"7 Icebreaker Games For Small
Groups To Break The Tension"

Icebreaker games for small groups can be used in order to make people more comfortable with each other.

When people are new with each other like meeting in a new class, seminar or workplace it can’t be avoided to have tension and some form of "barrier."

This can make you feel uncomfortable from others which limit you from cooperating, speaking and expressing yourself out.

Icebreakers were thought of and developed to encourage "knowing each other" and group building through interaction and participation.

It promotes closeness of each person within the group instead of feeling "strangers" with each other.

Exciting Icebreaker Games for Small Groups

1. Two Truths and a Lie

This is one of the simplest icebreaker games for small groups being used.

Instructions:

a. The instructor will tell the group that all persons from the group will introduce themselves.

b. Each person will tell two truths and one lie about himself/herself.

c. The rest of the participants of the game will guess the lie.

2. What's Your Name?

Instructions:

a. Go around the group and ask each person’s name.

b. Think of an adjective which describes each person beginning with the first letter of their names.

c. Write them down and mention their names together with the adjective. Ex: "Handsome Henry."

3. Got Deserted?

Icebreakers are creative activities and they help relieve the stress of people from each other.

Instructions:

a. Tell the group that if they’re shipwrecked and got deserted on a small island what 3 important things they wish they would have.

b. Take note that these are only small items like a book, watch or jewelry and not anything that can help them leave the island like a boat or an airplane.

c. Allow each person in the group to write down their choices for a few minutes.

d. Let them share their choice of items within the group and let them explain why.

4. Naming the Person

A good leadership trait for you is how you help build some bonding or "closeness" with each other in the group.

Implementing icebreaker games for small groups can be one of your strategies for making this possible.

Instructions:

a. The group should be divided into two teams.

b. Give each person a piece of paper.

c. Ask each person to write 3 known facts about them.

d. Collect all papers from each division.

e. One division will draw 1 paper from the pile of paper from the opposite division.

f. Let the opposite division guess who this person is with the clues listed on the paper.

5. Different Places of the World

Icebreaker games for small groups can be supported by encouraging the use of daily affirmations which can also help motivate each person within the group to participate well in the game of icebreakers.

Suggesting some positive affirmations can help set up the mood before the game.

Instructions:

a. Let someone in the group lead in saying a popular place in the world. It can be a region, city, river, mountain or country name.

b. The person next to the leader must say another place which begins at the last letter of the word that the leader said.

c. Let this cycle go around the group until all have said a place. No word must be repeated.

6. Long Story

Icebreakers can also serve as relaxation techniques because they’re fun and sometimes can make you laugh. It is sometimes indeed a help in dealing with stress.

This is one of the icebreaker games for small groups that promote imagination through storytelling.

Instructions:

a. The instructor will start a story which is "open-ended." Meaning the story needs continuation.

b. The person within the group needs to add to the story with his/her own imagination on what happens next.

c. The cycle continues until the last person shares his/her part of the story. Anything can go with the story.

7. Word Connection

When you’re planning to conduct icebreakers you should note it in a monthly calendar so you won’t forget this important activity.

The next activity is about connecting words which also require some thinking. Icebreaker games for small groups also promote intellectual skills.

Instructions:

a. Ask the group to form a circle.

b. Let the first person start with any word that he thinks.

c. Then let the next person repeat the first word while adding another word which can link to the first. Ex: "black shoes."

d. Let it continue to cycle, the next person adding a word to the last word mentioned which is "shoes."

e. The game ends when the last person mentioned his/her words.

When a good atmosphere has been developed within the group you can expect that there will be better personal productivity of each of the members because they will become more inspired.

Icebreaker games for small groups are fun activities that help remove the uneasiness between people. Communication is developed and relationships are strengthened. As a result the team can work in better harmony and understanding of each other. It will be a lighter feeling.

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