Tag Archives: icebreaker

November 5, 2016 · 4:03 pm

Source of My Identity (LESSON)


image-identity-in-christTime

30 minutes
Description

This lesson explores many of the things in which people base their identity and sense of self-worth, e.g., wealth, power, fame, etc. It encourages participants to consider the danger of living life in this way and the value of basing our identities solely in Christ.

Scriptures (choose from the following)

  • Genesis 1:27 (We are created in God’s image.)
  • John 1:12 (We are children of God.)
  • Romans 8:14-17 (We are children and heirs of God.)
  • 1 Corinthians 12:27 (We are the Body of Christ.)
  • 2 Corinthians 5:17 (We are a new creation.)
  • Galatians 3:26-28 (We are one in Christ Jesus.)
  • Galatians 4:6-7 (We are children and heirs of God.)
  • Ephesians 2:10 (We are God’s masterpiece.)
  • Philippians 3:20 (We are citizens of heaven.)
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:5 (We are children of the light and of the day.)
  • 1 Peter 2:9 (We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession.)
  • 1 John 3:1 (We are children of God.)
  • 1 John 4:15 (W live in Christ, and He lives in us.)

Materials

  • Bible
  • Notecards – 20-25
  • Slips of paper with the Scriptures you want to use (one set of verses per slip of paper)

Preparation

  • Write out the following words or phrases, each on an individual note card. Depending on your group size, you may want to use fewer cards or make up more of your own.
    • # of Likes on Social Media
    • # of People They Know
    • # of Social Media Friends or Followers
    • Ability to Avoid Sin / Goodness
    • Accomplishments
    • Education
    • Experiences
    • Fame, Notoriety, Reputation
    • Hours Spent at Church
    • Misfortunes / Suffering
    • Money
    • People of Status That They Know
    • Personality (ex. Extravert or Introvert)
    • Position or Status
    • Preferences (ex. Dog Person or Cat Person)
    • Social Class
    • Sports Teams
    • Talents / Skills
    • Volunteer Work / Good Deeds
    • Where They Grew Up
    • Where They Went to School
  • Shuffle the notecards, and keep them in a stack for passing out, or place them facedown on a table.
  • Write the Scriptures you want to use on slips of paper (one set of verses per slip).
  • Pass out the slips of paper to different participants before you begin, and ask them to be ready to read them out loud.

Procedure

  • “If someone asked you who you are, you would probably describe yourself by telling them something about your experience, or what you do for a living or where you grew up or went to school.”
  • “I would do the same. It’s the way that we help other people get to know something about us.”
  • “But some people get confused and think that their identity is actually based in those things that they use to describe themselves.”
  • “They organize their lives around those things, and their sense of self-worth is totally tied up in them.”
  • “Let’s do an icebreaker to illustrate what I mean.”
  • “I’m going to pass out a notecard to each one of you.” (Alternatively, you could pass it out to pairs or trios, and they can role-play together. If you put the cards on a table, let participants come and select one.)
  • “Read your card, but don’t show it to anyone.”
  • “I’m going to pick the first person, and I want you to come up front and act out the things a person might say if they were the type of person who based their whole identity on what’s on your card.”
  • “The rest of us are going to try to guess what your card says.”
  • “Once someone guesses, you get to pick the next person (or group) to go.”
  • “Does anyone have any questions?” (Answer Questions. Then choose the first person to come role-play what’s on their card. Afterward, debrief with the following questions.)

Debrief

  • “What do you think the dangers are of basing our identity in these things?”
  • “Where should we base our identity? Why?” (Have volunteers read the Scriptures you gave them before you started, and discuss the implications of each one.)

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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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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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May 29, 2011 · 6:26 am

Samson, Delilah and the Lion (ICEBREAKER)


Time

10 minutes

Description

This fun icebreaker can be an energizing way to get participants going, or you can use it to select people for certain activities.  It’s the familiar game of Rock, Paper, Scissors with a few twists.  This game is not played with just the hands – it’s a full-body activity.  And instead of using Rock, Paper and Scissors, participants act out Samson, Delilah and the Lion.

Scriptures

Judges 13-16 (but particularly 14:5-6 and chapter 16)

Materials

None

Preparation

None

Procedure

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

  • “Who knows how to play ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors?’”  (Even if some people know, you will need to give the full instructions if anyone is unfamiliar with the rules.)
  • “’Rock, Paper, Scissors’ is a fun game of competition.”
  • “Here’s how it works: two people compete to see who can beat the other.”
  • “After counting to three, each person chooses either ‘rock,’ ‘paper’ or ‘scissors.’”
  • “If both players choose the same thing, it’s a tie.”
  • “If players choose differently, then ‘rock’ beats ‘scissors,’ because a rock could break a pair of scissors.”
  • “’Scissors’ beats ‘paper,’ because a pair of scissors could cut the paper.”
  • “’Paper’ beats ‘rock,’ because a piece of paper could cover a rock.”
  • “Does that make sense to everyone?”
  • “’Rock’ beats ‘scissors;’ ‘scissors’ beats ‘paper;’ ‘paper’ beats ‘rock.’”  (If you need to, show them how to play the game with their hands.  Each player counts to three, and on “three” makes the sign for either ‘rock’ (balled fist), ‘scissors’ (separated index and middle fingers – like making “bunny ears”), or ‘paper’ (open hand).  Play a few rounds.)
  • “Now, I want to show you a new way to play.”
  • “Instead of using just your hands, we are going to use your entire bodies, and we’re going to use it to tell part of the story of Samson.”
  • “It works like this: in each round, you can choose to be Samson, Delilah or the Lion.”
  • “If you are Samson, you grunt and make a ‘muscle-man’ pose like this.”  (Demonstrate the pose by flexing your muscles.)
  • “If you are Delilah, you say, “Oooh, la, la,” put your hands on your hips and then shake your hips back and forth.”  (Demonstrate.)
  • “If you are the Lion, you “ROOOOOAAAAAR!’ show your fangs and your claws.”  (Demonstrate.)
  • “Samson beats the Lion; the Lion beats Delilah, and Delilah beats Samson.”
  • “Want to try?”
  • “Okay, everyone find a partner, and stand back-to-back.”
  • “I’m going to count to three.”
  • “When I get to three, both of you should jump around to face the other person and make both the sound and noise for either Samson, Delilah or the Lion.”
  • “ONE – TWO – THREE!”  (Do one or two rounds to make sure they get it.  Then, start eliminating players that lose.  If two players tie (choose the same strategy), both are out.  This will make sure that you always have an even number of people.  If you start with an uneven number of people, you can join the game until you are eliminated.)

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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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November 15, 2010 · 12:17 pm

Three’s Company (ICEBREAKER)


Audience

Children, Teens, Adults

Time

10 minutes
Description

This icebreaker helps people get to know each other a little better and increases the energy in the room.  The name is a borrowed from a popular American T.V. show by the same name from the 1970’s-80’s.  In the game, participants get a card with something on it that comes in threes.  They have to try to find their other two matches, introduce themselves to each other and figure out what the connection is between the three things.

 

This is also a great sorting activity if you need to put participants into groups of threes.

 

Materials

o  Note cards (one per participant)

o  Marker

Preparation

o  Create the note card sets by writing one of the three things or persons from the set of three on each card.  (For example, if you were doing “Father, Son and Holy Spirit,” write “Father” on one card, “Son” on another and “Holy Spirit” on a third card.  If you think that your group may not recognize a set of three, write the other two options at the bottom of each card to make it easier for them to find each other.

o   Some suggestions for groups of three are below.  Feel free to add your own or to not use any of these that would not be recognizable to your group.

§  Father, Son, Holy Spirit (3 Persons of the Trinity)

§  Friday, Saturday, Sunday (3 days Jesus was buried)

§  Shem, Ham, Japheth (Noah’s 3 sons)

§  Golden Jar of Manna, Aaron’s Staff, Stone Tablets with 10 Commandments (3 things in the Ark of the Covenant)

§  Casper, Melchior, Balthasar (3 Wise Men – traditionally)

§  Frankincense, Gold, Myrrh (3 gifts of the Wise Men – traditionally)

§  Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (3 Patriarchs)

§  Faith, Hope, Love (the “three that remain” according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:13)

§  Death, Burial, Resurrection (3 stages of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice)

§  Poverty, Chastity, Obedience (3 monastic vows)

§  The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King (3 books in the Lord of the Rings trilogy)

§  The Lion, The Witch, The Wardrobe (3 parts of the famous children’s book by C.S. Lewis)

§  Birth, Life, Death (3 phases of life)

§  Larry, Moe, Curly (3 Stooges)

§  Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria (3 ships Columbus sailed)

§  Athos, Porthos, Aramis (3 Musketeers)

§  Reading, wRiting, aRithmetic (3 R’s of basic education)

§  Huew, Dewey, Louie (3 cousins of Donald Duck)

§  Protons, Neutrons, Electrons (3 parts of an atom)

§  Red, Green, Blue (3 primary colors)

§  Igneous, Metamorphic, Sedimentary (3 types of rocks)

§  Pyramid of Khufu, Pyramid of Khafre, Pyramid of Menkaure (3 Great Pyramids of Giza)

§  Carreras, Domingo, Pavarotti (3 Tenors)

§  Medusa, Stheno, Euryale (3 Gorgons)

§  Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos (3 Greek Faiths)

§  Paper, Scissors, Rock (3 choices in the hand game, “Rock, Paper, Scissors”)

§  Snap, Crackle, Pop (3 mascots of Kellogg’s Rice Crispies cereal)

§  Veni, Vidi, Vici (Julius Caesar’s famous comment about his short war with Pharnaces II of Pontus.  It means, “I came, I saw, I conquered.”)

§  Small, Medium, Large (3 sizes)

§  Ready, Aim, Fire (3 commands for a firing squad)

§  On Your Mark, Get Set, Go (3 commands for track and field racers)

§  Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup (3 Powerpuff Girls)

o  Shuffle the cards well, and put some at each place where a participant will be sitting.

o  If you have a number of participants that won’t divide by three, you could take a card for yourself (if you just need one more person), or you could make duplicates of some cards.  Be sure to let the participants know that because there are some duplicates, some groups might have four people in them.

 

Procedure

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

  • “Time to get to know each other!”
  • “At your seat, you will find a notecard with something written on it.”
  • “In each case, what is written on your card is one part of something that comes in threes.”
  • “In just a moment, I want everyone to get up and go around the room looking for two other people who have cards that complete your set of three.”
  • “For example, if you had a card that said, ‘Knife,’ you would need to search for someone who has a card that says, ‘Fork,’ and another person who has a card that says, ‘Spoon.’”
  • “When you find that person, introduce yourself.” (Give them some direction about how they should introduce themselves.  Should they share their name, role within the company, number of brothers and sisters, where they are from, etc.?)
  • “Then, as a group, try to figure out what the connection is between the three thing mentioned on your cards.”  (Ask if anyone has any questions.  Then, let them find their matches.  After everyone is matched up, go around the room asking the groups to share their three cards and the connection between them.)

 

 

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November 15, 2010 · 12:06 pm

Hot Potato Name Game (ICEBREAKER)


Time

10-15 minutes
Description

This fun icebreaker can be an energizing way to help participants learn each other’s names.  It gets its name from the popular children’s game.

 

Materials

o  Something to represent the “hot potato” (You can use an actual potato, a ball, or anything else that can be passed easily.  You’ll need one per group.)

o  A bell or noisemaker that makes a significantly loud sound

Preparation

o  None

 

Procedure

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

  • “We are going to play a game to help you get to know each other.”
  • “It’s called the Hot Potato Name Game, and it works like this.”  (Hold up one of the “hot potatoes.”)
  • “This is a ‘hot potato.’”
  • “Because it’s hot, you don’t want to hold onto it too long, or it will burn your fingers.”
  • “So, if the ‘hot potato’ is passed to you, you should pass it to someone else in your group.”
  • “But the tricky part is, you can’t pass it until you say the name of the person you are passing it to.”
  • “If you can’t remember anyone’s name, you have to keep holding the ‘hot potato’ until you do.”
  • “And if you have the ‘hot potato’ when I ring this bell (or make a noise with the noisemaker), you just got burned, and you are out of the game.”
  • “I will ring the bell at different times each round, so you better be fast at getting rid of your ‘hot potato.’”
  • “To get us started, I am going to put you into groups in small circles and have you go around your circle and introduce yourself.”  (Tell them what you want them to say when they introduce themselves.  Do you want them to just say their names, or would you like them to tell one or two things about themselves?  You might want them to each say their names several times so that everyone has a chance to memorize them.)
  • (Ask the group if they have any questions.  Then, put them in their small groups (about 8-10 people each), and let them do their introductions.)
  • (After about five minutes, give them their ‘hot potatoes’ and let them start passing.)
  • (After a few minutes, ring the bell, and have the person with the ‘potato’ step out of the circle.)
  • (Then, passing begins again.  This continues until you have only 2-3 people left in each group.)

 

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January 26, 2010 · 4:34 pm

Full Body Rock, Paper, Scissors (ICEBREAKER)


Time
10 minutes

Description

This fun icebreaker can be an energizing way to get participants going, or you can use it to select people for certain activities.  It’s the familiar game of Rock, Paper, Scissors with a twist.  This game is not played with just the hands – it’s a full-body activity.

Materials

None

Preparation

None

Procedure

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

  • “Who knows how to play ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors?’”  (Even if some people know, you will need to give the full instructions if anyone is unfamiliar with the rules.)
  • “’Rock, Paper, Scissors’ is a fun game of competition.”
  • “Here’s how it works: two people compete to see who can beat the other.”
  • “After counting to three, each person chooses either ‘rock,’ ‘paper’ or ‘scissors.’”
  • “If both players choose the same thing, it’s a tie.”
  • “If players choose differently, then ‘rock’ beats ‘scissors,’ because a rock could break a pair of scissors.”
  • “’Scissors’ beats ‘paper,’ because a pair of scissors could cut the paper.”
  • “’Paper’ beats ‘rock,’ because a piece of paper could cover a rock.”
  • “Does that make sense to everyone?”
  • “’Rock’ beats ‘scissors;’ ‘scissors’ beats ‘paper;’ ‘paper’ beats ‘rock.’”  (If you need to, show them how to play the game with their hands.  Each player counts to three, and on “three” makes the sign for either ‘rock’ (balled fist), ‘scissors’ (separated index and middle fingers – like making “bunny ears”), or ‘paper’ (open hand).  Play a few rounds.)
  • “Now, I want to show you a new way to play.”
  • “Instead of using just your hands, we are going to use your entire bodies.”
  • “It works like this: you make ‘rock’ by growling and making a ‘muscle-man’ pose like this.”  (Demonstrate the pose by balling your fists, leaning forward, making a partial circle with your arms (hands near waist) and flexing your muscles.)
  • “You make ‘scissors’ by saying ‘SWISH, SWISH, SWISH’ and moving your arms up and down in front of your body like this.”  (Demonstrate.  Your arms should ‘scissor’ each other – one up while the other is down, then passing in the middle and repeating several times.)
  • “You make ‘paper’ by yelling ‘AHHHHHHH!’ and shaking your hands in the air like this.”  (Demonstrate by holding your hands up near your ears on either side of your head and shaking them.)
  • “Want to try?”
  • “Okay, everyone find a partner, and stand back-to-back.”
  • “I’m going to count to three.”
  • “When I get to three, both of you should jump around to face the other person and make both the sound and noise for either ‘rock,’ ‘paper,’ or ‘scissors.’”
  • “ONE – TWO – THREE!”  (Do one or two rounds to make sure they get it.  Then, start eliminating players that lose.  If two players tie (choose the same strategy), both are out.  This will make sure that you always have an even number of people.  If you start with an uneven number of people, you can join the game until you are eliminated.)

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