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Five Handshakes In Five Minutes
Quick energetic icebreaker to boost interaction & group energy.
- Simple, yet playful
- Highly interactive
- Generates lots of energy
- Inspires creativity
- No props
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Quick Energetic Icebreaker
This icebreaking activity creates immediate engagement through a series of fun physical interactions. Five Handshakes in Five Minutes is a quick energetic icebreaker that invites participants to exchange greetings with as many people as possible, creating movement, laughter and connection while breaking down social barriers. As an energetic icebreaker game, it builds comfort and familiarity in under five minutes.
Step-by-Step Instructions
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Original post October 2015, last updated September 2025.
Comments (5)
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No Props No Problem
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Five Handshakes In Five Minutes
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many kindergarten teachers like this game. thanks, Mark.
I learned this activity at a yearbook advisers’ conference and then brought it back to our university. It is great!
And if you like this one Michael, be sure to check our Crosstown Connections. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Great energizer. And if you let go of the “5 minutes” and add a simple question to each handshake, it can quickly because a great connection exercise.
Absolutely Chad – like most of the experiences shared in playmeo’s database, it’s never about the game. In this case, it becomes the pre-cursor to lots of fantastic sharing. Which leads to connection, which leads to trust. Thanks for sharing.