Getting-to-Know-You School Activities
Getting-to-know-you activities, also known as ice breakers, are social games and exercises that allow groups of people to interact. In school, ice breakers are used to help students learn about one another, build trust and employ skills, while having fun in the process.
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Partner Introduction
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"Partner Introduction" is an ice breaker that students can perform sitting down. Students break into teams of two and spend four minutes interviewing each other. Each student spends one minute interviewing and one minute answering questions. At the end of the four minutes, each student introduces his partner to the entire group. This activity also allows students to work on their listening skills.
People Bingo
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"People Bingo" is similar to the classic game; however, instead of using a game board with numbers, students try to attain "bingo" by finding peers with the character traits listed on the board. The People Bingo game board consists of 25 squares with a personality trait in each box, such as "I have a brother," "I like video games" or "I play basketball." Each student approaches another and may ask him if he has a particular trait. If the person has that trait, he will write his name on the student's bingo square. The student then must pass on to another person to ask another question. The student can return to the first person after he has asked questions of all the other students. The goal is to find classmates who match a description in each column to get "bingo." Time permitting, all students will share their findings with the entire group.
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Candy Count
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"Candy Count" doubles as an ice breaker and a treat. To play, you'll need a bag of candy that has several small pieces, such as M&Ms or Skittles. Students may take as many pieces of candy as they wish but they are not allowed to eat any until instructed. Once everyone in the group has taken their share, they are then instructed to tell the group a number of facts about themselves that equals the amount of candies they've taken.
Two Truths and a Lie
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"Two Truths and a Lie" is a guessing game. Each student will make three statements about herself but only two of them should be true; the third must be made up. Everyone else in the group must then guess which statement is not true. The game continues until each player has an opportunity to make the three statements. This ice breaker allows students to practice their analytical skills while learning about their peers.
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References
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