Ten Hot Ice-breaking Activities

A set of ten high-energy games to assist in introductions and team formation. Use them to kick off events or at any time to break the ice and enhance team understanding.

Aeroplane Challenge Task: Make a paper aeroplane and launch it into a bucket to win against all-comers A variation on Aeroplane Game that can be played at a showcase when participants are coming and going. A short, high energy game that challenges participants’ assumptions and the mental models that can inhibit their ability to reach the kind of innovative solutions that dramatically improve performance (10 mins)

Animal Teams Task: Participants are each given a slip of paper with an animal on it. They must find their teams making only their animal noises Short, fun and energetic team formation exercise – illustrates the power of communicating without words (5 mins)

Balls in a Bucket Task: Teams collect their colour of randomly distributed ping pong balls faster than any other team whilst staying physically connected to each other Fast and furious team game that is bound to bring up sabotage and win/lose or lose/lose strategies in a highly competitive environment (10 mins)

Change Game Task: Participants make a rapidly escalating number of changes to their appearance and note the changes in their partner A challenging action game that encourages participants to see change as a positive and inevitable process that can be fun, stimulating and rewarding (20 mins)

Getting What You Want Task: Getting what you want by winning an arm-wrestle with a partner A game that introduces the WorldGAMES methodology and looks at the benefits of collaborative teamwork rather than an individual winning at all costs. Identifies the common communication styles that split teams apart and the different approach required to pull teams together (15 mins)

Gilligans Island Task: Row your team to the safety of the island using chairs in Indian file, take the one from the back to the front of the line in rotation. A team race to the island using a “canoe” of chairs A fun and fast moving energiser that will wake participants up and test their ability to synchronise activity under pressure. (15 mins)

Jig Saw Vision Task: Participants find their teams according to the jigsaw pieces they select then answer a simple question about their puzzle A team formation game that encourages participants to interact with each other and take a broader view. (5 mins)

Maths Game Task: Get teams of four to choose one expert at addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and give them an exam paper – the first team to return the paper is the winner A very quick game that illustrates the power of assumption and mental models – how many teams complete the test and how many simply hand in the paper as instructed? (5 mins)

One Card Stud Task: Make the best poker hand possible in the room from participants each with a single card distributed at random An invigorating introduction game with plenty of challenge and action. What will it take for each participant to ensure they make the very best of the hand they are given? (15 mins)

Trusting Drivers Task: Participants drive their eyes-shut partner around the room as fast as safely possible A short and very energetic fun game that demonstrates the effect of different trust levels on team performance (5 mins)

Each game in a WorldGAMES Games Pack includes a full description of how to play, a list of required equipment, approximate timing, venue requirements, full facilitator's script and optional variations.

View the Frequently Asked Questions about WorldGAMES products.

See the Terms and Conditions of Use for all of WorldGAMES training games and exercises.