Posts Tagged ‘ice breaker party’

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Many years ago when I was starting out in my career I worked for an adventure centre for children and young adults. The first evening was always given over to a session of Ice Breaker Games.

This was the first time I had ever come across such a concept, but since then, I have used ice breaker games to great effect in a myriad of jobs, places, meetings, training sessions, conferences, parties and corporate and social gatherings.

Ice breaker games are brilliant for breaking down barriers quickly and for helping people feel at ease with each other. Used correctly they can rapidly create an atmosphere of fun and expectation.

At the adventure centre, kids would often turn up to programs not knowing many people and some not knowing any at all. They could be anxious and excited; but some were also reluctant and detached. Our job was to ease them into the programme, allowing a sense of fun, trust and anticipation to build. We did this through the use of ice breaker games.

We started the evening seated in a circle and the instructors would always join in as equals. First we would start with a simple name game: “Hello my name is Sharon and I like tennis” and on it would go around the circle with everyone trying their best to remember people’s names. The ice breaker was simple and non-threatening and even the most reluctant could join in.

The next game might involve working in pairs spending a few minutes getting to know each other and then introducing each other to the group.

Gradually the group began to feel more at ease with each other, and began to trust us, the leaders.  From this point on, and sensing the mood in the group, we could start to include more physical and ambitious games.

The key is to start with simple, non-threatening ice breaker games and gradually build up the complexity or outrageousness as the group allows. Once the ice is broken the group will look forward readily to the main topic of the day.

There are literally thousands of ice breaker games and ideas that can help you get your next event off to a flying start; whether you are looking for a quick ice breaker to inject a bit of fun into a meeting before the more serious business begins or you are looking for a party ice breaker to transform your event into the next sizzling sizzling show stopper!

Check-out the ice breaker ideas web-site for more fun than you can handle!

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Over 2 billion people around the world watched William and Kate get married! Who thought the monarchy was dead? Almost as many people in the US got up early to watch it on TV as in the UK and that was nearly 24 million! It was a fantastic spectacle and it is what Britain does best: pomp and pageantry and they didn't let us down!

Away from the streets of London, the country too was awash with street parties and celebrations. The special bank holiday saw houses, pubs and clubs around the country decked out with Union Jack flags and bunting. For just for a few days the country was alive and buzzing; the mood had lifted, spirits were high and economic woes were forgotton.

Papers report the millions of pounds of additional income such an event brings to the country. Now I'm not suggesting that we have a royal wedding everyday but we should celebrate and come together a bit more often; impromptu parties and BBQs; picnics with family and friends; neighbourly fetes and events to get people together; fund-raising fairs and events for good causes. These are all things that bring people together and can have fun organising as well as taking part.

Should you be tempted in the next few months to take advantage of the weather and lay on a party or two don't forget to check-out our ice breaker ideas web-site for fantastic party ice breakers , games and garden party ideas.

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Don't you just love it when the kids go back to school and we are all returning to work after the long summer holidays and the Christmas offers start pouring in - Christmas cards and Xmas gifts; Christmas parties; Christmas travel; party venues; Christmas food (the supermarkets have already stocked up) etc. etc. In fact we have just bought chocolate coins for our treasure hunts from the local supermarket.

Uggh.. I find it really annoying.. corporate Christmas stuff has been coming through the post for months even before summer. Me, I want to linger with the fine summer days for as long as possible. I don't want to think about Christmas now when there's 3 months to go!

This year we've been innundated with corporate Christmas stuff well before the summer holidays: "Get your corporate parties booked before it's too late." "Limited space available - book your venues now!"

If you want to avoid the ostentatious corporate Christmas party scene you might consider running one yourself in your offices or local pub. Rope a few friends in to help you and have an evening of traditional party games and ice breakers. Nothing beats traditional games for good wholesome fun!

Develop team spirit by asking each person to bring an icebreaker game or party game so you don't have to do it all yourself. Think:

• Pin the tail on the donkey
• Musical chairs
• Charades
• Pass the Parcel
• Secret Santa
• Christmas bingo
• The Chocolate Game
• Forfeits

Most people will know how to play these games - if not be sure to leave a comment and I'll explain or you can go to our web-site ice breaker ideas  where we have hundreds of great ideas for party ice breakers and games. So don't forget the party bags and run a party to remember!

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I was invited to a birthday party of a long time friend not that long ago and call me a party pooper but I really did not want to go. Why not you ask? Well I knew we would not know a soul but the party hostess, who would be busy with all her social duties, and the last time I went to such a party I was looking forward to leaving as soon as I got there. It's not that I'm unsociable or boring (at least I hope not) - it's just that people don't seem to introduce people these days and sometimes it's such an effort to be always making conversation with new people.

Now if they'd employed a few interesting and fun-filled party ice breakers to introduce people and make people feel more relaxed I would definitely have wanted to stay.

This is one of my prime reasons for using ice breakers at any event you host. Whether it be a party or social function, or a corporate meeting, training or company bash, you want people to be buzzing and telling people how great it was and really looking forward to the next event, meeting or whatever! That's why i'm such a great advocate of  ice breaker games for any event.

Don't let your people be party poopers, going home and telling people how boring it was. Get them interacting and having fun. No event should be without an ice breaker game at any cost. Make sure your event is an event to remember - get ice breaker games and ideas from the ice breaker ideas web-site

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What's a good ice breaker I'm always being asked?

 First we find out who the ice breaker is for; is it  a corporate ice breaker or for a work group? Or is it for a party, youth group or family reunion? Is it for a group who do not know each other at all or a group that know each other a bit?

This is useful to know as you can take more risks with with a group that know each other and even more with groups that know each other well. Play safe with groups that don't know each other at all. An ice breaker is meant to help people relax and get to know each other and should never make people feel uncomfortable.

Once we know about the group we then look at what we're trying to achieve with the ice breaker. You might be looking for quick and easy fun introductions or something related to the topic of the day or something that will not forget!

You will find after a few goes of using ice breakers that they will become second nature and you will soon develop favourites. Particularly ice breakers are ones that can be used for many different types of groups.

A word of warning though; you should never trial your ice breakers on a group without carefully thinking them through. Better still, try them out on your family and friends first!

A good ice breaker therefore, carefully matches your target group, is non-threatening and allows people to have fun together.

A good ice breaker that we use a lot with corporate groups is "Speed Dating" - arrange 2 long row of chairs according to the number of people attending. Have them facing each other so people can sit face to face and get everyone to sit down. Announce that you have a minute each to introduce yourselves. Blow a whistle after each minute and then after each couple have introduced themselves, instruct all participants to move to the seat to the right. Each person will get a new partner to talk to. Carry for as long as you have time or until all introductions have been made.

Learn how to play this fun, fast, ice breaker and hundreds more at ice-breaker-ideas.com

Don't have just an ordinary event - make it memorable with ice breaker games.!

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On Friday we will be enjoying the last few days of the school holidays with friends - we're off to the theatre in Cardiff with friends who have 2 children, similar ages to ours.

Everytime we meet up the kids insist we play an ice breaker game we have played with them since they were small. We know it as "Killer" but you might know it as "Wink Murder" or some other name. It's a great party ice breaker!

They find it so much fun, that even though they are now 13 and 14 years old, we still have to play it. Here's how it goes:

How to Play Killer:

Tear a peice of paper into strips, enough for each person in the room. On one peice write Policeman and on another write Killer. Fold all the strips of paper up and place in a bowl. Pass the bowl round and get each person to take a peice of paper. Without saying anything each person looks at the paper, folds it back up and places back in the bowl.

When asked the policeman reveals themself. The killer keeps quiet. The object of the game is for the policeman to catch the killer before the killer, kills all the players. How does the killer kill all the players? By winking at them!

Everyone is silent during the game apart from the policeman who is the only person who can speak when trying to identify the killer -if they get it wrong the killer has won.

When a player has been winked at by the killer they can let out a blood curdling cry as they slump to the floor or silently crumple! Obviously the killer has to try and wink at people when the policeman is not looking at them and it helps if you sit in a circle!

Give it a go and let me know your favourite ice breaker game.

Don't forget we have hundreds of "killer" ice breaker games and ideas on our web-site and many can be instantly downloadable in formats for youth groups, parties and corporate groups.

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Are your children celebrating a birthday this summer? Our youngest is going to be a teenager tomorrow - the youngest of her friends and the youngest in her school class.

How will she celebrate?

A day on the beach is beckoning - full of teenage fun and lots of games. It's a good job we've got stacks of ice breaker games and team building ideas to choose from, to keep the girls happy.

Although it's our trade - running team building events and ice breaker games for corporate groups, schools and public companies - we find we are always using them for various fundraising events, parties and social gatherings too. Having a stock of ice breaker games to call upon is such a useful resource. You will never be without some form of entertainment and you will always be in demand at parties.

Learn how to keep your kids entertained this summer , whether you're on the beach or at a friend's BBQ. Our instantly downloadable ice breaker games collections are full of fun ideas and a definite must-have this summer.  All 3 collections for corporate groups, parties and youth groups are all interchangeable and work across all groups really well. Check-out our website for great ice breaker ideas.

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Last night we spent a great evening at the local pony club camp where our daughter is in attendance!

The final night BBQ was looking a bit flat without any kind of entertainment or breaking the ice  activities for kids and parents so we offered to bring some of our old fashioned pub type games and a few not so old games - like Spacehoppers!

What fun! The kids went mad for Splat the Rat, Ring the Bull and Giant Jenga - but being an ingenious games master, Phil had the kids playing all sorts of games with the Giant Jenga - at one point there was a giant track of jenga peices around the field with 20 kids carefully balanced on the bricks trying not to fall off. Every time they fell off they went to the back of the queue! Phil kept adding more and more bricks to make the track longer, even up and over jumps!

But the biggest laugh of all was reserved for the Spacehopper Gymkhana - a bending race with 4 spacehoppers and plenty of screaming kids. Well not just kids but parents too!

Just goes to show with a bit of imagination how you can use your ice breaker games in lots of different ways and make sure your parties are always as much fun as they can be!

For more ice breaker ideas and games to make your parties the ultimate place to be check-out our web-site ice-breaker-ideas.com

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At that same business meeting I've been talking about just recently, one of the participants was so enamoured with the ice breaker game that I organized that she decided to play it at her wedding a few weeks later.

So learn how to run a great icebreaker and it will be indispensible at any event - even a wedding!

Check out our latest icebreaker games and ideas at ice-breaker-ideas.com

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A journalist attended the launch party of the Business Club, where I had run a very successful ice breaker just recently. The organizers had said she had been amazed at the impact of this simple ice breaker to get the party started.

Expecting the usual stuffy business meeting with drinks, canapés and a speech and over in about an hour, with a short peice to follow in the local paper; this time she had been amazed.

She was drawn in by the ice breaker game which ended with people sitting in tables with 5 new friends and they eventually had to throw her out with the rest of the group 3 hours later. What followed was a peice eulogizing the benefits of the Club.

So your simple ice breaker game can be a powerful and influential tool. Learn how to run a great ice breaker and you will influence more people than you can imagine...

Find out more at ice-breaker-ideas.com