Energizers are short activities designed to refresh workshop participants mentally and physically. They’re worth including in both virtual and face-to-face workshops. Plan on running an energizer every 3-4 hours, or more often if the session is virtual or confined to a single room. Energizers that involve moving around are ideal because people can become stiff and uncomfortable if seated for too long, and even the mildest exercise can help restore mental agility.
 
VIRTUAL ENERGIZERS
There are hundreds of great energizers described online. Thiagi.com and Hyperisland.com are excellent resources for these. Some involve physical interaction, and are therefore only suited to face-to-face workshops, but the majority work equally well virtually. If you visit these sites, recommended energizers for virtual workshops include: 'Looking Around,’ 'Story Around a Circle,’ 'Shake Down’ and 'Touch Blue.’
 
FACE-TO-FACE ENERGIZERS
In face-to-face workshops, energizers can exploit the physical proximity of attendees to amplify energy levels. Obviously, you need to be mindful of the physical abilities of those attending, and it’s best to avoid activities that require significant physical contact. Here are four examples.
 

FIND YOUR HERD
Ask everyone to think of a farm animal and start making its noise. Their task is to find the rest of their 'herd’ by moving around the room and listening. This energizer may not be suitable for all audiences, but it tends to create lots of laughter and energy.
 
PAPER GIRAFFE
Ask participants to hold a piece of A4 paper behind their back and, without looking, tear it into the shape of a giraffe. Then, ask everyone to show what they produced, celebrating the unique charm of each brave attempt.
 
CLAPPING GAME
Most people remember how to play this from childhood. You clap your own hands together, clap with your partner using right hands, go back to your own two-hand clap, and then clap with your partner using left hands. The pattern is repeated, faster & faster.
 
ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS
This old childhood game works well as a tournament, especially with large groups. Each round is 'best of five,’ with the winner moving on to compete with another winner and the loser following them and cheering them on in subsequent rounds.