Ice Breaker Games What's Different
One team studies the other, turns around, and the other team makes small changes like rolling up sleeves or swapping positions. Tests how observant people really are.
Group Size:
10-30 people
Duration:
5-10 minutes
Difficulty:
Easy
How to Play:
- 1
Divide the group into two teams. Have them stand facing each other in two lines
- 2
Give Team A 30 seconds to study Team B carefully - what they're wearing, how they're standing, everything
- 3
Team A turns around and closes their eyes. Team B has 1 minute to make 5-10 small changes
- 4
Changes can be: swapping positions with someone, rolling up a sleeve, taking off a watch, changing hairstyle, removing glasses
- 5
Team A turns back around and has 2 minutes to identify all the changes. Teams switch roles and play again
What’s Different
A surprisingly engaging game that turns observation into competition. Students think they’re paying attention - until they turn around and suddenly can’t remember what anyone was wearing.
The magic is in the detective work. Students get laser-focused trying to spot every tiny change. Someone rolled up their sleeve. Two people swapped places. That person was definitely not wearing a watch before. It gets addictive fast.
Best For:
Attention to detail practice, memory training, quick energy boost, building observation skills, fun competition
Pro Tips
-
Start with fewer changes (3-5) if your group is new to the game
-
Encourage subtle changes - it's more fun when they're not obvious
-
Let students be creative. Swapping shoes between two people is genius
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Keep the energy high. Use a timer with a buzzer sound for urgency
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Debrief afterward: What made something easy or hard to notice? What strategies worked?
Variations
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Individual version: One person studies the room, leaves, group makes changes, person returns to find them
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Silent mode: Guessing team can't talk to each other while finding changes
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Points system: Award points for each correctly identified change, subtract for wrong guesses
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Remote version: Team B turns off cameras, makes changes in their space, turns cameras back on
FAQ
- How many changes should teams make?
- Start with 5-7 changes for beginners. Increase to 10+ changes as groups get better at observation.
- What makes a good change?
- Subtle changes are more fun - rolled sleeves, swapped positions, removed jewelry. Avoid obvious changes like taking off a shirt.
- How long should the observation time be?
- Give 30 seconds to study. This creates enough pressure that people can't memorize everything perfectly.
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