Icebreakers can be a great way to start off a meeting, association event, or training session. They set the tone for the session and can allow participants to relax. In addition, many icebreakers by default create a team experience because the meeting has started off with interactivity.
Now, there are a few rules for icebreakers and they are as follows:
- It should occur at the beginning of the meeting. Many small or large events have networking time where attendees can gather and move around. This is the perfect time to introduce an icebreaker.
- It should promote interactivity, fun, and team building.
- It should be simple and easy to explain.
- It should have visual and sound props, such as presentation services audio visual, to add to the buzz.
Here are a few ways to implement icebreakers and create talk among your attendees.
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- Display pictures or questions on the Powerpoint presentation equipment. You could ask the attendees to send you one of their baby pictures and then have the group guess who it is. Another way is to ask simple questions, such as, what is your favorite month, vacation spot, or TV show? Ask them to write down their responses and share among the table or small group. With regards to the baby picture, ask them to write their responses and give a prize to the person who had the most correct guesses.
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- Play True or False with the Speaker. As the event planner, brainstorm with the speaker a series of true and false statements about them. Give the audience members wireless audience response systems and then have them vote on the responses. Show the right answers at the end. Try to mix in personal and professional statements to make it interesting.
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- Ask Opinions on Silly Things. This can be used during a long meeting day to encourage people to move to another table. You could put a mindless question or statement like “I think all lunch breaks should be 1 hour.” Then the attendees would have an audience response rental and respond “Strongly Agree”, “Agree”, “Neutral”, “Disagree” and “Strongly Disagree”. Based on their responses, they would move to tables with like minded people.
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- Create a Notable Name Game. This works great in a table of 8 or 10 people who are going around introducing themselves. They need to add two adjectives to the beginning of their name to describe them. So for me, if I was playing this game, I would say I am Dynamic Determined Dede. To add a little mental challenge, you can have each person repeat each of the names that have been said so far, before they introduce themselves.
- I’ve never… This icebreaker works best with a small group of 30 or so, where everyone is sitting in a circle. The first person says “I have never…(gone to Europe, for example). Any person that has done what the person said, needs to stand up and give them their business card. Now they have a personal connection and can talk more as the conference or meeting continues.
If you are event planning in California look to AV Event Solutions to provide you with any of the interactive technology tool rentals listed above and many more items to make your next icebreaker and event fun, informative, and interactive. Give them a call today!
