Every parent teacher group meeting could be the first meeting for one of your members. How will you keep them coming back and stay invested?
Beyond having a good agenda, encouraging people to be friendly and presenting informative content, ensuring that everyone has a chance to connect is important.
Icebreakers should be a crucial part of each meeting. They play a major role in membership and volunteer retention, get people more comfortable with one another, aid in leadership development and present new memberships with an opportunity to be seen and heard.
NOTE: In this time of social isolation and remote meetings, ice breakers can really help ease the awkwardness that some people when they meet virtually.
Here Are Three Icebreakers for Your Next Virtual Meeting:
Common Corners
This icebreaker allows members to get to know one another based on items they have in common. It takes a bit of planning, but it really leads to plenty of interaction.
All you need are 2-3 questions, such as how many children do you have, where did you grow up, what are your hobbies or where do you like to go on vacation. Then, set each of the four corners of a room with a displayed answer.
As you ask the question, members will go to the corner of the room that best fits their answer, allowing them to learn what they have in common and perhaps meet someone new.
VIRTUAL MEETING TIP: If you ask similar questions via email or social media, you can introduce different members to one another online.
Enhanced Introductions
While you don’t often get the chance to do introductions at every meeting, these short and themed intros will allow members the chance to know a little more about one another. Here are some suggested enhanced introductions:
– Favorite seasonal activity or memory
– Favorite Halloween costume
– Favorite teacher ever and why
– Favorite family tradition
– Favorite hobby
VIRTUAL MEETING TIP: You can ask members to email or message their answers and share them at the start of a virtual meeting. They also make great content to share in eNewsletters and on social media.
A Penny for Your Memories
Ask members to reach into their pockets or purses for a penny. Then, go around the room, ask each of them to read the date on that penny and share a memory they have about themselves or your group from that year.
VIRTUAL MEETING TIP: Members can either grab their own pennies or you can assign them random dates.
Meeting icebreakers offer plenty of great opportunities for team building. And while your members are quarantined, they can give them something to look forward to. Consider letting them know in advance what icebreaker you’ll be using in your next meeting.
AIM is here to help your organization succeed. Check out our other blogs for fundraising inspiration, tips, PTA, PTO, or Booster Club guidance, and more!