The icebreaker is an activity aimed at strengthening bonds among employees. Some require advance preparation and specific equipment, while others are easy to implement. Here is the top 5 icebreaker activities to inspire you.
The creation of objects
This game aims to bring employees together to collaboratively create an object in 15 to 30 minutes. It fosters your team’s creativity. These construction challenges are also focused on problem-solving and enhancing decision-making.
- To start, you need to choose any easily transformable item such as paper, marshmallows, straws, plastic bottles, etc.
- Then, divide your employees into several teams. Let them imagine what they want to build with the item you have chosen. To make it more challenging, you can specify the item they need to create. Each team is allowed to use other accessories to build the object, like tape, string, staples, scissors, a ruler, etc.
- Once they have gathered the necessary tools for their creation, start the timer. When the time is up, ask each team to step away from their creation. You can choose the winning team based on the appearance and size of the built object.
2. Word Pairings
To carry out this corporate retreat game, you need sheets of paper, markers, and tape. Then, you need to find pairs of words like salt and pepper, sky and earth, pen and paper, bread and butter, shadow and light, angel and devil, etc. Write each word on different sheets of paper. Then, tape them on the back of each participant. They must not see what you have written.
You also need to ensure that the pairs are kept apart from each other. For each player to find the word they represent, give them a riddle to solve. For example, for the word pepper, give three keywords such as black, powder, and spice. When the timer starts, they must mingle to find their pair. To discover their identity, they can ask questions like am I the earth? Am I a pen? And the person answering can only say yes or no. Once they have discovered their identity, they can easily find their partner.
3. The Minefield
The Minefield is another icebreaker activity idea you can implement. This game promotes trust, communication, and listening. It lasts between 5 and 10 minutes depending on the length of the course chosen. To carry it out, you need blindfolds and various objects that can serve as mines such as bottles, balls, cones, etc. Then, place them irregularly in an open space.
Players participate in teams of two. One must wear a blindfold, and their teammate will guide them with verbal instructions. The latter must navigate their partner from one end to the other without stepping on the scattered objects. The blindfolded partner must not speak, just follow orders. Anyone who steps on one of the mines is immediately eliminated. The first duo to complete the return trip will be declared the grand winner of this game.
The Island Game
The Island Game is a collaborative icebreaker. To carry it out, you need a few mats. Divide the participants into groups of four or five. Lay the mats flat, then ask each team to stand on their mat as if it were a small island.
The goal of this game is to turn the mat over without touching the ground. If a person falls off the island, the whole team must start over from the beginning. The first group to have turned their mat over is the winner. This game involves all team members. It promotes collaboration through problem-solving.
5. Fun Questions
Fun questions aim to foster trust and solidarity among employees. They also help new recruits feel at ease. This game requires a minimum of preparation beforehand. Here is a list of fun questions that are often asked during corporate retreats:
- If you were a vegetable, which one would you be? Why?
- If you could live anywhere on this planet and take everything you want, where would you choose to live?
- Are you the sunrise, daylight, dusk, or night? Why?
- If you could be in the movie of your choice, which movie would you choose and which character would you play?
- If you could meet a historical figure, who would you choose and why?
- If you were a sweet, which sweet would you be and why?
- If you had to change your name, what name would you adopt in the future? Why?
- If you could become an animal for a day, which one would you be? Why?
- If you could instantly become an expert in a specific field, which skill would you choose?
- What is the most scandalous activity on your to-do list?
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