Fun Icebreaker Ideas & Activities

Category: Get-to-know-you

Get-to-know-you games. These icebreakers help people get to know each other better! When people don’t know each other well, a good icebreaker can be extremely useful. These activities can quickly help people get to know each others’ names and to go deeper — how do people think? What are their interests? What are their goals and deeper desires? Try these activities for the first day of class or whenever you are in a situation where you want to get to know someone better.

  • Superlative Game

    The Superlative Game is a simple icebreaker that asks players to line up in ascending order for various different categories (e.g. height, birthday month, etc.).  It’s very easy to learn and play, and it doesn’t require a lot of time.

    This game can be classified as a get-to-know-you style icebreaker.  The recommended group size is medium, large, or extra large groups.  Players will be divided into multiple teams of at least five people.  This game can be played both indoors or outdoors.  There are no special materials required to play.  It works great with all ages.

    Setup for the Superlative Game

    The facilitator of the Superlative game needs to prepare a list of categories.  These categories can be surface-level categories such as height (in ascending order), birthday month (in ascending order, from January to December), shoe size, number of siblings (least to most), etc. or you can also make deeper categories, depending on your goals.

    Playing the Superlative Game

    Split the group into at least three teams.  The ideal team size is at least five players per team, but preferably no more than nine.  Explain the rules and consider using one of the variations below (such as the no talking rule). 

    Read the first category aloud, such as “Line up by increasing order of height.  Go!”  Each team scrambles to get in the proper order.  When a team thinks they are done, they must all sit down and raise their hands.  At this point, the facilitator checks the team and verifies that they are in the proper order.  If they made a mistake, they get awarded zero points that round and the facilitator checks the next group that sat down.  The first team to correctly get in order and sits down gets awarded a point. 

    The facilitator then reads off the next category, and this process repeats until the game is over (no more categories).

    Variations

    There are many variations to this game that are worth considering.  These include:

    1. No talking allowed.  All players must rely on body language and hand gestures to get in the proper order.

    2. Head and feet only.  You can only use your head and feet to signal where to go.  No talking or use of arms/hands to communicate.

  • String Game

    The String Game is an introduction-based icebreaker game and simple conversation starter that allows people to  tell others about themselves.  It’s a simple game and can be adapted according to your needs.

    This getting-to-know-you game usually does not take long, unless you choose to run it that way.  The recommended group size is small and medium groups, although with careful planning it might be possible to do this activity in a large group by splitting it into smaller groups.  An indoor setting is ideal.  This icebreaker is recommended for young children up through eighth grade.  It’s well suited for classrooms, camps, or other settings where people may not know each other very well yet.

    Instructions for the String Game 

    This icebreaker activity needs a little bit of preparation work.  Purchase a big roll of yarn or string.  You can buy any color, or multiple colors if you wish.  Take a pair of scissors and cut strings of various different lengths — as short as 12 inches, and as long as 30 or more inches.

    When you are finished cutting the string, bunch all the pieces up into one big clump of string.

    To play, ask the first volunteer to choose any piece of string.  Have the person pull on it and separate it from the other pieces of string.  Ask them to introduce themselves as they slowly wind the piece of string around their index finger.   The funny part of this icebreaker game is that some of the strings are extremely long, so sometimes a person must keep talking for a very long time!  This is a good way to get everyone to start talking.  People might find out something interesting or new about each other!  Feel free to adapt this game according to your needs.  Have fun.

  • Sorts and Mingle

    Sorts and Mingle is an interactive icebreaker game that helps people recognize their common and unique interests and preferences.  The speaker calls out various categories and everyone moves toward various parts of the room, finding people with similar tastes as them.

    This game is classified as a get-to-know-you icebreaker with a little bit of active movement involved (walking around the room, meeting and talking to others).  The recommended group size is: medium, large, or extra large.  Can be played indoors or outdoors, but indoors is ideal.  No special materials are required.  No mess.  For ages ten and up.

    Instructions for Sorts and Mingle

    There are two parts to this icebreaker.  The first half is the “Sorts” game.  The moderator tosses out two contrasting choices and everyone must move either east or west of the room (for example. “Do you prefer Nature or Cities?”) Then the moderator shouts out two more choices and everyone moves north and south of the room.  In this way, each person must move to somewhere and can’t get “lost” in the crowd.  Some sorts that work well include: dogs vs. cats, books vs. movies, sweet vs. salty, casual vs. dress up, inside vs. outside; be on the stage performing vs. in the audience watching, and so on.

    The second half of the icebreaker, the “Mingle” game, works as follows:  The moderator shouts out a general category and the group is asked to mingle around to find others that have the same answer and they clump up to form a larger group. After about thirty seconds to one minute, the moderator asks each group call out their answer.  If a person is unique and is the only one with an answer, that’s okay.  Examples of mingles: your favorite place on Earth; your favorite dessert; the kind of animal you like best; if you could have dinner with someone, who would you choose; your favorite hobby; if you could be anyone, what would it be?

    Both halves of this game help people introduce themselves in a fun, interactive format. Give it a try!

  • Unique and Shared

    Unique and Shared is a get-to-know-you icebreaker game as well as a team-building activity.  The game helps people see that they have more in common with their peers than they might initially realize, while highlighting their own individual strengths that they can contribute to the group.  Perhaps the icebreaker can help people learn empathy skills.

    An indoor setting is preferable.  Participants will split into groups of about five people, so this activity works fine with medium, large, and even some extra large groups.  Each group of five needs paper and a pen.  This activity is for all ages.

    Instructions for Unique and Shared

    Ask participants to form groups of five people with the people around them.  Pass out sheets of paper and writing utensil.  The first half of the activity is the Shared part.  Instruct a notetaker for each group to create a list of many common traits or qualities that members of the group have in common.   Avoid writing things that are immediately obvious (e.g. don’t write down something like “everyone has hair” or “we are all wearing clothes”).  The goal is for everyone to dig deeper than the superficial.  Allow about five or six minutes and then have a spokesperson from each subgroup read their list.  If there are too many groups, ask for a few volunteers to read their list.

    The second half is the Unique part.  Keep the same groups or, optionally, you can ask everyone to rearrange themselves into new groups.  On a second sheet of paper have them record Unique traits and qualities; that is, items that only apply to one person in the group.  Instruct the group to find at least two unique qualities and strengths per person.  Again, strive for qualities and strengths beyond the superficial and past the obvious things anyone can readily see.  Allow another five or six minutes.  When time is up, share the unique qualities in one of the following ways: (1) each person can share one of their unique qualities themselves; (2) have each person read the qualities of the person to their right; or (3) have a spokesperson read a quality one at a time, and have the others guess who it was.

    Unique and Shared is a valuable team-building activity because it promotes unity as it gets people to realize that they have more common ground with their peers than they first might realize.  As people become aware of their own unique characteristics, they can also help people feel empowered to offer the group something unique.

  • Lost on a Deserted Island

    Lost on a Deserted Island is a valuable teambuilding activity that also helps people share a little about themselves.  Given the scenario that everyone is lost and stranded on a deserted island, each person describes one object that they would bring to the island and why.

    This game is a teambuilding and get-to-know-you icebreaker.  The recommended group size is medium, although small and large group sizes are possible too.  An indoor setting is ideal.  No special props or materials are required, making it easy to play.  This icebreaker works well for any age, including adults and corporate settings.

    Instructions for Lost on a Deserted Island

    The situation is dire — following a shipwreck, everyone has been stranded on a deserted island!  Each person is allowed to bring one object to the island — ideally something that represents them or something that they enjoy.  The first part of this icebreaker is simple: each person is asked to describe what object they would bring and why.  This need not be realistic; if someone loves music, he or she might choose to bring a guitar, or an animal lover might choose to bring a dog, a food lover might choose to bring sirloin steaks, and so on.  Encourage people to be creative.

    After everyone has introduced their object and why they have chosen that object, the teambuilding portion follows.  Divide into smaller groups and ask everyone to work together to improve their chances of survival by combining the various objects that they introduced.  If necessary, you can add more objects, but be sure to use all the objects that everyone mentioned.  If you wish, you can reward the most creative group with a prize.

    Lost on a Deserted Island is an approachable way to get people to open up and share a little bit about themselves and what they enjoy or value.

  • Personal Trivia Baseball

    Personal Trivia Baseball is an icebreaker game that involves guessing facts of various difficulty levels to obtain singles, doubles, triples, and home runs. This game helps people discover facts about each other in a fun way.

    This get-to-know-you game is played with two teams of about six to eight people each. The recommended location for this game is indoors. Materials required are: several sheets of paper and pens. Personal Trivia Baseball is playable by ages 10 and up, including college students and adults in corporate settings.

    Setup for Personal Trivia Baseball

    This game should be played with two teams. Divide the players into two teams of about six to eight people — other team sizes are possible but less ideal, as the game may be too short or too long. You can increase or decrease the number of sheets accordingly, depending on how long you want the game to last.

    To prepare for the game, pass out four sheets and a pen to each player. Instruct each person to write “S” on the first sheet, “D” on the second, “T” on the third, and “HR” on , the fourth. These letters stand for single, double, triple, and home run, respectively. On each of these sheets, each person writes an interesting fact about themselves. Do not write any names on the sheets, because the goal of the game is to guess whose fact is written on each sheet. The fact written on the single (“S”) sheet should be the easiest to guess; the double (“D”) sheet should be a little harder to figure out; the triple (“T”) even harder; and the home run (“HR”) should be the hardest.

    Once everyone is finished writing their clues, collect them and sort them into four piles per team: singles, doubles, triples, home run. Shuffle all the papers and arrange the piles into four different corners of the room, in the shape of a baseball diamond (see image below).

    Baseball Diamond

    Playing Personal Trivia Baseball

    The way Personal Trivia Baseball is played is similar to normal baseball rules. Each team has three “outs” per inning and tries to score as many runs as they can. On a turn, a player chooses to go for a single (easiest), double, triple, or home run (most difficult). He or she picks a sheet from the other team’s piles, reads it, and then guesses which of the people on the other team wrote the fact. Once he or she makes a guess, the guessed person on the other team simply says “yes” or “no”. If the guess is correct, the person successfully gets on base with a single, double, triple, or home run and moves to that part of the room. If the guess is incorrect, then the team adds another “out”. Move on to the next batter and repeat until there are three outs. Once there are three outs, change to the other team and repeat. Keep track of the number of runs each team has scored.

    Keep playing until all the clues are revealed, or for a shorter game, set a time limit or a set number of innings. The winner is the team with the higher score at the end.

  • Who Done It (Whodunit)

    Who Done It? is an icebreaker that reveals interesting (and sometimes incredible!) things people have done. It’s a simple guessing game that is straightforward to play.

    This game is a get-to-know-you style icebreaker in which players try to guess which person corresponds to each item written on notecards.  The recommended group size is a medium sized group of about eight to sixteen people, although the game can be adapted to accommodate other sized groups.  Playing this icebreaker indoors is most ideal.  Materials required are: several notecards and pens. Who Done It? is playable by all ages, including college students and adults in corporate settings.

    Setup and Gameplay for Who Done It (Whodunit?)

    This game can be played individually or with two teams.  For extremely large groups, choose ten volunteers and split them into two teams of five.  To set up the game, pass out an index card and a pen for each participant.  Ask each person to write down something interesting they have done.  Examples include the following:

    • I went skydiving once.
    • I got arrested before.
    • I once drank a gallon of milk.
    • I lived in seven different states.
    • I ate bugs before.

    Try to instruct people to write a fact that most people don’t already know – the sillier (or more unbelievable) the better.  Collect all the cards (separate them into two piles if two teams are playing).  Shuffle the cards and then pass them back out.  Each person (or team) takes turns reading aloud their card and then the reader must guess whose fact he or she read. After he or she guesses, the guessed person simply says “yes” or “no”.  If the person guesses correctly, the guessed person can briefly explain what they wrote (if desired).  The guessing continues until all cards are exhausted.  Everyone reveals who wrote which card at the end.

    The Who Done It? game is a good, simple get-to-know-you game that is especially good for groups with new people, or for whenever you wish to help people get to know each other better to break the ice.  Sometimes humorous facts can be revealed, leading people to exclaim, “You did WHAT?”

  • Who’s My Match?

    If you’re peanut butter, where is your jelly?  Which fictional police detective is the partner of David Starsky? Which royal is married to Kate Middleton? In this introductions game, the guests at your get-together take on the role of famous figures. Through the power of conversation they will figure out each other’s hidden identities, and try and find their match!

    This game will play everyone at the party.  Ten to twenty people or so will make for a good game — but it certainly works fine for larger groups.

    Set-Up

    1. As the host of the party, prepare a name-tag for each guest at your party by writing the names of famous figures from famous partnership on each name-tag. Both halves of the partnership should be represented on a name-tag. For example, you might have these eight name-tags: “Pinky,” (and his match) “The Brain,” “Beyonce,” (and her match) “Jay Z,” “Peanut butter,” (and its match) “Jelly,” “Romeo,” (and his match) “Juliet.”
    2. As guests arrive at the party, give them a random name tag. This is their hidden identity. You can try and give female identities to the women at the party and males names to men, but the game will be even funnier if you don’t worry about it!
    3. Tell the guests to read the name tag, then to put it in their pocket and not to tell other guests what is written on it!

    Play Who’s My Match?

    • As a player, the aim of the game is to find the guest who owns the name tag that matches yours. If you are Tom, you are looking for Jerry. You do this by talking to the other guests.
    • However — when answering questions about their hidden identity, players can only answer yes or no.
    • When asking questions players cannot ask directly ask about a character’s name. For example, questions like “Does you name start with a B?” or “Are you Beyonce?” are not allowed.

    If you think you have found your match, both players should go to an organizer to find out if they were correct or not. If you were correct, both players can now wear their name tags to show that they are “taken.”  This helps other players who are struggling to find their match. If you didn’t get it right this time, keep searching!

    Tips

    • When making the tags, throw some curveballs. A clever guest who gets the name Starsky might immediately know they are looking for Hutch, but you will make things harder for them if you also put in a similar pair, such as Cagney and Lacey. Now a question like “Are you a police detective?” isn’t so helpful.
    • Also, know your audience. You might want to focus on celebrity partners, or partners in literature, or partners in film, depending on the group you are organizing for.
    • When playing the game, ask other players about: their profession, their age, etc.

    The lovely advantage to this game is that it gets everyone at the party interested in each other. They know their partner is out there looking for them, and they just have to mingle to meet them. For this reason, it’s a real jewel at events where people haven’t yet met each other.

    When two players have found their match, ask them to pose as the people on their name-tags for a funny photo that you can put online. 

  • The Bests

    Perhaps you have seen those TV game shows where two team of friends or family members nominate people in their team to participate in a number of challenges. If you have ever thought it would be fun to try that out, The Bests is the game for you.

    What sort of skills will you be tested in? How about the longest stare? The quickest at looking up words in a dictionary? The fastest at walking backwards? Yes, this is a quirky game of unusual challenges. From the list of many challenge suggestions below there will be something for everyone, and even if you team loses, the pure silliness of it all will still keep things fun. This makes The Bests equally excellent for a laugh among friends, or to break the ice around strangers.

    This game works best with groups of 8 to 20 players of any age.  For extra large groups, choose a smaller group of volunteers to play at the front of the room while everyone else watches.

    Set-Up

    • As the organizer (who will not be playing) gather some or all of these items: paper cups (six or more), a dictionary, a coin, a tape measure, chewing gum, a tennis ball, and/or a stopwatch. Check the list of challenges below to find out how you will be using this strange assortment of items! You can also come up with your own challenges, and if so make sure to get hold of any equipment you will need. Also get a pen and paper to record the results.  Randomly put players into groups of four or five.

    Play

    The organizer should start each round by announcing the first part of the name of the challenge.  For example, he or she could say “The measurement..” but don’t announce what is being measured quite yet! For example, for “The Fastest Cup Stacker” round, simply announce that this round is for “The Fastest.”

    Each team now puts forward one of their players to compete in the round, who they believe will be “The Fastest…” though they don’t yet know what they need to be the fastest at! Every player needs to be picked once before anyone is chosen to participate in a second round.

    When you have a player from each team for this round, reveal the full title of the round and explain how to play.

    Give all players the equipment they need, and, if needed, tell them when to start. Meanwhile, you should referee the round to determine who wins.  The winner of the round gets one point for their team.  When all challenges have been completed, read out the scoreboard in reverse order, finally announcing the winning team. Then break out the champagne!

    Challenges List

    The quickest… at finding a particular word in the dictionary.

    The biggest… head circumference.

    The fastest… at walking backwards.

    The longest… time you get a coin to spin with one touch.

    The strongest… at speed arithmetic (ask 10 math questions, and the team who gives the fastest correct answers most often wins the point).

    The best endurance… in a staring contest.

    The shortest… time it takes to sing the Alphabet song.

    The widest… bubble blown with bubble gum.

    The greatest… at stacking paper cups (they must stack a pyramid of 6 cups, then put all the cups together again, in the shortest amount of time).

    The tallest… throw with a ball that is caught (both players have a chance to throw the ball into the air and try to catch it — the highest throw that is also caught wins).

    The most… hair.

    … and feel free to make up your own crazy rounds, too!

     

     

  • Bang / The Gun Name Game

    To avoid getting shot, learn and remember names of the people in a group!

    Bang! or (The Gun Name Game) is a game of name-recall that works perfectly amongst strangers as an introductions game, but is also a game of reactions that can be played in groups of people that already know each other. Younger boys especially will love it, because any time spent pointing fingers as weapons and shouting “Bang!” is time well spent — and perhaps we don’t even have to be all that young!

    Bang! needs a big group to be played — ideally more than 12 people.  It takes just a few minutes.

    Rules

    1. Everyone arranges themselves in a circle.
    2. An organizer, who is not playing, calls out the name of somebody in the circle. For example, let us assume he called out the name “Frank”.
    3. Frank, upon hearing his name, must duck. The players to either side of Frank, upon hearing Frank’s name, must turn towards Frank with their fingers pointed into a pretend gun, and shout “Bang!”
    • If Frank failed to duck quickly enough, he has just been shot, and is eliminated from the game.
    • If Frank ducks to safety, but one player shouts “Bang!” faster than the other, the slower player is eliminated.
    • If Frank ducks to safety, and both players shout at the same time, all three are safe and nobody is eliminated.
    • If any player in the circle makes the mistake of ducking or shooting at the wrong time, they are eliminated.
    1. The organizer continues shouting names, as quickly as he can adjudicate the results, until only two players remain in the game.

    Finale

    1. The two remaining players stand back to back in the style of a duel.
    2. The organizer starts callings names of anyone in the room. If the name is called does not belong to either of the duelists, both duelists take a step forward (stepping away from one another).
    3. If the name of one of the two duelists is called, both must spin around and aim a “Bang!” at the other.
    4. The organizer decides on a winner, or if it is too close to call has the duelists play the finale again.

    To make the finale harder, the organizer could ask all of the eliminated players to shout random names during the duel. The duelists must only react to the voice of the organizer.