Getting to Know Each Other

Ice Breakers: Getting to Know Each Other: Many times icebreakers are used to remove tension and get a group interacting when people don‟t know each other very well. These are fun for any group (because we can always get to know each other better), but are particularly useful for groups that are just starting out.

Goals: o Involve everyone o Spur discussion or interaction o Be fun!

Examples: o Questions: .What are two of your pet peeves? .When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? .What 3 things would you take with you if you were stranded on a desert island? .What 5 words or phrases capture your life right now?

Games:

.Hot Seat: Pick one group member. He or she is in the „hot seat‟ for 2 minutes. The other group members can ask that person any question they want. The person in the hot seat must answer the questions. If, however, it‟s not a question he or she wants to answer, he or she can say „No‟, and then whoever asked the question MUST answer it.

.Who Am I: Each member of the group picks a famous, well-known person and writes it on a sticky note. The name should be kept a secret. Each person then takes their sticky note and puts it on another person‟s forehead. Taking turns, everyone with a sticky note asks the group yes/no questions to determine who they are. Examples: Am I male? Am I alive? Am I a politician/movie star/writer/etc.? Members keep asking questions until they get a no answer or until they guess incorrectly. The winner is the person who can figure out their person without getting any no answers or guessing incorrectly.

.M&M game: Put M&Ms (or any other multicolored candy) into a bowl. Have everyone in the group grab as much or as little as they like, but make sure they don‟t eat it! For each piece of candy they took, they will have to answer a question, depending on its color. For example, you can designate:  Red Candy: favorite hobbies  Green candy: favorite foods  Yellow candy: favorite movies  Orange candy: favorite places to travel  Brown candy: most memorable or embarrassing moments  Blue candy: wild cards (they can share from any topic they choose)

Be creative and choose questions you think would be fitting for your group. The facilitator will then call out the color topic and everyone will go around the room sharing 1 answer per M&M. For example, if you chose 2 pieces of red candy, you will have to name 2 of your favorite hobbies. After the individual has shared that color with the group, he/she may eat their candy. Continue around the room until each color topic has been shared. .Two Truths and a Lie: Each person share with the group two true facts and one lie about themselves. Then the rest of the group has to guess which statement was a lie.

Who Done It Game Who Done It? is an icebreaker that reveals interesting (and sometimes incredible!) things people have done. It’s a simple guessing game that is straightforward to play. This game is a get-to-know-you style icebreaker in which players try to guess which person corresponds to each item written on notecards. The recommended group size is a medium sized group of about eight to sixteen people, although the game can be adapted to accommodate other sized groups. Playing this icebreaker indoors is most ideal. Materials required are: several notecards and pens. Who Done It? is playable by all ages, including college students and adults in corporate settings. Setup and Gameplay for Who Done It (Whodunit?) This game can be played individually or with two teams. For extremely large groups, choose ten volunteers and split them into two teams of five. To set up the game, pass out an index card and a pen for each participant. Ask each person to write down something interesting they have done. Examples include the following:  I went skydiving once.  I got arrested before.  I once drank a gallon of milk.  I lived in seven different states.  I ate bugs before. Try to instruct people to write a fact that most people don’t already know – the sillier (or more unbelievable) the better. Collect all the. Shuffle the cards and then pass them back out. Each person takes turns reading aloud their card and then the reader must guess whose fact he or she read. After he or she guesses, the guessed person simply says “yes” or “no”. If the person guesses correctly, the guessed person can briefly explain what they wrote (if desired). The guessing continues until all cards are exhausted. Everyone reveals who wrote which card at the end. The Who Done It? game is a good, simple get-to-know-you game that is especially good for groups with new people, or for whenever you wish to help people get to know each other better to break the ice. Sometimes humorous facts can be revealed, leading people to exclaim, “You did WHAT?”

Beginning Your Meeting Icebreakers should be a regular part of every meeting. They help to deepen relationships so that group members can share openly and trust can grow.  Goals: o Should not be a „yes‟ or „no‟ question o Should give everyone a chance to talk in the first 15 minutes of the meeting o Should help introduce the topic of study  Examples: o For “The Beatitudes” .Share a time when you felt mistreated because of your faith .In what areas of your life do you feel that you are lacking something? o For “Moses Parting the Red Sea” .What would you say to someone who asked you to have faith and do something that seems impossible? .Have you ever felt God asking you to do something? If so, how did you respond? .Are there any areas in your life where you feel you‟ll be trapped if God doesn‟t come through? o For “Creation” .Name two of God‟s creations that mean the most of you and share why