Group GamesDesert Island
Each person names three things they would take to a lonely island and explains why. The reasons tell you how people think: the planner, the dreamer, the one who brings a pressure cooker.
- Players
- 3 or more
- Time
- 10 minutes
- You need
- Nothing
- Ages
- 10 and above
- Type
- Office games and icebreakers
Who it suits and when to play
Desert Island suits three or more people aged ten and above, in a meeting, a classroom, a long car ride or a chat group. Each person chooses a few things to take to an island and explains why. It needs imagination rather than knowledge, and the reasons people give tell you a good deal about them, which is why trainers use it.
How to play
- Ask the question: "You will live alone on an island for one year. Food and water are there. Which three things do you take?"
- Give one minute to think.
- Each person shares three things and one line of reason.
- The group votes for the most useful list and the funniest list.
Tips and variations
- Team version: the whole team must agree on only five things. It becomes a lesson in discussion and compromise.
Common problems and how to fix them
- Everyone names a phone or a boat. Say at the start that there is no network on the island and no way off it for a year.
- Answers are long. Allow three items and one sentence of reasons for each.
- People judge each other's choices. There are no wrong answers. The host thanks each player and moves on.
More office games and icebreakers
Need fair teams or someone to go first? Use the team maker. See all 45 games.