Purpose: Introductions and building relationships
Best Used: At the beginning of a workshop
1. As the facilitator, tell a story about a famous person you once met.
2. Explain that all people love to share the story about that one day when they ran into…someone famous!
3. Ask participants to divide into pairs, say their name and where they are from, and then share stories about the famous person they once bumped into or met.
4. After about 3-5 minutes, have participants switch partners and retell their stories. Repeat the activity for as much time as you have available.
Purpose: To process session content by highlighting key learnings
Best Used: After introducing a new content area or at the end of a workshop
1. Ask participants to take out their wallets and pull out a $1, $5, $10, or $20 bill .
2. Tell participants to hold up their bill.
3. Direct participants to find a partner holding up a bill of the same dollar amount.
4. Ask partners to share a key learning from the session with each other.
5. Each participant will then “pay” their partner for the high quality information or advice. Since denomination amounts should be identical, participants break even. If you have uneven numbers of participants or dollar denominations, participants can form a group of three and “pay” the person to their left.
Purpose: Introductions or content overview/review
Best Used: At the beginning of workshop, or after a break for review
1. Instruct participants that the facilitator will be calling out the word “huddle” and then a number. When participants hear this instruction they should find and “huddle” with that number of people. For example, if they hear “huddle four,” participants should quickly get into groups of four.
2. Once participants are in huddles, the facilitator calls out a specific action, depending on the purpose of the activity. For example, if the activity is being used for introductions, the facilitator may say, “Shake hands and introduce yourselves.” If the activity is being used for content overview, the facilitator may say, “Link arms in a circle and share one thing you are hoping to learn today.”
3. Once participants have a chance to share, call out another huddle number and ask participants to circulate once again. For example, for introductions the facilitator might instruct, “Fist bump each other and then share your title and job responsibilities.” If the activity is being used for content review, the facilitator might say, “Fist bump each other and share one important thing you learned in the previous training segment.”
4. Circulate again and huddle, then give a new instruction: Huddling can continue with various processing or idea-generating questions for each group.
Purpose: For fun and/or to energize
Best Used: At beginning of event or meeting
Use a fun strategy for getting your participants/team members into small groups (groups of 2–4).
- Hand each group a piece of paper that has the letters written vertically from A to Z.
Instruct the groups to come up with a word for each letter of the alphabet that relates in some way to the winter season or annual holidays.
The first group to complete the list with legible words wins a prize!
Purpose: Celebration/Teambuilding
Best Used: At the end of a meeting
Make “thankfulness” an item on meeting agendas for the month.
At the culmination of your meeting, allow time and ask group members to take a few minutes to:
- Share 1-2 accomplishments
Share a story about a team member who deserves recognition
Celebrations can be personal or work-related.
One way to make these celebrations more visually memorable is to provide some object representation of each “thankful” item. As each team member mentions a celebration, add one object to the pile. Over the course of the month, your team can watch their thankfulness grow. Object ideas include adding seasonal stickers to a “thankfulness” page, fake flowers to a vase, or seasonal vegetables to a cornucopia.
Purpose: To identify potential barriers and offer solutions. To build a supportive environment.
Best Used: As a warm-up exercise or ice-breaker
Steps:
Before Event:
Purchase three different sets of Halloween stickers (for example, ghosts, witches, and pumpkins).
Place one sticker each on enough 4 X 6 index cards or half sheets of paper for all participants, being sure to rotate through the three stickers. There should be equal numbers of each of the three stickers.
During Event:
-
Hand each participant a card.
- Ask participants to jot down one thing that frightens them about the content area on which you are focusing (this will depend on the topic at hand).
For example, What is one thing that “frightens” you or makes you nervous about:
- Training trainers?
Teaching health education?
Facilitating an advisory group?
Conducting the YRBS?
- Once completed, ask participants to find two people who have different “scary” stickers on their cards to form a trio.
- In trios, each member reads their statement, and then others ask clarifying questions and offer advice to help ease the “fright.” Each person in the trio gets a chance to share and gather advice.
- Process any big “ah-has” in the large group.
Purpose: To identify possible solutions to participants’ current challenges
Best Used: At a point during an event when group members seem to be stuck due to challenges they face.
- Ask each participant to think about a current job-related challenge relevant to the content being covered and jot it down at the top of a large piece of paper.
- In groups of 4–6, ask participants to pass their challenges to the person on their right. Direct each person to take about 45 seconds to read the challenge and write down potential solutions that come to mind.
- Repeat the process in #2 until each challenge is returned to its original author.
- Allow time for participants to read the proposed solutions to their challenge and briefly share with their groups any ideas that stand out.
Purpose: Introductions and Climate Setting
Best Used: At the beginning of an event
- Place a pile of different types of hats in the center of the room (i.e. baseball, wizard, child's hat, helmet, etc.).
- Instruct participants to pick one hat that represents a role they are asked to play in their jobs.
- Ask participants to introduce themselves according to the hat they chose and by sharing with the group a bit about the different hats that they wear at work. This works best if facilitator models the process.
Variations:
• If you have more hats than people, participants may pick one hat for each role that they play.
• If hats are not available, you can use pictures of hats or ask participants to draw pictures of the different hats that represent their many roles.
Purpose: To share teaching/training ideas; energize
Best Used: As energizer, with adult learners who teach others
Ask participants to, individually:
- Think about a "hot" training warm-up or icebreaker they have seen or used - one that "sparks" energy and engagement.
- Write the idea down on a 3X5 card.
- Put your name on the card.
- Place the card on the table in front of them.
Ask the group to:
1. Do a gallery walk, walk around to each table, read the cards.
2. Gather (jot down) their favorites.
3. Process with group; ask if there are any clarifications needed.
Participants now have an explosion of new ideas!
Purpose: Closure Activity
Best Used: At the end of professional development event to reinforce action steps
- Ask the participants to find a partner.
- Tell the participants to think of one idea or action that they will implement when they return home.
- Instruct partners to take turns sharing their plan and how they will implement it. Then have them shake (handshake) on it.
- Explain that the handshakes are their contracts.
Purpose: Energizer, Movement, Fun
Best Used: When participants need a break/energizer
- Have the participants stand in a circle.
- One participant moves and stands randomly in front of another. He/she makes a statement (e.g., “It is such a lovely day”).
- The person spoken to will move to another person and make a statement starting with the last word in the statement he/she received (e.g., “Day one of the course was very tiring”).
- Each participant takes turns to ensure that everybody gets a chance to participate.
Purpose: Closure Activity
Best Used: At the end of a professional development event
Write 5 statements on large post-it paper and place around the room. The statements could be:
I’m Satisfied
I’m Full of New Learning
I’m Ready to Roll
I’m Older and Wiser
I’m Looking for More
- Ask the participants to choose a sign that best describes them and go stand beside it.
- Have the participants share with their group why they chose that particular sign.
- Ask a few participants to share with the whole group why they chose the sign they are standing beside.
Purpose: Get to Know
Best Used: Can be used to learn more about a person or agency history
- Give each participant a penny. Have the participants look at the year on their penny. Give them a few minutes to think about what was happening in their life or the world when that coin was minted. Were they in school? Were they a child? Where did they work? Were they married? Where did they live? What was going on in their life at that time? What was the music of the day? What events were happening in the world, etc. (If they were not yet born or prefer not to discuss their life during the year selected, choose another coin.)
- Begin playing music and have participants walk around the room. When the music stops, have them find a partner and briefly share their moment in time. (approx 1 minute each)
- When they are finished sharing, each of them flips their coin. If the coins are alike (both heads or tails) exchange coins. If they differ, keep your original coin. (If they exchange they must come up with an event or happening for the year on the new coin.)
Repeat steps three and four.
VARIATION: The dates on the coin could be associated to corporate or agency history.
(Ideas when your meeting/training is scheduled close to Valentine’s Day)
Conversation Couples
Purpose: Random pairing up
Best Used: When pairing participants for processing activity
Hand out conversation hearts and ask participants to find a partner who has the same “conversation.”
Heart Tic-Tac-Toe
Purpose: To Review Content
Best Used: After teaching content
Cut out nine pink hearts and nine red hearts. Laminate if desired, for durability. Compile list of review questions based on the content you have taught.
Draw a large tic-tac-toe grid on large poster paper. Divide participants into two teams. Call on one team at a time and ask review questions. When team answers correctly, they place a heart on the board. The first team to get three hearts in a row wins.
Valentine Word Scramble
Purpose: Quick energizer and having fun
Best Used: After lunch or when participants seem tired
Break participant group into teams. Hand out a sheet or paper with scrambled words OR post scrambled words on chart or PPT slide. Ask teams to work together to unscramble words. Teams should stand when finished. Check accuracy and give prize to winning team.
1. teahr
2. dcuip
3. elvo
4. acdny
5. ssroe
6. inedrf
7. pypah
8. racd
9. gfit
10. aowrr
Answers: 1. Heart 2. Cupid 3. Love 4. Candy 5. Roses 6. Friend 7. Happy 8. Card 9. Gift 10. Arrow
Purpose: Introductions
Best used: At the beginning of workshop
- Place chart paper on easel stand and decorate to extend a warm welcome to participants. Place the paper and stand at the entrance are of the meeting room.
- As each participant arrives, take their picture with a Polaroid type camera and place their photo on the chart paper. Place the photos in groups of two, three, four or more photos (depending on the number of participants - you may have only 2 per group or more if the group is large).
- Once all participants have arrived, ask them to find their partner(s) from the photo display on the easel and spend about 5 - 10 minutes getting to know the person(s).
- Have participants introduce their partner(s) to the rest of the group and share something they discovered they have in common.
Purpose: Processing content, summarizing key points, energizing participants
Best used: After a break or on the second day of training
Hand out sheets of plain white paper, one for each participant. Post one or more process questions and ask participants to write their answers on the paper. No names on paper. Once participants have had a chance to write their answers ask them to crumple up the paper into a “snowball.” Instruct the group to stand and have a snowball fight by throwing their crumpled papers across the room at each other. Let them throw for a minute and then ask them to grab one of the snowballs and take a seat. Each participant should open their crumpled sheet of paper and read what is written. Ask table groups to share what they read and discuss.
Example process questions:
- What were two key points you want to remember?
What did you learn yesterday that will have the greatest impact on the health of kids?
What is one action that you will take as a result of our work this morning?
Purpose: Processing content; summarizing key points, participant feedback
Best used: At culmination of training segment
Create strips of paper with sentence stems (one per strip) such as:
-
I learned . . . . . .
I want to try . . . . . .
I was surprised by . . . . .
I was reminded that . . . . . .
Place a set of the sentence stems in envelopes or bowls and place on participant tables. Ask participants to select and complete one of the sentence stems. Ask volunteers to share their answers.
Purpose: Introductions and processing information
Best Used: At beginning of workshop for introductions and then during the session for processing content
Supply each participant a set of 3 post-it notes. Ask participants to number the post-its 1 through 3. Invite participants to walk around room, meet three new people and exchange information. Using one post-it for each new exchange, participants should record each post-it partner’s name and 2 to 3 bits of interesting information about each.
Later, at intervals in the workshop, ask participants to find post-it partners and process the information that has been shared. For example, the facilitator might say, “Find your Post-It Partner #1 and discuss the two most important things you learned during this morning’s session.”
Purpose: Random selection of group leader/reporter
Best Used: For small group activities; processing in table groups
Creative ways to select group leader/reporter
- Person with largest number of anatomical feet in their household (for example: two for child, four for cat, four for gerbil, four for two adults).
- Person most letters in their middle name.
- Person with longest (or shortest) hair.
- Person who traveled shortest distance.
- Person with cutest thumb.
- Person with strangest nickname
Purpose: To energize a group
Best Used: After a break or after lunch
Display a cartoon (choose cartoons that relate to the topic you are covering) on PowerPoint slide with the caption removed. Ask table groups, pairs or teams to develop a caption and share with larger group. Share real caption with the group. Repeat with other cartoons as time allows.
Purpose: To energize a group; to review content
Best Used: After a break or after lunch
Break participants into groups of 3-4 (depending on size of group). Ask groups to create team names in 2 minutes and chart the team names on chart paper. Ask each group to formulate two questions related to the content already covered and write the questions on chart paper. After asking that all training materials be put away, ask each group to pose their questions to the other teams. Team members huddle and discuss and write answers on chart paper strips. After 2 minutes, facilitator asks for answers. Each team with correct answer gets one point. Rotate through all groups. Facilitator may want to give prizes.
Purpose: Introductions and identifying expectations
Best Used: At beginning of PD event
Provide a bowl of fruit (or bowls of fruit for larger group) and ask each participant to select a piece of fruit. Steps:
- Instruct participants to: “introduce yourself and tell the group how your piece of fruit resembles your expectations for the workshop/training session.”
- Summarize/clarify expectations if needed
- Allow participants to keep their piece of fruit and use as a snack later in the session.
Purpose: Processing Information
Best Used: After teaching content
Ask participants to form small groups (3-5) and give each group a set of markers and a strip of poster paper. Ask each group to summarize and synthesize the content just covered and generate a catchy phrase to reflect what they learned. Groups should write their catchy phrase on the poster paper strips and post on the wall in the meeting room. Share each with the large group.
Purpose: Introductions
Best Used: At beginning of workshop or training session
Ask participants to select an item from their purse, wallet or pocket and use it to introduce themselves.
Example: “Hi, I am Lee and I picked this nail file because I like challenges and smoothing out the rough edges.
“I am Miguel and I chose this picture of my daughter because I love being a dad.”
Alternative: Ask participants to describe how the item they chose is like the content being presented or how it is like the challenge being addressed.
Purpose: Processing Information
Best Used: After teaching content
Ask participants to gather in groups of 4-5 (or use a creative strategy for grouping them). Ask each group to list the letters of the alphabet vertically on the left side of a piece of paper or on chart paper. Ask each group to then generate a word or short phrase, related to the content they just learned, for each letter of the alphabet. If time allows, ask groups to report out a few of their generated items or post around room and do a gallery walk.
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