Icebreakers, Energizers, and Reflections

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Icebreakers, Energizers, and Reflections This is a collection of activities to enhance your trainings/meetings and support deeper understanding for participants. Each activity is identified as an Icebreaker (I), Energizer (E), or a Reflection (R) – and is often considered more than one of those categories. __________________________________________________________________________________________ Betcha Never (I) (R)

Time: 5-10 min.

Materials: None

Description: This activity allows participants to get to know each other. It challenges participants to reflect on the topic and think of unique things about themselves that no one else is likely to have done, and it often leads to participants finding experiences they have in common with each other. Directions:

1. Ask participants to come up with one thing that is true of them that they think no one else can claim to be true. Ideally, you can give them a prompt which is related to your training/meeting topic (such as “Share an example of an unplanned activity which turned into a great learning opportunity” at the beginning of a training about emergent curriculum). 2. Give each person a chance to state their name and the one “betcha never” fact about themselves. 3. If someone else can claim the fact, the individual must come up with another “betcha never” until each participant has stated one unique fact.

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Bus Stop (E) (R)

Time: 15-20 min.

Materials:

Pre-printed sheets with quotes, statements, or questions

Description: Participants “visit” one of several stops that help them explore an aspect of the activity. Responses are shared in the large group to create a full picture of the activity. Directions:

1. Post several large sheets of paper around the room, each labeled with a specific statement identifying a particular issue. 2. Ask participants to stand by the station that they most closely identify with or are interested in discussing. 3. Have participants spend some time discussing with others at their station. 4. Facilitate a large group discussion in which someone from each of the stops shares a summary of their discussion. Allow others to ask questions or contribute ideas as time allows.

__________________________________________________________________________________________ Comfort Zones (E) (R)

Time: 5-10 min.

Materials: Reflection statements

Description: The space is divided into three zones and participants choose which one fits with their experience. This activity can be used to gauge comfort with content, a process, or other issues. Directions:

1. Designate three “zones” in the room: one for “comfortable”, one for “stretched”, and one for “overwhelmed”. Typically this is done as three areas along an imaginary spectrum line; one side of the room is comfortable, the other side is overwhelmed, and the middle is stretched.

2. Read a series of reflection statements. 3. For each statement, ask participants to place themselves in the zone that most closely matches their feeling about the statement. Silent reflection after each statement is often best, but asking volunteers to share why they moved where they did is sometimes appropriate. 4. At some point during the activity (typically at the beginning or end), you might talk about how “stretched” is the zone in which the most learning occurs. People can’t learn if they stay in their comfort zone, nor does learning occur when people feel overwhelmed.

__________________________________________________________________________________________ Copy My Rhythm (I) (E)

Time: 5-15 min.

Materials: None

Description: This musical activity creates a shared symphony with group members through clapping, stomping, snapping, or making other noises. This can also be used in transitions during trainings/meetings. Directions:

1. Create a rhythm with clapping, snapping, knee slapping, or whatever else you can think of to create noise with your hands. 2. Participants join in by following the rhythm. You can also have participants take turns leading the “rhythms”.

__________________________________________________________________________________________ Cross the Line (I) (E) (R)

Time: 10-20 min.

Materials: Statements

Description: The trainer reads a series of statements and participants choose to stand on the side of the line that represents their viewpoint. The sides of the line can represent yes/no, agree/disagree, or another pair of extremes. This activity provides an opportunity to assess the group prior to or following an activity. This exercise can be used as a simple icebreaker, or as a way to inform the group about minority viewpoints and power dynamics. Directions:

1. Ask all participants to stand on one side of the room. Tell them you will read a series of statements. Once you read a statement, everyone for whom that statement is personally true walks to the other side of the line. Both sides are to look each other in the eyes. 2. After the first statement, you may wish to use a reflective prompt such as, “Notice who is on one side of the room and notice who is not”. Participants silently acknowledge the configuration of the room’s participants. If only one or a few people are on one side, either during the activity or following you may ask participants how it felt to be in the majority/minority and if this possibility influenced where they stood. 3. Ask participants to rejoin the individuals who did not move. You can repeat the exercise with additional statements. This can be done without verbal discussion by participants about their stance or can include having a couple of people from each side of the line share.

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Famous Trios (I) (E) Time: 5 min. or < for groups less than 18.

Materials: Famous trio cards

Description: Form groups of three using sets of cards. Directions:

1. (Before activity) Decide how many different groups you need and for each group, create a set of cards that reflects a famous trio. 2. As you begin the activity, distribute one card to each participant. 3. Explain, “Your card contains one member of a famous trio. Find the other two members of your trio to form groups of three for the next activity.” 4. Go around and make sure that groups are forming correctly.

__________________________________________________________________________________________ Green Light, Yellow Light, Red Light (R)

Time: 5-15 min.

Materials: Large paper or dry erase board, markers

Description: Participants collectively reflect on the things they would like to continue doing, the things they would like to stop doing, and the things that they would like to start doing. Directions:

1. Post a piece of large paper (chart paper works well) or use a whiteboard, and draw three columns. 2. In column one, “green light”, participants list the things that they would like to start doing. 3. In column two, “yellow light”, participants list the things that they would like to continue doing. 4. In column three, “red light”, participants list the things that they would like to stop doing. 5. This can lead to a discussion about norms, decisions, and ultimately a plan based on the lists they generated.

__________________________________________________________________________________________ Interesting Objects (I) (E) (R)

Time: 10-15 min.

Materials: Box or bucket with a wide variety of small objects (can also use a wide variety of photos)

Description: Participants are asked to select an interesting item from a box of random materials (these can be things you find around the house, or dollar tree objects- e.g. a light bulb, a Frisbee, a child’s toy, a gardening tool, etc.) and talk about how it represents some aspect of the workshop/program. The use of the object as a metaphor for the experience often leads to engaging and interesting comments that would not otherwise have been made. Directions:

1. Each participant selects an object from the box. The box should contain many more objects than there are participants in the group to give more ample choice for the participants. 2. Once each participant selects an item that is interesting to him or her, ask him or her to share how that object represents some aspect of the workshop or program.

3. In an opening activity, the object can represent something participants hope to receive from the workshop/meeting. 4. In a closing, the object can represent something that they will take away from the experience.

__________________________________________________________________________________________ Lazy Susan (R)

Time: 5-15 min.

Materials: Paper, pens

Description: Participants write a question, issue, or problem on a piece of paper or index card and pass these to other group members who share responses, solutions, or ideas. Directions:

1. Have participants write a question, issue, or problem on an index card or sheet of paper. 2. Have participants pass the cards clockwise. 3. The recipient brainstorms at least one response, solution, or idea on the topic written on the card or paper they received. 4. After a while, pass the sheets again and have participants add additional responses. 5. The original card is returned to the original author for review. Responses may be posted around the room or shared with the large group in another way.

__________________________________________________________________________________________ Name and Motion Circle (I) (E)

Time: 10-15 min.

Materials: None

Description: Use memory and motion to learn the names of the participants. Directions:

1. Ask everyone to stand in a circle. 2. Demonstrate how the game works by saying your name and performing a motion to go with it (such as jumping or waving your hands above your head). 3. Have everyone say your name and do your motion. 4. Now ask everyone to think about a motion to go with their name. Starting with the person to your right or left, ask them to say their name and do their motion, then everyone repeats their name and motion, followed by repeating your name and motion. 5. This continues around the circle, so every time a name is added, the series of names and motions to remember gets longer. 6. After the last person says their name and motion, everyone tries to perform everyone’s name and motion in order around the circle.

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Quotation Stations (I) (E)

Time: 10-15 min.

Materials: Several quotes printed (one per page)

Description: Participants choose from several quotes or statements related to a specific topic and discuss why they chose it. Directions:

1. Post several quotations or statements around related to a topic around the room. 2. You can either have volunteers read each quotation aloud or ask participants to go around, read each quotation, and stand by the one they like the most. 3. Once everyone has chosen a quotation, participants can discuss with others at that quotation station why they chose it.

__________________________________________________________________________________________ Rating Scale (I) (E) (R)

Time: 15-20 min.

Materials: Reflection statements, signs to mark the continuum

Description: A way to form groups while reflecting on comfort or readiness level within your workshop/program. Directions:

1. Prepare a series of reflection statements based on your workshop/program. 2. Prepare signs with the numbers 1-5. 3. Instruct participants, “I will read each statement twice. After the second time, decide where you would place yourself on the continuum.” 4. Each time participants place themselves, give them an opportunity to speak with others who rated themselves equally, then ask one or two people to share the small group’s sentiments with the larger group. 5. After the last statement has been read and participants have shared their thoughts, they can be instructed to work with the group they are with. If you need to split or combine groups due to size, do so.

__________________________________________________________________________________________ A Rose, a Bud, a Thorn (I) (E) (R)

Time: 5-15 min.

Materials: None

Description: Using symbolism, the trainer asks participants to identify three areas of learning. What the rose, the bud, and the thorn represent will be related to concepts addressed or activities completed in the training/meeting. Directions:

1. Have participants write or say one of each of these in regard to the activity: a. Thorn: One thing that was challenging, that they would have liked to be different, or something they did not enjoy. b. Bud: A new idea they hope to develop. c. Rose: Something that was positive, something they are proud of, or something they liked. 2. They can share these with the trainer, a partner, in a small group or with the group as a whole. Depending on the time available, the trainer can have them share in more than one way.

Stand Up If… (I) (E) (R)

Time: 5-10 min.

Materials: None

Description: A series of statements are read aloud, and participants are asked to stand when the statement read is true of them. Directions:

1. Read a series of statements which may be true of various participants. 2. Tell participants that if the statement is true for them, they should stand, then sit down again before the next statement is read.

__________________________________________________________________________________________ Step Forward, Step Back (I) (E) (R)

Time: 5-10 min.

Materials: None

Description: A series of statements are read aloud, and participants take a step forward or back depending on their answers. Directions:

1. Have participants line up on one side of the room facing you. 2. Read a series of statements which may be true of various participants related to your workshop or meeting content (such as “step forward if you have at least three years of experience working with toddlers” or “step back if you were discouraged by others to work with young children”). 3. Participants can discuss the variety of “locations” people are once the activity has ended and how that affects them in their work.

__________________________________________________________________________________________ Think Pair Share (R)

Time: 10-20 min.

Materials: None

Description: Participants work individually, in pairs, and finally in the larger group in response to a prompt. This simple exercise can really help get a conversation going, especially when participants don’t feel comfortable sharing in a large full group. Sharing with a partner also helps build connections between participants. Directions:

1. Participants review or consider a question, a video clip, article, or other prompt. You might have participants write down their initial responses. Let them know that they will be sharing their responses with others. 2. Using a grouping strategy, have participants form pairs. 3. Participants discuss their thoughts with their partner. 4. Have volunteers share a summary of their discussion with the whole group.