[Libs-Or] Tech-Talk: FUN, Team Building and Virtual Games for the Holidays

Thu Dec 21 12:03:14 PST 2023

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Webinars for You

  *   Dec 20: [EXCEL] Create a Gantt Chart for Managing Projects and Time [3 pm ET for 1 hour]

  *   Jan 10: [SOCIAL MEDIA] Instagram 101... A Beginner's Guide to Social Success [3 pm ET for 1 hour]

  *   Jan 24: [ORGANIZE] Desktop Organization - Simplify Your Computer Life [3 pm ET for 1 hour]

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Fun, Team Building and Virtual Games for the Holidays

Novice

        [holiday games]

We all need time to relax and connect on a more personal and fun level, right? If you're in an organization, team-building activities are a way to improve communications, build trust as well as boost morale and motivation.

Or, maybe you're away from family and friends over the holidays and like to connect through a platform like Zoom. You can add some fun to the video call with lively games.

Whether you are in-person or connecting via Zoom with colleagues or family, games can be a way to engage all participants, get people to come out of their shells, and bring a bit of holiday cheer.

We found some games that can be played in person or virtually. These have a holiday theme but can easily be changed to any type of topic.

Let’s Play Some Games!

This or That (Holiday Style)

Instructions: Assign a leader to read prompts or have questions printed on a sheet of paper. Players respond with their answers. If playing virtually, players can put responses in chat or voice them.

Here are some Holiday starts for you… add your own to customize it for your organization or family. This is a great way to get to know someone! Answers can start lively debates and prompt stories.

        [This or That game]

This or That?

  *   Reindeer or Elves?
  *   Real or fake tree?
  *   Hot chocolate or eggnog?
  *   Sledding or ice skating?
  *   Frosty the snowman or Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer?
  *   Driving around looking at lights or caroling?
  *   Snow or Sand?
  *   Large present or several smaller ones?
  *   Ham or turkey?
  *   Gingerbread man or sugar cookie?
  *   "It's a Wonderful Life" or "Die Hard"?
  *   Ugly sweater or Secret Santa?

Download a PDF of these Questions<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ZUg_rTEptejAqRl6zCOMdRSW4LV5KFaCDhkJDvrXHqnxz8cBuOTZ3TULs0NEKLel4S5FSqqspOe5cHOA9LnahT7zIISODi9AT-WZxSNEZ52IWiK_vu6cWMmSZ6AIuATuNF3YKZ9CLH6iBO0O2LcqDqA7f73DVF0mxihBb4A8qPPt5i8UJq-CelqjpTsC_QKQu9wIMXCPOJq8NdmsSe2iwF4IME3zWbOGG7WCBwlFKtw=&c=ucVEHUURcCl-BIL3FPAPtC-b_-EMuqE5p4ZbwjVbHj7lz5E4tAc1Iw==&ch=6V8zJ7oYV_n6rcd4vYkXF6s9wtOdaBn8Y6pWODX7A2LuDFU-pOVUZA==>

Holiday "Minute to Win It"

This is a take on the TV show. Players compete in challenges to do activities in under sixty seconds. This can be played in person or over Zoom.

Instructions: First, divide your group into 2-4 teams. Gather supplies for each challenge. Designate someone to be the timer. Put sixty seconds on the clock to complete the challenge. Teams can do the tasks one at a time or everyone at the same time. Award points accordingly.

        [https://files.constantcontact.com/ee1208b4001/cbf24136-c8f6-47d9-8843-f7a871fd891b.png]

Sample challenge ideas:

  *   Holiday Tower – Construct a tower out of dice, cups or blocks (stackable objects). See which team's tower is the highest without falling over.

  *   Mitten Challenge – Put on a pair of mittens and see who can type a paragraph on a computer with the least number of mistakes in the minute.

  *   Christmas Cookie Face – Put a Christmas cookie on your forehead and without using your hands, move the cookie into your mouth and eat it within one minute.

  *   Snowball Fight – Give the player scraps of paper which they crumple up into a ball and toss into a mug. Count how many each player has scored in one minute.

  *   Fill Santa's Beard – Place a bunch of cotton balls (or marshmallows) on a plate and print out a picture of Santa (with his large beard on display). With a plastic spoon handle in each player’s mouth, players have one minute to fill Santa's beard with as many cotton balls (or marshmallows) as possible.

Holiday Edition: Never Have I Ever
        [secret santa]

This is a great game to play to get to know each other. Even if you think you know someone, you learn something new!

Instructions: Assign a leader to read the questions (or have players create their own questions). The other players will then have to decide if they have or have not done the activity mentioned in the question. If they have done it, they would say "I have." If they have not done it, they would respond "I have never."

You can get creative and have a piece of paper that says "I have" on one side and "I have never" on the other.

Here are some holiday-themed ideas to get started.

  *   Never have I ever re-gifted a present.
  *   Never have I ever worn an ugly holiday sweater.
  *   Never have I ever gone caroling door-to-door.
  *   Never have I ever eaten fruitcake.
  *   Never have I ever built a snowman.
  *   Never have I ever participated in a Secret Santa gift exchange.
  *   Never have I ever gone ice skating during the holiday season.
  *   Never have I ever received a present I didn't like but pretended to love.
  *   Never have I ever taken a family holiday photo wearing matching pajamas.
  *   Never have I ever built a gingerbread house from scratch.
  *   Never have I ever left cookies and milk out for Santa.
  *   Never have I ever spent New Year's Eve in another country.

Download  a "Never Have I Ever - Holiday Edition" PDF<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ZUg_rTEptejAqRl6zCOMdRSW4LV5KFaCDhkJDvrXHqnxz8cBuOTZ3TULs0NEKLelidpuZOvW9s_yHxJBzfUHK7xrNyJCL5ApVu3VQsb6mCsoDaZKJHqhPYQA77272LKJX3w_-F9adawcQo_P02sQQER4EZ2TfyC-1Mooc9K5mBa6GnmgpEAxHPDfaAd26iwHpekWAWobRPPcNTKTQvJMH-wu-ok43MMFlbWRsiyq4-09P0nEHmygBQ==&c=ucVEHUURcCl-BIL3FPAPtC-b_-EMuqE5p4ZbwjVbHj7lz5E4tAc1Iw==&ch=6V8zJ7oYV_n6rcd4vYkXF6s9wtOdaBn8Y6pWODX7A2LuDFU-pOVUZA==>

For more ideas on team-building games for year-round fun, check out some of these resources:

  *   https://www.wrike.com/blog/team-building-games/<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ZUg_rTEptejAqRl6zCOMdRSW4LV5KFaCDhkJDvrXHqnxz8cBuOTZ3TULs0NEKLelGiLCi57uoEW1vaNrYYT2UOlQEZ6Sbej0XvmQpN-OmCDZnKLhz0royHUaE9TDA5VB21fCecEYL91ClWASx_G33QFQNbJMmoMdT7zlVpMvhqIcK8PmYZGOiQ==&c=ucVEHUURcCl-BIL3FPAPtC-b_-EMuqE5p4ZbwjVbHj7lz5E4tAc1Iw==&ch=6V8zJ7oYV_n6rcd4vYkXF6s9wtOdaBn8Y6pWODX7A2LuDFU-pOVUZA==>
  *   https://www.themuse.com/advice/team-building-activities-games-for-work-office<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ZUg_rTEptejAqRl6zCOMdRSW4LV5KFaCDhkJDvrXHqnxz8cBuOTZ3TULs0NEKLelEb1Jk_8MLiYaEBQy8JOAB_5ukXI7IQYENMgkVnhueucuy-z9-FcZbNRWqh0R-2dSlj7D-FeQSaCfszQHMf2m3X5P5GzW60NBcT3JmPtn_2X2kXdF1VMa7IHmr74zUC2zTa_RARIvRzebNdwksufY5cuuDbBjqgV1&c=ucVEHUURcCl-BIL3FPAPtC-b_-EMuqE5p4ZbwjVbHj7lz5E4tAc1Iw==&ch=6V8zJ7oYV_n6rcd4vYkXF6s9wtOdaBn8Y6pWODX7A2LuDFU-pOVUZA==>
  *   https://wheniwork.com/blog/team-building-games<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ZUg_rTEptejAqRl6zCOMdRSW4LV5KFaCDhkJDvrXHqnxz8cBuOTZ3TULs0NEKLelR9dAZ4Ghd2OST0CPq_yr8C8ut9yjl0DPf8gHLURhFHiY6O3GU9DiGKwuHL20YiI7_Ocjn5xiPZc2KV6QMWxm6POCGZrigS9iwWF_dFyTedqtoNkQYSIn7w==&c=ucVEHUURcCl-BIL3FPAPtC-b_-EMuqE5p4ZbwjVbHj7lz5E4tAc1Iw==&ch=6V8zJ7oYV_n6rcd4vYkXF6s9wtOdaBn8Y6pWODX7A2LuDFU-pOVUZA==>
  *   https://www.sessionlab.com/blog/team-building-activities/<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ZUg_rTEptejAqRl6zCOMdRSW4LV5KFaCDhkJDvrXHqnxz8cBuOTZ3TULs0NEKLelZDmE1QpJMQ1mzMeM-woWV94hLMIw2htLr8i6_EwdtEnVtnEJtnBZIJ_kvTxk-xT7xNg7l-dR3VAxmy8bvG3u32D7qKj9AXKAw8wsq1FYoPQ8eIx4jVo3eycDVF9f5TZR&c=ucVEHUURcCl-BIL3FPAPtC-b_-EMuqE5p4ZbwjVbHj7lz5E4tAc1Iw==&ch=6V8zJ7oYV_n6rcd4vYkXF6s9wtOdaBn8Y6pWODX7A2LuDFU-pOVUZA==>

[https://files.constantcontact.com/ee1208b4001/f8f1ecc8-4884-4c21-8ed0-cf647e6db944.png]

Communication: Be Inclusive

Effective communication means including everyone. It is a "bringing in" activity rather than "shutting out". By including people we foster a sense of respect and belonging … and allow more accurate information to be shared.

Here are a few ideas on how to practice inclusive communications.

1. Bring people into your meetings — folks who may not have been invited in the past. For example, ask the admin assistant to join a management meeting; a volunteer to come to a team meeting.

2. Add additional people to your email distribution list … for memos, meeting minutes, project reports.

3. Pass information on … both verbally (ideas discussed in a team meeting), written (memos and reports) and digitally (email, voice mail, text).

In general, look for opportunities to share. It will pay off!

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Cheers,
Darci Hanning, MLIS (she/her/hers)

Public Library Consultant / CE Coordinator
Continuing Education Resources: https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/conted

State Library of Oregon | Library Support and Development Services

971-375-3491 | darci.hanning at slo.oregon.gov<mailto:darci.hanning at slo.oregon.gov> | www.oregon.gov/library<http://www.oregon.gov/library>

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