Here are 6 really awesome, quick energizers for large groups. I’ve facilitated energizers with over 100,000 people. It’s what I get to do for a living, and in this post, I’ll share some really creative energizers that you probably won’t find on the internet anywhere else. These have been honed from my own failures, learnings, and best practices of what really works.
Here’s a lineup of some really creative energizers for large groups. One of my favorites is a fun emoji charades exercise that came to me in an unconventional way. Another taps into our empathy and mirror neurons, the part of our brain that helps us relate to others. I even tested one of these energizers on a date with my wife, and it blew both of our minds in a really cool way.
The exercise In the Manner of the Adverb is versatile and can be used in any large group setting. I think you’ll really like how easily it energizes a room. Then, there’s an exercise inspired by Shawn Achor’s TED Talk. I had the opportunity to share the stage with him a few months ago, and he led this activity with 800 leaders—it was a hit, and I’m excited to share it with you.
To wrap things up, I’ll share one of my all-time best practices for facilitators that I picked up a few years ago. It completely transforms the way a group can sustain and manage energy throughout the day. If you stick around and read through the whole post, you’ll gain the full picture of how to effectively manage energy in a large group.
1. Emoji Charades
This energizer was inspired by a simple LinkedIn post where I asked people, “What is your most used emoji?” Much to my surprise, people really had a lot to say about their favorite emoji. Emojis have become like modern-day hieroglyphics—the way we communicate emotions through written text. But we rarely talk about them in face-to-face conversations.
How it works:
- Ask everyone to pick their top three most commonly used emojis.
- Pair up with one other person (or small groups). The goal is to get your partner to guess your top three favorite emojis without saying a word.
- Set a timer—one to two minutes is plenty. You get two points if they guess two emojis, and you get full points if they guess all three.
People will end up talking, laughing, and bonding over their favorite emojis. Energy spikes in the group, and you’ll see that same excitement people had on LinkedIn come to life in real conversations. Experiment with different variations—this is a fun and quick way to energize any group!
2. Mirror Neurons
This next energizer goes deep into our brains and taps into our mirror neurons. There’s a free printable version in the description of the We! Connect Cards, which have actions on the back of each card.
How it works:
- Everyone gets a card with an action on it.
- Pair up with someone, and on the count of three, perform the action on the back of your card. If the actions match, you win a point and high-five your partner. If not, move on to the next person.
In a room full of 100 people, this takes about two minutes. Every now and then, people match actions, creating a burst of celebration. It involves a lot of movement and always spikes the energy in a room.
3. How Do You Want to Feel?
This next one is more reflective. It blew both my mind and my wife’s mind when we tested it. Instead of asking, “What do you want to do?” reframe the question to ask, “How do you want to feel?”
How it works:
- Pause and ask everyone, “How do you want to feel over the next three hours?”
- Give them a minute to think about it, then ask them to turn to someone nearby and share how they’d like to feel.
This simple question invites people to manage their own energy and be intentional about their state. By asking people how they want to feel, you help them make their unconscious energy state conscious. It gives them the ability to manage their energy for the rest of the event.
4. In the Manner of the Adverb
This energizer is super flexible. You can overlay it on top of almost anything you do in a large group.
How it works:
- Add an adverb (typically ending in -ly) to any action, like “Stand up assertively,” “Stretch quickly,” or “Grab a coffee like it’s the best cup of coffee you’ve ever had.”
This playful tweak to common actions adds fun and energy. You can also create short bursts of energy by calling out verbs and adverbs for the group to act out. In just a few minutes, you can boost energy and engagement by simply combining verbs and adverbs.
5. Staring Contest (Inspired by Shawn Achor)
Shawn Achor led this quick exercise with a group of 800 leaders, and it’s incredibly simple yet effective.
How it works:
- Have everyone turn to a partner and challenge them to stare at each other for 10 seconds without smiling.
This takes 10 seconds to lead but instantly creates laughter and connection in the group. Most people smile before they even make eye contact!
6. Take-What-You-Need Breaks
When leading large groups, breaks are inevitable. But instead of just giving people a break, I offer a take-what-you-need break.
How it works:
- Before the break, ask participants to take 10 seconds to reflect on what they need most to come back refreshed.
This small change empowers people to make conscious choices about how they spend their break time. Some might take a quiet moment alone, while others might chat with colleagues. It’s a simple way to help people manage their energy in a large group setting.
If you’re interested in learning more or want to bring these exercises to your next event, I’d love to help facilitate. I also host the Connectors Summit, a live virtual event where we go even deeper into these types of exercises, offering a toolbox of ideas to help you lead groups and create impactful connections.
I’m Chad Littlefield. There are 500 other videos like this with really useful stuff. Consider subscribing. Have an awesome day!