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This is so simple, yet so good. Gather your group around you, and explain that, in a moment,
you will shout out a number ± any number from, say one to ten (the bigger your group, the
bigger you can make the top end). Immediately, everyone must form a group consisting of
that number of people. In my experience, groups get very huggy at this point, and form little
fortresses with their bodies to prevent others from joining their little huddle.

Naturally, you will often get a few poor souls left over, the so-called remainder, if we speak
in the language of long division. At this moment, you have several options. You can
eliminate these folks, move them to the side, and continue with the next shouted number, and
so on until you get the lucky µwinners.¶ This is fine; however, I think it¶s best to simply shout
another number. It keeps the energy up, is much less competitive, and more fun for everyone.
And the look on the faces of the µdejected¶ when they hear the next number called (µI¶m
saved¶) is priceless.

Move from five to three, then up to nine and back down to four so that a high degree of
mixing occurs. Shout ³ONE!´ just to see what happens.



 


 Add the proviso that when a new number is called, a person cannot form a group with
anyone who was in their previous group (as much as is possible). This tweaking of the
rules will spoil the plans of those crafty individuals who prefer to stick together,
simply opting to ebb and flow in terms of their membership number at any point in
time.
 ºorm a group according to a simple, easily-accessible category, such as dark-coloured
tops, brand of running shoes, gender, colour of eyes, etc. Similar to Categories.
 Once formed, instruct the newly-created groups to use their collective bodies to make
the shape of a letter of the alphabet, or numeral, or object, e.g., table, house, car, etc.

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October 16, 2009 by Mark Collard
ºiled under: Ice-Breakers

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Your group splits into a variety of smaller groupings, according to a series of categories you
announce.

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 10 ± 20 mins

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Ask your group to separate according to the categories or groupings you are about to
announce. ºor example, if the category is ³Colour of your pants,´ everyone wearing blue
jeans will group together. Sometimes, individuals may find themselves alone, but in most
cases, small groupings of commonality will develop. Upon identifying each of the groups,
announce the next split. You can keep splitting folks for as long as they are having fun, or
you run out of ideas.

ºor mixing purposes, alternate between two-group splits and multi-group splits. The idea is to
invite your group to meet as many new people as possible. To this end, if you have the time
and the inclination, as soon as the groups have formed, give the participants a few moments
to say hello to one another, or perhaps share something of relevance to the category, e.g.,
³What was so cool about being the oldest / youngest / in-between child in your family?´

Here are just a few sample and fun group categories. There are simply hundreds of them out
there, so please, don¶t hesitate to make up your own, or tempt them from your group.

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 Arm that ends up crossed over the top of the other, when folded on your chest.
 üeg you put into your pants, shorts, underwear, etc. first when dressing.
 reference for cooking or cleaning up.
 reference for washing or drying dishes.
 osition of your thumbs, that is left or right on top, when you clasp your hands
together so that your fingers interlock.
 üast digit of your home telephone number. All the odd numbers ± 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9 ± get
together, and the even numbers do the same.
 When presented with a µgood news / bad news story,¶ which do you prefer to hear
first?
 reference for the way toilet paper spills off the roll ± like a waterfall, over the top
and forward, or against the back towards the wall.
 Number of street you live at ± odds and evens.

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 Month / zodiac sign in which you were born.

 Number of continents you have visited.
 Number of siblings in your family, including yourself.
 Colour of your eyes, hair, socks, etc.
 Type of shoes you are wearing (not necessarily their brand).
 Which shoulder(s) you hold a carry-bag ± right, left or both shoulders.
 How often you shave each week?
 pistance you have travelled to get here (use clumps of distances, such as 0-5 km, 5-10
km, etc.
 Number of items you recycle at home, e.g., plastic, glass, tin, paper, etc.



 

Use to divide a large group into roughly random and even teams. If you are looking for an
even split, and just don¶t seem to find a category that fits, simply use the old scientific
method of indiscriminately moving a few people (³Hey, you and you, move over here.´) to
even out the groupings.

Taken from  


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October 16, 2009 by Mark Collard
ºiled under: pe-inhibitizers, Ice-Breakers






 





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eople assume the place of a person standing in the circle whose name they have just called.

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 A flat, open space.

 Minimum of 10, and up to 30, more if your group has a good level of name-
knowingness.
 10 ± 15 minutes.

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Having formed a circle, the action begins when one person steps into the circle ± at the same
time announcing the name of someone who is on the other side of the circle to them ± and
walks toward that person. The first person fills the space of the newly announced person as
this second person moves into the centre of the circle and immediately calls out a third
person¶s name, and the process starts all over again.

In and out, in and out it goes on. At a point you believe the group is ready for more, introduce
a second and third person calling out a name across the circle. A series of chaotic and
confusing crossings will result. At this time, encourage lots of eye contact and careful
movements.



 


 Invite the person who has called out a name, to introduce themselves by name to the
other, perhaps shake hands, before this other person repeats the process.
 As the movement of people in the centre of the circle gains momentum, invite people
to shake the hand and greet (using the name) of someone as they pass them in the
middle of the circle.


 

†anuary 26, 2010 by Mark Collard
ºiled under: Ice-Breakers

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Starting with 10 treats each, people aim to earn more treats by causing as many people as
possible to say the word ³YES´ in their ensuing conversations.

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 10 µMinties¶ or other sweet treats (preferably wrapped), per person

 5 ± 10 mins

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Ohhhh, this seems so easy to do, but I swear the simple exercise of not saying ³YES´ is so
hard.

I first played this game with µMinties¶ (refreshingly chewy mint lolly), but it works just as
well with any sweet treat. pistribute an exact number, say 10, to everyone in your group, and
then just as quickly, tell them not to eat them ± just yet!

Now, invite your group to mix and mingle with each other, engaging in conversation as often
as possible. Encourage them to introduce themselves, exchange pleasantries etc, etc, and then
engage in the fine art of conversation. But this is not just any form of conversation; your goal
is to cause the other to say the word ³YES.´ Every time your partner utters this pleasantly
uncomplicated word, you gain a Mintie. The person with the most Minties at the end µwins.¶

My favourite line to gain a quick Mintie? I spy anyone on their own, approach them and
calmly ask ³po you have any Minties left? ³Yes I do, er«arghhhhhh..´ Works like a charm.



 

 Substitute the word ³YES´ with other colloquially popular words such as ³üIKE,´
and if you want to make it really difficult ± the word ³ANp.´ It¶s near impossible!

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May 10, 2010 by Mark Collard
ºiled under: ºUNN Games




   


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Sitting in a circle, each person recites one part of a four-part phrase which multiplies each
time it is completed, until the group has recited each part five times in a row without mistake.
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 A comfortable, open space possibly with chairs.

 Minimum of 8 and up to 15 people.
 10 ± 15 minutes

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ºorm your group into a circle and ask the participants to repeat the words ³One duck ± fell in
± the pond ± kerplunk´. The punctuation is deliberate, and should be reflected in the way you
recite the verse the first time, ie it goes something like this ³one duck´ (pause) ³fell in´
(pause) ³the pond´ (pause) ³kerplunk´. Consider it a stanza comprising four parts.

Instruct the group that you would now like them to repeat this verse ± one person at a time in
a clockwise direction ± saying only one part at a time. ºor example, the first person will say
³One duck´, and the person to his / her left will then say ³fell in´, and so on.

Now for the tricky bit. When you get to ³kerplunk´, the verse is repeated again, but this time,
each part of the stanza is said twice. So, the next person (ie fifth person in turn) says ³One
duck´, followed by their neighbour repeating ³One duck´, then passing to the next person
who says ³fell in´, and the next repeats ³fell in´, etc, etc. Keep going, until you get to the
³kerplunk´ and ³kerplunk´ parts.

No prizes for guessing what happens next (I told you this was easy). The verse continues
around the circle, this time with each part being repeated three times, then four times, and to
achieve the all-time world¶s record, a climactic fifth time!! One duck, one duck, one duck,
one duck, one duck, fell in, fell in, fell in, and so on and on it goes. If your group can make it
to this level, you all deserve a huge round of applause, or a long lie down!

Explosions of incredulous laughter will break out when someone, typically, forgets how
many of which part of the verse has already been uttered. It seems so easy to count to five,
yet after many failed world record attempts, I totally understand why the record is so elusive.
Give it a go.



 


 Have the verse circle the group in the opposite direction.

 Make up your own little verse, with perhaps five, six or even seven parts.
Arghhhh«..