The Wind Blows

• Break the ice
• Energize a large group
• Learn new things about group members; recognize similarities and differences
• Great as a first activity or to break up a long workshop

• 1 chair for each person

• Chairs are arranged in a circle with participants sitting in the chairs
• If facilitator is going to participate s/he starts in the middle
• If facilitator is not participating, than s/he invites one volunteer to stand in the middle removing the volunteer's chair from the circle

One participant stands in the middle and says "The wind blows for...(insert statement that applies to participant here)" and then everyone to whom that statement applies gets up and tries to find an empty chair. Participants may not move to a chair right next to the one they were just sitting in. Since everyone (including the person in the middle) is looking for a new chair, one person will be left with out a chair... and that person becomes the one in the middle. It is best to start off with a statement that will get everyone to move.

Example statements: The Wind Blows for anyone...

• who brushed their teeth this morning
• whose parents are divorced
• who took the bus to get here
• etc.

If want to do this outside (or any area where don't have chairs) you can use other placemarkers. For example hand out post-it notes and have everyone in the circle mark their spot with the note before you begin. Just be careful that people don't step on eachothers toes trying for the spots!