Fun Icebreaker Ideas & Activities

Category: Classroom Icebreaker

  • Tall Tales “Suddenly” Story

    Spin fantastic yarns — amazing stories — with this engaging group activity. Each person will tell three sentences of a story and end with the word “suddenly…” The next person will then have to pick up the story and add three sentences of their own.

    Tall Tales encourages the players to think on their feet and connect to the story that has already been told, which trying to stump the next person to speak. Everyone gets a turn to talk in this icebreaker, so quiet group members have an equal chance to participate. Tall Tales doesn’t require any movement and is therefore able to fit in a room of any size.

    Tall Tales is an icebreaker for groups ages 10 and up. Children younger than 10 may not have the storytelling ability to play and enjoy this game. This icebreaker can be adapted for groups of any size, although it’s not recommended to play with over 25 people. For smaller group, the story can continue around the room until you are satisfied with the icebreaker or the group gets stuck.

    Materials

    To play Tall Tales, you will need:

      • Nothing!

    Optional- You may want to have a couple of story starters on hand in case the group gets stuck and needs to start again. See Tips and Notes for story starter ideas.

    How To Play Tall Tales

    1. Explain the rules to the game. Subject material should remain appropriate to the group level.
    2. Designate a person to start the game or read one of the story starters provided below. End with the word “suddenly…”
    3. The next person picks up the story and tells three more sentences, taking the story in any direction they’d like. After three sentences, they end with the word, “suddenly…”
    4. The game continues until one of the following happens:
    • Every player gets a turn and the game has filled the time allotted.
    • Every player gets several turns and the game has filled the time allotted.
    • The players gets stuck, in which case you can either pass to the next person or start a new story.

    Tips and Notes

    Encourage players to make their stories twist and turn. Challenge each player to try to stump the person next to them.

    If players have difficulty coming up with three sentences, give each sentence an objective to help get their creativity flowing. The first sentence should introduce the new scenario (the thing that suddenly happened). The second sentence should add to the story with narration, description, or backstory. The third sentence should begin to move the story in another direction, ending with suddenly…

    Here are two sample story starters.

    Jane liked to help her parents on the family’s farm, and caring for the chickens was her favorite chore. Every morning she would feed the chickens and collect fresh eggs as soon as she got out of bed and before she had eaten breakfast. But this morning, she heard a strange noise before she entered the chicken coop. Suddenly…

    Jake had never had a pen pal before, so when the strange letter addressed to “My Friend” came in the mail, he wasn’t sure what to make of it. He opened the letter carefully, noting there was no return address. He read the first line of the letter, “Dear Jake.” Suddenly…

  • What I Would Have Done

    “What I Would Have Done” is get-to-know-you game all about what-if scenarios.  This game focuses on exploring different paths in life and hypotheticals. For example: what is another career path would you try? All you have to do is pick some words out that go along with life events. Be sure to keep the game fun and upbeat by using positive words!

    Materials Needed

    What you need to play “What I Would Have Done”:

    • Paper
    • A pen
    • A box

    How To Set Up The Game

    To set up the game just write different life events on torn-up scraps of paper. Use things like prom or sports that all the players can relate to and throw them into a box. Make sure to fold the paper or cut a hole so no one can choose their drawing and set the box in the center of the game room.

    How To Play “What I Would Have Done”

    Each player walks up and draws their own piece of paper. They then read the paper out loud, state what originally happened in their life with the word, and then say something they would like to try instead. For example, they draw sports. They should state that they originally played soccer, but if they could try another they would play baseball. Afterward, they say why they would choose to try the new activity.

    Make sure no one steals the show for too long!

    How To Win

    This is a game with no winners or losers; the point is to open up discussion paths amongst the group. Be sure to listen to the other players and give a genuine answer when it’s your turn to truly break the ice.

  • 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.

     

  • Interview Game

    Spend three minutes finding three interesting facts about a partner, then discuss them as a group. Interviewers will ask pointed, specific questions and subjects will answer them to the best of their ability. Afterwards, the interviewer will report to the rest of the group about what they learned.

    This icebreaker is a good way to spark conversation in quiet groups that may be intimidated by public speaking or more active icebreakers. It works reasonably well with groups that don’t have space to move around, although spreading out is ideal for this icebreaker.

    Interview is an icebreaker for mid-sized groups (8-15 people) and works best with groups aged 10 and up. Younger children may have difficulty thinking of questions to ask their partner and identifying interesting facts. Larger or smaller groups can use this icebreaker, but it will start to run long and loud the more people participating. Smaller groups can use Interview, but groups will likely be able to hear one another, which leads to cross-talk and derails the purpose of the icebreaker.

    Materials

    To play the Interview icebreaker, you will need:

    • Paper for each pair to jot notes on
    • 1 pen or pencil per pair
    • Watch or clock to time the activity
    • Flip chart or whiteboard (optional)
    • Permanent marker or dry erase marker (optional)

    How To Play the Interview Game

    1. Divide the group into pairs. A group with an odd number of participants can have one group of three, or the odd person can partner with the group leader. Spread out as much as possible so that each partners can hear each other speak.
    2. Each group will need to decide who is going to be the “interviewer” and who will be the “subject.” Everyone will eventually play both roles, so it doesn’t really matter who goes first.
    3. Give the group three minutes for each interviewer to learn three interesting facts about their subject by asking specific questions. Do not allow them to ask, “What are three interesting facts about you?” Good questions examples are: Where did you grow up? What was your favorite class in high school? What do you like to do in your spare time?
    4. After three minutes has passed, bring the players together and allow one interviewer at a time to explain what interesting facts they discovered. Jot down notes on a whiteboard or flip chart next to each subject’s name, which helps name recognition and sparks later conversation.
    5. Once every group has shared their facts, have the participants switch roles and repeat steps 3 and 4.

    Tips and Notes

    Watch the time! It can be very easy for participants to get into detailed conversations or launch into monologue about their interesting facts. Emphasize that facts should be delivered to the group in the form of one intriguing sentence, not a detailed explanation.

    The Interview Game gets noisy with lots of people talking in small groups. This icebreaker works best in a larger room where participants have a chance to spread out, and where high levels of noise won’t bother anyone.

  • 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.

  • Would You Rather? Game

    Ask the group to decide what they would rather do given two possible options. Take a poll, and then lead a short debate between the merits and disadvantages of each option. The questions can range from silly, to gross, to impossibly cool. This icebreaker can also be adapted to fit a theme, such as a holiday or study unit. Would You Rather is a dynamic activity that makes people think on their feet and gives insight into their priorities.

    Would You Rather is a good icebreaker for large or small groups and is most effective in 10 to 40 minutes sessions. This highly adaptable activity can easily be made age appropriate for young children, adolescents, and even adults. Small groups could use this activity in more of a debate style, while bigger groups might call out reasons for choosing one or the other. The goal of the icebreaker is to initial conversations across the group and for participants to discover things they have in common that might not be obvious otherwise.

    Materials for the Would You Rather Icebreaker

    To play the Would You Rather icebreaker, you will need:

    • The list of Would You Rather questions
    • A writing utensil to keep count

    How To Play

    1. Make your list of questions. Would You Rather is easy to adapt to any event, grade level, or theme. The game can be played in a more formal or informal setting. See Tips and Notes for question ideas.
    2. Call the group together and explain your chosen rules. Designate one side of the room “Option A” and the other side “Option B.”
    3. Ask each question and ask participants to move to one side of the room or the other, depending on which option they “would rather.”
    4. Have each side explain their reasoning behind their decision. In a more formal game or a larger group, you could give each side a few moments to consult as a group and present their top three reasons for their choice. In a less formal game or smaller group, each person could say their top reason for their choice.
    5. After each group has had their say, move everyone back to the middle for their next question.
    6. Repeat steps 3 to 5.

    Tips and Notes

    Here are some question ideas to get you started.

    The Impossible

    • Would you rather be 10 feet tall or 10 inches tall?
    • Would you rather live in outer space or at the bottom of the ocean?
    • Would you rather be able to fly or able to run 50 mph?

    Gross Out

    • Would you rather swallow a bug or lick a frog?
    • Would you rather sit in a room with a snake or a tarantula?
    • Would you rather be bitten by a werewolf or a zombie?

    Make You Think

    • Would you rather travel 100 years back in history or 100 years into the future?
    • Would you rather live in the desert or in the Arctic?
    • Would you rather live forever or be remembered forever?

     

  • Catch the Ball Introductions Icebreaker

    Catch the Ball Introductions is a get-to-know-you icebreaker that is very simple to play, yet effective.  This activity works well for small and medium sized groups.  The only material that is required is a small ball or other object that can safely be passed around the room.  For example, we recommend a soft foam ball such as this one: Nerf Mini Sports Pack

    Playing Catch the Ball Introductions

    First, give the first person the soft foam ball.  Introduce the game and explain that the ball is the “share an interesting fact” ball.  The first person must reveal something interesting about themselves (hopefully not too controversial!) and then throw the ball to the second person. The second person also reveals something about themselves and throws it on to the next person.  In this way, the icebreaker is an effective way to get people to start talking and sharing about themselves.

    Variations

    There are several possible variations for this activity.  Instead of sharing interesting facts, you can have players share stories, questions, memories, embarrassing moments, or something related to a theme.  For example, if you are a teacher who is teaching a unit on American history, you can announce that the game is about sharing facts about a history lesson.  Each person who receives the ball must say a fact about the topic that you have established.

    Another way to play is to use a marker and write a number of good questions on the ball that players can choose from.  For example, you can write the questions at icebreaker questions.

    Have fun!

  • Collaborative Drawing

    Combine your artistic talents together to create the ultimate drawing without seeing what others have added before you!

    This icebreaker game is good for ages 10 and over. Collaborative Drawing must be played with a minimum of 4 people.  There is no maximum amount preferred.  If groups get unmanageable, subdivide into smaller sized groups.

    To play this game you are going to need the following items:

    1. Paper for all participants
    2. Writing utensils for everyone
    3. A timer or stopwatch

    Setup for Collaborative Drawing

    You won’t need to set anything up prior to starting this game!

    How to play Collaborative Drawing

    1. Distribute paper and writing utensils to everyone that will be playing. Make sure that the players are sitting in some sort of orderly fashion such as a circle or in straight lines.
    2. Instruct each person to fold their paper into four equal sections, as you would fold a letter. They should then unfold the paper so that it is flat again.
    3. Players are then told to draw a head for their drawing in the uppermost section. It doesn’t matter what kind of head they draw or where on the upper section it is, as long as the neck connects to the top of the second section on the paper.
    4. Instruct players to fold their paper over in order to hide the head they drew, leaving only the very bottom of the neck showing to help the next player in their drawing.
    5. All players pass their folded papers to their left and accept the paper being handed from their right side. Each time a new paper is given to each player, they must draw the missing section, connecting it to the other person’s previous section without actually looking to see what it looks like. This process will be repeated for all three of the other remaining sections: torso, legs, and feet. Make sure that all the players know to leave the very bottom of their drawing visible so that the next person can continue on. Each section should be timed to avoid spending too long on this game.
    6. Once the drawings are all completed, open up the papers and check out the crazy creatures or people that are featured there!

    Winning the game:

    This game should be used as a fun icebreaker. There is no way to win or lose the game. Its purpose is just for people to get together and have some funny drawing crazy creatures!

  • Categories (or Similarities) Game

    Each team must find a certain amount of things they all have in common (similarities) before the other teams in this simple competitive icebreaker game.  It’s best for ages 8+.  It works great for medium sized groups, or even really large groups of 20+ people if you split into smaller sized groups.

    Materials needed

    You won’t need anything to play this game. If you’d like to make things more official, you can use a piece of paper and a writing utensil for each team to record their similarities on, although this is not necessary.

    How to set up the Categories (or Similarities) game:

    No setup is necessary to play the Similarities game!

    How to play:

    1. Divide your group up into separate teams of about 5 people each. Ideally you should end up with at least 4 different teams with a minimum of 4 people per team.
      Tip: Try to make teams of people that are not already close with each other. This makes the game more fun and serves as a great icebreaker for people to get introduced to one another!
    2. Instruct each team to talk amongst themselves and find out at least 6 things that every single group member has in common with the other members.
      Tip: You might consider not allowing teams to use simple things like physical height, hair color, current clothing items worn, etc. Limiting the similarities to non-physical things helps people to learn more about each other and engage in active, more meaningful conversations that will promote inclusion and lasting connections between team members.
    3. This game is played as a race and each team is competing to come up with their 6 similarities before the others. The game ends once every team has come up with 6 things they have in common, or once the time set aside for the game has expired.
    4. Alternative: If you’d like to play a quicker alternative, you can assemble the whole group and instruct them to form teams based on categories of things that they all have in common. This can include anything from favorite colors to least favorite movies and beyond. In this alternative, you can set the minimum size for each team in order for the activity to be over.

    Winning the game

    The winner of the regular version of the game is the team that most quickly identifies 6 similarities they all share. In the alternative game there is no real winner and it is used as a simple and quick icebreaker game for large groups.

  • Paper Airplanes (Name Planes Game)

    Paper Airplanes (or Name Planes Game) is a simple but effective get-to-know-you game: find the owner of the paper airplane that you pick up and learn a few things about them! This game works best for larger groups of ten or more people.  The activity is ideal for those ages 12 and up and is suitable for the classroom.

    Setup for Paper Airplanes (Name Planes Game)

    There is not much setup required for this activity.  However, several materials do need to be provided:

    • At least 1 sheet of paper per person
    • 1 pen, pencil, or other writing utensil per person

    How to set up Paper Airplanes

    To set up the game, you can either place the supplies around the room on the seats, desks, or tables where group members will be sitting.  Alternatively, you can hand them out as members arrive.  In a room where the group will be standing, it’s best to just hand out the supplies.

    How to play Paper Airplanes

    1. Make sure every participant has one sheet of paper and a writing utensil. Ask them each to write their names and two questions down on the paper. You may want to specify that questions should not be too personal or uncomfortable, but this is up to your discretion.
    2. After each person has written down their name and questions, ask them to form their paper into a paper airplane of their choice.
    3. Start a timer and have everyone throw their airplanes around at the same time. While the timer is going, everyone should be picking up airplanes and throwing them again to move them around the room and mix all the papers together.
    4. Stop the timer and ask everyone to pick up one paper airplane that is not their own.
    5. Each group member should end up with a paper airplane in their hands. They must then find the original owner of the plane and ask them the two questions on their plane.
    6. Now that everyone has found the owner of their paper airplane and have asked them the questions, have each person come up individually and introduce the person to the group by reading the name on the plane and telling the group the questions and answers given by that person.

    Winning the game

    As an icebreaker activity, there is no winning or losing in this game. The objective is to have group members become more familiar with each other, rather than to foster a competitive environment.  This game will help people get to know each other better in a fun way!