Intended for:
This free icebreaker activity is a good way of breaking the ice at the beginning of a training event or programme. As participants will be discussing favourite events it will also help to engender a positive atmosphere.
Training course contents:
A set of instructions for the icebreaker, ‘Favourite Event’ can be downloaded from the link at the bottom of this page. Alternatively, you can follow the notes below.
Resources Needed – whistle or a Bell
Explain that when you blow the whistle or ring the bell (or you could just clap your hands if you prefer) participants are to pair up with someone else in the room. Explain that each time you blow the whistle they must change partners. They must not partner up with the same person twice. If there is an uneven number of participants you can join in yourself.
They will then have a minute each to introduce themselves and tell their partner what is the best wedding, holiday, party, show, etc they have been to. They also have to explain why in just a few words.
After 2/3 minutes blow your whistle. Participants now change partners and do the same again with their new partner.
Keep going until participants have had the chance to meet everyone in the group. Alternatively, call a halt after participants have changed partners 5 or 6 times if there is a large group of people.
Variation – you could ask participants to introduce themselves to the whole group one at a time. This approach may be better at the start of certain training events. For example this ought to be a reasonably easy way to start a presentation skills course as most people would be able to talk very well about a favourite event of theirs.
Objectives:
Use this icebreaker to help break the ice at the beginning of a programme or event where a positive frame of mind is essential.
