Fun Icebreaker Ideas & Activities

Category: Team building

Team building icebreakers. Teambuilding games and activities can be valuable for all corporate training, teams that work together, camps, youth groups, churches, and other situations where good teamwork and improved communication are essential. They’re often challenging — in a good way!

  • Fear in a Hat

    A good activity to run at the beginning of a class semester, Fear in a Hat (Also known as Worries in a Hat) is a teambuilding exercise that promotes unity and group cohesion. Individuals write their personal fears (anonymously) on sheets of paper which is then collected in a hat and read aloud. Each person tries to describe his or her understanding of the person’s fear. This leads to good discussion centered around the fears.

    This teambuilding exercise requires writing utensils, sheets of paper, and a hat. Allow about five minutes of writing time, plus one to two minutes per participant. The recommended group size is at least eight, but no larger than 20. It’s possible to run this activity with a large group, if the group is divided into smaller groups and if there are enough facilitators. This activity is for people ages 14 and up.

    Setup for Fear in a Hat

    Distribute a sheet of paper and a writing utensil to each person. Instruct them to anonymously write a fear or worry that they have. Tell them to be as specific and as honest as possible, but not in such a way that they could be easily identified. After everyone is done writing a fear/worry (including the group leaders), collect each sheet into a large hat.

    Running the Fear in a Hat Teambuilding Activity

    Shuffle the sheets and pass out one per person. Take turns reading one fear aloud, and each reader should attempt to explain what the person who wrote the fear means. Do not allow any sort of comments on what the reader said. Simply listen and go on to the next reader.

    After all fears have been read and elaborated, discuss as a whole group what some of the common fears were. This teambuilding exercise can easily lead to a discussion of a team contract, or goals that the group wishes to achieve. This activity also helps build trust and unity, as people come to realize that everyone has similar fears.

  • Defend the Egg

    Defend the Egg (also known as the Great Egg Drop) is a teambuilding activity that involves collaboration, problem solving, and creative teamwork.  Groups build a structure out of ordinary materials and try to protect a raw egg from breaking when dropped from a high elevation.

    This exercise in teambuilding can be messy, so choose an appropriate setting where making a mess is acceptable.  The recommended group size is: teams of four or five people.  Several materials are needed: raw eggs, several plastic straws, masking or scotch tape, newspaper, and other materials of your choice.  This activity is for people ages 14 and up.

    Setup for Defend the Egg

    This game works well with teams that are not too large.  A good team size is four or five people.  Pass out one egg and a limited supply of materials (e.g. four straws, a three foot strip of Scotch Tape, one section of a newspaper, etc.)  This activity is more challenging with less materials provided, so decide how challenging you wish to make it.

    Gameplay for Defend the Egg

    Explain the rules: the mission is to protect the egg from cracking using teamwork, creativity, and a good design.  You will drop each structure at least fifteen feet, and so the goal is for each structure to be able to withstand such a fall.  Each team will only be given limited resources, and so they must be wise with what they have.  They may not use any other resources other than what is given to them.  Optionally, you can have other criteria for judging including:

    • most creative design
    • most stylish/visually appealing
    • (any other awards you wish)

    Decide on an appropriate amount of time (e.g. 20-25 minutes) and then instruct them to begin!  Tell them to place their egg inside their structure.

    Be sure to supervise each team as they build their structure.

    When time is up, collect all the structures.  Now is dramatic finale in which the structures are dropped (or thrown!) from at least 15 feet in elevation and then carefully inspected to see if the eggs survived. The winners are the groups that successfully protected the egg.  If you chose to have other awards, announce those winners also.

    This activity is useful to illustrate the importance of teamwork.  Ask everyone to reflect on how their group accomplished the task, what worked, what was challenging, etc.

    Variation

    A much more challenging variation of this activity is to provide no materials (other than the egg) and ask the participants to find materials from outdoors.

    To order materials for Defend the Egg and other teambuilding supplies, visit our online store.

  • 3 Active Games That Use Pedometers

    If you have a few pedometers or activity trackers, try these games. They will give you an intense workout while they gives the audience an intense laugh.

    1. Bobble Head

    Players of this game are trying to cheat some ultra-high scores out of their pedometers while the pedometer is attached to their forehead. How do they get the pedometer to register points? They shake and nod their head like crazy!

    You will need

    • A pedometer for each player
      A way to attach the pedometer to the player’s head. Finding a sweat band for each player, and tying or taping the pedometer to it, is a good solution.
    • A timer.

    Rules

    Make sure all pedometers are rest to zero. Attach them to all players heads.

    On the signal given, start the timer and have all players shake and bob their heads as quickly as possible.

    After one minute has passed, all players must stop moving immediately. Each player removes the pedometer from their head, careful not to jiggle it and influence their score. The player with the highest number on the display wins!

     

    2. Temper Tantrum

     

    This game uses the same idea as above. This time players will have a pedometer on each ankle, but they must try and get the best score possible while lying on their backs. To everyone else, it will look like they are madly shaking their feet and gritting their teeth in a fit of childlike rage.

    You will need

    • 2 pedometers for each player.
    • A way to attach the pedometer to the ankles of the players. Some pedometers come with wrist straps already. If not, you may be able to put the pedometer in a player’s shoes or socks, or simply tape the device directly onto each of the player’s shoes.
    • A timer.

    • Rules

      Make sure all pedometers are rest to zero. Attach one to both ankles of every player.

      On the signal given, start the timer and have all players shakes their legs in whatever style seems practical.

      After one minute has passed, all players must stop moving immediately. Now all players can check their pedometers, adding up the score for each ankle The player with the highest total wins!

    3. Nervous Nelly

    This game requires the most pedometers — a pedometer on each ankle AND each wrist — but is probably also the funniest AND the most exhausting.

    You will need

    • Four pedometers for each player
    • A way to attach the pedometers to the player’s wrists and ankles.
    • A timer

    Rules

    As usual, make sure all pedometers are rest to zero. Attach a pedometer to both wrists and both ankles of each player. If you don’t have enough pedometers, play this game in turns and record each player’s score.

    On the signal, start the countdown. All players are trying to get the highest score on ALL pedometers simultaneously, by whatever method possible. That means lightning fast tiny steps on the spot while shaking your arms like they’re covered in spiders.

    After a minute is up, all players must stop immediately (and, if they’ve been playing this game correctly, they will certainly want to). The player will the highest combined total on all four pedometers is the winner!

  • Rubber Chicken Game

    The Rubber Chicken Game is an active and fast paced game that is simple to play in any scenario. All the game requires is a rubber chicken—or any other object—and players! It’s great for those who are competitive and speedy. It requires all players to be attentive and ready to move at any given moment. The Rubber Chicken Game is best played outside or in large open areas, so that players can run around safely without crashing into anything. Groups of all sizes can play, but teams are better with between 5-10 players. Larger groups can play, but the overall game will take longer. Players are also able to steal the rubber chicken back from one another, but limits should be set to prevent injuries or excessive force.

    Set-Up and Materials

    • If the game is played outside, then check for any objects or holes that could cause injuries.
    • Assign one person to be the judge and give them a rubber chicken.
    • Take your players and split them into two even groups.
    • Set the groups parallel to each other and line each of them up.
    • Each line of players should be seated on the ground.

    How to Play the Rubber Chicken Game

    • Line each team up and have all of the players seated and facing the judge.
    • The judge will throw the rubber chicken wherever they choose behind all of the players.
    • On the judge’s command or whistle, the first seated player from each team will stand up and race to the chicken.
    • The players will then run back to their lines—the player with the rubber chicken should be protecting themselves, while the other player can try and steal the chicken back.
    • The player with the chicken will reach the line and toss the rubber chicken back strategically, so the next player on their team will have the advantage.
    • The next players from each team will run down again and race to the rubber chicken.
    • Both players will run back and sit down at the end of the line.
    • The game will continue until the whole line has run to retrieve the chicken.
    • Game Variations
    • The rubber chicken can be substituted for a ball, flag, doll, or any other object.
    • To make the game more challenging, you can set up obstacles that the players have to go through to retrieve the rubber chicken or to return back to their line—you can use a dizzy bat, hoops to jump through, cones to zigzag through, or other fun commands.
    • For additional challenges, you can also have players only use one arm to pick up the rubber chicken.
    • If the players are highly competitive or more physical, then they can use light force to take the rubber chicken from their opponent.
    • Boundaries can be set with paint or cones to keep the game area organized.
    • There can be more than two groups to increase the competition or groups can pair up with one another and battle each other.

  • Team Architect

    Team Architect is a game that requires both speed and precision. It’s a great way for players to unleash their creativity and work together towards a common goal. Team Architect is often played for team building or icebreaker purposes, but is entertaining enough to be played in any scenario. It’s best played with smaller groups, but there can be more than two groups playing at a time to increase the competition. Players of all ages will love this hands-on game.

    Team Architect simply requires each team to build something with a small amount of random materials. These materials aren’t usually useful and it’s not always clear how they can be used, which is why players have to get creative. For example, each team could be given Popsicle sticks and duct tape with the requirement to build a bridge that would hold a heavy book. Another example is giving each team string and newspaper, so they can make an egg support. The team’s creation must be able to support an egg when dropped from a specific height.

     

    Set-Up and Materials

    • Choose a designated area to play—inside or outside.
    • A timer—cell phone, egg timer, clock— is required and one person should be the designated timer to set reminders and countdowns.
    • Decide on the materials to be used in the game. They can be preselected or the players can just make use out of what objects are in the room.
    • For example, if you are playing this in an office, teams can use paper clips, tape, staplers, or any other objects found nearby.

     

    How to Play Team Architect

    • Sort out your groups—you can either have two small to medium-sized groups or multiple—three or four—small groups.
    • Assign a designated timer and the amount of time for the teams to craft their design.
    • Decide what each team will be building and what materials they can use.
      • For example, you will be building a tower out of marshmallows and toothpicks.
    • Set the timer and let the teams begin!
    • The first team who finishes or who has the better design that will be tested after the game can either determine the ending.
    • If testing the design, such as the egg drop example mentioned above, then the team who successfully protects the egg during the drop would win.
    • If there’s a tie, you can have a sudden death round where teams must add onto their creation or build a completely new object in a shorter amount of time.

     

    Game Variations

    • The overall goal can be adjusted, so teams can build a certain object—like a fort, build something functional—like a chair, or simply build the tallest building.
    • If playing outside, players can use natural objects like branches, leaves, or sand to build their creations.
    • Provide a shorter amount of time to increase competitiveness.
    • Teams could also be blindfolded during play for a real challenge while building or perhaps only use one hand each for building.
    • Teams can be in plain view of each other or hidden, so as not to copy the other team’s ideas.

  • Trust Course Game

    The Trust Course Game is perfect for individual and group bonding for new students, employees, or members of a group. It requires all players to pay attention to small details and trust each other. The Trust Course can be set up in an office space, but is easier to play outside in a safe location, preferably on grass. Since players are partnered together, groups of all sizes can play. Extra-large groups might be more difficult because the excess noise will distract players from giving or listening to commands. True to its name, this game is meant to build trust and reliance between players.

    Set-Up

    • Courses can be set-up before the game starting or players can set up their own course.
    • If the game is played outside, use trees, branches, cones, stones, and any other objects to form your course, but be sure to keep in mind that you don’t want anyone to get injured. Avoid using rope or objects easy to trip over.
    • Partner everyone up in the group.
    • Within the partners, select who will be blindfolded walking the course, and who will be giving directions. These roles can be switched, so both players get a turn.
    • Blindfold the player who will physically be doing the trust course without letting them seeing the set up prior.

    How to Play the Trust Course Game

    • Select the roles for the first round—director and blindfolded walker
    • If the course wasn’t already set up, then create the trust course. To make the game fair, one course can be used for each set of partners. If this route is chosen, then make sure the other groups can’t see the course or hear the commands, so they don’t have an unfair advantage when it’s their turn.
    • Direct the blindfolded player to walk slowly throughout the course to prevent injuries.
    • Give the blindfolded player thoughtful commands to make it through the course successfully without hitting any of the obstacles
    • The blindfolded player should listen carefully and only follow the directions given by their partner.

    Variations

    • If played in an office, classroom, or another setting, then use surrounding objects such as boxes, trashcans, brooms, pillows, erasers, and walls to create your course.
    • To make the game more challenging, limit the amount of commands players can give each other.
    • The course can be timed, so that players have to complete the course in a certain amount of time OR each partnership can be ranked based on time. After every pair has gone, those with the fastest time can earn first, second, third place, and so on.
    • Instead of walking, players can crawl through the course.
    • Set up checkpoints such as items to grab like a balloon or actions to do like hopping up and grabbing a leaf off a tree.

  • iSpy Wedding Hunt

    iSpy Wedding Hunt is a combination between the typical iSpy game combined with a scavenger hunt that can be played at a wedding. This game is ideal for a wedding since it incorporates large amounts of players. Each of the players photos can be given to the bride and groom at the end, so they have unique photos and angles of their special day.

    Guests are provided with a checklist of items and different types of photos to take. They will carry this list around the wedding reception and hunt for the perfect pictures. Participants use their cell phone cameras or provided disposable cameras at a wedding to capture the items on the list.

    iSpy Wedding Hunt Set-Up

    Create a printable checklist before the wedding reception assigning the different tasks and place on each table.

    Organize how you will group people based on the amount of participating guests.

    The checklist can include:

    Someone holding hands, twirling on the dance floor, different generations together, a new friend you met at the wedding, the bride laughing, your favorite guest’s outfit, something old, something new, something blue, something sparkly, a piece of cake, a selfie with the newlyweds.

    • Cameras can be assigned individually or within partners.
    • Create teams for the hunt.

    Materials Needed

    You will need the following items to play the iSpy Wedding Hunt:

    • iSpy Wedding Hunt checklist
    • Writing utensils
    • Disposable camera/cell phone

    How to Play iSpy Wedding Hunt

    1. Divide the guests accordingly—as individuals, into pairs or groups. Also, determine who will be judging.
    2. Pass out a pen, checklist, and disposable camera—if necessary—or take out your cell phone.
    3. Read over the created checklist.
    4. Take 20-30 minutes during the reception to find the items or have the hunt be continuous throughout the reception.
    5. Take pictures of each item to bring to the judges at the end of the game.
    6. Have a small prize for the winners such as an extra party favor.

    Variations

    • The checklist can be customized to the themes, colors, guests, and any other aspect of the wedding. You can have your guests finding specific objects such as a champagne glass or have them find actions and special moments to capture like the father-daughter dance.
    • The teams can be organized in pairs or larger groups.
    • At a smaller wedding, individuals can each have their own cameras and play on their own.
    • The allotted time can be shortened to 20-30 minutes or last the entirety of the reception to include photos from the whole event.

  • The Energy Game (Hands of Power)

    The Energy Game is a drama class warm-up exercise. One player starts by making a sound and a motion, such as a raising fist and growling, or spreading out their arms and roaring. In turn, each player amplifies the energy of this action, as it gets louder and louder around the group.

    Play the Energy Game

    • Everyone stands in a circle.
    • The first player makes a sound and a motion. For example, they might put their hand up and say “Umm”, or wrap their arms around themselves and shiver, or hide their head and whimper, or shake their finger and sigh. Everyone should be at ease doing whatever action and sound they feel like. This is an opportunity to be creative, but part of the beauty of the game is that the player who has the difficult job of starting things off only has to do so in a small and inconspicuous way. From here, things will only get louder.
    • The player to the right mimics the sound and the action of the first player, but they must increase the energy level of the action. The sound must be louder, and the gesture must be exaggerated.
    • Continue around the circle, with each player adding more energy. When everyone has had a turn, the starting player must do the action/sound combo once more at the highest intensity yet, to finish off the round.
    • Another player starts a new round with a new sound and gesture.

    Each player will naturally unleash the energy with a little of their own personality. This, combined with the increasingly absurd exaggeration and volume of the actions, can make for a very funny game. To outperform their peers each player will put aside any self-consciousness and be able to simply shout and show-off a little.

    When everyone has had a chance to be both loud and quiet, the group will be both more at ease with, and more receptive to, themselves and each other. This exercise gets endorphins flowing and smiles showing.

    Bonus Exercise: Hands of Power

    When your vocal cords have been stretched, take up this leading and following exercise for a different style of play. Also regularly deployed at the start of a drama lesson in schools, Hands of Power is a game of trust and awareness and is fun for all ages.

    Play

    • Make up pairs of players.
    • One player, the leading player, holds their hand in front of the other player’s face, so that the second player’s vision is obscured. The leading player starts moving around the room.
    • The second player must follow the first so that their face follows the first player’s hand. With a large group and lots of pairs moving around, this can get quite chaotic, and their are both concentration and trust elements to this game. It is the leader’s role to guide the follower safely around the room!
    • The leader might want to try raising their hand low and high or twisting their palm to see how their partner reacts.
    • After a minute or two, have the players switch roles in their pairs, so the leader becomes the follower and vice versa.

    There may be no winners in these exercises, but they’re still great fun.

  • The Priest of the Parish

    The Priest of the Parish is a call and response game, popular in youth groups across the world.  The game warms up player’s vocal cords, legs, and memory muscles.  It also goes by other names, including The Prince of Paris.

    This version of the game can be played with very large groups, even over one hundred (arranged into teams).  It can also be played individually with groups of ten or so. In both games the players must remember the script. One of the goals is to speak in unison with your team-members, fostering a sense of team spirit.

    Set-up

    1. Arrange the players into teams. There should be an equal number of teams. Five to ten players is a good team size. For example, six teams of five would work for thirty players, and for one hundred players pick ten teams of ten.
    2. Have all players stand in their teams in two rows a few meters apart, facing each other, so that each team faces another team.
    3. Give each team a number or name.

    The script

    • The organizer starts the round by stating:
      “The priest of the parish has lost his thinking cap. Some say this, and some say that, but I say it was Team [X].” (where [X] is one of the team names).
    • The announced team stands up, and that team and the organizer now follow this script:

    Team: “Who me sir?”
    Organizer: Yes you, sir.
    Team: Couldn’t be, sir.
    Organizer: Then who, sir?
    Team: Team [X], sir.
    Organizer: Team [X]?

    The newly team accused now has the same conversation with the organizer, and so on.

    • If a team speaks out of unison, fails to stand up, or if a team stands up when they should not have, that team is moves to one end of their row, and the other teams in their row move up to fill the gap.

    The goal of the game is to be as far from the “loser’s end” of the rows as possible — though don’t take this goal too seriously. The game is really about getting everyone speaking up, rushing and getting excited, making mistakes, and having a few laughs.

    Variations

    Many variations can change the dynamic of this game in interesting ways.

    If playing with individuals, you don’t need to gives numbers, but can just refer to everyone by name. This makes it a nice introductions game, as everyone must remember each other’s names.

    The script can become more complex, making it harder to remember and therefore easier to make mistakes. This is great when playing as individuals, instead of in teams, as the challenge of remembering the script and not getting tongue tied replaces the challenge of speaking in unison. One such more complex script that has been observed includes the following line in place of saying “Team [X], sir”:

    “I [player name], with an honorable flick to the front, do hereby accuse [another team or player]”. The player would additional salute as they say “an honorable flick to the front”. Failing to recite the accusation exactly prompted raucous cries of “Objection!” from the other players.

    Another variation, when playing in teams, would be to have the names or numbers assigned to the positions in the row, not the teams themselves. For instance, the third team in the row would start the game as team 3, but if they make a mistake and moved down the row they would become team 1, and two other teams would move up and their numbers would also change. The new challenge here is just to remember what your number is, and everyone will find great amusement watching the odd player jump up when it isn’t their turn because they forgot their number. Or when almost everyone in a team jumps up, but leaves one inattentive player sitting!

  • Chariot Race

    “Chariot Race” is an exciting race on “chariots” to the finish line.  It’s a game about being a little ridiculous with your friends. The game is best done at a party or with a large sized group. This game is for developing team building skills and will bring the players closer together after the successful completion of a few rounds. You may have to collaborate with your group to acquire enough materials to play the game, but we promise the reward will be worth it!

    Materials Needed

    • Sleds or Wheelbarrows
    • Chalk
    • Sheets (optional)

    How To Set Up The Game

    For this game, you need sufficient wheelbarrows or sleds. Make a note counting the number of people who are coming and divide them into teams of 3 to 4 people (not including the player in the chariot). Once divided search out a safe place where multiple wheelbarrows could fit and use your chalk to draw a finish line.  Next mark measures out to the best of your ability a fair distance where each played will be waiting to swap the chariot, mark these locations with an X.

    For optional set-up, you can make the event toga themed, and use sheets to recreate a toga for each player.   You may wish to to secure all togas with a clamp or safety pin to avoid in-game accidents.

    How To Play “Chariot Switch”

    To play “Chariot Switch”  you need to distribute the teams and make sure everyone if familiar with one another.  Afterward, divide the team up to stand on the markers along the way to the finish and let them select a player to put into the chariot.  Make it clear that they have to use their hand to tag out by high-fiving the other player before the chariot can be switched over.  If togas are involved do a tug check to make sure all players are secured for the game.

    For added difficulty, you can make the paths less straight forward and draw arrows to make a winding path. If this happens make sure the paths you draw each have their own separate colors to ensure no one loses their way into another team’s lane.

    How To Win

    To have the best chance of winning in this game you can use quite a few different strategies to your advantage. When selecting the player to put in the wheelbarrow always go for the lightest teammate to increase your speed. When the player is the wheelbarrow have them balance out their weight or put it slightly more forward so that there is less resistance. When tagging your partner have them waiting with their hand already out so you can high five them and switch out quickly.

    If it turns out you have to use sleds try tieing the sled around your waist for easier pulling. Also, have the player sit directly in the middle of the sled so the weight will be evenly distributed. If your playing with a winding path pay close detail to the direction of the arrows to more quickly maneuver to the finish!