This document describes several icebreaker games that can be used to help groups get to know each other better. The LINE NAME GAME involves a group lining up and taking turns doing motions and saying their names as they move down the line. BEAN SHAKE involves shaking hands and exchanging beans to see who can get rid of their beans first. MUSICAL CRABS has partners in circles moving in opposite directions when music plays and finding each other when it stops. WHO AM I? involves having names pinned to backs and asking yes/no questions to guess identities. HUMAN BINGO has participants finding others who match criteria on bingo cards. M&M GAME links candy colors to questions participants must answer. Several other games

1. LINE NAME GAME: This game is a variation of the Motion Name Game. Can be
played with group of any size. Best if group has more than 10 members. Game begins
with group lining up shoulder to shoulder. One member starts off the game by doing a
motion across the line (to the other end of line) and saying his/her name at the same
time. The group responds by saying, “Hi ___________!” The game continues as each
member goes across to the other end of line. Once that is complete, the group pairs off
with person next to them and they do a motion together (and say both of their names) to
get to the other end. Group goes in twos until complete. Depending on size of group,
individuals then group in fours, sixes, etc...then in half, and then whole. The group works
together to pick out a motion and should say each name as they get to other end. Game
continues until the whole group is working together. Good game to use to show the
power of individuals coming together as a team.
Bean Shake
Players:
10-30
Equipment:
10 dried beans for each player;
A small plastic bag or envelope for each player
Preparation:
Place the beans in small plastic bags or in envelopes, so that you don't need to take the
time to count them out when the party is on.
Give each player 10 dried beans. Then they are to start shaking hands with each other,
over and over, as many times as possible. Why? Because each player gives away a bean
to every tenth person he or she shakes hands with. The idea of the game is to get rid of all
your beans.
This is a very funny scene, with everyone shaking hands. Of course, while you're trying
to get rid of your beans, and handing them out to every tenth person you shake with,
you're getting beans back from other shakers!
It's a good idea not to let the players know that they will be your tenth person, because
they may try to move away from you. However, no one can refuse to accept a bean if he
or she is really the tenth person you shake hands with.
You can also play this game in exactly the opposite way. In the second way, the one who
ends up with the most beans is the winner. Then everything changes and everyone is
anxious and eager to become the tenth player.
First play it one way, then switch to the other. Some of the players will get all mixed up,
but it certainly gets everyone acquainted quickly!
They have the wrong tag name and should give it right
Musical Crabs
Players:
12-30
Equipment:

2. Music (from a tape or record player)
Preparation:
None
The players select partners and then form two circles - one partner in the outer circle and
one in the inner circle. "It" stands in the middle, and someone else takes care of the
music.
When the music starts, the circles move in opposite directions. When it stops, the circles
stop moving, and "It" calls out a command such as "Head to head!" Then the partners
have to find each other quickly and put their foreheads together. If "It" can get his or her
head together with a partner who hasn't been found yet, "It" becomes that player's partner
when the music starts again. The player left without a partner becomes "It," and issues the
next command. The fun is in the many possible commands: Nose to nose. Eye to eye.
Cheek to cheek. Foot to foot. Head to toe. Hand in hand. Back to back. Hand to ear. Back
to front. Heel to toe. Shoulder to shoulder. Hand to knee.
Make up your own!
Who Am I?
Players:
8-10
Equipment:
Slips of paper with safety pins on them, one for each player
Preparation:
Write the names of well-known people, living or dead, on the slips of paper
As the players arrive, pin the slips of paper on their backs without showing them the
name on the front. Of course, they can see the names pinned to everyone else's back, but
not their own. Then let them try to find out their own identities from each other by asking
any question except "What's my name?" Answers can be given only in the form of "Yes"
or "No."
Players cannot ask the same person more than one question at a time. They must go from
one person to another. When players think they know who they are, they don't say
anything, but go to the leader for confirmation.
For example, a player could ask, "Am I a general?" or "Did I fight against England?" and
so on, but not "Am I George Washington?" This type of direct question is saved for the
leader, when the player is already fairly sure of the answer. If players guess wrong, they
go back to asking questions. After players guess correctly, they rejoin the game as
answerers.
The leader can keep a record of the order in which players guess their identity and
declare the winner later. The game is noisy and funny, because everyone is busy trying to
be the first one to find out who he or she is. Players must always answer questions put to
them by others.
A word of caution: Cover or remove all mirrors.
Human Bingo
"This is a game I have had to do when training for youthwork and find it helps to make
the group interact and start getting to know each other in a friendly non threatening way."
Create a bingo card grid from a sheet of A4 and dividing it into a grid of fairly large

3. squares (say 3 or 4 cm minimum) using a thick pen/pencil and a ruler. In some of the
squares write a phrase such as "Has climbed a mountain", "Rides a bike", "Has run a
marathon", "Works for a charity", Etc. Things that it would be interesting to know about
someone. The number of squares you fill in is up to you but the more you create the more
time it'll take to complete. Blank out all remaining squares by coloring them in and then
photocopy enough copies so that everybody who'll be there can have one.
At the start of the session/meeting give each person a copy and tell them to find one
person who has done each thing. I.e. ask the other players whether they have climbed a
mountain or whatever. If the player being asked has done that activity they sign their
name to that box. Players can only each time they meet a person one question before
moving on (but they can meet the person again later and ask another question.).
Keep going until someone has all of the boxes filled in.
[Kit: - If you have time or the opportunity it might be interesting to ask participants
before turning up to the meeting to something about themselves and use that
information.]
M&M Game
Pass around a bag of M&M's and have each person take as many as they want. For each
color of the M&M's have a question that they have to answer. For instance, red can be,
"Describe your first crush."
You can play this with Skittles or other colored candies.
Sentence From a Name. Have everyone pair up with someone they don't know. Each
person writes his first name on a piece of paper and exchanges it with his partner. After a
minute or two getting to know each other, each person makes up a sentence with words
starting with the letter of the other person's name. For example: KEVIN: Koalas Enjoy
Vegetables In November.
Throw a Koosh ball or pillow or another small non-threatening object to someone. That
person says his name and describe why he loves his Koosh ball (let them be as creative as
they want to be!). He throws it to the next person, who must introduce herself and the
person who went before her, including the "why I love this Koosh" story. Do this until
everyone has been introduced.
CHUCK-A-NAME GAME
This activity starts off like the traditional name toss. In case you aren't aware, here are the
common rules:
1) Arrange the group in a circle.
2) One person starts off by saying the name of someone else in the circle, and tossing the
ball to them.
3) That person then in turn says the name of a different person, and tosses the ball to
someone else who has not yet received the ball.
4) That continues until everyone in the circle has received the ball once.
5) Generally, the objective is to pass the ball around the circle without dropping it. If the
ball is dropped, the

4. group restarts until completed without dropping.
6) You can add a "thank-you, (name)" from the receiving person if you like...
For ADVANCED...
1) Once the group has accomplished the task as described above, add a second item (ball,
rubber chicken, etc.)
and instruct the group that it, too, must travel in the same pattern.
2) You can add more items as you see fit. For a more "team-building" type game, add 4-6
items, and hold the
rules in place. For a more "ice breaker" type game, add as many items as possible,
particularly goofy props, and
you will see the group get sillier and sillier. You can slowly take props out after a few
minutes and end on one
last round of the name toss.
HUMAN TREASURE HUNT
Be creative and make a list of statements, silly and normal, such as __ has a blue
toothbrush or ____is an only
child, _____hates chocolate, _____ hasn’t got all their second teeth, _______is having a
very happy unbirthday
today, ________can stand on her head and count to ten, _______knows his ABC
backwards / has two brothers /
has green eyes/ had a shower yesterday etc
Everyone has the same list of statements and has ten minutes or so to go around the room
and find people who
the statements are true about and then that person has to write their name next to the
statement. The first person
to get all the statements signed is the winner. If the statements are diverse enough, you
can find something
about everyone and its a good way to discover hidden talents from shyer kids. You can
check people haven’t
cheated by asking the person who said they can stand on their head and count to ten to do
it.....
This can probably be adapted to most age groups and the size of the list will vary on the
number of people in the
group.
Requirements: Paper with statements printed in easy to read type, pens
Objective: To get people to get to know strangers in a competitive yet fun environment
MR. AND MRS. RIGHT
Have everyone stand. Read the story. When you say "right" everyone takes a step to the
right. When you say
"left" everyone takes a step to the left.

5. This is a story about Mr. and Mrs. WRIGHT. One evening they were baking cookies.
Mrs. WRIGHT called
from the kitchen, "Oh, no, there is no flour LEFT! You will need to go RIGHT out to the
store."
"I can't believe you forgot to check the pantry," grumbled MR. WRIGHT. "You never get
anything RIGHT!"
"Don't be difficult, dear," replied Mrs. WRIGHT. "It will only take twenty minutes if you
come RIGHT back.
Go to Fifty-first and Peoria, and turn LEFT at the stop sign. Then go to Sixty-first Street
and turn RIGHT, and
there it will be on your LEFT," declared Mrs. WRIGHT as her husband LEFT the house.
Mr. WRIGHT found the store and asked the clerk where he could find the flour. The
clerk pointed and said,
"Go to Aisle four and turn LEFT. The flour and sugar will be on your LEFT."
Mr. WRIGHT made his purchase and walked RIGHT out the door. He turned LEFT, but
he couldn't remember
where he had LEFT his car. Suddenly he remembered that he had driven Mrs.
WRIGHT'S car and that his car
was in the driveway at home RIGHT where he had LEFT it. He finally found the RIGHT
car and put his
purchase RIGHT inside.
Eventually, a weary Mr. WRIGHT found his way home. Mrs. WRIGHT had been
waiting impatiently. "I
thought you would be RIGHT back," she said. "I LEFT all the cookie ingredients on the
kitchen counter, and
the cats got into the milk. You'll just have to go RIGHT out again."
Mr. WRIGHT sighed. He had no energy LEFT. "I am going RIGHT to bed," he said.
"Anyway, I need to go on
a diet, so I might as well start RIGHT now. Isn't that RIGHT, dear?"
Requirements: Round tables, or everyone sitting in a circle, works best.
Objective: Break up long meetings or get people started for the day.
WOOSH
Have everyone in your group make a circle. The leader pulls an invisible ‘woosh’ ball
from their pocket. They
explain that the woosh ball is very light and it just sort of floats there in their hand. When
passing the woosh
ball it actually makes the noise “woosh.” So when passing, either to the right or left, it
makes the “woosh”
sound. The person receiving the woosh ball has many options. They can receive the
woosh and pass it along.
They can say “Wao” and put their hands up to refuse the woosh, in which case the person
trying to pass the
woosh ball must turn to their other side to pass it. Sometimes when a person gets the
woosh ball they get so

6. excited and the energy of the woosh ball takes over their soul and they go “freakalistic,”
which in turn makes
the entire group go “freakalistic.” Everyone must dance around in the circle and find a
new place to stand. The
object of the “freakalistic” is to get as silly as possible. If someone in the circle falters
when they get passed th
woosh, or messes up the flow, they must “boing.” A “boing” is a physical admission that
they messed up the
flow of the woosh. They put their hands together above their head and bend at the knees
and say, “boing.”
Walkabout exercise
A good warm-up activity for the situation you describe is a walkabout.
Invite the group to walk around. Each person should say hello to another group member,
and perhaps two or three words, before moving on to the next person. After 30 seconds
ask them to continue but to now act as a leader. After another 30 seconds continue but
ask them to act as a great leader. And finally, ask them to act as the greatest leader ever.
This usually breaks in to laughter. It is quick, energising and gives a little flavour of the
topic.
good luck!
Graham

7. excited and the energy of the woosh ball takes over their soul and they go “freakalistic,”
which in turn makes
the entire group go “freakalistic.” Everyone must dance around in the circle and find a
new place to stand. The
object of the “freakalistic” is to get as silly as possible. If someone in the circle falters
when they get passed th
woosh, or messes up the flow, they must “boing.” A “boing” is a physical admission that
they messed up the
flow of the woosh. They put their hands together above their head and bend at the knees
and say, “boing.”
Walkabout exercise
A good warm-up activity for the situation you describe is a walkabout.
Invite the group to walk around. Each person should say hello to another group member,
and perhaps two or three words, before moving on to the next person. After 30 seconds
ask them to continue but to now act as a leader. After another 30 seconds continue but
ask them to act as a great leader. And finally, ask them to act as the greatest leader ever.
This usually breaks in to laughter. It is quick, energising and gives a little flavour of the
topic.
good luck!
Graham