Take your event from awkward to awesome in 5 minutes flat
Effective icebreaker games at conferences and conventions should be engaging, inclusive, and relevant to the event’s purpose.
Here are some options, categorized by their focus, with a brief description on how to organize them.
4 Networking Activities
“Two Truths and a Lie”:
Each attendee shares three “facts” about themselves, two true and one false. Others guess which statement is the lie.
Great for sparking conversation and discovering surprising things about colleagues.
“Human Bingo”:
Create bingo cards with squares like “Has traveled to 3+ continents,” “Knows a foreign language,” or “Works in marketing.”
Attendees mingle and find people who match the descriptions, getting their signatures.
Encourages interaction and helps people find common ground.
“Speed Networking”:
Set up timed rounds of one-on-one conversations.
Attendees have a few minutes to introduce themselves and exchange information before moving on to the next person.
Efficient for meeting many people quickly.
“Find Your Tribe”:
Prepare cards with partial sentences related to the event topic, and attendees have to find the people who have the other half of the sentance.
For example in a marketing meeting, one card might say “My favorite social media platform is…” and another card would say “…Tiktok”.
This helps people with similar interests to connect.
Further Reading: Why Icebreaker Games Are Your Secret Weapon for Conference Success
4 Energy & Engagement Activities
“Would You Rather?” (Conference Edition):
Present attendees with “would you rather” questions related to the conference topic or industry.
For example, “Would you rather attend a conference in a bustling city or a secluded retreat?”
Sparks lively discussions and reveals preferences.
“The Marshmallow Challenge”:
Teams are given spaghetti, tape, string, and a marshmallow.
The challenge is to build the tallest freestanding structure with the marshmallow on top within a time limit.
Promotes teamwork, problem-solving, and lighthearted competition.
“Quick Question Toss”:
Get a soft ball.
Attendees toss the ball to each other.
The person who catches it must answer a quick, fun question (e.g., “What’s your favorite app?”).
Gets people moving and thinking quickly.
“Common Ground”:
Have people break into small groups.
The group has to find a specific number of things they all have in common, that are not work related.
This promotes finding commonalities, and helps people to think outside of the work environment.
3 Topic/Theme Activities
“Industry Buzzword Bingo”:
Create bingo cards with common industry terms or buzzwords.
Attendees mark off the words as they hear them during presentations or conversations.
Reinforces key concepts and adds a playful element.
“Problem/Solution Brainstorm”:
Divide attendees into small groups and present them with a common industry challenge.
Each group brainstorms potential solutions and presents them to the larger group.
Encourages collaboration and generates valuable ideas.
“Expert Panel Quick Fire Questions”:
If you have expert speakers, prepare a list of quick, fun, or quirky questions.
The experts answer these questions in rapid succession.
This humanizes the speakers and creates a light hearted atmosphere.
Some Tips for Success
Keep it short: Icebreakers should be brief, ideally 5-15 minutes.
Make it relevant: Connect the game to the conference theme or industry.
Be inclusive: Choose activities that everyone can participate in, regardless of their background or personality.
Provide clear instructions: Ensure everyone understands the rules.
Facilitate the process: Guide the activity and keep it moving.
Have prizes (optional): Small prizes can add an extra element of fun.
Consider the group size: Some games work better with smaller groups, while others are suitable for larger audiences.
Set the tone: Your energy as a facilitator will influence the attendees’ enthusiasm.
Any thoughts, opinions, or news? Please share them with me at vince@meetingsevents.com.
Photo by Curated Lifestyle For Unsplash+
