Top 20 Icebreakers

Best Icebreakers: Finding the Perfect Icebreakers for Your Next Get-Together

We’ve all been in a group full of awkward silence and staring faces, and it isn’t very fun. Thankfully that doesn’t have to be the case with this list of the best icebreakers.

This list of the best icebreakers will detail 20 different icebreakers that will help get the conversation flowing in any setting. In this list, we will provide a good mix of icebreakers for children, youth, and adults that will help provide a fun and active environment.

So, whether you are looking to build teamwork among a new group of employees or you are a teacher with a new set of faces. Take a look through these icebreakers for a fun way to loosen the crowd up. Also, as a bonus, most of these icebreakers need minimal supplies. This ensures that even with short notice, you have something to get a crowd talking and moving.

And for even more fun and entertainment, make sure to visit our lists of the best card games, best board games, and best game night ideas. These lists will allow you to have a good time around a fun game.

 

Top 20 Icebreakers:

 

 

Superhero Wars Ice Breaker

1. Superhero Wars Ice Breaker

Recommended Group Size: 8+

Items Needed: None.

About Ice Breaker: If you watch superhero movies, you have probably already played this game in your head. In a group setting, though, this game can get really fun and entertaining. The moderator is going to start by breaking up the room into groups of 2-4 people. Each person must pick a different fictional superhero character to be for the game.

They then become that character for the duration of the game. Groups will pair up, and each group must explain why their group would win in a fictional battle. Groups will focus on different superpowers, weaknesses, etc. to make their case. The moderator will then decide who made a better case and declare the winner.

 

 

Tall Tale Ice Breaker

2. Tall Tale Ice Breaker

Recommended Group Size: 5-10

Items Needed: None.

About Ice Breaker: This icebreaker is going to force everyone to stay locked in and paying attention. The reason why is because they could be called on to participate at any given time. The game will start with one member of the group beginning a once-upon-a-time fictional story.

They can lead the story down whatever path they would like, a classic, or something off of the top of their head. At any point, the leader can switch who the storyteller is. The next person selected must pick up and continue the story. The story can go in any direction as each narrator has a free creative license.

 

 

Skittles Challenge Ice Breaker Skittles Challenge

3. Skittles Challenge Ice Breaker

Recommended Group Size: 5+

Items Needed: Skittles and a Question that Matches Each Color.

About Ice Breaker: To start out, you will need a large (or small, depending on group size) bag of Skittles. Pour several Skittles in each participant’s hand (or bowl). The game will depend on the different colored Skittles that each player receives.

Each Skittle color represents a different question. Figure out what question each color represents before the game starts. Once a player answers a question, they are allowed to eat the Skittle.

 

 

Roll the Dice Ice Breaker

4. Roll the Dice Ice Breaker 

Recommended Group Size: 4-8

Items Needed: Dice and a List of Questions to Answer.

About Ice Breaker: If you have a pair of dice that you can steal from another game, you can play this Roll the Dice game. Participants must roll the dice, and then answer questions based on the number they rolled.

Questions could be, “What is your favorite food?” or “What is the craziest thing you have ever done?” It will be up to the moderator to come up with some good questions geared for the specific group. This is one of the best icebreakers for learning new facts about people, which will make it easier to have conversations later on.

 

 

Find Ten Things in Common Ice Breaker

5. Find Ten Things in Common Ice Breaker

Recommended Group Size: 12+

Items Needed: Pen and Paper for Each Group.

About Ice Breaker: This is an excellent game for adults and works best in small groups. If you do have a large group, start by numbering off the participants into smaller groups. Once you have established the different groups, participants will come up with a list of things that all members of the group have in common. Tell groups to avoid body parts (e.g., we all have legs) and clothes, instead focus on external things (e.g., we all have a pet).

 

Would You Rather? Ice Breaker

6. Would You Rather? Ice Breaker

Recommended Group Size: 5-10

Items Needed: Maybe a List of Questions.

About Ice Breaker: The game “Would You Rather?” is always a fun, conversation starter. And while you could make your own game questions, this list has some good questions that are sure to spur conversation and debate. It is always fun to hear a good discussion on a close would you rather question. This is a great game to get communication and laughs rolling when the players start to get into the game.

 

 

Marshmallow Challenge Ice Breaker

7. Marshmallow Challenge Ice Breaker

Recommended Group Size: 5+

Items Needed: Marshmallows, Dry Spaghetti, Tape, String, and Whatever Else You Want to Include.

About Ice Breaker: If you want a more hands-on, collaborative icebreaker, try the Marshmallow Challenge. While designed for the classroom, this icebreaker is also a hit with adults. The goal for each small group is to build the highest freestanding structure they can. They are only allowed to use dry spaghetti, marshmallows, tape, and string to do it, though. Be prepared to be amazed at what a little collaboration can do!

 

 

Line up the Group Ice Breaker

8. Line up the Group Ice Breaker

Recommended Group Size: 15+

Items Needed: None.

About Ice Breaker: As the name states, the Line up the Group icebreaker involves a group lining up. How the group lines up, though, is up to you – this list provides 101 ways to line up a group and get participants talking.

Everything from the classic alphabetical lineup to the number of states visited. There are a variety of simple and complex lineups to choose from. This is one of the best icebreakers to ensure that everyone learns something new about those around them.

 

 

The Lap Game Ice Breaker

9. The Lap Game Ice Breaker 

Recommended Group Size: 5-10

Items Needed: Chairs.

About Ice Breaker: Great for large groups, this game starts with everyone sitting in a circle. The leader of the game then asks the participants yes/no questions. If the participants answer “yes” to the question, they must move one seat to their left. If “no,” the participants stay where they are.

The first person to move all the way around to his or her original seat wins the game. The twist is that you may have to share a few seats along the way. This game is going to result in a fun, up close, and personal introduction to others.

 

 

Circle Untangle Ice Breaker

10. Circle Untangle Ice Breaker

Recommended Group Size: 8+

Items Needed: None.

About Ice Breaker: This game is going to help to break down barriers pretty quickly as the entire group must work together. Everyone will start in a circle and must hold the hands of two separate people that are not on either side of them. The group must then untangle themselves and complete an untangled circle.

The catch, though, is that you are not allowed to let go of any hands to do it. Depending on the number of participants, this game can go quickly or take a little bit longer. Either way, though, it will be loads of fun.

 

 

Fill the Bucket Ice Breaker

11. Fill the Bucket Ice Breaker 

Recommended Group Size: 8+

Items Needed: Buckets, Small Balls, or Beanbags.

About Ice Breaker: A fun, active icebreaker, this Fill the Bucket game requires several buckets and throwables (balls, beanbags, etc.). This game consists of four one-minute rounds. Each round consists of different objectives that need teamwork and communication to do. This game will force participants to engage in conversation while completing the tasks.

 

 

The Envelop Please Ice Breaker

12. The Envelope Please Ice Breaker

Recommended Group Size: 5-10

Items Needed: Pens, Paper, and Envelopes.

About Ice Breaker: This game is top secret! Well, just at the start. Each group member is going to start by listing ten things about themselves on a piece of paper. They want to be careful not to let anyone else see the list. Each player will place the list in an envelope and pass it to the leader. The leader will shuffle the envelopes and then draw one at random.

Outloud and one by one, the group leader will begin to read the ten facts. Group members will try to guess who the identity of the list writer is. Each group member only gets one guess. So caution people to only guess when they think they have the right culprit. The list writer should be playing along as well when their list is being read. This will help to make sure that they do not give themselves away.

 

 

Switch Sides Ice Breaker

13. Switch Sides Ice Breaker

Recommended Group Size: 15+

Items Needed: None.

About Ice Breaker: A simple, classic icebreaker, this Switch Sides game can be adapted to all ages and is one of the best icebreakers out there. The moderator will read a statement (e.g., “you like to cook” or “you like dogs more than cats”).

If a participant answers in the affirmative, he or she must switch sides (of the room, or a tape line). For added conversation during the game. Have participants provide more information when they switch sides (e.g., “you have been out of the country” – say where).

 

 

 

Chocolate Personality Ice Breaker

14. Chocolate Personality Ice Breaker 

Recommended Group Size: 8+

Items Needed: Bag of Hershey’s Miniatures.

About Ice Breaker: Best for younger participants. The Chocolate Personality game requires a bag of Hershey’s Miniatures. Participants will each pick one piece of chocolate. Based on the chocolate selection, participants will group together. The moderator will now read the prepared personality descriptions for each type of chocolate (e.g., Special Dark choosers are patient, thoughtful, etc.). Participants will then discuss what they have in common.

 

Song Scramble Ice Breaker

15. Song Scramble Ice Breaker

Recommended Group Size: 15+

Items Needed: Song Lyrics Cut Up Into One Line Strips and Something to Draw Them Out Of.

About Ice Breaker: This is a fun game that will encourage the group to interact with each other by trying to problem solve. To set up the game, you must write down popular song lyrics and then cut them into one-line strips. Shuffle all of the different lines of lyrics together and then have each participant grab a line.

Players must find the other players that have lyrics to the same song as theirs. Once all the lyrics are found, they must be put in the correct order. Whoever places the song lyrics together correctly first wins. To make it even more fun, you could make them sing the song together when the lyrics are completed.

 

 

Connecting Stories Ice Breaker

16. Connecting Stories Ice Breaker

Recommended Group Size: 6+

Items Needed: Post-it Notes and Pens.

About Ice Breaker: This game will allow participants to learn about what they each have in common. Each group will break up into 6-8 people. The game will start with someone telling something that they like or a fact about themselves. From there, another person in the group must build off of that story. They will share something that is true about themselves and also applies to the first story. A highlight of each story will be written down on a post-it note.

The goal of the game is to get the longest string of post-it notes. Here is an example of a story: Person #1 “I love watching sports and going to different sporting events.” Person #2 “I had tickets to a game the other week, but wasn’t able to go because I locked my keys in the car.” Players can pick any part of the story that they want to connect to.

 

 

Organize Without Speaking Ice Breaker

17. Organize Without Speaking Ice Breaker

Recommended Group Size: 10+

Items Needed: None.

About Ice Breaker: This is an easy game to set up because it doesn’t require any materials, and will also allow for some variation. The goal of the game is to get everyone in the group lined up in the correct order. There is one catch, though; they must do it without verbal communication. Players must use hand signals to communicate with each other and get in the correct order. The moderator will decide the topic. A few good examples, though, are; birthdate, age, and name (alphabetically).

 

 

Two Truths and a Lie Ice Breaker

18. Two Truths and a Lie Ice Breaker

Recommended Group Size: 5-10

Items Needed: None.

About Ice Breaker: You have most likely already heard of this game, or maybe even played it, but it makes a great group game as well. Each group member must think of two truths about themselves and then a lie that would be believable. The goal is to try and have all three facts be questionable one way or the other. If you have a large group, you may want to break up into smaller groups first for time’s sake.

Each member will take their turn to stand up and tell their two truths and a lie. The other members of the group must decide what they think the lie is. Take a majority vote and see if the group as a whole can figure out what the lie is. Group members are allowed to ask questions of the speaker. This will help to make a better-informed decision.

 

 

People Bingo Ice Breaker

19. People BINGO Ice Breaker

Recommended Group Size: 8+

Items Needed: BINGO Cards with Different Topics on Them.

About Ice Breaker: This is not traditional BINGO by any means. It is an excellent way to get people talking and getting to know each other, though. Start by creating BINGO cards with different characteristics on them. Write things like “plays an instrument” or “visited another country” in each box.

You want to write things in the boxes that are going to apply to different members of the group. The players must interact with each other and ask questions. The goal is to be able to fill out their BINGO card by finding people who have done what is in each box. The game is over once someone gets a BINGO.

 

 

Survival Ice Breaker

20. Survival Ice Breaker

Recommended Group Size: 12+

Items Needed: List of Survival Tools Written on Pieces of Paper and Something to Draw them Out Of.

About Ice Breaker: We have all thought out survival games in our heads. Maybe even had a heated debate with friends about different survival situations. This game will allow players to work together to come up with a list of the best survival tools. The game will start with every player grabbing a survival item out of a hat (written on a piece of paper). It will be up to the moderator to come up with some creative survival tools to keep things fun and interesting.

From here, players must group together in groups of 3-4. They are going to choose other members who they think will have the best tools to help the group survive. Each group must then make their case to the moderator.

Based on their combined tools, they will argue their case for the best survival group. The moderator will then decide the winning team. If you want to make the game more interesting, the moderator can explain a specific survival situation before the game begins. 

All of this allows for Survival to be one of the best icebreakers and an excellent way to get people talking and engaging with each other.

 

 

Extreme Rock, Paper, Scissors Ice Breaker

21. Extreme Rock, Paper, Scissors Ice Breaker

Recommended Group Size: 20+

Items Needed: None.

About Ice Breaker: This is a simple game but should bring some good positive energy to the room and is a ton of fun. Each player is going to partner up with an opponent to play rock, paper, and scissors with. Once a player loses, they must then follow the player that beat them to their next opponent and cheer them on. This will continue until there are only two players left and a hoard of cheering fans for each. Encourage the cheerers to be creative with chants, a little fun trash talking, and a lot of energy.

 

Best Icebreakers Conclusion

It isn’t fun being in a room or group where you don’t know anyone; it is awkward and uncomfortable. A great icebreaker can remove all the tension from the room and fill it with people who are welcoming. Regardless of the age of your group or setting, this list of the best icebreakers will provide you with some great options.

Another great way to help get people to open up is food and drink. So if you are hosting a group event, make sure you check out our lists of best appetizers, best dessert recipes, and best mixed drink recipes. And of course, any event is better with a fun, cool playlist playing in the background. So make sure to grab a wireless speaker or two and provide some quality music that will help to bring some great energy to the group.

With so many meetings taking place online, you could also try out some of these icebreakers in a virtual call as well. Or maybe even doing something like virtual escape rooms to help get people working together and problem-solving.

After you try one (or multiple) of these icebreakers, we would love to hear how they went. So please feel free to share your experience in the comments below.