Ice breaker Activities for a Large Party

Here are four activities that break the ice:

• Conversation Starter Cards: A host's best friend - just set out the cards and see the conversation bubble!
• Common Denominator: This free printable party game is perfect for guests to discover someone with a common interest.
• Icebreaker Nametag Fun: A fun and easy idea to breaker the ice.
• "Collect 'n' Connect" Ice breaker Game: A large group party game for learning names and fun facts.
• Social Bingo: Nothing like regular bingo, this game will have you discovering things about your co-workers that you never knew.
• Place Cards Trivia Mixer: Find out who has the most cats, who's worked at the same job the longest, and all sorts of trivial facts about your friends and co-workers in a fun and interesting way.
• Mums The Word: This visitor's submission will have guests trying to pry out the secret word without saying it themselves!
• Get Him Off My Back: The party game really gets people mingling. See how in this visitor's submission.

We've all been there: big home parties, fundraisers, and other gatherings surrounded by people we don't know. Ice breaker activities and games help guests find something in common, and hopefully stir up great conversation and laughter!

If you're hosting a home party, ice breaker activities can strengthen your theme. For example, if it's a 40th birthday party, create conversation starter cards can get the party talking about ideas they've never dreamed of talking about.

Icebreaker Nametag Fun: Ice Breaker Activities

But, nametags can have an "office" feel, so do something a little different. Have each guest write his or her name on the tag. In addition, on the bottom of the tag write, "I like ________". The blank could be filled with any word: "I like chocolate", "I like dogs", "I like rock climbing" etc. When guests meet they'll instantly learn something interesting about the person.

You might be surprised at how many guests will find people with whom they share a common interest!

Here's another twist to a nametag game.

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Guest Trivia Mixer: Ice Breaker Activities

For the guest trivia mixer, give each guest a card with only one question that provokes them to survey everyone in the room.

These cards can be included with party favors guests receive upon arrival. Guest trivia questions can be inside placeholder cards (with the guests' names on the front of the cards). Or you can simply pass cards out to guests.

These cards will have one of the following sample questions, or similar questions you make up.

1. Who has had their current job the longest?
2. How many men have received flowers?
3. How many women have never received flowers as a gift?
4. How many don't like sweets?
5. How many have never been out of the country?
6. What's the farthest place from where we are now that anyone in the room has ever visited?
7. How many people have never left the country?
8. Who speaks the most languages?
9. How many people don't speak a foreign language?
10. How many people know what a ____ is?
11. Who has the most cats?
12. How many people don't have any cats as pets?
13. What's the most popular favorite color?
14. How many people have had their picture in the paper or a magazine?

Then when everyone has an answer to their question, you can check the results by asking the entire group the questions.

Instead of doing all the work of creating cards, you print our similar party game: the "Collect 'n' Connect Icebreaker.

As an alternative, you can create a short survey everyone fills out with their electronic invitation (that is, before the party). This survey would look like so:

Name: ______________ Male __ Female __

1. How long have you had your current job?
2. Have you ever received flowers?
3. Do you eat sweets?
4. Have you ever been out of the country?
5. If yes, which country is the farthest from where you are tonight?
6. Do you speak any languages other than your mother tongue? Name them.
7. Do you know what a ____ is? (Complete this with an obscure word only a few people would know).
8. Do you have any cats as pets? How many?
9. What's your favorite color?
10. Have you ever had your picture in the newspaper or in a magazine?

Then you would have someone talley the results before the party. Guests would then pass their cards back and be told as a group whether their answers were correct or not.

A time limit on the activity will increase the pressure and could make this even more fun for a competitive group. You decide.

You can award a door prize to close this ice breaker activity, to one or all of the people who respond correctly.

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Other Related Games Pages:

• New Years Eve Party Games
• New Years Eve Games
• Group Party Games

Return From Ice Breaker Activities to Home Party Games or Christmas Party Games.