The big book of team motivating games
Spirit-Building, Problem-Solving, and Communication Games for Every GroupBy Mary Scannell Edward E. Scannell
McGraw-Hill
Copyright © 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-07-162962-1
Contents
Chapter One
Icebreakers and Energizers
Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.
—Goethe
Answer the Question
OBJECTIVES
To demonstrate the benefits of humor
To increase the comfort level within the team
Group Size
10 to 20, or split large groups into smaller teams of 10 to 20
Materials
None
Time
10 to 20 minutes
Procedure
Have your team stand or sit in a circle. Tell them this activity consists of asking and answering questions. Let them know they will ask the person next to them an open-ended question (one requiring more than a yes-or-no answer). Specifically, questions that require the person to answer with a sentence, rather than simply one word, work best. Instruct each participant to remember the question he or she asked, as well as the answer given.
To start the game, simply have one team member ask the person on his or her right or left a question. This establishes the direction: for example, if the team member asks the person to the right, that person answers and then asks a question to the person to his or her right, and so on around the circle. By the time you get around the circle, everyone should have asked and answered a question. Remind the team members to remember their question and their answer.
Now for the fun part: have everyone get up and take a different place in the circle so they are standing or sitting next to someone new. To start this round, again have one team member ask the person to the right or left his or her original question (again establishing the direction), and have everyone give his or her original answer—regardless of the question.
Get ready to laugh!
Discussion Questions
1. What did you like about this activity? What was challenging?
2. How does laughter impact our energy? Our productivity? Our teamwork? Our stress level?
3. What are some other ways to reduce the stress level within our teams?
Fun Facts
OBJECTIVE
To learn about the others on the team
To build rapport and trust within the team
Group Size
Up to 20
Materials
Copies of the Fun Facts About Our Team form (provided) for each person, pens
Time
15 minutes
Procedure
Some prep work is required. Have all the team members who will attend submit a few little-known facts about themselves to you—the facilitator—before the session (e.g., where they went to school, their major, number of siblings, names of pets, where they were born, favorite vacation spot).
Before the meeting, write a statement about each person based on the submitted facts. Put all the statements together on the Fun Facts About Our Team form, and give everyone a copy as they come in.
Give the team time to mingle and ask each other questions to determine whose name belongs with each statement. Let them know they also need to find out any specifics. For example, if they have three pets, what kind of animals are they? What are their names?
Whoever has the most names filled in after about 10 minutes gets to announce the team members along with their little-known facts.
Example Statement Sheet (or use the provided Fun Facts About Our Team form)
Born in a country other than the United States
Name of the person__________________
Name of the country_________________
Changed my major in college three times
Name of the person__________________
The three different majors______________
HANDOUT
Fun Facts About Our Team
Fact_______________________________
Name of the person__________________
Details____________________________
Fact_______________________________
Name of the person__________________
Details____________________________
Fact_______________________________
Name of the person__________________
Details____________________________
Fact_______________________________
Name of the person__________________
Details____________________________
Fact_______________________________
Name of the person__________________
Details____________________________
Fact_______________________________
Name of the person__________________
Details____________________________
Guess Me If You Can
OBJECTIVES
To get to know each other
To come together as a team
Group Size
10 to 20 participants works best
Materials
Slips of paper, pens
Time
15 to 20 minutes per round
Procedure
Have each participant write out the name of a book (or movie, etc.—see other categories under Variations) on a slip of paper. One person acts as the facilitator and collects and reads aloud all the slips of paper one time. After that, everyone must rely on their memory.
The person to the left of the facilitator begins by trying to match a book title with the person who chose it. If the guesser is correct, the person whose book was guessed becomes a member of the guesser's team, and as a team they take another turn. Every correct guess gains the team an additional team member and gives them another turn. If they're wrong, the next person takes a turn, and so on around the team.
The activity is over when everyone is on the same team.
Variations
Instead of book titles, you can use movie titles, song titles, musical groups, board games, cities, vacation spots, and so on. Get creative! Or have the team come up with some new categories. Remember, the goal is to make it challenging for the others to guess the selections.
Discussion Questions
1. What did you notice as we made the transition from individuals to teams, and finally to one team?
2. What does it take to be a team?
3. In what ways does this relate to coming together as a team at work?
Partner Stretch
OBJECTIVES
To energize the team in a creative way
To break down barriers and have some fun
Group Size
Any
Materials
None
Time
5 minutes to develop stretches, and 1 minute per pair to teach and lead a three-count
Procedure
Have the team pair up. Then have each pair develop a quick stretch that they will teach the rest of the team.
The stretch has two requirements: (1) the partners have to be connected during the stretch, and (2) the stretch has to have a sound effect or phrase to go along with it. Each pair then teaches their stretch to the team and takes the team through a three-count of the stretch.
Demonstrate an example of an acceptable stretch. For example, stand next to your partner, with your and your partner's feet touching; then stretch your arms up and say, "Reach for the stars."
Variations
For larger groups or...
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