Get your team working like a well-oiled machine with Contact!

What is Contact?

Hey there, have you heard of the Contact icebreaker game? It's a fun and interactive way to get to know your coworkers or new friends! The goal of the game is to learn everyone's name in the group and a little bit about them.

To play, everyone stands in a circle and one person starts by saying their name and a fun fact about themselves. They then proceed to make eye contact with someone across the circle and say "contact". The person they made contact with then repeats the first person's name and fun fact, and adds their own name and fun fact before making eye contact with someone else and saying "contact" to pass the turn.

The game continues until everyone has had a turn and everyone's name and fun fact has been shared. It's a great way to break the ice and get people talking!

This activity is perfect for team-building events, meetings, classrooms, and social gatherings. However, it should not be played in settings where people may feel uncomfortable sharing personal information or when time is limited.

To make the game more fun, you can add a theme to the fun facts (such as "favorite food" or "dream travel destination"), or make it a timed challenge to see how quickly everyone can share their information. Don't hesitate to add your own creative touch to the game!

So next time you're in a group and want to break the ice, suggest playing Contact and get ready to learn some interesting facts about your fellow participants!

Materials needed for Contact

Contact requires no materials or tools to play. Just bring yourself and a few others and you'll have a great time!

How to play Contact

• Gather participants in a circle: Have everyone stand in a circle, facing one another.
• Assign a person to start as the 'caller': Choose someone to start as the 'caller'. This person will begin the game.
• Caller thinks of a category: The 'caller' must think of a category in their mind, such as 'fruits' or 'countries'.
• Caller taps someone on the shoulder: The 'caller' will tap someone on the shoulder to indicate that they need to provide an answer.
• Tapped person gives an answer related to the category: The person who was tapped must quickly give an answer that fits the category chosen by the 'caller'.
• Continue tapping and answering: Keep going around the circle, with the 'caller' tapping different people and them providing answers to the category.
• No repeat answers: Make sure that no answer is repeated. If someone gives a repeated answer, they're out of the game.
• Randomly change the caller: After a few rounds, randomly choose a new person to be the 'caller' and continue the game.
• Keep playing until one person remains: Continue playing rounds, eliminating players who give repeated answers, until only one person is left as the winner.

Benefits of Contact

Team building activities are far more than just fun and games. They pack a punch when it comes to the range of benefits they can deliver. Some of the benefits of Contact include:

• You get to know each other better
• Breaks the ice: Contact is an icebreaker activity, which means it is designed to help people get comfortable with each other quickly. By playing Contact, you can quickly break down the initial barriers between people and get to know each other better.
• Boosts team morale and cooperation
• Great for team building exercises
• Encourages creativity: Playing Contact requires creativity and thinking outside the box. This encourages players to be more creative, which can help boost creativity in other areas of life too.
• Improves communication skills
• Energizes and engages: Playing a fun game like Contact is a great way to energize and engage a group of people. It can help everyone feel less self-conscious and more open to sharing their thoughts and ideas.
• Helps to break down hierarchical barriers and establish trust among team members

Why we like Contact

We like Contact because it's a simple yet engaging game that requires teamwork and communication to succeed. It's perfect for a group that wants to have fun and improve their communication skills at the same time.

Reflection questions for Contact

Reflection questions are a great way to help your team process their experience after playing Contact.

1. What surprised you during the Contact icebreaker activity? This question prompts participants to think about any unexpected outcomes, reactions, or observations that they had during the activity.
2. How did you feel during the Contact icebreaker activity? Participants can reflect on their emotions, such as excitement, nervousness, or curiosity, and consider what factors contributed to those feelings.
3. What did you learn about yourself or others during the Contact icebreaker activity? This question encourages participants to think about any insights or discoveries that they gained during the activity, such as common interests or communication styles.
4. How did the Contact icebreaker activity impact your group dynamic? Participants can reflect on how the activity affected their relationships with each other, their level of trust, or their overall cohesion as a group.
5. What might you do differently during the Contact icebreaker activity if you were to do it again? This question prompts participants to consider what they might change about their own behavior or the activity itself in order to improve the experience.

Which skills does Contact build?

• Quick thinking - Quick thinking skills are crucial for icebreakers and team building as they allow individuals to think on their feet and come up with creative solutions in the moment, fostering a sense of spontaneity and collaboration among team members.
• Vocabulary - Having strong vocabulary skills can enhance icebreakers and team building activities by enabling individuals to effectively communicate and connect with others, fostering a more inclusive and engaging environment.
• Teamwork - Teamwork skills are crucial for icebreakers and team building because they foster effective communication, encourage collaboration, and promote a sense of unity among team members, leading to better problem-solving and increased productivity.
• Communication - Communication skills are essential for icebreakers and team building because they facilitate effective and open dialogue, allowing team members to connect and understand each other better, which leads to improved collaboration and problem-solving.