Desert Island Intelligences - Ice Breaker Game
π― Quick Summary
Teams debate which of Gardner's 8 intelligence types to eliminate from a desert island to ensure survival, revealing priorities and decision-making styles.
β Why This Ice Breaker Game Works
- β’This ice breaker has been used by 923 teams worldwide
- β’Rated 4.8/5.0 by 113 facilitators who used this icebreaker game
- β’Perfect ice breaker for: Team Building, Deep Talk
π How to Play Desert Island Intelligences Ice Breaker (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Setup & Scenario Introduction
5 min㪠Say This:
"Imagine this: 8 people are stranded on a desert island. Each person represents one of Gardner's Multiple Intelligences - visual-spatial, linguistic-verbal, interpersonal, intrapersonal, logical-mathematical, musical, body-kinesthetic, and naturalistic. The island has limited resources, so the group must decide who to eliminate, one by one, to maximize the group's chance of survival. Your job is to debate and decide the order of elimination. There are no right answers - just your team's reasoning."
π What to Do:
- 1.Present Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences briefly
- 2.List all 8 intelligence types with short descriptions on a board or shared screen
- 3.Explain the scenario: stranded on island, limited resources, must eliminate people to survive
- 4.Clarify the goal: decide the ORDER of elimination (who goes first, who survives longest)
- 5.For large groups (10+), split into smaller teams of 4-6 to debate
- 6.Give teams 10-15 minutes to discuss and create their elimination order
π‘ Pro Tips:
- β’Provide brief descriptions of each intelligence: Visual-Spatial (can visualize/navigate), Linguistic-Verbal (communicates well), Interpersonal (understands others), Intrapersonal (self-aware), Logical-Mathematical (reasons/problem-solves), Musical (rhythm/sound patterns), Body-Kinesthetic (uses body skillfully), Naturalistic (understands nature)
- β’Encourage debate: 'There's no single right answer - argue your reasoning!'
- β’Remind teams to think practically: What skills help survival? Water, food, shelter, morale?
- β’For virtual teams, use breakout rooms for small group discussions
- β’Optional: give teams role-play cards describing each intelligence in survival scenarios
Step 2: Debate & Decision
15 min㪠Say This:
"Alright teams, time to make your case! Team 1, who did you eliminate first and why? Team 2, do you agree or disagree? Let's hear the reasoning behind your choices. Remember, we're debating ideas, not attacking each other - keep it respectful and thoughtful."
π What to Do:
- 1.Have each team share their elimination order (who goes first, second, etc.)
- 2.After each team presents, ask others: 'Do you agree? What would you do differently?'
- 3.Facilitate debate between teams with different orders
- 4.Ask probing questions: 'Why is musical intelligence less valuable than naturalistic?' 'Could interpersonal skills boost morale and prevent conflicts?'
- 5.Notice patterns: which intelligences do most teams keep? Which go first?
- 6.Encourage respectful disagreement and evidence-based arguments
- 7.If time allows, vote on a final group consensus order
π‘ Pro Tips:
- β’The debates are where the magic happens - let them unfold naturally!
- β’Common debates: Is interpersonal (people skills) or naturalistic (survival skills) more valuable? Is musical useless or morale-boosting?
- β’Watch for personality reveals: Who values logic vs. empathy? Who thinks short-term vs. long-term?
- β’If debate gets heated, remind folks: 'We're exploring how we think, not proving who's right'
- β’Take notes on interesting arguments to reference in the debrief
- β’Most teams eliminate musical first - challenge that assumption!
Step 3: Reflection & Insights
10 min㪠Say This:
"Fascinating discussions! Let's step back and reflect. What did you notice about how your team made decisions? Did anyone change their mind during the debate? What does this exercise reveal about how we prioritize skills in our own work? Are we valuing diverse intelligences on our team, or defaulting to just logic and communication?"
π What to Do:
- 1.Ask teams: 'What surprised you about your own reasoning or others' arguments?'
- 2.Identify patterns: 'Most teams kept naturalistic and logical-mathematical - why?'
- 3.Connect to real work: 'How does this relate to how we value different skills on our team?'
- 4.Prompt self-awareness: 'Which intelligence type do YOU bring to the team?'
- 5.Discuss diversity: 'What would happen if we only valued one or two intelligence types?'
- 6.Invite final thoughts: 'Did this change how you think about team composition?'
π‘ Pro Tips:
- β’The real goal is self-awareness about decision-making, not solving the island puzzle
- β’Great reflection questions: 'Did we consider ALL factors or just obvious survival needs?' 'Did we value emotional/social skills as much as practical ones?'
- β’Connect to Gardner's theory: intelligence is diverse - teams need multiple types to thrive
- β’Point out biases: teams often undervalue artistic/emotional intelligences in 'survival' mode
- β’Takeaway: 'In work and life, diverse skills create resilience - don't eliminate the 'musical' people!'
- β’End with: 'Who would YOU want on your island? Who would you want on your project team?'
β οΈ Common Questions (Avoid Problems)
Q: What if the team can't agree on an elimination order?
A: That's actually a great outcome! The disagreement itself reveals how people prioritize differently. If consensus is impossible, have teams vote or create multiple scenarios: 'Elimination order for short-term survival (1 month) vs. long-term survival (1 year).' The goal isn't agreement - it's understanding HOW your team thinks and debates.
Q: Isn't this activity kind of dark or uncomfortable (eliminating people)?
A: Yes, it can feel uncomfortable - and that's intentional! The stakes make people think critically. Frame it clearly: 'This is hypothetical and about intelligences, not real people.' Emphasize that all 8 types have value - the exercise forces prioritization to spark debate. If your team is sensitive, use an alternate framing: 'Rank the intelligences from most to least critical' instead of 'eliminate.'
Q: Can we play this without knowing Gardner's Theory beforehand?
A: Absolutely! You can give a 2-minute intro to Gardner's Theory at the start, or just present the 8 intelligence types with brief descriptions without the academic background. The exercise works even if people aren't familiar with the theory - the survival debate is the focus, not the psychology lesson. You can also simplify to just listing the 8 types with one-sentence descriptions.
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