Icebreaker games play a key role in bringing new teams together and establishing rapport between team members. Well-designed team-building activities provide a structured way for colleagues to start conversing and collaborating. They are especially impactful for new team members, as they allow individuals to:

Maguro Maki: Meet the Tough Tuna of the team! With her strong mind and intense concentration, she can float in the air and move objects around without touching them. When obstacles are in the way, Maguro Maki is the one to call! A focused meditation to become present and aware. We accept our feelings, leaving behind what we doesn’t serve us right now. A ideal way to open a workshop or team meeting. Name Game To play, ask a volunteer to pull a piece of string from the clump and slowly wind it around their index finger.

You can use random pictures or choose a theme appropriate for the occasion. For example, for a summer camp, choose pictures of plants and animals. See, Hear, and Touch Working with small groups creates an opportunity for greater depth. In this icebreaker game, invite team members to draw their life as a map, using common symbols and signs you might find on a map. Stop signs, deer crossings, mountainous areas…the choice of how to illustrate your life story is yours! The best ice breaker games often have a very clear goal. You can use this method at the beginning of any meeting to set the stage and get people thinking about what they can contribute. It’s a simple way to get started and always gets results!

Ask every participant to take a coin, and then talk about something significant that happened to them when the coin was first minted (according to the date on the coin).For example, you can arrange a scavenger hunt in the office or room you are in, use the whole building, or even send participants to a local park.