Two Ice Breaker Games for Groups: "Make a Word" and "Name Crosswords"

Looking for a new ice breaker to use with your large group? Here are two game ideas I gleaned from a teen activities book published in 1958. These ice breakers (or mixers, as they are called in the book) were a bit out-dated so I upgraded them for a more modern setting. Both only require very simple supplies. Either of these ice breaker games would be particularly fun to play with a youth group, singles party, or other large group where strangers would be meeting for the first time.

"Make a Word" Ice Breaker
The host or adult of the group will need to be the judge for this activity; for very large groups more than one judge may be needed. Give each player a pen or pencil, a large card, a pin, and a piece of paper to keep score. The player must draw the first letter of his last name in large, bold print on the card and pin it to the front of his chest so that it can be easily seen. The player must now find other players to make "words" with by lining up their letters. Once a group of two or more players feel they have a legal word, they must link arms and find a judge. Once the judge gives his OK, each player in the group can now unlink arms and write the word on his score paper, as well as the points for this word. (For each letter in a word assign one point.) The players should then separate and find other "letters" to link up with to make new words. The person with the highest score when time is called wins.

"Name Crosswords" Ice Breaker
For this ice breaker, each player should be given a piece of graph paper (one with a grid) and a pen or pencil and told to write their full name (first and last) vertically in the squares in the middle column. The player then must mix with the other players to find others whose names contains letters that intersect with their own and write them horizontally on their game paper. For example, if I were playing, I would write vertically on my paper "GAILSANDERS" in the middle column. If I were to meet a "JOHNSMITH" during the game, I would write in the squares before my first "S" "JOHN", followed by "MITH"" in the squares after my first "S." Even though I have more than one "S" in my name, I would have to find another person to fill in my second "S" row. The game continues until one player has filled in all their horizontal rows for the letters of their name with other players' names.

Blessings!

Source
Edythe and David MeMarche. Handbook of Co-Ed Teen Activities