Meeting icebreakers
Whose story is it
This is a really engaging icebreaker game for smaller groups and teams who have known each other for years. Have everyone write down a funny or interesting (true) story on a small piece of paper. Then take all of the papers and place them into a hat to be drawn. The facilitator should randomly choose stories and read them aloud. Then, every player should guess who wrote the story. This is a great way to learn new things about people that you may have known for a long time.
Inspirational quotes
For a faster paced activity, prepare a set of inspirational quotes before the session. Grab as many quotes as there are participants and write them individually on pieces of paper. Put the pile of papers in the center of the room and let everyone pick one quote. They should share with the group what the quote means to them and how it is meaningful. This process should continue until everyone has had a chance to read and discuss a quote.
Team bingo
This is a really fun way to break the ice in a competitive way. Participants can get information on each other in a more engaging way. To begin, create a bingo card with a statement or question in every square. Make sure they are things that will apply to at least one person in the gathering. Try to pick a few things that are aligned with your work or the event. Every player will get a bingo card and then they should mingle around chatting with the other participants. The goal is for them to find people to sign each square based on what they learn. Pro tip: the signatures should only be from one or two people each, to avoid having the same people filling up all the squares for an instant bingo. When everyone has reached bingo (or is close), stop the game and have everyone share something they learned about their colleagues.
All alike
This game encourages players to find common ground, which can be really helpful before collaborative sessions. Break everyone up into groups of 3 or 6 and have them separate physically (such as into different meeting rooms) from the other groups. Set a timer for five minutes - that’s how long everyone has to come up with a trait that they all have in common. For example, everyone studied abroad, everyone lived in a certain neighborhood at some point, or everyone dislikes a specific food.
“If I were”…
One of the easiest games to play, this activity allows players to describe themselves in different situations. Simply read the prompts out loud and give everyone a chance to respond. Some things you can suggest are: If I were a country, I’d be…. If I were a song, I’d be… If I were a food, I’d be… If I were a brand, I’d be… If I were a cocktail, I’d be… If I were a wild animal, I’d be… If I were a mythical creature, I’d be…
Confess then guess
This is a simple “getting to know you” game for groups of all sizes, especially people who are just getting to know each other. In every round, participants write down the answer to a prompt (that was previously created) and then put the answer into a bowl. A host will read out each reply and players have to guess which person wrote the answer. Some prompts to try are: Your greatest fear Your favorite animal story Who you were in a past life Your favorite activity for relaxing What you were voted in high school What you wanted to be when you grew up The first item on your bucket list Your personal hero Something you’re allergic to
Figure it out
This activity is a combination of 20 questions and various TV game shows. It involves guessing a “secret” phrase that someone has drawn. To play, choose an initial contestant. That person draws an item based on slips of paper that you previously created. They begin by drawing a number of blanks to signal the number of words in the phrase they picked. From there, the other people present can ask yes or no questions. If someone guesses a word that appears in the secret phrase, the player writes the word in the blank. At any time, the other participants can guess the phrase. This game requires a bit of preparation. You’ll need to come up with as many “secret phrases” as there are people present, and also have large pieces of paper and a marker to keep track of the number of words for each round.
Top Five
In this game, you’ll ask players to come up with their five favorites across several categories. Each player can make a list and then share with the larger group. The options for categories are nearly limitless and you should try to cater them to your audience. Try creating “best-of” lists for these categories: Movies TV shows Books Songs Vacations Desserts Websites Celebrities Blogs Animals Brands Apps
Group Map
Are you hosting an event where people come from various locations? Try laying out an imaginary map in a room representing all the areas people may have come from. Have them stand in their “place of origin” and share a bit about where they came from. You could also print a large map and have everyone place a pin on their area. The important thing is to share some information about where they’ve come from.
Keychain Sharing
Sometimes bringing a physical object into play can add a new and more personal element. For this activity, have everyone sit in a circle and then place their keyring in front of them. Everyone should talk about which keys are on their ring and why. They can also talk about any keychains they have and why they are meaningful. Go around in a circle clockwise or counter-clockwise and make sure everyone has a chance to share uninterrupted. If you want to take things a step further, take another spin around the group and have everyone share one insight they gained by hearing about others’ keys.
“Speed dating” icebreaker
In this game, you want to facilitate a series of rapid conversations among everyone in a very short amount of time. Have everyone sit in pairs with people they don’t know well or work with directly. Set a time limit (we recommend 3 minutes) and every time the timer goes off, one part of the pair should move to the next person. It’s usually easiest to have people move in a set pattern, such as everyone moving to the right each round. This is a great way to get people out of their comfort zone and sharing with people outside of their usual circle.
Group Art Project
If you want to be a little more active and collaborative, try coordinating an art project like a mosaic for the group. An activity like this can cater to people who are more introverted and not naturally chatty. First, provide everyone with a workspace and the proper materials. Choose different mediums like paper, paint, magazines, glass pieces, or even computer graphics you printed. Come up with some guidelines such as “draw a team crest” or “come up with a goal for your team”. Then set a timer for a specific amount of time and let everyone create their art! You can have everyone do this as a large group or break people into smaller groups. If there are smaller groups, allow everyone to show off their creation to the larger group. If you need more ideas for icebreakers for introverts, check out our past post.
Finding Bonds
Try an identity game that will help players to find common bonds. Everyone takes a turn making “I am a…” statement. Some examples could be “I am a mother” or “I am a runner” or “I am an amateur chef”. Other players who identify with that statement should move to stand near the person speaking. To begin the game, players should be spread out across the room, and move toward speakers as they identify with statements shared.
One-question icebreaker
Looking for a virtual trust-building activity that’s a little simpler than the one above? Try the “One-question icebreaker”. A versatile game that you can use for any occasion, you can boost the bond between teammates in just a few minutes.There isn’t a lot to this one! You simply open up a group video call with a single, thought-provoking ice-breaker.The question itself could be silly or serious, work-related or totally random. Whatever the case, you give everyone on the call a chance to answer it and let those responses spark further discussion.
Word Association
You may have played Word Association to pass the time on long journies. Well, funnily enough, it also works brilliantly as a quick team-building game!
Two truths, one lie
This game is perfect for groups that don’t yet know each other very well. Each person will take a turn at having their colleagues guess which of the three statements is the lie. The more believable the lie, the harder it is for the guessing team! Not only will the team get to know one another better, but there will certainly be some big laughs and surprising moments along the way.
Read My Lips
The host provides the first player of each team with a simple phrase such as “I work harder than everybody else in my team.” The longer the phrase is the more difficult the game will be. Make sure the other players don’t hear or see what the phrase is.
