Games for Student Groups: Off the coach Icebreakers

Honestly there is a thin line between student and adult games in my opinion. There are many games that are for students, but if done correctly go great for adults. The same goes for adult games for students. A lot of it is how you lead it. When you look at a game seriously consider it for all ages as you may have a time you can use it. There are several great student games in my article of games for onboard the coach.

In this article I wanted to share some great games for when you are not onboard the coach but with your group of students. Whether you are outside or in a conference room or hallway in a hotel. There are many situations in which you will find yourself waiting with the group and the teacher wants you to do something to keep them occupied. This is a great chance for you to bond with the kids and build rapport. Some situations you may find yourself in:

• You arrive too early for an event or attraction to open, but the coach cannot wait so you are dropped off.
• The hotel does not have all the rooms ready when you arrive.
• The coach is caught in traffic and you have to wait for 30 minutes in a parking lot.
• An attraction closes or the group is done ahead of schedule and there is not anything else you can fill that time with.

Having some of these games in your toolkit will help you be prepared in a moments notice.

Games for Student Groups: Off the coach Icebreakers

Three of my favorites are from Jennifer Gonzalez that I have copied below: Visit her website for other great ideas and a great explanation of the benefits of icebreakers. https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/classroom-icebreakers/

BLOBS AND LINES

In this icebreaker, students are prompted to either line up in some particular order (by birthday, for example) or gather in “blobs” based on something they have in common (similar shoes, for example). What’s great about this game is that it helps students quickly discover things they have in common. It’s also ridiculously easy: Students don’t have to come up with anything clever, and they can respond to every question without thinking too hard about it. This game keeps students moving and talking, and it builds a sense of belonging and community in your classroom.

Here are some sample prompts you can use for this game:

• Line up in alphabetical order by your first names.
• Line up in alphabetical order by your last names.
• Gather with people who have the same eye color as you.
• Gather with people who get to school in the same way as you (car, bus, walk).
• Line up in order of your birthdays, from January 1 through December 31.
• Line up in order of how many languages you speak.
• Gather into 3 blobs: Those who have LOTS of chores at home, those who have A FEW chores at home, and those who have NO chores at home.
• Gather with people who have the same favorite season as you.

CONCENTRIC CIRCLES

This icebreaker has students arrange themselves in an inside circle and an outside circle, the inside facing out, forming pairs. Pairs discuss their answers to a getting-to-know-you question, then rotate for the next question, forming a new partnership. This game gives students the chance to have lots of one-on-one conversations with many of their classmates and helps them quickly feel more at home in your class.

The possibilities for questions in this kind of configuration are endless; be sure to use more open-ended questions that can get students talking, rather than those that simply ask for a yes or no answer. Here are some sample questions:

• Do you play any sports? If so, which ones?
• Do you consider yourself shy or outgoing? Why?
• What was the last movie you saw? Did you like it?
• Describe your perfect dinner.
• What would you do with a million dollars?
• What is one thing you’re good at?

THIS OR THAT

This icebreaker has students informally debate on light topics such as “Which animal makes a better pet…dog or cat?” Students have to choose a position, then physically move to the side of the room that most closely represents their opinion—one side means dogs, the other side means cats—and then talk about why they chose that spot. This game has always been a HUGE hit with any group I’ve ever taught: It builds student confidence with talking in front of their peers, it helps students quickly find kindred spirits, and it’s also just a lot of fun.

Sample questions for This or That:

• Would you rather live in the country or the city?
• Should all students be required to learn a second language?
• Which is worse: bad breath or body odor?
• Would you rather be indoors or outdoors?
• Which is better: Playing sports or watching sports?
• Would you rather travel every single day or never leave home?

_____________

A few other that I like:

Humanequins (Human Mannequins)

 I stole this from a bit that Jimmy Fallon did and adapted it. Basically you are using Human Mannequins to set up a scene (no moving no words or sounds) that your team guesses.

Topic Ideas: Obviously the more specific or abstract the harder it will be to do

• Historical Events
  • Signing of the Declaration of Independence
  • Civil War
  • George Washington crossing the Delaware
• Famous Movie Scenes
• Christmas Carols
• Amendments to the constitution
• Popular songs

Variations:

• The simplest version has no score and is just for fun. You ask for however many volunteers that you need to set the scene. Then you arrange them how you want them. They hold that position as people guess. The person who guesses correctly gets to choose the next formation and a new group of volunteers are selected as humanequins. Tell the students that you are there to help if they need ideas. If you have a group that is intimidated by doing it on their own then you can do all of the organizing and they just guess.
• You can have teams of 5-6 people. Each team takes a turn. They select one person from their team to form the manequins (which will be one of the other teams). You give that person the scene they need to set up and then there team has 3 guesses to get it. If they do not one of the other teams can steal. You have a rotation so the last team that was guessing is then the manequins and so forth.
• You can also do students vs teachers or guys vs girls.

For Whom the Bell Tolls 

Arrange chairs in a circle with one chair less than the number of players. And have one person, “the ringer,” stand in the middle of the circle. The ringer starts the game by saying “The bell tolls for ____________” naming a characteristic that is true about them such as having traveled to Ireland. For example the ringer would say “The bell tolls for the one who has been to Ireland,” and everyone who has traveled to Ireland must quickly stand and find a new seat, including the ringer. The person who does not make it to a seat must become the new ringer in the center of the circle. 

• “The bell tolls for the one who likes chocolate.”
•  “The bell tolls for the one who hasn’t cut their grass in two weeks.” 
• “The bell tolls for the one who loves sushi.”
•  “the bell tolls for the one who listens to Opera.”

The Web

 Need: a ball of yarn, string, ribbon

1. Have the group fill a space in a random pattern. This works if you are all squished to one side of a sidewalk or if you are spread out in a park. Fill the space you have, with space for people to get around your group.
2. Pick one person to start and give them the ball of yarn. Ask them a general “get to know you” question.
3.  After they answer, they hold on to the end of the string and throw the ball to someone to catch. 
4. The person who threw asked the person who caught a question.
5. They answer and throw it to someone else.
6. This continues until a web is created and each person learns an interesting fact about every tour member. 
7. If you want to add to the game at the end they need to roll the yarn back up as quickly as they can. It has to go backwards the way it came going to each person as they roll up the slack.

Rules:

• You only get the yarn once. Unless you want it to take longer in that case one time for each hand.
• Questions
  • Cannot be to personal (what is your deepest secret, etc.) they are just get to know you questions you would feel comfortable asking your teachers (do you have siblings, beach or mountains, favorite band, dream job, etc.)
  • Cannot be a question that was asked previously.
  • If the group already knows each other well and you want to do it with trivia they can ask questions related to the sights you have been to. One problem is if the person can’t answer they will then need to pass it until someone does and it could go quickly if someone asks a hard question. This is better as a get to know you game
  • You can also create a list of questions that you hand out or put on the screen and they choose from those questions to ask or answer.
• If you want it to be a teachable moment at the end mention how we are all connected to each other like this web and we all play a part.
• While this may seem like a fun one to do onboard the coach, if there were an emergency and everyone had to exit the coach quickly this would be an issue since the yarn would be wrapped around seats and in the aisles.

Watch what the students are doing and join in

• Often times there is some game or activity that is big at their school and you will see them doing it while waiting for the bus. Ask them to teach you and give it a try.
• Have the students teach you a dance or have them show off their moves
• Even if you utterly fail they will appreciate that you tried and you have earned some of their respect. I notice a big difference in how much students pay attention and interact on the coach with me based of whether I do or do not play games with them.

Do you have a game that you think should be included on this list that has worked well for you? Take a minute to send it to me, if you include your name I would be happy to add it and give you credit for it.