Games, Mixers & Icebreakers
GEMS Conference 2017
1st things 1st – Pick your Teams
Never let the Kids Pick teams, Never Count off by 1,2,1,2
Here’s a few suggestions:
- Separate by Month of Birth. Then group months for # of teams you need.
- Separate by Birth date. 1-10 is 1st team, 11-20 is 2nd team, 21-31 is 3rd
- Have a grab bag with different color pieces (one color for each team needed)
- Can use paper, candy, stickers, beads, anything
- Make sure it is a blind grab so they can’t see the color they are picking
- Ask questions like:
- When you eat a cupcake,do you break it in half or take the frosting top off
- When done with cereal do you drink the milk from the bowl, or use a spoon
- Look at your Fingernails, did you curl finger towards you with palms up or have palms down with fingers pointed away? (2 teams)
- Line kids up in one line using any method (this can be a mixer game by itself)
- birthday, height, age, 1st name initial in alphabetical order, shoe size, address #
- Then walk the 1st kid with the others following down to the last kid
- You should end up with 2 equal teams facing each other
- If you need someone to be “It”
- Everyone puts one thumb in the center and counselor reaches in to grab one
Icebreakers & Mixers
Line Up – use #5 from above but add variations – no talking, blindfolds. Once they are done repeat with different line up.
Similarity Charades – Divide into smaller groups. Each group discusses their similarities and acts out for other group to guess.
Group Juggle – Group stands in circle, then 1st person tosses ball to player across circle calling out the name of the person they tossed too. Establish pattern so everyone is included. Add additional balls as the game continues.
Question & Answers – Create a list of questions as conversation starters. Questions can be based on any theme. Create rules to make it more interested like: Each question must be asked of a different person or you must ask one question to someone from each grade.
(see sample included)
Loop-de-loop – Girls stand in a circle and hold hands. Start one hula hoop (innertube, long loop of fabric, etc.) hanging over one pair of joined hands. Each person in the circle must pass the hoop/loop over herself on to the next person WITHOUT letting go of hands. You can do this with 2 o3 hoops/loops going at the same time in different directions.
Blind Shapes – Group is blindfolded or have eyes closed. Have group form themselves into a square or a triangle, etc. Can use a rope w/ everyone holding on. Can also do this in teams to see who make the better shape.
Cheer Squad – Each player finds and opponent, introduces themselves and then plays a game of rock, paper, scissors. The winning player continues to play w/ a new opponent, while the losing player follows the winner and becomes their cheering squad. The game continues until one player has won and all the other participants are cheering for them.
Mingle, Mingle, Mingle – Have group walk around saying “Mingle, mingle, mingle” to the conga line tune. Leader calls out a number loudly. All the Players must form groups of the specified number.
Once in the groups you can do a couple of different things:
a. group that is not in the right # is eliminated and, then thegame starts over
b. once in the groups have each person share their name and something about themselves. When they are finish, the game starts over and they will form new group with different number.
c. use this to create groups for different activity. Repeat game using different # in groups to mix them up, then end with the # in the group you need for next activity.
Animal Game – Label each girl with an animal using tape/sticker across her back. Each girl needs to guess what animal has been taped to her by asking questions of other participants. Each girl can only ask 1 yes/no question to each participant.
Candy Game– Pick a candy that has colors like starburst, skittles or M&M. Have everyone take a few candies from the bag. Do not tell them the exact amount to take. Assign a topic for each color. For example: Blue – favorite food; Green – interesting fact about yourself; Yellow – Bible character you most would like to meet. Make up the topic list beforehand depending on the event and the candy that you use. This game is perfect for an event where people are sitting at tables.
2 truths and 1 Lie– each person take a turn saying 2 true things and 1 untrue thing about themselves. The rest of the group tries to guess which is the untrue thing.
GAMES
Paper Bag Skit:
Preparation: Put 5 - 7 random household items in a brown bag. Divide into teams of 5 or 6
Object: Each team is to create, practice, and perform a skit using the objects in the bag
You can give a topic or let them use their own imagination.
Rules: 1. They need to use each item, but not as it usually is used.
2. Every member of the team must have a speaking part
An added bit of fun is to perform the skit then perform same skit in 30 seconds, then 15 seconds, and then 5 seconds.
Toilet Bowl Game:
Preparation: Have 3 pieces of paper for each Girl. Then have them write down 3 people, places or things. (Examples. President Trump on one piece, banana on the other piece and waterskiing on the 3rd piece of paper)All the pieces are folded and put in a bowl.
How to Play:
1. Divide girls into 2 teams
2. Team 1 is given 1 minute.
3. They take a piece of paper out of the bowl and need to describe what is written using only words, without saying the item.
4. If their team guesses it, they get a point and take another piece of paper trying to get as many words right in 1 minute
4. When the minute is up, the other team gets a turn.
5. After all the pieces of paper are gone, they all are put back in the bowl
6. The second time around, they do the same thing, but this time, they may only say one word to describe the item. Both teams take turns each getting 1 minute at a time. When all the pieces of paper are gone, they are once more put in the bowl.
7. The third time around, they will act the word, saying nothing. The team with the most points win. Super fun!
Homemade Harmonicas:
Preparation: Each girl receives a comb and piece of parchment paper.
Put the paper around the comb, and blow! Instant harmonica!
Have familiar songs written out on pieces of paper.
How to Play:
1. Divide the girls into 2 teams.
2. Each team send one person up at a time.
3. Teams take turnsplaying a song, 1stteamto guess it right, gets a point.
4. Play continues until all the songs are gone.
5. Team with the most points, wins. Super fun and simple!
Toothpick Tower Marshmallow:
Supplies: Equal # of uncooked spaghetti noodles and marshmallows for each team
How to Play:
1. Teams create a unique/tall tower working together
2. Each team member can only use one hand, the other is behind their back
3. The team with the tallest tower wins
Shoveling Snow:
Supplies: Vaseline, cotton balls, 1 napkin per person
How to Play:
1. Everyone sits in a circle on their knees.
2. Place a dab of Vaseline on the tip of each player’s nose.
3. Place a pile of cotton balls scattered in front of them and a napkin
4. Each player uses their noses to pick up a cotton ball and then somehow get the cotton ball off their nose and onto the napkin without using their hands.
5. Hands should be clasped behind their backs.
6. After 1 minute, the player with the most, wins.
A Work of Art
Supplies: 2 separate sets of the same craft material (exactly the same)
Goal: To create 2 pieces of art that look as similar as possible
How to Play:
- Place craft materials a fair distance apart
- Choose participants to be artists and the rest to be communicators
- Place one artist at each end and the rest of the participants in between
- Have 1st artist arrange the material in any way they choose
- Have the communicators whisper down the line to 2nd artist what it looks like
- 2nd artist constructs the art as described
- Limit communication to only one direction
Squirt,Squirt,Squirt (a never can tell game)
How to Play:
1. Players sit in circle quietly, with leader in the middle (the shooter)
2. Shooter says “Squirt, Squirt, Squirt, who did I get wet?” (w/ actions)
3. Players then try to figure out who shooter shot – talking it out
4. Shooter says, “I got you” and points to player who made the 1st noise
5. Repeat steps 2 – 4 until players start to figure out the pattern
a. Then they will start saying “Me”
Swat
Supplies: Have a paper bag rolled and covered in tape to use as swatter
How to Play:
1. Have all participants sit in a circle
2. Have each participant pick a theme name
a. Christmas items (example: snow, wreath, tree, stocking)
b. Any theme would work (spring, beach, camping, GEMS)
3. Have one participant start in the center of the circle with the swatter
4. Have one participant in the circle start by saying “(their name) calls ……”
5. That person would then have to follow by calling another name. (example: “snow calls tree, then tree calls wreath, then wreath calls stocking….) it continues
6. The person in the center needs to swat one of the participants before they call someone else, then they would take that seat and the person who was not able to finish their call would go to the middle.
7. Adding participants during the game is easy but review the names every time someone is added.
8. Game continues for as long as needed
HINT: Review the names often if only a few people are getting called. Limit the back and forth between 2 participants by saying you can’t call the person who called you.
Sardines
Supplies: Darkness, Flashlights if possible/needed
Helpful Hints:
Have players travel in pairs
Have many rooms available for leader to hide or play outside
Leader should find a hiding spot that can easily fit at least ½ the group playing
How to Play:
1. Name one person/pair as the leader
2. The leader is given 5 min to hide, while the rest of the group waits in a central location.
3. When the time is up, the rest of the group must go looking for the leader
4. If a player finds the leader, they must quietly join them in hiding
5. The game ends when most of the group is in the hiding spot w/the leader
6. The player(s) that were 1st to find the leader become the new leader & goes back to step 2.
Black Magic (a never can tell game)
Secret: the right answer is always the object after the black object
How to Play:
1. 2 people who know game must be leader and guesser
2. Guesser goes into another room
3. The leader and the group decide on a secret object, then retrieves guesser
4. Leader asks questions to see if guesser can determine the secret object
a. Is it this blue binder? No
b. Is it the blackboard? No
c. Is it this red umbrella? – yes, that is it
5. The right answer is always the object after the black object
6. Continue Playing the game until the group has discovered the secret
Bipity Bop
How to Play:
1. Players form a circle
2. Leader chooses one player to be the Bopper to start
3. Bopper stands in the center of the circle and introduces themselves
4. Players then turn to their left and right to introduce themselves
5. Bopper points at a player saying one of the following:
a. “Me” – player must call out the name of the Bopper
b. “You” – player must call out their own name
c. “Left” – player must call out the name of the person on their left
d. “Right” – player must call out the name of the person on their right
6. Players pointed at must call out the appropriate name before the Bopper calls out “Boppity bop bop bop”
7. If the Bopper completes the phrase before the player calls out the name, then the participants switch places
8. If the Bopper does not complete the phrase before the player calls out the name, then the Bopper stays in the center and points at someone new
9. Game continues for a long as needed
Pass the Spoons (a never can tell game)
Supplies: 2 spoons, and seats for all players
How to Play:
1. Players sit in a circle
2. Starting player mustknow the secret and will start passing spoons
3. They will pass the spoons saying “I pass these spoons to you …. (crossed or straight)” Secret – the way the spoons are passed reflects your leg arrangement
4. If they pass them crossed, their legs must be crossed – if they pass them straight, their legs must NOT be crossed
5. Player 2 says “I accept these spoons (straight or crossed) and I pass them …” following the same pattern as step 4
a. If Player 2 does not follow step 4, the spoons return to 1st player. They will start again in the other direction
b. If Player 2 is correct, they pass them on to Player 3, etc.
The Yes Game
Supplies: A List of Yes/No questions (example included) and seat for everyone
How to Play:
1. Players sit in a circle
2. Using the list of Questions read one out loud.
3. If the girls can say “Yes” to it, they move one seat to the right. If they answer “No” they stay where they are seated.
4. If there is already someone on the chair, just pile on. You may have 4-5 people staked on one chair.
5. Play for as long as you what using as many questions as needed.
6. Be creative and add or subtract questions based on event your using it for
7. You can also use this game around a table instead of moving around a circle.
a. Just give 1 point for every “yes” answer and keep track of points.
LEFT and RIGHT Game:
Use same format as “The Yes Game” but use a story that uses the words Left and Right.
Girls move left or right as the word is used.
Stories can be found online for any situation. Sample included.
Scavenger Hunt
Many different formats can be used:
1. List of items to find (great for camping trips or outdoors)
2. Picture Hunt – They have a list of things to take pictures of or of their group in front of and object. Works great at Christmas time w/ Christmas decorations
3. People Hunt – have a list of items that can only be found on individuals present. They need to find those people. Great Mixer.
4. Treasure Hunt – they follow a clue to a specific location to find the next clue and so on. You can have teams follow the same path starting at different locations or you have separate hunts for each team.
Be creative with this and have fun! A few examples have been included.
Frisbee Ball
Play regular game of softball using a frisbee instead. No pitcher needed.
Batter throws frisbee from “batter’s box”.
Backwards Ball
Play a regular game of softball with the same rules, but 1st base is actually the normal 3rd base, 2nd base is the normal and 3rd base is actually normal 1st base.
Ships & Sails/Captain’s Coming
Supplies: None
Object: Be the last participant in the game & then take over calling
How to Play:
1. One person is the caller and faces the group
2. Other participants are in rows and face caller
3. Participants will perform actions that caller calls
4. Failure to perform actions results in being eliminated from game
Calls:
1. Chicken in the Hen House
a. Participants are to break into pairs
b. 1 goes down on all 4s
c. 1 stands beside w/ knee on back of partner
2. Lover’s Leap
a. Participants are to break in to pairs
b. 1 stands and other leaps into arms
3. Ships – everyone moves to the right
4. Sails – everyone moves to the left
5. Man Overboard
a. Participants are to break in to pairs
b. One person drops to one knee the other stands behind them, puts a hand on their shoulder. Both scan the ocean for the overboard manMess Table