1) Icebreaker discussion topics for breakout rooms. Use the Hygge questions of the day (contact JoLaine Jones Pokorney or google search). Or use some from below.

2) Lots of games can be played over zoom: Charades, the Dictionary game (a ka Balderdash), et al.

3) Check out the daily antidote of song - you could have singing

5) Or this book (written by a friend and edited by my wife): 72 tricks for virtual meetings

6) Have a virtual cooking session. Everyone gathers the same ingredients and makes the same food. My wife's book club had a 'making the perfect french omlette' session.

7) Crafting session - similar to the cooking session - or each person works on their own carft

8) Individual check-in: good with <25 people: have each person spend 30 seconds talking about what's happening with them

9) Sporcle - has many many fun trivia

10) joke fest - everyone come with their favorite joke (or two) ready to tell

Icebreaker questions

Best thing that happened to you this week
How did you discover Dance?
What is your strangest talent you or a friend has?
Your new daily routine
Drinking coffee situation
One thing nobody here knows about you?
One thing you would buy if you were a millionaire and why?
One thing you would never like to do again and why?
Would you prefer to travel forward in time, or back?
Would You Rather Have More Time Or More Money?
Would You Rather Be Without Internet For A Week, Or Without Your Phone?
Would You Rather Put A Stop To War Or End World Hunger?
What was your favourite childhood movie?
What’s The Weirdest Thing You’ve Ever Eaten?
What’s your spirit animal?
What’s your strangest talent?
What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?
What was your favourite class in school?
What is something that amazes you?
What Is In The Trunk Of Your Car Right Now?
What is your absolute dream job?
What is the most amazing fact you know?
If you could instantly be an expert in a subject, what would it be?
If you could pick up a certain skill instantly, what would it be?
If You Could Live In Any Sitcom, Which One Would It Be?
What’s The Weirdest Thing You’ve Ever Eaten?
What is your absolute dream job?
If you could instantly be an expert in a subject, what would it be?
If you could pick up a certain skill instantly, what would it be?
If You Could Live In Any Sitcom, Which One Would It Be?
Most boring fact about yourself
Favorite Pandemic recipe
Starch versus sweet
What is a major life decision that turned out unexpected well?
What is your dance story? How did you first hear about contra/ECD dancing?
Idea 1: Give folks 3 words that we don’t have in English that we should have in English - and their definitions. Like Sobremesa. Then people have to use those words during their breakout rooms.
Idea 2: Have folks tell a story from their childhood about food.

More ideas:

https://medium.com/future-of-design-in-higher-education/zoom-friendly-warmups-and-icebreakers-3400c8b7263

Seth Tepfer

Director of Software Engineering, Oxford College

Schedule an appointment: oxford.emory.edu/SethBooking

770-784-8487

seth.tepfer@emory.edu

Use AskIT for fastest response: Oxford.emory.edu/AskIT

Preferred pronouns: he, him, his

From: Emily Addison via Organizers <organizers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Thursday, October 22, 2020 11:13 AM
To: organizers shared weight <organizers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Subject: [External] [Organizers] Looking for ideas on how to make online social events fun for participants

Hi fellow organizers,

Here in Ottawa, we haven't yet held an online gathering for our dancers. We had a few distanced visits when the weather was warm and we've also had some open band practices. However, it would be really nice to have a way for our dancers to socialize over the winter.

Other than dancing, do you have suggestions for how to create a fun social event online?

I'm looking for ways to engage a larger group of participants as well as activities for break out rooms. Are there any fun and easy games for large groups? Conversation starters?

Thanks for any tips!

Emily Addison

Writing from Ottawa, ON