Icebreaker For Tweens
By the time kids are in late grade school, they're becoming a little too sophisticated (or so they think!) for the old standby games such as musical chairs or hot potato. On the other hand, they're not quite skillful enough to keep the conversation flowing throughout the entire party. So a party icebreaker game that provides them with fun, easy conversation questions is a great way to kick off a party and keep the chatter going when things slow down.
You'll need a big basket or bowl, and small slips of paper with these questions written on them within the basket. Have enough questions so that there's one for each kid at the party, and as many more as you think the group will need. The play is simple - have the children sit in a circle facing one another. In turn they should pass the basket around and take one of the questions. They must read the question out loud and answer it. Anyone else who would like to answer the question can take a turn with it. When the conversation for one question is completed, pass the bowl and the next person takes a question. Continue until it's time to move onto the next party activity. If refreshments are served later in the party, you might want to bring out the questions again so they have conversation starters handy if things get too quiet.
Here are possible questions for this icebreaker. Feel free to add other fun questions according to the group's interests. Beware of questions that will provoke too personal an answer, or spark hurt feelings in the group.
What is your favorite book of all time and why?
What is your favorite television program?
If you could be an actor/actress in any movie, which would it be?
If you could solve one of the world's big problems, which would you choose?
If you could have either good looks or brains which would you pick and why?
If you could live under the ocean or on the moon, which would you choose?
What is your most favorite food?
What is your least favorite food?
Name the best day of your entire life.
If you could be great friends with any celebrity, who would you pick?
If you had to give up one food for the rest of your life, would it be chocolate or pizza?
If you could have a magical power, what would you want it to be?
If you could have lunch with a famous historical figure, who would it be?
If you could choose to be born at another point in history, when would it be?
If you could study in another country for a year, where would you like to go?
What animal do you wish you could change into at will, and why?
What was your favorite toy when you were younger?
If you could have picked your own name, what would it be?
Invent a new item of clothing - describe it.
What would be your perfect day?
If you had three wishes, what would they be?
If you could change one thing in the history books, what would you change?
What would be your dream job?
Invent a new piece of technology - describe what it would do.
What is your favorite time of day, and why?
By: Donna Pilato
You'll need a big basket or bowl, and small slips of paper with these questions written on them within the basket. Have enough questions so that there's one for each kid at the party, and as many more as you think the group will need. The play is simple - have the children sit in a circle facing one another. In turn they should pass the basket around and take one of the questions. They must read the question out loud and answer it. Anyone else who would like to answer the question can take a turn with it. When the conversation for one question is completed, pass the bowl and the next person takes a question. Continue until it's time to move onto the next party activity. If refreshments are served later in the party, you might want to bring out the questions again so they have conversation starters handy if things get too quiet.
Here are possible questions for this icebreaker. Feel free to add other fun questions according to the group's interests. Beware of questions that will provoke too personal an answer, or spark hurt feelings in the group.
What is your favorite book of all time and why?
What is your favorite television program?
If you could be an actor/actress in any movie, which would it be?
If you could solve one of the world's big problems, which would you choose?
If you could have either good looks or brains which would you pick and why?
If you could live under the ocean or on the moon, which would you choose?
What is your most favorite food?
What is your least favorite food?
Name the best day of your entire life.
If you could be great friends with any celebrity, who would you pick?
If you had to give up one food for the rest of your life, would it be chocolate or pizza?
If you could have a magical power, what would you want it to be?
If you could have lunch with a famous historical figure, who would it be?
If you could choose to be born at another point in history, when would it be?
If you could study in another country for a year, where would you like to go?
What animal do you wish you could change into at will, and why?
What was your favorite toy when you were younger?
If you could have picked your own name, what would it be?
Invent a new item of clothing - describe it.
What would be your perfect day?
If you had three wishes, what would they be?
If you could change one thing in the history books, what would you change?
What would be your dream job?
Invent a new piece of technology - describe what it would do.
What is your favorite time of day, and why?
By: Donna Pilato
10:22 AM | Was this helpful? | 
Business Table Manners
Part 1 - Place Setting Rules and Personal Habits
Never be fooled by the apparent congeniality of a business meal. Whether a prospective employer is taking you to lunch or you're trying to win the big contract, your table manners have never been under greater scrutiny.
It's not that anyone cares if you have the skill to memorize the rules of the table. Emily Post is not quizzing you. But the fact is that table manners were designed to keep us from offending one another with unappetizing behavior. For example, you may think that it's better to pick food out of your front teeth with that handy matchbook cover than to have spinach stuck between your choppers. But your potential employer may not want to shake your hand after it's been digging in the recesses of your mouth.
The rules of table etiquette can be very involved. But as already stated, you won't be sitting for an exam on the subject. This is a basic list of American rules for the table to keep you out of trouble and, hopefully, land that job or contract.
Place Setting Rules
Your water glass is the one on your right.
The bread dish to the left is yours.
Put butter on your bread dish. Break off bite-size pieces of bread to butter and eat one at a time.
Use the utensils from the outside in.
If right-handed, hold the knife in that hand while cutting and the fork in your left. Put the knife down on your plate and switch the fork to your right hand to eat the piece that has been cut.
If you drop a utensil, leave it where it fell on the floor and ask the waiter to bring you a new one. Once you've used a utensil, do not place it down on the table cloth. It should be put on your plate. This ensures that the table linens will stay clean.
When you finish eating, your knife and fork should be placed across your plate pointing to 11:00.
Personal Habits
Don't talk with food in your mouth. It makes it difficult to understand what you're saying, and it's not pleasant to see your food being masticated. Further, you don't want to risk a torpedo flying out of your mouth onto your companion's plate.
Chew with your mouth closed. See above.
Don't order messy foods that are difficult to eat. You will feel self-conscious as you try to keep the greasy sandwich from dripping on your new silk tie or dress. Or think about the vision of yourself with barbecue sauce smeared across your cheeks after slobbering over a rack of ribs. Not a pretty sight, is it?
Don't burp. It's not cute and it's not a compliment in most parts of the world, no matter what your father told you. If a burp or hiccup escapes, just quietly say, "excuse me."
Keep your elbows off the table while eating. It can interfere with the person seated next to you. After the meal has been cleared, you may put your elbows on the table in order to lean forward to join in conversation.
Head for the rest rooms if you must remove something stuck between your teeth.
Don't gobble your food in a rush. Give your mouth some space to converse.
Never lift your soup bowl to drink the final drops. Tilt it away from you and scoop the final amount with the spoon pushing away from you. Don't try to get every last drop.
Don't lick your fingers, use a napkin.
By: Donna Pilato
Never be fooled by the apparent congeniality of a business meal. Whether a prospective employer is taking you to lunch or you're trying to win the big contract, your table manners have never been under greater scrutiny.
It's not that anyone cares if you have the skill to memorize the rules of the table. Emily Post is not quizzing you. But the fact is that table manners were designed to keep us from offending one another with unappetizing behavior. For example, you may think that it's better to pick food out of your front teeth with that handy matchbook cover than to have spinach stuck between your choppers. But your potential employer may not want to shake your hand after it's been digging in the recesses of your mouth.
The rules of table etiquette can be very involved. But as already stated, you won't be sitting for an exam on the subject. This is a basic list of American rules for the table to keep you out of trouble and, hopefully, land that job or contract.
Place Setting Rules
Your water glass is the one on your right.
The bread dish to the left is yours.
Put butter on your bread dish. Break off bite-size pieces of bread to butter and eat one at a time.
Use the utensils from the outside in.
If right-handed, hold the knife in that hand while cutting and the fork in your left. Put the knife down on your plate and switch the fork to your right hand to eat the piece that has been cut.
If you drop a utensil, leave it where it fell on the floor and ask the waiter to bring you a new one. Once you've used a utensil, do not place it down on the table cloth. It should be put on your plate. This ensures that the table linens will stay clean.
When you finish eating, your knife and fork should be placed across your plate pointing to 11:00.
Personal Habits
Don't talk with food in your mouth. It makes it difficult to understand what you're saying, and it's not pleasant to see your food being masticated. Further, you don't want to risk a torpedo flying out of your mouth onto your companion's plate.
Chew with your mouth closed. See above.
Don't order messy foods that are difficult to eat. You will feel self-conscious as you try to keep the greasy sandwich from dripping on your new silk tie or dress. Or think about the vision of yourself with barbecue sauce smeared across your cheeks after slobbering over a rack of ribs. Not a pretty sight, is it?
Don't burp. It's not cute and it's not a compliment in most parts of the world, no matter what your father told you. If a burp or hiccup escapes, just quietly say, "excuse me."
Keep your elbows off the table while eating. It can interfere with the person seated next to you. After the meal has been cleared, you may put your elbows on the table in order to lean forward to join in conversation.
Head for the rest rooms if you must remove something stuck between your teeth.
Don't gobble your food in a rush. Give your mouth some space to converse.
Never lift your soup bowl to drink the final drops. Tilt it away from you and scoop the final amount with the spoon pushing away from you. Don't try to get every last drop.
Don't lick your fingers, use a napkin.
By: Donna Pilato
9:20 AM | Was this helpful? |
