Lwaits's List: Office Party Ideas

• CHALKBOARD   SENTENCES: This exercise asks the participants,   working in teams, to race against one another to formulate   a sentence to which each team member has added a word.    The facilitator begins by explaining that the   participants will be competing to see which team is   the first to complete a group sentence.  Next, the participants are asked to divide into two teams.    If the group contains an uneven number, one   participant may compete twice.    The group leader sets up blackboards or newsprint   for each team.    The teams then are to line up 10 feet from   their board.    After giving the first person in each team’s   line a piece of chalk or marker, the leader explains   the rules of the game.    The rules are as follows: Each team member   is responsible for adding one word to the sentence.    The players take turns; after they go to the   board and write one word, they run back to give the   next player the marker, and then go to the end of   the line.  (The sentence must contain the same number of words as there   are members on the team.)    A player may not add a word between words that   have already been written.    The group leader may wish to process the activity   with a discussion on the most serious aspects of the   exercise (i.e. the value of anticipatory thinking,   the individual cooperating in a group task, etc.).

• HAGOO:   Separate the group into two even groups and have them   stand in two separate lines (shoulder to shoulder)   facing the opposite group. The   two groups should be about three or four feet apart.   The players at the opposite ends of each line are   opponents. They   will step out of the lines, so they are facing each   other and looking down the middle of the two rows   (like an old cowboy shoot-off). They   will both say, “Hagoo,” start to walk down the row   toward each other. They   must not break eye contact and the object is to get   to the opposite end of the line without laughing or   smiling. When   the players pass each other, they must continue to   maintain eye contact. If   a person does break eye contact, laughs, or smiles,   they then must join the end of the line of the opposing   team. The   teams can do or say any silly things to make the opposing   player crack up, but they must be careful not to make   their own player lose concentration. The teams may NOT touch another player. This process will continue until everyone has had a turn. The   team with the most players at the conclusion of the   game, wins.

• Here is a fun idea for an ice breaker. Before your party make up a grid sheet or list with varied personal characteristics in each square or line. Characteristics might be: sings in shower; been to Asia; never had a speeding ticket; watches a soap opera; has met a famous person; wears thong underwear; plays the lottery; speaks at least three languages; etc. Distribute copies of grid sheet to your guests and have them go around and collect unique signatures of guests who have those characteristics. The first person to get all (or the most) squares filled in wins a door prize.

• If you have a Trivial Pursuit game, put out the cards where guests will see them. Guests automatically read the questions to one another, thus beginning conversations.

• Here's the perfect team game to get everyone mingling! With 15 different categories from Christmas Trivia to Name That Tune, everyone gets a chance to test their skills. Answer key included.

     
   
  • Printable game & answer key
   
  • 6 Jeopardy boards, 5 categories/board with 30 categories total

• This crazy kids gift passing game will have everyone scrambling as they listen for you to say right or left while you read new lyrics to Frosty the Snowman! The guests who end with the gifts get to keep them - and this makes for 100% participation and 100% Fun! Perfect for a kid’s gift exchange and adult’s Christmas parties.

• It’s a hilarious gift exchange game created especially for large party mingling! Add a new twist to Dirty Santa or Secret Santa, any ornament exchange party or even a white elephant party.
  
  Note: This game is to be played with every participant receiving a small gift. Be sure to have your guests either bring a gift to exchange or provide small gifts for those in attendance.

• Who Am I?
   
   
  Ingredients:
   
   
   
  • Pieces of paper with Holiday characters written on them (Rudolph, Santa, Mrs. Claus, an Elf, etc)
     
   
  • Tape or pins
   
   
  To Play:
   
   
   
  • As guests arrive, pin or tape the piece of paper to each of their backs, without letting them see what's written on it.
   
  • The rules are that they can only ask and answer yes or no questions, to find out who they are.
• Name the Logo
   
   
  Great game for a Holiday Office Party!
   
  
   
   
  Ingredients:
   
   
   
  • Magazines
     
   
  • Scissors
   
  • Tape
   
  • Notecards
   
   
  To Play:
   
   
   
  • Beforehand, go through magazines and cut out logos and/or advertising symbols (Nike swoosh, 7up dot, etc.) of different recognizable brands and paste each on a notecard.
   
  • Number the notecards, so that guests can write down their guesses.
     
   
  • Through the party, have the guests walk around the room and write down their guesses.
   
  • The most correct guesses wins!
• Stocking Surprise
   Ingredients:
   
   
  • Stockings, in different colors or uniquely labeled
   
  • Random prize: ornaments, candy, holiday items, etc
   
  • Paper and pens
   
   
  To Play: 
   
   
   
   
  • In each stocking, place a random prize.
     
   
  • Have your guests try to guess the items by touching and shaking the stockings, writing their guesses on the paper.
     
   
  • The guests can feel inside the stocking but cannot look inside.
     
   
  • The person with the most correct guesses wins.

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• Give Me: This is a fairly simple game, which nevertheless can be quite fun. Get a caller to go in front of the room, and call out the names of various items, like:
    
  • red lipstick
   
  • black shoe
   
  • $10 bill
   
  • nail clipper
   
  • pack of Kleenex
   
  • a picture
   
  • a quarter or some other specific coin
   
  • a flowery handkerchief
   
  Whoever runs up first with any of the items gets a prize.
   
   Always ensure having the prizes ready before the party. You can buy little novelty items from the dollar store or inexpensive gift certificates.

• Using sticky notes (to be personalised for identification) mark the  following:

   
   
  • a distance of ten feet on the floor
   
  • a height of three feet on a wall
   
  • a distance of one metre on a table

• drawing game (teamworking,  change, communications, creativity, ice-breakers)

   

  A quick flexible exercise for groups of all sizes and ages. It's  based on a simple drawing game we have all played as children.

   

  Equipment required: Pens/pencils and paper.

   

  Split the group into teams of three.

• coded team communications  game (non-verbal communications, communications systems, body language,  team understanding, creativity)

   

  This game can be played by one group, or between two or more teams  competitively.

   

  The activity is more dynamic if played in competitive teams, minimum  three players per team, ideally 5-10 per team.

   

  This game can be played by very large groups, in teams, for example  at conferences.

   

  The exercise involves devising and using a simple coded non-verbal  (unspoken) communications system.

   

  The game may be played just once as a quick activity or ice-breaker,  or in several rounds, optionally enabling the group/teams to review and refine  their coding systems, at the discretion of the facilitator.

• mobile  phone/cellphone game (time management, use tools rather than allow tools to  use you, manage your environment, communications, addictions to technology and  gadgets)

   

  This is a simple and funny activity/warm-up/icebreaker for large  groups.

   

  The exercise especially demonstrates the influencial power of mobile  phones (and by inference other communications methods such as emails) to  disrupt effective working, time management and organisational efficiency.

   

  Normally groups at conferences and training sessions are asked to  switch off their mobile phones/cellphones.

   

  Try a different twist:

   

  Ask all delegates to switch on their phones (or blackberries  - or is it blackberrys?..)

   

  Say that this is a demonstration of the disruptive and negative  effects of technology controlling people rather than vice-versa.

   

  You can of course introduce and position the activity to suit other  purposes which fit.

   

  Ask delegates to select the loudest most annoying message alert  tone.

   

  Ask everyone to text a friend (or two or several friends each) whom  they know to be keen in responding to text messages.

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• Spell Off and What?    

  Required: Interesting words, paper and markers  Players: Small to medium groups

  Game of the Month 04/08

  Gather a list of words that are interesting, long or hard to spell and make sure you know the correct spelling and definitions. The words can even be names of places or destinations around the world. Each team of 3-5 people will have paper and marker to record their answers or they can use small white boards.  After you say each word, teams will be given 10-15 seconds to write out the correct spelling and to either give the definition or location. Only one answer per team will be accepted. The teams will receive 1 point for correct spelling and 2 points for the definition or location. The team that ends up with the most points wins the game.  Created by R. Scheel, Fun-Attic, Inc.

• What’s the Message? 

     

  Required: Paper, marker and prepared messages  Players: Medium to large groups

  Game of the Month 02/02

  Divide players into two main groups and use a big area to run in like a gym or open field. Each group should have approximately 8 people. The idea of the game is to try to read the message on the others team’s back without the other team trying to read yours. If there are 8 people on each team, then there should be a message  with 8 words; one word will be stuck at the back of each person (in order) to deliver the message. While the message is stuck on the players, the team interlocks their hands. On Go, the team has to run as a group, with their hands interlocking, attempting to read the message on the other team at the same time, and preventing the other team of reading  their message. This should go on for several minutes, running and trying to read. Then the team is to answer what they think the message was. The first team to figure out the message is the winner. For large groups stop after several minutes and start eliminating groups. Rotate as to which team answers because while they answer other teams pick up clues. Or  you could secretly have them give answers to prevent others from picking up clues.