Team Building Icebreakers

All of us know the pain of sitting through long boring meeting, which run into monotony with just status updates, lectures and work assignment discussion. There is a lot to discuss, but then your attention span really dips and you wish this meeting ended soon. Well, here are some quick and fun games to break this boredom and usher in fun and enthusiasm in your team mates.These also helps in building efficient teams.

Game 1: Is my foot bigger than yours?

Ask all your team members to get up and assemble in a line. The rule of the game is simple, they have to rearrange themselves according to their shoe sizes without actually mentioning their shoe sizes to each other. To top it all, they all need to be blind folded! Stand back and watch the fun as they scrambled against each other trying to communicate a simple thing, without stating the obvious!

How this game helps:The team will need to work on their communication skills by trying to communicate without discussing their shoe size and without vision. Patience, teamwork and understanding are a must to succeed at this game.

Game 2: My role model is...

Ask each of your team members to declare to all, the name of a person at work, who they consider to be their role model. They are to state the reason behind this as well.

How this game helps: This game will bring people closer as some may realize they respect the same person and begin to see their team mate from a different perspective.

Game 3: We are all leaves of the same tree!

Ask everyone to sit in a circle, with each facing another at the other end of the circle. Give a ball of twine to one amongst them and ask them to narrate an embarrassing aspect or anecdote about themselves. Once everyone has had their share of laughter, he is to pass it to the person sitting opposite, while holding on to one bit of the twine thereby creating a link between him and the next person.

This way, each one shares a story and passes on the twine across, thereby creating a web connecting each and everyone.

How this game helps:This game help people to realize that they are all similar and connected to one another. There may be differences, but ultimately, the similarities overshadow the differences.It will inspire your team to work as one.

Game 4: Oh, I didn't know that about you!

Rearrange the seating arrangement such that, everyone sits with someone they have never sat with before and have them interact with one another by asking three questions:

Can you tell me a moment of pride in your work or personal life?
What is that one aspect that most people don't know about you?
The last question is open ended and left to each one.

Having gathered an insight about this person, each one shares to the larger group, what he has learnt about that partner in this game.

How this game helps:Everyone get enlightened about everyone else and this new insight helps build rapport between all the team members.

Game 5: Do you know what I mean?

Ask for a volunteer for this game. Hand him a sheet of paper with various different shapes drawn on it. The volunteer is to stand with their back facing the audience and describe the shapes as drawn in the sheet of paper he is holding. The rest, are to try to draw this shape as per the vocal instructions of the volunteer. It is funny to see the shapes that are drawn by the group as the volunteer tries to describe simple designs.

How this game helps:This game rings a bell on the importance of communication.