General Icebreakers Visual Riddles: Thinking Creatively

Effective Teams Practice Activities Visual Riddles: Thinking Creatively Objectives:To have team members to think creatively as they attempt to solve a series of visual riddles. Time:Five to ten minutes. Materials:I.A copy of the Riddles List for the leader. II.A newsprint flip chart and felt-tipped marker. Setting:A room in which the participants can be seated comfortably. Procedure:I.The leader explains that the team members will be asked to think creatively in order to solve a series of visual riddles. II.The leader then tells the team members that they will be shown a series of diagrams (see Riddles List) one at a time and that they will have three minutes in which to determine what each one means. The group members may ask any questions they wish, but the leader can only answer “yes” or “no.” III.The leader draws the first diagram on the newsprint. The group members may ask questions as they attempt to guess the meaning of the riddle. IV.If the correct answer has not been guessed after three minutes, the leader announces it. He or she then draws the second diagram, and the team members attempt to guess its meaning. This process continues until the members have viewed and then attempted to decipher all of the visual riddles. V.The leader may process the activity by means of a discussion fo the elements of creative thinking, primarily the ability to view a situation from a different or new perspective. Adapted from S. Forbess-Greene, “Entrance Exams” (1983). In The Encyclopedia of Icebreakers: Structured Activities that Warm-Up, Motivate, Challenge, Acquaint and Energize. San Diego, CA: Pfeiffer & Company.

Effective Teams Practice Activities Riddles List