How to Plan Icebreakers for a Youth Group
Icebreakers are a great way to kick off a meeting, social gathering or event. They are particularly useful in helping young group members feel at ease and more comfortable in an unfamiliar setting. Icebreaker activities can be fun, informative, thought-provoking or all of the above. The main goal is to get everyone talking and create a relaxed atmosphere conducive for the main purpose of the gathering.
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Instructions
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Plan a
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Distribute one index card to each member of the youth group along with a pencil.
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Instruct the participating individuals to write something on the card that no one knows about them. Give an example to spark their imaginations. For instance, "I hold the record for the most chicken wings eaten in a single sitting at the local barbecue restaurant."
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Give the group about 5 minutes to work on a response, then collect the cards.
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Read the cards out loud and allow the group to speculate about whom the author of the cards might be.
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Once the author of a card is correctly identified, allow that person an opportunity to elaborate on their story. This creates a casual discussion that allows full participation and facilitates further contact amongst group members. This is also a good way to begin a dialog about the sometimes inaccurate assumptions of first impressions.
Plan a
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Hand out one index card and a pencil to each youth group member.
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Instruct each person to write down two statements about themselves that are true and one that is false. Urge them to be creative and make sure the truths are not known by the majority of the group. This portion of the activity should take between 10 and 15 minutes.
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Have people take turns reading their statements.
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Urge the group to guess which statement out of the three is false.
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Allow the author to expand on the two truths he has revealed about himself. This will allow the group members to become more familiar with each other.
Plan a
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Write the name of a famous individual on an index card. Make sure there is a card for each participant and write a different name on each card. The names can be of actors, musicians, politicians or anyone else who is well known. It's best if the names can reflect people of particular interest to the group.
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Distribute one card to each member of the group without allowing them to see it.
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Have the group break into pairs to complete the activity.
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The teams should take turns revealing their cards to each other. Have one person on each team reveal his card to his teammate by holding it against his own forehead with the words facing out.
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Instruct the individuals holding the cards to try to uncover their "identity" by asking their teammates revealing questions. The questions should be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." For example, the team member could ask whether her person is a female or has blond hair. These questions will help narrow the possibilities.
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Instruct the teams to reverse roles after about 15 minutes allowing the other participants to take part in the guessing game.
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End the ice breaker after about 30 minutes by asking to see a show of hands to determine the number of correct answers.
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Tips & Warnings
Choose icebreakers appropriate for the ages of the youth group members. Avoid activities that bore older children or icebreakers that overwhelm the younger members.
Consider using the icebreakers to initiate an important discussion or facilitate a new relationship.
