{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"Written by Nicola Hilliard","standfirst":"","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EGoing to your first Scouts meeting, or even coming back after the summer holidays, might feel a little bit daunting.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere are lots of new faces and brilliant volunteers to meet. Here are a few icebreakers and team building activities to help volunteers and young people get to know each other better.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhether a young Squirrel\u2019s feeling shy in their first meeting, an excited Cub wants to make some new friends, or a fantastic volunteer\u0027s trying to learn lots of names, these games and activities will help you all settle back into Scouts.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003EName games\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo begin, throw a ball around the circle. When someone catches the ball, they say their name and throw the ball to another person. Keep playing until everyone\u2019s had a turn.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo make it harder, you could add in another ball. You could also ask people to shout someone else\u2019s name before throwing the ball to that person to catch.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOnce you\u2019re confident in each other\u2019s names, try these quick games:\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EHave a game of \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/guess-who/\u0022\u003EGuess Who\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EPlay a game of \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/splat/\u0022\u003ESplat\u003C/a\u003E, shouting people\u0027s names instead of \u0027Splat!\u0027\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EGet familiar with voices in \u003Ca href=\u0022/activities/play-skippyroo-kangaroo/\u0022 title=\u0022Play Skippyroo Kangaroo\u0022\u003ESkippyroo Kangaroo\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EWork out who\u2019s missing in \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/watch-out-fox-is-about/\u0022\u003EWatch out, fox is about\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/20012/two-girls-wearing-harnesses-and-crate-building-theyre-holding-onto-each-other-and-wearing-helmets.jpg","width":6000,"height":4000,"altText":"Two Scouts in orange helmets and harnesses hold on to each other while crate stacking.","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003ETeamwork\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAre you wanting to try some teamwork building activities to help your Scouts get to know each other?\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ETry to get a whole team through a \u003Ca href=\u0022/activities/in-and-around-a-circle/\u0022 title=\u0022In and around a circle\u0022\u003Epiece of paper\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ERoll the ball through the pipes to the bucket in \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/team-pipe-dream/\u0022\u003Eteam pipe dream\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ETake on inventive tasks together in \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/taskmaster/\u0022\u003ETaskmaster\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EPlay\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/shark-infested-custard/\u0022\u003EShark infested custard\u003C/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ETake on a space-themed teamwork game of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/mission-lightyear/\u0022\u003EMission: Lightyear\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ESee if people can get the answer in \u003Ca href=\u0022/activities/play-20-questions/\u0022 title=\u0022Play 20 Questions\u0022\u003E20 questions\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ECrack a life-sized puzzle in \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/gridlocked-people/\u0022\u003Egridlocked people\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EPractice teamwork in an \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/?category=Adventure\u0022 data-anchor=\u0022?category=Adventure\u0022\u003Eadventurous activity\u003C/a\u003E (you may need a permit!)\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003EFinding friends\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMaking friends can be harder for some young people, so introduce some talking points and share what you all have in common to get to know each other.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EPlay an active game of \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/when-the-wind-blows/\u0022\u003EWhen the Wind Blows\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EShare fun facts in \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/two-truths-one-lie/\u0022\u003Etwo truths, one lie\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EGo on a \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/friend-finding-mission/\u0022\u003Efriend finding mission\u003C/a\u003E to get to know people better\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EPlay \u003Ca href=\u0022/activities/play-buddy-bingo/\u0022 title=\u0022Play Buddy Bingo\u0022\u003Ebuddy bingo\u003C/a\u003E and find your perfect match\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/21140/squirrel-playing-game.jpg","width":7000,"height":4667,"altText":"A Squirrel playing a game, stood in a field and smiling","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003EAll about Scouts\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt might not just be friends you need introducing to. Young people might need a bit longer to learn all about the brilliant world of Scouts, too.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003ESquirrels\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EWelcome our youngest section to\u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/welcome-to-squirrel-scouts/\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;Squirrel Scouts\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EHelp Squirrels \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/welcome-welcome/\u0022\u003Efind out what Scouts is all about\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003EBeavers\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EDiscover how to \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/opening-a-beaver-meeting/\u0022\u003EOpen a Beaver meeting\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ELearn what it means to be a Beaver with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/busy-as-a-beaver/\u0022\u003EBusy as a Beaver\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003ECubs\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EGet ready and \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/opening-a-cub-meeting/\u0022\u003Eopen a Cub Meeting\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ELearn the \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/take-part-in-a-grand-howl/\u0022\u003EGrand Howl\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EPractice \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/closing-a-cub-meeting/\u0022\u003EClosing the Cub meeting\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003EScouts\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ELearn how \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/opening-a-scout-meeting/\u0022\u003Eopen a Scout meeting \u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EFind out how to \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/closing-a-scout-meeting/\u0022\u003Eclose a Scouts meeting\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003EAll Sections\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EDiscover the different badges and awards you can earn with this \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/badge-bingo-bonanza/\u0022\u003Ebrilliant bingo game\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EPractice tying your neckers in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/super-scarves/\u0022\u003ESuper scarves\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003ESharing stories\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EStories can help relax us, give us a chance to learn new things and make us laugh. They\u2019re also a great way for your group to help to get to know each other.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EWhy not share your photos to learn more about each other in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/every-picture-tells-a-story/\u0022\u003EEvery picture tells a story\u003C/a\u003E?\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EWork as a team to create one story together in \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/every-picture-tells-a-story/\u0022\u003ECircle storytelling\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EShare your favourite story with your friends in \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/my-favourite-story/\u0022\u003EMy favourite story\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBefore reading the stories, you could even share your favourite hot drink \u2013 or make every Scouts favourite treat, \u003Ca href=\u0022/activities/scrumptious-s-mores/\u0022 title=\u0022Scrumptious s\u2019mores\u0022\u003Es\u2019mores\u003C/a\u003E!\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"08 October 2025","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[{"caption":"","title":"Activity finder","url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/","newWindow":true},{"caption":"","title":"Planning your programme","url":"/programme-planner/","newWindow":false},{"caption":"","title":"Volunteer today","url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteer/volunteering-with-scouts/","newWindow":true}],"relatedLinks":[],"id":50404,"nodeName":"Icebreaker activities and games to welcome everyone into Scouts","title":"Icebreaker activities and games to welcome everyone into Scouts","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/18313/smiling-beavers.jpg?cc=0.0000000000000001263187085796,0,0,0.1563102635526033\u0026width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1dae19f892b7ff0","caption":"Smiling Beaver leans out from line","type":"jpg","size":912231,"width":7000,"height":4667,"altText":"A line of Beavers standing outside, while one of them leans to the side and smiles at the camera."},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"Icebreaker activities and games to welcome everyone into Scouts","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":"Help young people get to know each other better with these team building activity ideas.","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC81MDQwNCJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2022/august/icebreaker-activities-and-games-to-welcome-everyone-into-scouts/"}