In the beginning of any group, students will be unfamiliar and therefore somewhat hesitant and uncomfortable around each other. Playing icebreakers helps group members get to know each other in a fun way. As one method for sharing a lot of information, the author suggests the game “2 Truths 1 Lie.”
Building emotional intelligence can be done through games such as emotion-based charades, where one student acts out an emotion and other students have to guess. This will teach them how to read emotional cues and better understand each other. One other excellent outcome of increased emotional intelligence is that they will be better equipped to deepen relationships with each other. Have them split into threes and explain the “why” behind their names to really help them to connect with each other.