Desert Island Intelligences: Survival Debate (2025)
4.4(966)
Stranded on an island with 8 types of intelligences. Teams must debate and rank them by survival value. A deep dive into team roles and values.
6+ PlayersHybrid20 minMedium
How to Play This Icebreaker Game
- 1Introduce the 8 Multiple Intelligences (see prompts below).
- 2Set the scene: scarce resources, must decide who stays longest.
- 3Debate as a group and justify the ranking.
Facilitator Guide
Opening Script:
Here are eight strengths. In limited‑resource conditions, which do we keep the longest and why? Debate respectfully; aim for an ordered list.
Closing Script:
What criteria emerged—versatility, survivability, or complementarity? Map this to how we staff real projects.
Why This Works
Why this icebreaker game works: Abstracting ‘strengths’ reduces ego while surfacing values and trade‑offs. It practices structured debate and criteria‑based decisions.
Best For
Ideal icebreaker situations for this game include:
- Team norms workshops
- Leadership offsites
- Hiring rubric discussions
Important Notes
- Keep tone exploratory, not personal judgements
- Capture criteria first; then rank to avoid anchoring
- Timebox and use dot‑vote if deadlocked
Ideas & Prompts
More QuestionsThe 8 Multiple Intelligences
Linguistic: Word smart. Good at reading, writing, and telling stories.
Logical-Mathematical: Logic smart. Good at reasoning, calculating, and problem-solving.
Spatial: Picture smart. Good at visualizing and manipulating objects in space.
Bodily-Kinesthetic: Body smart. Good at physical activities and hands-on tasks.
Musical: Music smart. Good at discerning sounds, rhythms, and tones.
Interpersonal: People smart. Good at understanding and interacting with others.
Intrapersonal: Self smart. Good at understanding oneself and one's own goals.
Naturalist: Nature smart. Good at identifying and classifying patterns in nature.
