Brainstorming icebreakers are a great way to kick off training sessions and get participants engaged and thinking creatively.
Here are some examples of brainstorming icebreakers that you can use:
- Two Truths and a Lie: Have each participant share two true statements and one false statement about themselves. The group then guesses which statement is the lie. This activity encourages participants to share personal information and helps build connections.
- Word Association: Choose a random word related to the training topic and ask participants to share the first word that comes to their mind. Encourage everyone to participate, and discuss the connections between the words shared. This activity stimulates creative thinking and helps generate ideas.
- Question Ball: Pass around a soft ball or stuffed toy. When someone catches it, they must ask a question related to the training topic. After they ask the question, they throw the ball to another participant, who answers the question and then asks their own. This activity encourages active participation and stimulates critical thinking.
- Mind Mapping: Give each participant a sheet of paper and ask them to write down keywords or phrases related to the training topic. After a few minutes, ask participants to share their ideas with the group and create a collective mind map on a whiteboard or flip chart. This activity encourages visual thinking and generates a range of ideas. We hear this from customers that regularly use of our training courses.
- Picture Interpretation: Provide each participant with a picture or photograph related to the training topic. Ask them to individually write down or share what they think the picture represents in the context of the training. This activity promotes creative thinking and helps participants explore different perspectives.
- Desert Island: Ask participants to imagine they are stranded on a desert island related to the training topic. Each person has to share one item they would bring and explain why. This activity sparks imagination and encourages participants to think outside the box.
- Story Starter: Provide participants with the beginning of a story related to the training topic and ask them to continue the story. Each participant adds a sentence or paragraph, building on what the previous person wrote. This activity promotes collaborative thinking and creative storytelling.
Remember to adapt these icebreakers to suit your specific training session and objectives.
You can modify the instructions or add variations to make them more engaging and relevant to the topic at hand.
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With 30+ years of training experience, I founded Oak Innovation (oakinnovation.com) in 1995. I help busy training professionals and business managers deliver better training courses in less time by giving them instant access to editable training course material. I received my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from University College Cork. I hold qualifications in Professional Development And Training from University College Galway. Clients include Apple, Time Warner, and Harvard University.