Each year at our DiscipleNow* banquet, our youth pastor asks me to do an ice breaker game to help the small groups get to know each other. This year we are really breaking the ice.

Each small group will bust open an ice capsule containing an object (a flower for the girls small groups and a race car for the guys small groups). After freeing the object, each student will write down five things they have in common with the object and share those with their small group.

We will close the game with a challenge to students: "You just found five things you have in common with an object, a thing. If you can do that, you can find something in common with anyone at your school. The Apostle Paul said, 'Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some.' If you will take the time to be a friend—a true friend—to someone, you will have an opportunity to tell them how important God is in your life and possibly introduce your new friend to Jesus."

This game was inspired by a scene in the movie "To Save a Life."

How to Make an Ice Capsule

Step 1 — Gather Supples

• two large containers
• one small container (about 1/3 the volume of a large container)
• duct tape
• objects to seal inside the capsule
• water
• cookie pan (not a cookie sheet)
• room in a freezer

Step 2 — Prepare the Containers

• make a cross out of duct tape
• place open end of small container on center of duct tape cross
• place small container inside one of the large containers (the small container should be suspended in the large container without touching the sides or bottom)
• secure duct tape to sides of large container

Step 3 — Fill Containers

• fill large/small container combo full being careful not to get any water in the small container
• fill the second large container with enough water to fill the top half-inch of the container (you will turn this container upside down in the next step)
• place upside down cookie pan on top of the second large container and flip over so the cookie pan is on bottom and the container is upside down (some water may leak out)

Step 4 — Freeze Containers

• place cookie pan with both containers in the freezer

Step 5 — Place Interior Objects

• carefully remove small container from large/small container combo (you may need to fill small container with some warm water to loosen it)
• place object inside the cavity left by the small container

Step 6 — Seal the Capsule

• remove the half-inch slab of ice from the second large container
• wet the top of the slab with water and smooth any rough edges
• wet the rim of the ice in the other container (leave ice in this container for this step)
• place slab on top of ice in the other container
• place the sealed container back in the freezer

Step 7 — Remove the Ice Capsule

• remove container from the freezer
• remove ice capsule from the container

Step 8 — Have Fun

• use a hammer to break the ice revealing the interior object

*DiscipleNow is like a weekend retreat except it is held in town. Instead of staying in cabins students stay in host homes of church members.