Let your group know they’re about to play a fun and fast-paced celebrity name challenge to get their brains working and energy flowing. In this icebreaker, participants will build a chain of celebrity names, feeding off of their peers. Get ready to think fast and stay sharp!
Time Needed: 10 minutes
Group Size: Any
Materials: Flipchart with activity examples (may also use white board, etc.)
Directions: Explain that you will all participate in a team challenge game where participants will try to name celebrities whose names start with specific letters.
Sitting in a circle, the first person says the first and last name of a celebrity and then calls out another person in the circle. That person must name a celebrity whose first name starts with the first letter of the last name of the previously mentioned celebrity. If a one-name celebrity is used, the first letter of their first name can be used for the next person.
Show the flipchart with examples to your group:
Taylor Swift → Steph Curry → Chris Evans → Eli Manning
Each time, you’ll allow participants a couple of seconds to respond. If they cannot think of someone, allow another person in the circle to call out a name. Continue the game from there. Celebrity names can be repeated, and all kinds of celebrities are allowed – athletes, singers, influencers, actors, etc.
Once the group gets the hang of it, you can change it up by no longer allowing names to be repeated and/or playing for speed. Once time is up, keep everyone seated in the circle and debrief from there.
Debrief Questions:
- What was challenging about this game?
- Thinking about how you had to “work with” the celebrity name that was given to you, how do we have to “work with” what we are given at other times? (e.g., a subject in school that you don’t like, a teacher or boss that you find difficult, a family or friend situation that you would like to change)
- What are some things you can control within those situations? (e.g., how you react, what you say to other people, how you view the situation)