| Here are three ice breaker games you could | | | | whisper the sentence once, they may not |
| try at your children's Christmas party... | | | | repeat it. |
| | | | |
| Christmas Tree | | | | Finally, when the message gets to the last |
| | | | child in the line, this child has to say the |
| The group sits in a ring with the host or | | | | message out aloud for everyone to hear. |
| play leader in the centre. | | | | |
| | | | There aren't any winners or losers, its just |
| The host labels the children with one of the | | | | lots of fun listening to garbled messages. If |
| following (making sure there is a minimum of | | | | you have only a few children don't divide |
| 2 of each) | | | | them into teams. |
| | | | |
| Star, Bauble, Tinsel, Angel, Snowflake | | | | Christmas Pictionary |
| | | | |
| The host now calls out one object. For | | | | Preparing the game - Have 20 cards with a |
| example - Snowflake. All the snowflakes must | | | | Christmas item written on each. For example: |
| now jump up and exchange positions with other | | | | Christmas Fairy, Roast Turkey, Holly and Ivy, |
| snowflakes, the game continues in this way | | | | Santa's Sleigh, Christmas Trimmings, |
| with the host calling out different objects | | | | Christmas present label... |
| and the children exchanging places with | | | | |
| objects of the same kind. | | | | How to play |
| | | | |
| If 'Christmas Tree' is called out, all of the | | | | Divide the children in to two teams. Each |
| children must jump up and exchange places | | | | team takes it in turns to play rounds. To |
| with other objects. | | | | play a round, one child in the team must be |
| | | | chosen to be the drawer for that round (The |
| This game is fast and furious and energetic | | | | drawer changes for each round played) The |
| and usually very well received by older and | | | | drawer takes a card from the top of the pile |
| younger children alike. It breaks the ice by | | | | and reads it without speaking. |
| mixing the children up and sitting them next | | | | |
| to new people. | | | | The drawer then has tree minutes to draw what |
| | | | was written on the card. However, the drawer |
| Christmas Theme Chinese Whispers | | | | must write letters or words and they must not |
| | | | speak. |
| An old game that can be given a Christmas | | | | |
| twist, simply divide the children into two | | | | The rest of the drawer's team must try to |
| teams and arrange them to sit in two lines. | | | | guess what was written on the card from the |
| | | | drawings, all within the tree minutes. A |
| Have ready some (previously made) cards with | | | | point is awarded each time a team guesses |
| festive sentences written on them, but make | | | | correctly (word for word) what was written on |
| sure that the sentences are out of the | | | | the card. |
| ordinary. | | | | |
| | | | The first team to collect 4 points is the |
| For Example - Rudolf likes Christmas pudding | | | | winning team. |
| on Mondays, but Prancer likes plum pudding on | | | | |
| Mondays and Christmas pudding on Wednesdays. | | | | This game can be difficult for younger |
| | | | children. |
| To begin the game, give the two children at | | | | |
| the front of the lines the festive sentence | | | | Ice breaker games help to introduce the |
| to read. | | | | children at the party to one another. Once |
| | | | everyone has had a chance to speak to a few |
| The children then have to whisper the | | | | new people, it paves the way for more party |
| sentence to one another until it has passed | | | | fun and everyone will have a great time. |
| up the line. Remember: Each child my only | | | | |