Icebreaker games

22 icebreaker games and 167 icebreaker questions that work with colleagues, a new class or a room of guests. Tell the picker where you are, how many people and how much time you have; then draw questions that fit.

Icebreaker game picker

WhereHow many peopleTime you have

22 games.

Two truths and a lie 3 to 30 people, 10 to 20 min
Work or a meetingClassroomPartyVideo call
You need: Nothing
Each person says three short statements about themselves: two true, one made up. The group guesses which one is the lie, then the speaker reveals it.
Tip: Set the topic first (hobbies, places, skills) so nobody feels they have to share anything private. Keep each turn under a minute.
This or that, move to a side 8 to 100 people, 5 to 10 min
Work or a meetingClassroomParty
You need: Some open floor
Read a two-way choice (beach or mountains, tea or coffee). Everyone walks to the left or right side of the room. Ask one or two volunteers from each side why.
Tip: Five or six choices is enough. On a video call, use hands up or the reaction buttons instead.
Get clean two-way choices
Common ground 4 to 200 people, 5 to 10 min
Work or a meetingClassroomPartyVideo call
You need: Nothing (a timer helps)
Split into groups of three or four. Each group has three minutes to find three things everyone in it has in common, the less obvious the better ("we all hate wet socks" beats "we all work here"). Each group shares its best one.
Tip: Ban the easy answers up front: same job, same building, same city.
Name and a motion 6 to 30 people, 5 to 10 min
ClassroomParty
You need: A circle of people standing
Going around the circle, each person says their first name with a simple motion (a wave, a hop, a spin of the hands). Everyone repeats the name and motion back. Then go around again and see who can remember them all.
Tip: Great for kids and new classes. Let anyone use a small motion; nobody has to perform.
Silent birthday line-up 8 to 40 people, 5 to 10 min
Work or a meetingClassroomParty
You need: Room to stand in a line
Without talking, the group lines up in order of birthday month and day (no years). People can use fingers and gestures. When everyone is in place, go down the line saying dates out loud to check.
Tip: Swap in other orders for a second round: first letter of a favorite food, or how far you traveled to get here today.
Find someone who bingo 12 to 200 people, 15 to 20 min
Work or a meetingClassroomParty
You need: A printed sheet and a pen each
Everyone gets a sheet of squares such as "has visited a lighthouse" or "plays an instrument". Walk around, ask questions, and write a different person's name in each square. First full line wins.
Tip: Print a different sheet for each person so nobody copies, and keep the squares about hobbies and experiences.
Print find-someone-who sheets
Desert island pick 2 to 30 people, 5 to 15 min
Work or a meetingClassroomPartyVideo call
You need: Nothing
Each person names one item they would take to a desert island and why. Round two: the group has to agree on a shared kit of five items from everything named.
Tip: The second round turns it into a small teamwork exercise, which suits a new project team.
Question deck 3 to 30 people, 5 to 15 min
Work or a meetingClassroomPartyVideo call
You need: One phone with the generator on this page
Draw a question from the icebreaker generator below and read it out. Everyone answers in a sentence or two, going around the circle or the call list. Anyone can pass.
Tip: Set the place to Work for questions that suit colleagues, and the group size so the page suggests how to run it.
Open the question generator
One-sentence story 4 to 20 people, 5 to 10 min
Work or a meetingClassroomPartyVideo call
You need: Nothing
The first person starts a story with one sentence. Each person adds exactly one sentence, in order. The last person has to end it.
Tip: Give a silly opening line ("The office plant had finally had enough...") to get going.
Speed chat rounds 8 to 60 people, 15 to 20 min
Work or a meetingClassroomParty
You need: Two rows of chairs facing each other, a timer
Pairs sit facing each other. Read one question; each pair talks for two minutes. Then one row moves one seat along, and you read a new question.
Tip: Five rounds is plenty. Draw the questions from the generator below so they stay work-friendly.
Draw a question
Within arm's reach 3 to 15 people, 5 to 10 min
Work or a meetingVideo call
You need: Whatever is on your desk
Each person holds up one object within arm's reach and says why it is there. On a video call, everyone has 20 seconds to grab something.
Tip: Works best on video calls, where it gives people a glimpse of each other's desks without anyone being put on the spot.
Weather report check-in 3 to 25 people, 3 to 5 min
Work or a meetingClassroomVideo call
You need: Nothing
Each person describes their week as a weather forecast: "sunny with a chance of deadlines" or "foggy morning, clearing later". One line each.
Tip: A gentle opener for a regular meeting. Nobody has to explain the forecast.
Paper snowball questions 10 to 40 people, 10 to 15 min
ClassroomParty
You need: Paper and pens
Everyone writes a light question on a sheet, crumples it and throws it into the middle. Each person picks up a snowball that is not their own and answers the question aloud, or passes it on.
Tip: Read the questions first if the group is young, and keep a few spare ones in your pocket.
Categories round 4 to 20 people, 5 to 10 min
Work or a meetingClassroomPartyVideo call
You need: A list of categories
Pick a category (fruits, cities, board games). Going around, each person names one new item. Anyone who repeats one or takes longer than five seconds starts the next round.
Tip: Nobody is out, so nobody sits watching. Use our category lists for ideas.
Get category lists
Paper tower challenge 6 to 60 people, 15 to 30 min
Work or a meetingClassroomParty
You need: Paper and a roll of tape per team
Teams of three to five get ten sheets of paper and one length of tape. They have ten minutes to build the tallest tower that stands on its own. Measure and cheer.
Tip: A good warm-up before a planning session: every team talks about how they worked together afterwards.
Count to twenty 5 to 25 people, 3 to 5 min
Work or a meetingClassroomPartyVideo call
You need: Nothing
The group tries to count from 1 to 20, one person saying each number, in no set order and with no signals. If two people speak at once, start again from 1.
Tip: It sounds easy and is not. Groups get quieter and more focused each try, which makes it a calm opener.
Rock paper scissors cheer 10 to 200 people, 5 to 10 min
Work or a meetingClassroomParty
You need: Nothing
Everyone pairs up for rock paper scissors. Whoever loses becomes the winner's loudest fan and follows them to the next match, cheering. It ends with two huge crowds for the final.
Tip: Everyone stays involved to the end, so it fits big groups and conference rooms.
Mild hot takes 4 to 60 people, 5 to 10 min
Work or a meetingClassroomPartyVideo call
You need: A list of light statements
Read a light opinion ("Breakfast food is better at dinner time", "Socks with sandals are fine"). Everyone shows thumbs up, down or sideways. Ask a volunteer from each side for one sentence.
Tip: Keep the statements about food, habits and small things. Nothing political or personal.
One-word check-in 3 to 30 people, 2 to 5 min
Work or a meetingClassroomVideo call
You need: Nothing
Each person says one word for how they are coming into the meeting or class. No explanation needed, and "pass" is a fine word.
Tip: Run it again at the end with one word for how they are leaving.
Charades, quick round 6 to 40 people, 10 to 15 min
ClassroomParty
You need: One phone with our charades generator
Two teams take turns sending an actor up to act out an easy prompt with no words. Each correct guess within a minute scores a point.
Tip: Use easy prompts so nobody struggles in front of a new group, and let shy players act in pairs.
Open the charades generator
Human map 8 to 60 people, 5 to 10 min
ClassroomParty
You need: Some open floor
Point out where north, south, east and west are on an imaginary map on the floor. Ask everyone to stand where they would most like to visit. Then where they would go for the best food. Ask a few people what is there.
Tip: Ask about places people would like to go, not where they are from, so nobody is asked about their background.
Mystery facts 5 to 30 people, 10 to 15 min
Work or a meetingClassroomPartyVideo call
You need: Slips or a shared form beforehand
Before the session, everyone sends the host one light fact about themselves (a hobby, a place they have visited, an odd skill). The host reads them out one at a time and the group guesses whose it is.
Tip: People choose their own fact, so nobody shares more than they want to. The host skips anything too personal.

Your choices stay in this browser. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Icebreaker question generator

Pick who is playing (kids, teens or grown-ups), where you are and the group size. Every question can be answered with a hobby, a preference or a made-up answer, and none asks about family, health, money, beliefs or relationships. 124 of them suit a workplace.

question generator

Who is playingGroup sizeWhere

Icebreaker question

Tap "Next question" to start

No repeats until every question that fits your filters has come up.

Take turns by name (optional)

Add two or more names and the page says whose turn it is, moving on after each one. Names stay in this browser.

Settings, names and scores stay in this browser. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Printable icebreaker question cards

Cards follow the filters above. Pick how many, tap Make cards, then use your browser's Print (Ctrl+P, Cmd+P on a Mac, or Share then Print on a phone). Only the cards print, 12 to a US Letter page, ready to cut apart.

How many cards

12 sample cards below.

IcebreakerWhat is a snack you could eat every day for a month?

IcebreakerIf you could have any animal as a desk buddy, which would you pick?

IcebreakerWhat is the most useful thing in your bag or pocket right now?

IcebreakerWhich household chore would you happily do forever if you had to pick one?

IcebreakerIf your week were a weather forecast, what would it be?

IcebreakerWhat is a small thing that always makes a day better?

IcebreakerWhat is a skill you would like to learn in one afternoon?

IcebreakerIf you could instantly be an expert in one hobby, which would it be?

IcebreakerWhat is the best piece of advice you have been given?

IcebreakerWhat app or tool saves you the most time?

IcebreakerWhat was the first job you ever had, or the first one you wanted?

IcebreakerIf a theme tune played every time you walked into a room, what would it sound like?

Icebreaker games for work and meetings

An icebreaker at work has one job: get people talking to each other so the meeting that follows goes better. That rules out anything that feels like a test or asks people to reveal something they would rather keep to themselves. The 18 games that fit a workplace here are Two truths and a lie, This or that, move to a side, Common ground, Silent birthday line-up, Find someone who bingo, Desert island pick, Question deck, One-sentence story, Speed chat rounds, Within arm's reach, Weather report check-in, Categories round, Paper tower challenge, Count to twenty, Rock paper scissors cheer, Mild hot takes, One-word check-in, Mystery facts.

Keep it to five or ten minutes. A weekly team meeting needs a quick check-in, not a game; save the longer ones (paper tower, speed chat) for an offsite or a new team's first session.
Make "pass" normal. Say it out loud before you start, and go first yourself.
Ask for volunteers. Never call on the quiet person by name.
Mixed rooms and video calls: pick games that work on both, like common ground, one-sentence story or the question deck, so remote people are not left watching.

Icebreaker games for adults and parties

At a party the goal is to mix people who do not know each other. Games where everyone moves or plays at once work best: This or that, move to a side, Silent birthday line-up, Find someone who bingo, Speed chat rounds, Paper snowball questions, Rock paper scissors cheer, Human map. For a dinner or a small group, two truths and a lie or the question deck at the table is enough. Everything here is clean and has no drinking, so it suits mixed company. For a quick vote round, our would you rather questions come with a room tally.

Icebreaker games for the classroom

For a new class: Two truths and a lie, This or that, move to a side, Common ground, Name and a motion, Silent birthday line-up, Find someone who bingo, Desert island pick, Question deck, One-sentence story, Speed chat rounds, Weather report check-in, Paper snowball questions, Categories round, Paper tower challenge, Count to twenty, Rock paper scissors cheer, Mild hot takes, One-word check-in, Charades, quick round, Human map, Mystery facts. Name games first, then something with movement. Set the question generator to Kids or Teens and the place to Classroom for 126 questions that suit students, and print them as cards for small-group tables.

Virtual icebreaker games for video calls

On a call, turn-taking games work better than anything that needs a room: Two truths and a lie, Common ground, Desert island pick, Question deck, One-sentence story, Within arm's reach, Weather report check-in, Categories round, Count to twenty, Mild hot takes, One-word check-in, Mystery facts. Read the question, then go down the participant list in order so nobody talks over each other. Keep cameras optional.

Icebreakers for large groups

With 30 or more people, everyone should play at the same time: This or that, move to a side, Common ground, Silent birthday line-up, Find someone who bingo, Speed chat rounds, Paper snowball questions, Paper tower challenge, Rock paper scissors cheer, Mild hot takes, Charades, quick round, Human map. Split into tables of four for any question round (the team generator deals names into even groups). Our large group games page has more games sorted by head count and printable find-someone-who sheets. For a longer event, a trivia round with mixed teams works well after the icebreaker.

What we leave out, and why

Many icebreaker lists include questions like "what is your biggest fear" or "tell us about your family". In a work meeting or a new class, those put people on the spot and can touch on things they would rather not share. Our questions are checked against a list of topics we never ask about: health, money, age, relationships, family, religion and politics, plus anything that asks the group to pick out one person. None of the games involve touching, and every one can be played with "pass" allowed.

Icebreaker questions and answers

What are good icebreaker games for work?

Short ones where nobody has to share anything personal: Two truths and a lie, This or that, move to a side, Common ground, Silent birthday line-up, Find someone who bingo. Set the picker above to "Work or a meeting" for all 18, and use the question generator with the place set to work for questions that suit colleagues.

What are quick icebreakers for a meeting?

Pick one that takes five minutes or less: This or that, move to a side, Common ground, Name and a motion, Silent birthday line-up, Desert island pick. A one-word or weather-report check-in suits a weekly meeting because it is the same small ritual each time.

What icebreaker games work for adults at a party?

Ones with movement and a bit of laughter: Two truths and a lie, This or that, move to a side, Common ground, Name and a motion, Silent birthday line-up. Pick "Grown-ups" in the question generator for party questions with no awkward topics.

What icebreakers work for a large group?

Games where everyone plays at once instead of taking turns: This or that, move to a side, Common ground, Silent birthday line-up, Find someone who bingo, Speed chat rounds. With more than 30 people, split into small groups for anything that involves talking.

How do you run an icebreaker so nobody feels put on the spot?

Keep it short, say "pass" is always allowed, ask for volunteers instead of calling on people, and go first yourself with a light answer. Avoid questions about family, health, money, beliefs or where someone is from.