WARNING: This first energizer is a little spooky.
But don’t save it for Halloween season. It works year-round.
It’ll help you instantly re-engage your online learners. And chances are good they’ll also be laughing at you (and themselves).
So if you want to keep your participants from tuning out, this energizer is for you. Oh, and the four other energizers in this blog will help you accomplish the same thing!
1. Dance Party
Pick a music video that has well-known dance moves, like this one.
Tell learners you’re about to play a two-minute segment of a recognizable music video. Their job is to stand and see how well they can follow along with the dance moves. Ideally have them keep their webcams on, because it’s fun to laugh at each other, but no pressure.
After they dance, put up a blank slide. Have each person come up with a hashtag that describes how they personally did at the dance, and have them type their hashtag on the screen.
Other good song examples are the Cha-Cha Slide, Electric Slide, Gangnam Style, etc.
2. Matching
With a tool called Flippity, create a matching activity like this one, using words that relate to your content.
Tell learners to visit that link and work on their own to complete the matching activity. They can stand up and sit down every time they get a match. They’ll have two minutes to complete it, and when they’re finished, they can let the group know in the chat bo.
Create your own matching activity here.
3. Image Search
Google “where’s waldo image,” pick one, and put the image on a slide.
Tell learners they’ll have 60 seconds to find Waldo, and when they do, they can stand up and raise their digital hand. After you give those instructions, then reveal the slide with the Waldo image.
Then have the winner use their draw tool to draw a circle around Waldo.
4. Online Game
Create a QR code that directs people to a free online game like this one. Put that QR code on a slide, and have learners stand up and play the game on their cell phones. (Encourage them to “X” out of any ads.)
Tell learners they’ll have four minutes to play. Set a four-minute timer on your screen, and when the timer is up, learners can type in the chat box how many stars they got in the game.
This site has lots of other free online games to choose from.
5. Scavenger Hunt
Have learners stand up. Their job is to go look around their home and find one item that reminds them of a key takeaway from your training so far. Then have them come back and type in the chat box what item they chose and why.
Before you go
OK, now look back at the energizer examples included in this guide, and pick one “AAA Energizer" idea... aka the energizer you're most excited to use in an upcoming training.
If you do, your participants will remain energized and engaged throughout your trainings, so they can retain and apply your content!
Be sure to keep an eye out for other blogs in this series that’ll give you 4 MORE VIRTUAL ENERGIZERS to help you keep your learners engaged!
