Insight

10 more icebreakers for your youth group

Icebreakers, used wisely, can create a great atmosphere and provide momentum for further participation and learning. Icebreakers adapt and evolve through each generation of youth leaders. Most have come to me by word of mouth from friends, colleagues or just seeing them in action.

The icebreakers below include simple ‘getting-to-know-you’ activities, active and more physical games and some word games.


CROSSWORD NAMES

Give a pen and paper to each young person in your group. Ask them to write their first name in capitals, in the middle of the paper. Each person then moves around the room, inviting others (including leaders) to attach their name, where the first letter matches a letter on the paper. The names are then added like a branching crossword puzzle. The person who is able to attach the most names in the given time is the winner. This activity works well in larger groups or summer camps / holidays where people are meeting for the first time.

DRAW

Give everyone a piece of paper and a pencil. Allow 5 minutes to draw a picture that conveys who they are without writing any words or numbers. At the end of 5 minutes the leader collects the pictures. Show the pictures to the group, one at a time, and have them try to guess who drew it. Each artist can then explain how their work expresses who they are.


FREEZE FRAME

Based on the party game of musical statues. Invite the young people to quietly move around the room and await your instructions. As they are walking the leader calls out the name of a sport, for example, golf, soccer, rugby, swimming, parachuting, polo, basketball, horse racing etc. When they hear the name they must stop immediately and hold a still ‘freeze frame’ illustrating or acting out the sport.

Take a photo of the most life-like or descriptive ‘freeze frame’ in each round for future display :-) You can play variations to the game by shouting out emotions, job titles or even animals.

40 Icebreakers for small groups - FREE eBook

40 Icebreakers for Small Groups is a FREE ebook compiled from several previous articles posted on Insight.

These posts continue to be popular, so I thought it might be helpful to put them together in an eBook (700kb) for you to download. In addition, I've added several new 'bonus' icebreakers which don't appear in the articles!

Divided into two sections, 'Getting To Know You' and 'Group Builders', these icebreakers encourage sharing, openness, listening, co-operation and discussion, providing a creative foundation for your small group study or teaching time. Just click on the link in this post or in the sidebar to view and download the eBook.

Also check out my other popular FREE ebook Creative Bible Study Methods for Youth Leaders. (580kb)

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More icebreakers for small groups

Another 7 simple-to-use icebreakers for your small group. Use these mixer games to build friendships and encourage co-operation. Create a positive rapport with leaders and promote participation for your discussion, bible study and teaching time.

NAME THAT PERSON

Divide into two teams. Give each person a blank piece of card. Ask them to write five little known facts about themselves on their card. Include all leaders in this game too. For example, I have a pet iguana, I was born in Iceland, my favourite food is spinach, my grandmother is called Doris and my favourite colour is vermillion.

Collect the cards into two team piles. Draw one card from the opposing team pile. Each team tries to name the person in as few clues as possible. Five points if they get it on the first clue, then 4, 3, 2, 1, 0. The team with the most points wins. (Note: if you select the most obscure facts first, it will increase the level of competition and general head scratching!)

ADD WORDS

Simple, completely ridiculous and a lot of fun. The first person says a word, for example 'The'. The second person says the first word and ADDS a second word of their choice, and so on. At the end you might have a complete sentence! For example, 'The aardvark spiralled into the puddle of custard clutching his skateboard while whistling his favourite Bjork melody.' The fun thing is putting twists in the sentence so that the others have a hard time coming up with a word that fits. ADD WORDS can be played a few times without being boring.

Icebreakers for small groups

Searching for icebreakers, ideas and discussion starters? In this article I've highlighted 7 simple icebreakers which you can use with your small group.

Although icebreakers seem trivial to some, they are an important tool in helping young people integrate and connect with one another in a group environment. Used wisely they can also create a good atmosphere for participation and learning. In two previous articles I've already included 20 of my favourite icebreakers for small groups.

Breaking the ice-using icebreakers in small groups

Breaking more ice-10 more icebreakers for small groups

It's probably impossible to say who first thought up these games as they are constantly adapted by every generation of youth leaders. Most came to me by word of mouth from friends and colleagues, or seeing them in action.

NAME GRID

Divide the young people into groups of four. Each group needs paper and pens. Ask them to draw a grid on which they write their forenames. For example,

• SIMON
• WENDY
• ROBERT
• ANN

Give each team three minutes to write down as many words (three letters or more) that they can make only using the letters in their names. Letters must adjoin each other in the grid, but do not have to be in a straight line. When the time is up each team adds up their score.

3 or 4 letter words = 1 point
5 letter word = 2 points
6 letter word = 3 points

Breaking more ice - 10 more icebreakers for small groups

This is a follow up article to 'Breaking the ice-using icebreakers in small groups'. It contains games you can use with a small group in your home without feeling a tornado just came through!

Carefully prepared icebreakers can provide a positive momentum for small group Bible study and discussion. They can help new members to integrate into a group, encourage participation and cooperation, build a rapport with the group leader and help young people to feel comfortable with each other and in their surroundings.

The 10 icebreakers which follow are some of my favourites and more importantly, ones I've used successfully. They can all be used across a wide age range and you only need a few props. Many are based on common party games and adapted through generations of youth leaders. It's probably impossible to say who first thought up any of these games, but whoever you are, thanks!

Breaking the ice - using icebreakers in small groups

I've already posted articles on leading youth bible studies with ideas to promote discussion and participation. You can also download the eBook 'Creative Bible Study Methods for Youth Leaders.' But even with creative discussion starters and teaching methods you may still need to break the ice! Do you have a new group of young people who don't know each other well, or they may be nervous about contributing to a discussion? This is where some carefully placed Icebreakers can get things moving and encourage interaction.

WHY ICEBREAKERS?

Icebreakers (and games in general) are no substitute for a prayerfully planned programme of discipleship, linked to opportunities for young people to live out and express their faith. BUT Icebreakers can enhance your teaching by helping to stimulate friendship, cooperation and participation. They can provide positive momentum for small group study and discussion by:

• Helping a new group get to know one another.
• Helping new members to integrate into a group.
• Helping young people feel comfortable together.
• Encouraging cooperation.
• Encouraging listening to others.
• Encouraging working together.
• Encouraging young people to break out of their cliques.
• Developing social skills.
• Building a rapport with leaders.
• Creating a good atmosphere for learning and participation.