Stars: *****

Subtitle: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Leading Remarkably Fun Program That Make a Difference

Griffin Press (2014)
Group Games/Education/Team-Building
203 pages

I received Serious Fun for free for attending a conference where Mark Collard spoke about leading fun programs.

Summary:  Jam-packed with inspiration and practical advice, Serious Fun describes a unique, yet simple, four-step model that will transform your programs from ‘Oh, no, not that again,’ to ‘Wow, that was amazing!’ If you’re a school teacher, corporate trainer, outdoor educator, conference organiser or camp / youth group leader, this book will help you create incredibly fun programs that will leave your group feeling engaged, valued and meaningfully connected to others. – seriousfunbook.com

Main Topics Covered in Serious Fun

1. The seven mistakes program leaders make, and how to fix them
2. The four-step sequence to leading remarkably fun programs
3. The five essential ingredients of a successful ‘ice-breaker’
4. How to create a fun, safe and supportive learning environment
5. How to manage difficult behaviours, such as unwilling participants
6. Solutions to more than twenty common programming problems

As a Girl Guide leader I run program for young girls all the time. I think I do a pretty good job of it but I believe you can never stop learning so after an amazing conference and a wonderful key-note speech by Mark Collard, I was eager to dive into his book. I read 1/3 of it before I even left the conference!

Mark Collard really has a way with words and he explains things well. He taught me about ice breaker games and why they don’t work as well as they are meant to. I had never thought about it but the ice breaker games where you go around and tell something about yourself are the worst! People are put on the spot before ice is broken making them either talk like crazy from nerves or shut right up and pass.

He taught me how to best manage the shy ones and the dominant ones as well as the ones who never stop talking. He also offers templates for groups in the book.

If you run programs for groups whether it’s big or small groups or young or old or any kind at all really, you NEED this book.

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