Weather Check-in - Ice Breaker Game
🎯 Quick Summary
Participants describe their current mood and state using weather metaphors, creating vivid, memorable expressions of how they're feeling.
✅ Why This Ice Breaker Game Works
- •This ice breaker has been used by 1,517 teams worldwide
- •Rated 4.7/5.0 by 228 facilitators who used this icebreaker game
- •Perfect ice breaker for: Deep Talk, Team Building
📝 How to Play Weather Check-in Ice Breaker (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Opening & Framing
2 min💬 Say This:
"Let's start with a creative check-in. I'd like each of you to describe how you're feeling right now—your mood, your energy, what's going on for you—using weather imagery. For example, you might say 'I'm a sunny day with a few scattered clouds' or 'I'm in a foggy morning, things are unclear.' There's no right answer, just what feels true for you. I'll start: [share your weather]. Who wants to go next?"
📋 What to Do:
- 1.Explain the concept: describe your inner state using weather as a metaphor
- 2.Give 2-3 diverse examples to spark imagination (stormy, calm, foggy, sunny, windy, etc.)
- 3.Emphasize creativity—the more specific and vivid, the better
- 4.Clarify there's no need to explain the metaphor unless they want to
- 5.Go first as the facilitator to model vulnerability and creativity
💡 Pro Tips:
- •Encourage specific weather imagery: 'partly cloudy with breaks of sun' is more evocative than just 'cloudy'
- •Make it safe: 'All weathers are welcome here—storms, sunshine, fog, whatever you're experiencing'
- •If someone struggles, offer prompts: 'Are you more stormy or calm? Hot or cold? Clear or foggy?'
- •This works beautifully for groups that are tired of standard 'how are you?' check-ins
Step 2: Main Activity - Weather Sharing
10 min💬 Say This:
"[After your example] Thank you for sharing your weather. Let's continue around the circle. Remember, be as creative and specific as you want!"
📋 What to Do:
- 1.Go around the circle or accept volunteers
- 2.Each person shares their weather metaphor (20-30 seconds)
- 3.Listen without interrupting or interpreting
- 4.Thank each person after they share
- 5.Notice patterns: Is the group mostly stormy? Mostly sunny? Mixed?
- 6.No need to discuss or analyze each one—let the metaphors speak for themselves
💡 Pro Tips:
- •Some people will share brief metaphors ('sunny'), others will paint elaborate scenes—both are great
- •If someone shares a difficult weather (hurricane, blizzard), acknowledge it: 'Thank you for sharing that'
- •You might hear beautiful, poetic descriptions—celebrate the creativity
- •Mental note of the 'team climate' for potential closing reflection
Step 3: Closing & Optional Before/After
3 min💬 Say This:
"Thank you all for those beautiful and honest weather reports. I noticed we had [mention patterns: 'a mix of storms and sunshine,' 'lots of fog lifting,' etc.]. Let's keep these in mind as we work together today. [If doing before/after:] At the end of our session, we'll check in again with our weather to see how the climate has changed."
📋 What to Do:
- 1.Acknowledge the group's overall 'climate' without judgment
- 2.Transition into the main session content
- 3.If doing a before/after comparison: At session end, repeat the activity and ask people to notice if their weather has shifted
- 4.Reflect on what caused changes (or stability) in personal weather
💡 Pro Tips:
- •The before/after comparison is powerful—it shows the impact of your session
- •Don't force analysis: 'It's interesting that several of you went from foggy to clear'
- •Some people's weather won't change, and that's okay too
- •This activity builds emotional vocabulary and self-awareness over time
⚠️ Common Questions (Avoid Problems)
Q: What if someone can't think of a weather metaphor?
A: Offer gentle prompts: 'If you had to pick between sunny or stormy, which feels closer?' or 'Think about the first weather that comes to mind—don't overthink it.' You can also invite them to pass and come back at the end. The pressure-free approach usually helps people relax into it.
Q: Should I do this at the beginning, end, or both?
A: It works wonderfully at the beginning as a creative check-in. It's even MORE powerful when done at both the beginning and end of a session—the before/after comparison shows how the group's collective 'climate' has shifted, which can be a profound way to close and reflect on the session's impact.
Q: What are some examples of creative weather metaphors people have used?
A: Great examples: 'Eye of a tornado—calm in the center but chaos around me,' 'Foggy morning that's starting to clear,' 'Sunny day with a storm on the horizon,' 'Spring rain—nourishing but a bit melancholy,' 'Crisp autumn day—energized and focused,' 'Summer heat wave—intense and a little overwhelming.' Encourage people to be as specific and creative as they want!
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