Ice-Breakers: Any activity done in order to establish rapport with the group and to make them feel comfortable.
Why Ice-breakers:
• When trainees arrive in a training room they are usually a loose mix of individuals with different mind sets
• At the beginning of a course, trainees are usually not thinking about the trainer or the course content but about their neighbor, coffee time for phoning/messages, the end of the day for errands, sights, sounds and smells in the room, etc
• An inclusion activity will make them feel included and, if well designed, help them to relate to the others in the group; it can also provide a bridge into the course itself
• Above all it puts the spotlight on them (the most important people in the room) and takes if off you and allows you to relax into the course
A good inclusion activity should be:
F oolproof: has been tested and works!
A musing: trainees should enjoy it
B ridged: linked to the course subject (if possible)
U nique: trainees should not have done it before
L ively: has movement, exchange and chatter
O ptimistic: is positive and non-threatening
U ncomplicated: is easy to explain and organize
S hort: lasts between 5 and 10 minutes
Ice-breakers can be generic or specific to the training topic. The length of the ice-breaking activity depends upon the entire training duration and number of participants. Ideally it shall not exceed 30-40 mins for a one-day training session.