on them starts off the new round.”
  • “What questions do you have?”  (Answer questions.  Then, begin a round, or have someone else begin it.  Play continues until you are down to two or three people.  Announce them as the winners!)

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May 29, 2011 · 7:04 am

I’m Alive, Awake, Alert, Enthusiastic! (ENERGIZER)


Time

5 minutes
Description

This energizer is fast, easy and takes little preparation, and it’s ideal for right after lunch or when you can sense the energy is draining out of the room.

Materials

  • Flipchart
  • Marker

Preparation

·      Write the words of the song on the flipchart.  They are:

  • “I’m alive, awake, alert, enthusiastic!”
  • “I’m alive, awake, alert, enthusiastic!”
  • “I’m alive, awake, alert…”
  • “Alert, awake, alive…”
  • “I’m alive, awake, alert, enthusiastic!”

Procedure

Use the following script (or modify to suit your needs):

  • “Time for an energizer!”
  • “I’m going to sing through this song, and then I’m going to have you do it with me.”  (Sing the song all the way through.  It is sung to the tune of ‘If You’re Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands!’)
  • “Okay, everyone now!”  (Sing it all the way through.)
  • “Let’s do it again, but this time, I’m going to divide you into four groups.”  (Divide participants into four groups of roughly similar size.)
  • “This group is the ‘Alive’ group.” (Point out which group you mean.)
  • “This group is the ‘Awake” group.” (Point out which group you mean.)
  • “This group is the ‘Alert’ group.” (Point out which group you mean.)
  • “This group is the ‘Enthusiastic’ group.” (Point out which group you mean.)
  • “When we get to the part of the song with your word, you will say it as loud as you can, but the rest of the group will be silent.”
  • “Any questions?”  (Answer questions.  Then, have them sing the song again.  Point to the appropriate groups at the Alive, Awake, Alert and Enthusiastic words in the song.)
  • “One more time, but this time, you have to stand and yell your word.”  (Take them through it one more time and have them stand as they yell their word.  Then they should sit again until their word comes back up in the song.)

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February 18, 2011 · 7:54 am

Draw the Pig Personality Test (ICEBREAKER)


Time

15-20 minutes
Description

This fun icebreaker can be an energizing way to engage participants.  It’s a “personality assessment,” but it’s just for fun; there is no scientific value to the results.

Materials

  • Paper for each participant
  • Pens, pencils and colored markers for each participant
  • Printout of the “Pig Analysis” sheet (at the end of this lesson)

Preparation

None

Procedure

Use the following script (or modify to suit your needs):

  • “Let’s start out our time together by getting to know each other.”
  • “We’ll do it in a funny way.”
  • “On the sheet of paper that each of you has, I would like you to each draw a pig.”
  • “Make it as detailed as you like.”  (Allow 5 minutes for drawing the pig.)
  • “Now that you’ve drawn your pig, I’m going to help you do some analysis to see what your drawing tells us about you.”  (Read each of the descriptions on the “Pig Analysis” sheet.  Keep it light and fun.)
  • “Take a few minutes, and share your Pig Analysis with your table.”
  • “Tell them if you think it is accurate or not.”
  • “So, what do you think?  Does your Pig Analysis match your personality?”
  • “Okay, this was not a scientific instrument, so any truth it contained was probably accidental….or was it?”  (You might want to have participants put their names on their pictures and post them around the room.)

Pig Analysis

If the pig is drawn:

 

Toward the top of the paper – You have a tendancy to be positive and optimistic.

 

Toward the middle – You have a tendency to be a realist.

 

Toward the bottom – You have a tendency to be pessimistic and may be
prone to behaving negatively.

 

Facing left – You have a tendency to believe in tradition and be friendly; you may also be prone to remembering dates well.

 

Facing Right – You have a tendency to be innovative and active, but may be prone to forgetting dates easily and may not have a strong sense of family.

 

Facing front – You have a tendency to be direct, and may enjoy playing the role of devil’s advocate; you also are prone to neither fearing nor avoiding confrontational discussions.

 

With many details – You have a tendency to be analytical, but may also be prone to being cautious to the point that you struggle with trust.

 

With few details – You have a tendency to be emotional and to focus on the larger picture rather than focusing on details. You also have a tendency to be
a great risk taker and may sometimes be prone to reckless and impulsive decisions.

 

With less than 4 legs showing – May indicate that you are living through a major period of change and as a result you may be prone to struggling with insecurities.

 

With 4 legs showing – You have a tendency to be secure and to stick to your ideals; however, others may describe you as stubborn.

 

With large ears – Indicates how good of a listener you are (the bigger, the better).

With a long tail – Indicates how intelligent you are (the longer, the better)

 

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