Team buildings usually start with the so-called icebreaking games. These do not come in handy only at corporate events, but can also boost the atmosphere at a friend’s gathering. We’ll show you a few now that hardly need any tools/equipment, so you can try it almost anywhere.
Small ball
Players form a circle and launch two balls. One goes from hand to hand in one direction, the other is thrown to each other. Don’t let the balls fall down. Fun and laughter is already guaranteed, but if you want, you can personalize them, like Bonnie and Clyde or Tom and Jerry.
Sword and shields
The players stand in a circle. Everyone shows their sword, which is their right index finger, and their shield, which is the left palm open. Then everyone puts their right index finger in the palm of the person next to them. The instructor/trainer counts till three, and at three, everyone tries to pull his sword out of the other person’s palm on the right, and catch the other person’s sword on the left simultaneously. What makes the game funny is that when the trainer does not simply count, but instead of saying three, says “think” or another word starting with “th”, for example, throw, thigh, and so on.
If you want to level it up, you can go for a side swap, so the left hand is the sword, the right is the shield, or you can play with your eyes closed.
Tag with dice
This game requires a closer contact between the participants. Players are paired, each pair is given a dice/ toy cube / piece of jenga. Players can only touch the cube with their index fingers, and they have to hold it carefully not to let it fall. They need to move around, walk in the space, first freely and then according to these instructions.
For example: Squat down and then stand up together! / Jump up together! / Draw a number, letter or a word in the air with the cube. / One of the player spins around! / Walk from one end of the playing field to the other!
Human bingo
This is the next level of ice-breaking games, through which you can get into contact with all the members of the group.
Collect unique statements/fun facts true to the participants in a way that the group members should not know each other’s statements.
After collecting the statements about the participants, write them down on bingo charts, and give everyone a bingo chart and a pen. The participants then walk around and ask questions from the others. The task is to find a person whom the given statement is true for. They can only ask one question per person at a time. If the statement is true for a member of the group – even if it was not his/her originally given personal statement- then he can sign your chart. The goal is to find someone to all the statements in the group, but one person is allowed to sign a card only once. During the game, it is easy to see how much the players have in common. Here are some simple statements you can use:
I have a dog. I have blue eyes. I like chocolate. I drink coffee with 2 sugar. I always sing when having a shower. I have already tried sushi. I’ve already been to another continent.
Clap together
We recommend this game as a closing icebreaker during which the team can still stay and play together. Players stand in a circle and their job is to clap together with the trainer. In the meantime, the trainer may feel free to talk about something, making it harder for the participants to listen when the clap is coming. The trainer may even leave pauses, clap three, then stop, then two, and pause. The point is that the team should tune in to the trainer. You can play it until everyone is doing very well, and you end the closing icebreaker with a big applause.
