Part of every social function includes interacting with other guests and the host or hostesses. While this task may seem simple on the surface, many people have a lot of difficulty with this activity. Whether you are naturally an extrovert or inherently shy, ice breaker games can be a worthwhile weapon in your arsenal of social and communication skills. Following are some great tips and resources to help you in your quest to become an effective mingler.
Resources
A favorite internet website that provides valuable information on breaking the ice in a variety of situations is icebreakergames.co.us. This website has ideas for business applications, team building, social uses and even some tips for mingling and breaking the ice amongst young people.
Suggestions at this website include ways to start an event with an ice breaking activity. This choice will enable your guests to become better acquainted, more relaxed earlier in the evening, and will help them identify who they may be interested in getting to know a little better.
An example of an easy yet effective Holiday Party ice breaker would be to stage a Christmas Carol Quiz. In this example, guests would work individually or in teams to decipher the names of carols based on verbal clues. As the Quiz Master, you would call out the alternate carol names (i.e. Soundless Evening would represent Silent Night), and keep score. This game can easily be adapted to fit any party theme, from a Super Bowl event to a Halloween Party to a young girl’s Hannah Montana Birthday Party.
Mingling Tips
Mingling is defined as the mixing or bringing together of several parts. So in the entertaining interpretation, mingling would be defined as strangers joining together in purposeful conversation. So how does one go about mingling in a foreign setting like a party?
In this scenario, a little preparation is extremely valuable. Prepare by having a smattering of topics that you can discuss with a variety of people. Make a point of skimming the headlines each day to learn about the weather, a few sporting events, some celebrity news and a couple of current events. Steer clear of controversial topics like politics and religion; your purpose at a social event is to engage other people, not to debate them!
Armed with several interesting topics at your fingertips, you will find it simple to engage your new friends in conversation, and more importantly to impact the direction of the conversation so that you can learn more about them.
