Ice Breakers Ways of tricking kids into thinking

Ice Breakers Ways of tricking kids into thinking you are really fun.

Alliteration Game In a circle, each person steps in with an alliteration of their name, and an action to accompany it. For example, ‘raging Russell, ’ ‘Kissing Kate, ’ ‘Nagging Nicholas, ’ ‘Anxious Alison. ’ The rest of the group repeats after them, and imitates the action.

Noun Game Easy to link to the lesson; choose a letter, and then people have to think of nouns beginning with that letter. If anyone takes too long, or repeats a noun already used they are out.

That Alphabet of my name, or dislikes, interests etc. A is for ants who attack your pants B is for brothers who bully and boss E is for ecstatic relatives who enjoy embarrassing H is for hurricanes, hurling and whirling O is for octopus, king of the ocean S is for snakes, sliding and slithering V is for vanity, oh look at me. Activity: Students write their own alphabet poem about their likes/ dislikes (Dictionaries will help for lower ability groups who can’t think of words beginning with a certain letter) Encourage students to use as much alliteration in each line as possible.

This belongs to… Each person takes a belonging from the box. They then walk around the circle, and someone takes it from them. The first person states, ‘I am (name) and this is my (thing). ’ Students continue around the circle, giving other people’s things. Good way of getting to know names quick!

Midas Machine Good to choose a theme for this first, maybe themselves? One student is chosen as Midas, and walks around the class. As he taps each student on the shoulder, they must make a repeated movement or sound that follows theme.

Gingerbread me Students create their own ROW; this could be based around ‘about me’, what kind of student they want to be etc.

Meet my Mate! In pairs, students introduce their partner to either the class, or I have used this in a format where they move around, telling people about their partner. Good for recall, and a quick way of everyone getting to know everyone.

Wow your words CAUTION: this can get extremely competitive. Choose a judge first! You announce a ‘boring’ word, and each team much wow up the word. Most impressive wow word wins. Good words to use: said, walked, green, good, bad, look, want, eat.

Guess Who Choose a famous person, or key character and write it on to the post it. Your partner/group then has to try and guess who you are. Each question asked can only be answered with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response e. g. ‘Am I a man’, ‘yes’. As an alternative you could ask each learner to secretly write the name of a famous person themselves and stick it to the back of another learner, this encourages increased involvement.

Alphabet Disorder Two students volunteer, and the class decide a) who they are and b) what they are doing. The two students then engage in a dialogue of that theme, following the alphabet. E. g ‘Alfie!’ ‘bet it is!’ ‘cool beans. ’ ‘done much? ’ ‘everything!’ ‘fine, show off. ’ etc.

Pear Up In pairs, students sit back to back. One student has to describe an object for the other student to draw, without naming the object. Great for communication skills.

Dr Pepper Remember the slogan? In pairs, students write down the worst thing that could happen to them on their first day. Then, put students into groups to create a freeze frame for a scenario. You can always have the option of a ‘fixer’ who could offer up a solution to the freeze frame. Great way of putting perspective on student’s anxieties, and elevating panic!

The Hat Clinic Get a plastic stethoscope to really bring this to life! Get each student to write down a worry or concern that they have- either about the work or if in tutor, then generally. SET UP THE EXPECTATION OF BEING READ OUT SO CONCERNS ARE NOT OF A PERSONAL NATURE. Students take turns to play Doctor and pulled a concern out of the hat. They then give their response to set their ‘patient’ at ease. What usually happens is that students have the same questions and this is a fantastic game to highlight that.

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