Training Tips

Try these “Getting to Know You” icebreakers in your next training class or team meeting!

Fact or Fiction?

Ask the participants to write on a piece of paper THREE things about themselves which may not be known to the others in the group. Two are true and one is not. Have them read out the three ‘facts’ about themselves in turn and the rest of the group votes which are true and false. There are always surprises. This simple activity is always fun, and helps the group and leaders get to know more about each other.

Interview

Divide the participants into pairs. Ask them to take three minutes to interview each other. Each interviewer has to find three interesting facts about their partner. Bring everyone back to together and ask everyone to present the three facts about their partner to the rest of the group. Watch the time on this one, keep it moving along.

My Name is?

Go around the group and ask each person to state his/her name and attach an adjective that not only describes a dominant characteristic, but also starts with the same letter of his name, e.g. Generous Gary, Dynamic Dave. Write them down and refer to them by this for the rest of the day.

Conversations

Each person is given a sheet of paper with a series of instructions to follow. This is a good mixing game and conversation starter as each person must speak to everyone else. For example:

Count the number of brown-eyed people in the room.
Find out who has made the longest journey.
Who has the most unusual hobby?
Find the weirdest thing anyone has eaten.
Who has had the most embarrassing experience? Who knows what “Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia” is a fear of? Nearest guess wins. If that’s too easy you can try Arachibutyrophobia, Alektorophobia, Ephebiphobia, or Anglophobia. (Answers on the next page!)

The Question Web

You need to have a spool of string or wool for this game. Ask the participants to stand in a circle. Hold on to the end of the string and throw the ball/spool to one of the participants to catch. They then choose a question from 1-20 to answer. A list of 20 sample questions is given below. Adapt for your group. The person holding the string then throws it to another member of the group. Eventually this creates a web as well as learning some interesting things about each other! At the end of the game you could comment that we all played a part in creating this unique web and if one person was gone it would look different. In the same way it’s important that we all take part to make the group what it is: unique and special.

If you had a time machine that would work only once, what point in the future or in history would you visit?
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
If your house was burning down, what three objects would you try and save?
If you could talk to any one person now living, who would it be and why?
If you HAD to give up one of your senses (hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling, tasting) which would it be and why?
If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
Do you have a pet? If not, what sort of pet would you like?
Name a gift you will never forget?
Name one thing you really like about yourself.
What’s your favorite thing to do in the summer?
Who’s your favorite cartoon character, and why?
Does your name have a special meaning and or were you named after someone special?
What is the hardest thing you have ever done?
If you are at a friends or relative’s house for dinner and you find a dead insect in your salad, what would you do?
What was the best thing that happened to you this past week?
If you had this week over again what would you do differently?
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about God?
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?
If you could change one problem in the world today, what would you change?
What book, movie or video have you seen/read recently you would recommend? Why?

If

Ask the group to sit in a circle. Write 20 “IF” questions on cards and place them (question down) in the middle of the circle. The first person takes a card, reads it out, and gives their answer, comment, or explanation. The card is returned to the bottom of the pile before the next person takes their card. This is a simple icebreaker to get people talking and listening to others in the group. Keep it moving and don’t play for too long. Write your own additional “IF” questions to add to the list.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
If I gave you $10,000, what would you spend it on?
If you could watch your favorite movie now, what would it be?
If you could talk to anyone in the world, who would it be?
If you could wish one thing to come true this year, what would it be?
If you could live in any period of history, when would it be?
If you could change anything about yourself, what would you change?
If you could be someone else, who would you be?
If you could have any question answered, what would it be?
If you could watch your favorite TV show now, what would it be?
If you could have any kind of pet, what would you have?
If you could do your dream job 10 years from now, what would it be?
If you had to be allergic to something, what would it be?
If you sat down next to Jesus on a bus, what would you talk about?
If money and time was no object, what would you be doing right now?
If you had one day to live over again, what day would you pick?
If you could eat your favorite food now, what would it be?
If you could learn any skill, what would it be?
If you were sent to live on a space station for three months and only allowed to bring three personal items with you, what would they be?
If you could buy a car right now, what would you buy?

Your Phobias Answered

Here are the definitions of the phobias mentioned above in the Conversations game:
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia - Fear of long words
Arachibutyrophobia - Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth.
Alektorophobia - Fear of chickens.
Ephebiphobia - Fear of teenagers.
Anglophobia - Fear of England or English culture.