Icebreaker Ideas for a Very Large Group

Shoe Game

• As everyone arrives to the event, have each person take off one shoe and leave it in a large pile. After everyone has done this, have each player grab one shoe from the pile (of course, not her own). Guests must walk around the party area trying to find the owner of the shoe they have. When a guest finds the shoe owner, she must introduce herself and share an interesting fact about herself. The shoe owner must do the same. For added introductions, have everyone sit in a circle. Each player must tell the rest of the group the name of the person she met and her interesting fact.

String Game

• Cut several pieces of string in random lengths from 12 inches up to 26 inches long. Roll all the pieces of string into a ball and have all the players sit in a circle. Hand the ball of string to the first player who must pull a piece of string from the ball. That player must begin winding the piece of string slowly around his index finger. As he does this, he must talk about himself and share facts about himself to everyone in the circle. If a player has a short string, she may not have to talk too long. However, players who grab long strings will have to keep talking until they finish wrapping the string around their finger.

Mingle Game

• Create several worksheets with 15 different statements or attributes about people. Some ideas include someone wearing glasses, someone with blue eyes, someone who has four kids and someone with a green shirt. The players must mingle to find other players that fit these statements and attributes. Once a person finds another person who fits a statement, that person must sign underneath the statement. Players only need to find 10 of their 15 statements and get 10 signatures. After a player completes his worksheet, he can help other players complete their worksheets.

Body Part Chairs

• Place chairs in a circle in a large room (one chair fewer than you have players). Play music and tell the players to walk beside the chairs. When the music stops, yell a body part, such as nose, elbow or foot. The players must place that body part in an empty chair. If a player touches a chair before you name the body part, she is out of the game. To make the game go faster, remove more than one chair each round. All players that do not have their body part on a chair are out of the game.