Rapport between therapist and client can be built by finding common ground and engaging in a positive joint experience. Rapport reduces tension and helps foster trust and communication within the therapeutic environment. Ice breakers are an excellent way to lay a strong foundation for rapport, as they provide an early opportunity for joint participation in an activity, communication, and bonding. The following is a list of ice breakers that will help you start out on the right foot with your clients during therapy sessions.
5 Incredible Ice Breakers for Therapy Sessions:
- Get-To-Know-You Jenga: Tape different topics of conversation on Jenga pieces (e.g., food, game, birthday, sports, superheroes, etc.) on different Jenga blocks. While playing the game, each player takes a block from the Jenga tower and has to ask another person a question related to the topic written on the block before adding it to the top of the tower. For example, if the block says, “sports,” the player can ask, “What is your favorite sport?”
- Family Picture: The therapist and the child draw pictures of their families and then take turns describing each family member.
- All About Me Charades: Therapist and child secretly draw pictures of favorite activities or items (e.g., favorite sport, food, subject in school, animal, etc.). Once the pictures are complete, they take turns acting out each drawing without any words while the other guesses.
- Fact or Fib: Tell the child that you are going to share three pieces of information about you: two things you say will be facts and one will be a fib. The child has to guess which two are facts and which one is the fib. Once the student understands the game, he or she can take a turn.
- Talent Show: Therapist and child draw pictures of three things that they are good at. Once the pictures are complete, they take turns demonstrating or acting out each of their talents.
Click here for tips on how to be your therapy client’s best advocate.
If you have questions or concerns about your child, we would love to help! Give us a call at (847) 860-6901 and speak to one of our Family Child Advocates today!
