Handshake

The Non-Prop game this month is one of my favorite icebreakers and processing activities.  I chose this one as I am also highlighting the new processing book, the Processing Pinnacle, an Educator's Guide to Better Processing.  I hope this will encourage you to think a little deeper about how you process and debrief groups. 

Props/Materials Needed:  None

Set up:  Invite your participants to find a partner.  Start out with an easy handshake like a ‘High Five’ handshake.  Ask a question you would like your participants to share with one another.  i.e.  ‘Discuss the best meal you have ever had.’  Or ‘The furthest I have been from Camp Wanahockalugie is…..’  or ‘Three things we have in common are…..’  After a few minutes of discussion, tell your participants to remember who their ‘high five’ partner is, and tell them, “See ya later alligator!”  or "Adios Amigos!" and find a NEW partner.  Do about 4-5 different handshakes with different partners.

Other handshakes: 

Cow handshake (one person interlace their fingers and turn thumbs upside down, the other person milks the thumb udders!)

Salmon handshake (arms interlaced like a zipper and slap forearms like a salmon tale.)

Cappuccino handshake (hold your coffee in your left hand, high five with your right hand then reach down and shake ankles with your right hand all without spilling your coffee!)

Crab handshake (half squat and shake hands through your legs)

Page 2 Handshake

Texas handshake (reach across with your right hand, grab hold and skip around in a circle while exclaiming, “Yee-Haw!”)

Sumo handshake  (stomp in a Sumo stance towards your partner and spar with one another!)

High Five  (as simple as it sounds....give a high five to your partner)

Low Five  (pretend to high five then slap hands on the 'down low'.)

Come up with your own creative handshake…..maybe one for your school mascot, state bird, or other fun action that is unique to your group.

After you have about 4-5 different handshakes, do a 'Handshake Frenzy".  Call out each of the handshakes one at a time and have participants quickly greet their 'salmon' handshake partner.  Then after 20 seconds or long enough that everyone has successfully found and 'shaken' with their partner, call out another handshake.  Continue until all handshakes have been called out.

Handshakes are great to use as an opener but also as a processing tool.  You can keep these same partners throughout the program or school year.  Use them as partnering tools for discussion questions.  Maybe your students will partner up with folks they usually wouldn’t partner with and over the school year create a new friend out of their Salmon handshake partner.  Encouraging your participants to share one on one with a partner will increase their comfort level when sharing with the large group.  Remember, good processing can be happening......even if you don't hear it.

Resource: Training-Wheels.com, Michelle Cummings