Trainer's Tools » Icebreakers Vol. 1

Ice Breakers are an important part of any training program because icebreakers serve a variety of purposes:

  • Icebreakers help to ease the tension caused by learning a new skill or understanding unfamiliar material
  • Icebreakers can serve to introduce program participants who did not know each other prior to the training class
  • Icebreakers can be used to introduce the program or course content
  • Icebreakers can be used to eliminate outside distractions and help participants focus on the training
  • Icebreakers can be used to build team cohesiveness

Even very short training sessions can benefit from a well-planned icebreaker. Like all training activities, icebreakers should have a very clear tie to the course content. Many trainers do not take the time to plan good icebreakers because most of the preparation time is spent developing the course content and instructional design. Consequently, many trainers fall back on the several default methods of opening a training program.

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