Fun Icebreaker Ideas & Activities

Category: Active

Active icebreakers! These games will get people moving, whether it’s running around, jumping, dancing, hiding, dodging, or some other action. You’ll probably get a little bit of a workout after playing these kinds of icebreaker games! Some of these games may burn some serious calories. Either way, you are sure to have a great deal of fun!

  • Bango Card Game

    Bango brings some of the atmosphere of the Bingo Hall to the family table. It is a very simple card game that can be played with children of almost any age. Play for counters, coins, or candy in a game of pure luck, where the toddlers can have the thrill of claiming victory over their elder siblings and parents.

    This game should be played with between three and ten players using two decks of cards, and more decks of cards can be added for even more players to join in (the more players, the better) until you’ll need a hire a hall and an announcer of your own.

    Set Up

    1. Two packs of cards are used, but are not mixed together (therefore to avoid confusion it is better to choose decks with different colored backs). Shuffle both decks separately.
    2. A dealer is decided. One classic method is to deal out cards one at a time to each player, face-up. The first player to be dealt a jack is the dealer. Retrieve the cards and shuffle that deck.
    3. All players put in an equal stake in whatever currency is being played with, to make a winner’s pool.
    4. The dealer deals out five cards to each player, including himself, from one of the two decks. This deck is now put to one side: it is not used until the next round begins.

    Play

    1. The dealer takes the second deck of cards and draws one, placing it face up in the centre of the table and announcing the name of the card.
      If any player has the duplicate of that card in front of them, they turn in over, face-down.
    2. The dealer continues to draw and announce cards, the other players turning over cards that match announced cards, as above.
    3. The winner is the player that turns all five of the cards in front of them face-down. They proudly shout “Bango!”, and have the glory of claiming the pool of winnings.

    Playing with more than ten people

    There are only 52 cards in a deck; not enough for eleven players to have five cards each. If playing with more than ten players, take a third pack of cards. Shuffle two of the packs together. The resulting deck is the one that will be dealt out to players. The other regular-sized deck is where cards are announced from.

    It is possible for there to be duplicate cards face-up on the table. When this a card is also announced by the dealer, all players that have the matching cards turn them over. As such, it is also possible for two players to win simultaneously. If one player has two identical cards and that card is announced, they turn over both of their cards.

  • Spoons

    Spoons is a game of speed, silliness, and having a sharp eye. It’s engaging, fast paced, and intense!

    The first thing you need to play Spoons is a pack of playing cards. The second thing you need is… spoons. To be precise, you will need one less spoon than the number of players who will play.  In other words, for seven players, you will need six spoons. Plastic spoons are totally fine.

    In the absence of spoons, please don’t attempt this game with knives or forks. Other than being inconsistent with the title of the game, it could actually cause injury. Still, if the scoopers cannot be acquired, play Spoons with sticks, beer mats, pens, or coins.

    The ideal number of players is the number that will fit comfortably in a circle around a pile of spoons — five to eight is ideal. The energetic nature of Spoons means it can be a favorite for any member of the family, except those with brittle knuckles.

    Set-Up:

    • All players sit in a circle.
    • Place one less spoon than the number of players (eg. for five players, place four spoons) in the centre of the circle, so that the pile is an equal distance away from all players.
    • Deal four cards to each player.
    • The dealer should keep the remainder of the deck near them to their left. The dealer will be the only player drawing from the deck.

    Rules:

    1. The dealer draws a card, then passes a card from their hand to the player on their left. When that player receives their new card, they must too choose a card from their hand to pass along to the left. Meanwhile, the dealer is simultaneously picking up a new card from the deck, and will then pass a card along. In this way cards a continuous flow of cards is created: as soon as a player has five cards, they must choose a card to pass to the left. The trick is to choose and pass quickly, so that there is a frantic pace of play.
    2. The player to the left of the dealer does not pass their chosen card to another player, but instead places it in a discard pile.
    3. When a player has a set of four matching cards, they may take a spoon.
    4. After one spoon has been taken, the race is on: all other players are allowed to grab for a spoon, and the player left without a spoon is the loser of this round.

    A player with four of a kind will usually make an immediate grab for a spoon, sparking an outburst of furious grabs and knuckles getting bruised.

    They could also make a more discreet acquisition while other players are paying attention to their cards. The spoon holder can then enjoy the ignorance of the rest of the circle (keeping their matching hand by always passing on all new cards given to him) until another player notices that a spoon is missing. In this way Spoons resembles the popular drinking game of observation and sneakiness, Thumb Master.

    Variation:

    If you have a little space (free of tripping hazards or antique vases — outside would be ideal), take the spoons some distance away from the players. No, instead of a grab, it’s a run and a dive!

  • 1000 Blank White Cards

    1000 Blank White Cards is a unique and hilarious game that involves zaniness and creativity.  Each person is handed ten blank white cards. These are the cards this game will be played with — but first, you have to write something on them to create interesting rules.  In other words, you have to decide the effect of the cards, how points are scored, what people do on their turn, and even how the game is won. Being presented with a blank canvas like this might be intimidating at first, but after you see how it works, everybody will be brimming with crazy new ideas.

    This is a game that takes on the personality of you and your friends — because it is created by you and your friends!  It can be simple, or if play with experienced gamers — the sort that play Hearthstone or Poker — you might end up with more complicated cards that favor combos, strategic thinking, and careful point scoring. Other groups will create cards that demand that players complete silly dares: “Speak like a pirate for one turn, then disc-ARRR-d this card.” or “Whilst this card is in front of you, you must do 10 jumping jacks before you take your turn.”

    Either way, as this is a game in constant flux it will surely be very unpredictable, chaotic, and hysterically silly. It can be played with two players — all the way up to large groups — but works best with four or five.

    Set Up For Your First Game

    You’ll need to have writing utensils and about 1000 blank white cards.  You can get white notecards, for example for about $10 at Amazon.  Hand out 10 blank white index cards and a pen or pencil to each player.  Each player should create cards that can be used to play this game. If this instruction sounds too vague — it’s supposed to be! — read the next section for more information on how the game is played. Then there are some guidelines below to help you get started.  Shuffle all the created cards that were created together, along with an additional 10 blank cards, to form a deck.  Deal out five cards to each player.

    Creating Cards

    A good guideline to follow is to give each card:

    • A title.
    • A picture.
    • An effect.

    Here are some examples of names and effects of card created by real 1000 Blank White Card players who have posted their creations online:

    • Bruce Willis Fails to Destroy the Asteroid and Everyone is Killed – everybody loses 1500 points.
    • Super Chewie – Can’t be discarded, ever! All cards featuring animals, breakfast food and stick figures are worth double points.
    • Winter Is Coming – Play in the center. At the end of each turn, discard the top card in the draw pile.
    • Grave Robber – Every turn, play the top card of the discard pile on yourself. +1000 points.
    • Sally’s Revenge – Play in the center. Any player called Sally draws three cards and puts them in play in the center. -500 points.

    Play

    1. On a player’s turn, they first draw a card from the deck. Then they play a card from their hand.
    2. Typically, a card is either played on oneself, placing it on the table in front of you, or played on another player, placing it on the table in front of them. For instance, you could play a card that said “+100 Points” on yourself, or play a card that said “-100 points” on another player. However, depending on what is written on the card, this might change. Cards could go into a discard pile, be played to the center of the table (which means they have an effect on all players), end up ripped up and thrown away after they are used — or anything else you can think of!
    3. Any player that wants to go first can start by drawing a card from the deck, starting their turn.
    4. If you have a blank card in your hand, you can write on it to turn it into a playable card at any time.
    5. After the first player has finished their turn, play continues clockwise, either until there are no cards left in the deck, or until some card effect has determined the end of the game.

    If you’re not sure what to write on a card, just ask yourself what cards you would like to see in the game. This might be a reaction to another card — for example, if one player makes a card that says “When this card is played, you win the game”, you might make a card that reads “Opposite day: If a player wins the game, play this card out of turn. That player loses the game.”.

    At the end of a game, you can discuss as a group which cards should be kept for play in future games (if you don’t want to keep them all). You might consider that the real aim of 1000 Blank White Cards is not winning, but making cards that get the approval of the group.

  • Sticker Ninja

    What is Sticker Ninja?  Well, it’s a game that requires stealth, agility, deception and the use of a hidden weapon to stick your opponents. Sticker Stalker makes for a nice, casual side-game at walk-around events where all guests are standing up and moving from group to group. Play it with any number of players — even as few as two, for a slightly absurd but intense competition. Stick another couple of tens of players in and that works well, too.

    Set-Up

    • You will need to purchase a set of sticker sheets — ten stickers per sheet is a quantity that works well.
    • As guests enter the event, give them each a sheet of stickers.  For “Pro” Sticker Ninja, give each player a different color or design of sticker, so you can verify a win (useful if there is a prize at stake). Regardless, some variety in the sticker stock will make this a more colorful game. Extra laughs if the stickers are absurd or childish; extra difficulty if they are large.  Explain the rules to everyone present before fidgety guests start sticking stickers on your TV set and pets.

    Rules

    Players must stick their stickers on other guests at the party.   Each of one player’s sticker must go onto a different guest, though oblivious guests might find themselves with a back full of stickers from several other players. If a player is “caught in the act”, by the guest they are targeting, that guest can remove the sticker and give it back to the player. However, if a guest doesn’t notice a sticker being placed on them immediately, they have to leave it — no removing stickers until the end of the night!

    The first player to get all of their stickers stuck to other guests can announce they they have won. That’s it! As mentioned, if you want to check that a winner hasn’t disposed of their stickers, you can ask that player to call all of their supposed victims to the centre of the party to be examined and shamed!

    You will never have had as many friendly “slaps-on-the-back” as you will at the start of this party, but if targets aren’t fooled by this tactic players will find more creative ways to prevail. A sticker on the back of the shoe, where the guest won’t feel the pressure of your fingers, is one possibility.

    If you managed to get a sticker onto the front of somebody’s belt buckle without them noticing, well, I think you should give yourself a pat on the back — though, if you don’t, I’m sure everyone else will be happy to “pat your back” for you!

  • Paper Snowball Fight!

    Paper Snowball Fight requires no real snow — it’s all about recreating a wintery fashioned snowball fight any time during the year! It is generally played in larger groups of friends but can be adjusted to fit a medium sized group as well. There are a few different you can play from the base game and it’s fun to mix things up. The snowballs are fun and easy to make on top of costing you next to nothing!

    Materials Needed

    • Paper
    • Paint or markers
    • Glue
    • Cardboard

    How To Set Up The Game

    Divide the player group into two teams. Afterward, use the resources to create a large pile of “snowballs” and select a large area to set up in. To create the snowballs take sheets of paper you have laying around and roll them into a ball, drop a little bit of glue in each one to ensure the snowball is held together well. Afterward use two different colors to mark the team’s snowballs and begin setting up the cover. If you don’t have natural cover use the cardboard to set up fake snow banks for the players to hide behind while planning their next move.

    How To Play Paper Snow Ball Fight!

    To play split the players up on the field and give both sides and equal allotment of snowballs.  The teams will have to stay behind a point or line that you can easily mark with a piece of cardboard at the start of the fight. Once started each team has to try to get the players out by hitting them with snowballs the team with the last player standing wins. If either team runs out of snowballs they will then switch colors as soon as the other team is empty or they stay in hiding for an amount of time that would force the game into a stand still.

    For a variation of this game, you can set up a capture the flag type scenario for your players.  To do this simply use paper and cardboard to make a mock flag and put it in the center of the field. The team who is first to successfully get the flag into the back of their base wins. To make the game run smoother don’t be afraid to place paper X’s where the flag goes.

    How To Win

    To win, simply take your time when in the game. Try to grab a stock of snowballs from the start and find cover, make sure to pay attention to your surroundings. If you can wait patiently for an opening then your team has a higher chance for success. If you find yourself playing capture the flag, then you may want to gauge who the most nimble member of your team is. Someone who is quick on their feet is less likely to get taken out by a snowball and return with the flag. Always be vocal with your teammates and make sure you are on the same page during and before the game for your best results.

  • Chariot Race

    “Chariot Race” is an exciting race on “chariots” to the finish line.  It’s a game about being a little ridiculous with your friends. The game is best done at a party or with a large sized group. This game is for developing team building skills and will bring the players closer together after the successful completion of a few rounds. You may have to collaborate with your group to acquire enough materials to play the game, but we promise the reward will be worth it!

    Materials Needed

    • Sleds or Wheelbarrows
    • Chalk
    • Sheets (optional)

    How To Set Up The Game

    For this game, you need sufficient wheelbarrows or sleds. Make a note counting the number of people who are coming and divide them into teams of 3 to 4 people (not including the player in the chariot). Once divided search out a safe place where multiple wheelbarrows could fit and use your chalk to draw a finish line.  Next mark measures out to the best of your ability a fair distance where each played will be waiting to swap the chariot, mark these locations with an X.

    For optional set-up, you can make the event toga themed, and use sheets to recreate a toga for each player.   You may wish to to secure all togas with a clamp or safety pin to avoid in-game accidents.

    How To Play “Chariot Switch”

    To play “Chariot Switch”  you need to distribute the teams and make sure everyone if familiar with one another.  Afterward, divide the team up to stand on the markers along the way to the finish and let them select a player to put into the chariot.  Make it clear that they have to use their hand to tag out by high-fiving the other player before the chariot can be switched over.  If togas are involved do a tug check to make sure all players are secured for the game.

    For added difficulty, you can make the paths less straight forward and draw arrows to make a winding path. If this happens make sure the paths you draw each have their own separate colors to ensure no one loses their way into another team’s lane.

    How To Win

    To have the best chance of winning in this game you can use quite a few different strategies to your advantage. When selecting the player to put in the wheelbarrow always go for the lightest teammate to increase your speed. When the player is the wheelbarrow have them balance out their weight or put it slightly more forward so that there is less resistance. When tagging your partner have them waiting with their hand already out so you can high five them and switch out quickly.

    If it turns out you have to use sleds try tieing the sled around your waist for easier pulling. Also, have the player sit directly in the middle of the sled so the weight will be evenly distributed. If your playing with a winding path pay close detail to the direction of the arrows to more quickly maneuver to the finish!

  • Hot Potato Camera

    Hot Potato Camera is like Russian roulette with selfies.  Not as fatal as the original game — but still pretty embarrassing — the loser will end up getting a naturally terrible photo that will have everyone laughing.

    This game will work with a regular camera as well. You just need to know how to use the timer function. You can play with two players up to many, but have a second camera sent around the circle if playing with more than ten.

    Set Up:

    • Grab a smartphone and open the camera app, or grab a dedicated camera.
    • All players sit in a circle, or around a table. They just need to be sat close enough together to pass the camera to their neighbor quickly.

    Rules:

    1. The player who starts with the camera sets the timer to whatever delay they want, whether a single second to half a minute. A longer timer will build more tension, but don’t set it so long that other players get bored.
    2. The player points the camera at themselves, smiles, then immediately passes the camera to the player on their left. The trick is to be quick about it. You don’t want to let any player look at the camera for more than a second, or they might accidentally get a good photo! If anyone tries it, give them a firm shove on the shoulder, and hope you hear a “click”.
    3. The player now with the camera repeats the previous step.
    4. Eventually, and without warning, the camera will go off! This will very rarely happen at an opportune moment, so you can enjoy many photos with your friends with half open mouths, awkward and anxious expressions, and unflatteringly blurred features.

    The magic of this game is that it makes use of a smartphone as a tool for having fun and interacting in-person, rather than through a phone network. This makes it equally appealing for smartphone-frustrated parents as it is for internet addicted teenagers. Play it with friends at a party, or with family in a lazy evening, and it is bound to be a laugh either way, and by the end you will have a whole album of horrible photos that everyone will be begging you not to put online.

  • Art Effects

    The point of Art Effects is to build your group’s teamwork up with creativity and cooperation.  In this game, your group will give keywords to convey items to their partner to create an art masterpiece. This game is great for groups of all sizes and requires a little bit of setting up according to the size of the group. Be sure to have a critic overlooking your artists to make sure everyone is playing fairly throughout the game. There is both a competitive and non-competitive version of the game, so be sure to pick how you want to play!

    Materials Needed

    Materials needed to play Art Effects:

    • Paper
    • A surface to draw on
    • Pencils
    • Erasers

    How To Set Up The Game

    To set up the game start by getting a headcount of who all will be playing try to get an even number of people for teams and have an extra to be the critic. Write down random words that can be described — like goose or pizza — on slips of paper and hand them out as everyone comes in the door. Be sure to be stocked with a pencil sharpener and enough supplies for all the drawers.

    How To Play Art Effects

    Non-competitive:

    Pick out or have drawers volunteer from the group and then randomly select a partner for them to pair with. Each partner should have a few items to describe to their drawer. Once the partners are decided have everyone take a spot away from each other with the drawer and describer sitting back to back. Each pair will attempt to draw one item without the item being named, only described. Set a time limit or a word limit to keep the game interesting.

    If desired you can switch descriptors and drawers out in a rotation, so everyone will get a chance to work together during the game.

    Competitive:

    Set up the exact same way you would in a non-competitive game, but have a stricter time limit or word amount. Give each player in charge of descriptions at least five slips of paper. The drawer will then have to figure out each item and put them together in a creative light on paper. Whichever team has a more accurate drawing of the word chosen by the describer is the winner.

    *NOTE: The drawer can not ask questions in either version.

     

    How To Win

    If you choose to go the competitive route keep an open mind while your partner describes the item to you. If you have no pre-set ideas you are more likely to catch on to what they are trying to tell you.  When it comes to placing it all together take it easy and just go with the first things that come to your mind.

    If you are the describer use words that you would use to describe the item to a parent. The more clear descriptors for the item, the better the chance of the drawer catching on to your word. If you don’t know what the item is then ask to switch or quickly Google the item on your phone to get a grasp on its appearance.

     

  • Gone Fishin’

    Gone Fishin is a group game based on its board game counterpart of the same name. In this game, you will need to be the player who catches the most fish in order to win. This game will work best with large to extra large groups and will require players to switch roles frequently. This game may best be played at an event or party where space will be accessible.

    Materials Needed

    You will need to gather a few materials for this game  to make it work.  Materials needed to play Gone Fishin’:

    • Poles or sticks
    • String
    • A music player
    • A few rhythmic songs
    • A large area
    • Tape (optional)

    How To Set Up The Game

    First, start by picking a big open space that plenty of people can fit into; you’re going to need a lot of room to really make this work. Next, you need to create four fishing rods using the string and sticks, make sure that the string is tightly attached and won’t fall off when pulled on. Depending on the general height of your participants make the string long enough to reach from their waste to the floor. Finally, pick a song with a steady beat. It may help to put markers or tape x’s on the floor if your fish are younger so they know where to sit and fill in.

    *Make sure to have multiple songs on stand-by to change things up each round!

    How To Play Gone Fishin’

    Gather everyone together in a tight circle and pick four players to be the fishers. The rest of the players are going to be the fish for the game and you can rotate out these rolls as you go. Instruct the fish to open and close their hand to the beat of the music playing. The fishers have to get the string safely into the fish’s hands in order to score a point. When a player catches a fish the fish will then join them on their side of the room. The game will end when the song ends or when all the fish are caught.Lastly, the player can get as close to the fish as safely possible, but can not touch the string in any way other than indirect contact through the fishing pole.

    * Hard mode: Assign colors to the player and the fish. The player can now only catch a fish of the same color as theirs and can only win by catching all of their fish. For this version of the game, you may want to get the player to rotate occasionally throughout the song.

    How To Win

    Listen to the beat of the music and get your movements in sync. Pay attention to the players that are most in sync as well these will be the easiest fish to hook. If you are feeling to pushed you may not get many fish; relax and only throw your line in when you feel confident you will catch something. If you are matching colors be sure to visualize where all the players you need to catch are before you start casting your line.

  • Word Chains

    Test memory skills and on the spot thinking with Word Chains, a highly adaptable icebreaker for smaller groups. Players will sit in a circle and list words in a category. They must remember the words said previously and think of unique words to add. This icebreaker challenges memory skills and is great for players of any age. Word Chains naturally gets more difficult the longer it’s played. This means that players will be able to take the game to their skill level organically.

    One variation of Word Chains is to start the game with the phrase, “I’m going on a picnic and I’m going to bring…” Each player would add an item to the list after listing everything that came before. Any category of object can be used for Word Chains, such as types of fruit, state names, football teams, colors, items of clothing, and country music singers. The game can be made more difficult for older audiences by requiring that the words are in alphabetical order, although vaguer categories should be used to allow players flexibility to find all the words.

    Materials

    • Pencil and Paper. You may find the game more interesting if you take notes and track the phrase, or to act as mediator in case disputes arise.
    • List of categories or rule variations to try
    • 30-second timer

    How To Play Word Chains

    1. Arrange the participants in a circle and explain the rules of the game, any variations, and the theme of the word chain.
    2. Start the word chain yourself or designate someone as the start of the chain. Example: Theme – types of fruit. First word in the chain: Apple.
    3. The second person will have to repeat the chain, and add a unique word that fits the category. Example: Apple, Watermelon.
    4. Each person will have 30 seconds after correcting reciting the chain to add another new word.
    5. The icebreaker can be repeated with different categories or with different rule variations to make the game more challenging.
    6. The chain is broken when a player cannot correctly recite the chain or can’t think of a word to add to it within 30 seconds.

    Tips and Notes

    For a more competitive spin, don’t end the game when someone makes a mistake. Instead, that person can sit out and the game can continue until you find the champion of Word Chains.

    Feel free to adapt Word Chains to your group’s level.

    • Asking the group to think of words in alphabetical order makes it easier to remember the word chain and more difficult to think of a new word.
    • Asking players to start each word with the letter that ends the word before it makes it more difficult to both remember the chain and think of a new word.
    • Instead of category, players could list groups of words with 3 letters, or groups of words with 2 syllables, etc.