Fun Icebreaker Games for Kids

Today, to get job in any field, a person needs to be confident and self-assured. Most corporate professions today demand a person to be a great public speaker. That's why, communication skills, people's skills, getting over stage fright and being confident while speaking in front of others - all these qualities have to be instilled right from childhood. How? By making the kids participate in certain group activities and games. Icebreaker games are one of the ways to make a group of children who do not know each other well, mingle and make friends amongst themselves. It is one of the first steps towards being comfortable around unknown peers. That's why, parents and teachers should plan and choose icebreaker activities appropriately. Here are some fun icebreakers for kids...

The Name Game!
If you have a large group of children at your disposal, who do not even know each other's names, then this game is exactly what you need. To play this game, ask the children to stand in a circle. Next, ask one of them to tell his name to others. After this, the child standing next to him tells his name to the group, but before doing that repeats the name of the child before him. Likewise, the game goes on till the child you started it first repeats every one's names. This game can turn out to be quite fun when children fumble while trying to remember other's names! If it's an icebreaker for high school students, along with the names, you can ask the participants to give one of their hobbies as well. So, the participants now have to remember the hobby as well as the name of other participants! Surely, kids will love this icebreaker game.

Passing the Parcel...with a Twist!
Have the children play the regular passing the parcel, i.e. making them sit in a circle and passing a parcel till the music is played and then stopping the movement of the parcel as soon as the music is stopped. The kid who has the parcel at that point, has to get up and introduce himself to the whole group! This activity continues till every one gets a chance to address the group and introduce himself or herself.

Sit or Stand!
Another icebreaker game for kids is to play sit or stand with them. For playing this activity though, the kids should know at least some things about each other. You can keep statements like, "Sit if John's surname is Frost" or "Stand if Kate's birthday is in January" and so on. After every statement, tell the right answers to those who do not know. Such icebreakers for kids are a fun way for them to know each other.

In a Minute!
Children love to play games in which they have to compete against one another. So, one of the most entertaining icebreaker activities can be where two children compete with each other to complete a given task in a minute. So, if it's a party, you can have one minute contests wherein the child who eats maximum number of ice creams or who jumps the maximum times in a minute is the winner. If it's a classroom, you can keep quiz contests, wherein the child who answers maximum number of correct answers in a minute, is the winner.

My Dream...
Almost all children enjoy arts and crafts. So why not plan some fun icebreaker games around it? A good idea here is to make the children sit in a circle. Next, give them newspapers, crayons, markers and painting colors. Give them instructions that they have to make hats out of newspapers and then write or draw on them something they wish to become when they grow up. Once they are done decorating the hat, each one of them has to come forward and show his hat to others, at the same time tell them about their future!

Conduct these icebreaker games in a party or a summer camp or even a classroom and you will soon see the kids laughing, enjoying together and becoming friends!