Intended for:
Use this free icebreaker to develop interaction and create alternative introductions at the beginning of a training event.
Training course contents:
During a recent visit to the local library I found a book called The Book of Idle Pleasures (edited by Dan Kieran and Tom Hodgkinson). The book sets out to prove that the best things in life really are free.
The editiors describe 200 idle pleasures that they enjoy or are enjoyed by other contributors to the book. Most are free or nearly free. They include pleasures such as, soaking in the bath, watching the river flow, catching autumn leaves, skimming stones and many more. In fact, reading the book is an idle pleasure in its own right especially as I borrowed it for free from the library. I found it enjoyable, just a little quirky and very inspiring.
This icereaker activity is based on the book. You can download a set of instructions for the icebreaker from the link at the bottom of this page, or you can follow the notes here.
Explain that this icebreaker is based on the book described in the introduction.
Tell participants that you want them to partner with another person in the training room. After introducing themselves to the other person they must then find out at least two idle pleasures that he or she enjoys. Of course, they will also need to share two idle pleasures of their own.
Explain that to be an idle pleasure it must be free or inexpensive. It must not be anything to do with television, computer games, mobile phones, etc. After 2/3 minutes ask participants to pair up with somebody else and go through the process again.
Dependent upon the time available do this for another 3 or 4 rounds. At the end of this time call everyone together and ask them to share some of the idle pleasures they heard during the icebreaker activity.
- What was most interesting?
- What was the most unusual?
- What was their favourite?
- What was the funniest?
This should get participants talking to each other and ready to participate in the training or other event.
Don’t forget to share a couple of your idle pleasures with the group. For the record my favourite idle pleasure is to watch the swifts performing acrobatics as they feed on insects in the summer sky.
Objectives:
This icebreaker is useful for creating an alternative introduction to a training event. It encourages participants to talk openly and helps them relax into the training.
