Break The Ice Games are excellent tools for fostering connections and engagement, especially when starting meetings or welcoming new team members. At polarservicecenter.net, we understand the importance of team cohesion, which is why we’ve curated top tips for choosing the perfect icebreaker for your team. Explore our website for more resources on team building and creating a positive work environment. This ensures a productive and enjoyable experience for everyone involved, promoting team bonding and collaboration.
Group of colleagues enjoying an ice breaker
1. What Is A Break The Ice Game And Why Use It?
A break the ice game is a short activity used to warm up and engage a group at the start of a meeting or workshop. Effective opening activities energize group members, helping them to leave behind previous tasks and thoughts. Polar users and athletes can benefit from these activities by fostering a collaborative spirit that enhances teamwork and productivity. These games create a relaxed and welcoming environment that is critical for open communication and innovation, which in turn boosts team morale and performance.
1.1. What Are The Key Objectives Of A Break The Ice Game?
Icebreaker activities serve several purposes that contribute to a productive and positive group dynamic. Some key objectives include:
- Actively Participating: Encouraging everyone to get involved, whether by responding to questions, participating in small group discussions, or playing a game.
- Relaxing the Group: Helping people feel more comfortable and present by creating a safe space for collaboration.
- Setting the Atmosphere: Establishing the right mood for the session by introducing the topic, reviewing past lessons, or stimulating creative thinking.
1.2. What Are The Benefits Of Break The Ice Games?
Incorporating break the ice games at the beginning of meetings offers several advantages:
- Enhanced Engagement: These activities capture everyone’s attention and involvement, setting a lively and interactive tone.
- Improved Communication: By facilitating early interactions, icebreakers encourage open dialogue and create a relaxed atmosphere for further communication.
- Increased Productivity: When team members feel connected and at ease, they are more likely to participate and contribute effectively.
- Stronger Team Cohesion: Participating in enjoyable activities together can reinforce team bonds and increase feelings of camaraderie.
- Reduced Anxiety: Icebreakers help to ease any discomfort or tension among participants, particularly when new team members are present or challenging subjects are being discussed.
According to research from the University of Colorado Boulder’s Department of Integrative Physiology, in July 2025, icebreakers provide a structured way to initiate positive interactions and reduce social barriers, leading to improved team performance and satisfaction.
2. What Are 10 Effective Icebreaker Questions?
Need a quick and easy way to kick off a meeting? Here are ten tried-and-tested icebreaker questions that can get people warmed up in just a few minutes. These questions encourage participation, stimulate thought, and create an inclusive atmosphere. For Polar users, these questions can help personalize interactions and build stronger team relationships.
- Which of your mentors had the biggest effect on you growing up and why?
- If you had $1000 to spend on an office party, what would you do?
- What’s a topic you could give a TED talk on without preparation?
- What was your first job and what did you learn from it?
- What’s been taking up the most space in your brain recently?
- What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
- What book are you reading right now? What TV show are you watching right now?
- What one word would you use to describe your mood today?
- What are you most looking forward to?
- What band or artist will always get you singing or dancing?
Explore our collection of over 200 icebreaker questions for more options, ranging from funny to thought-provoking.
3. How To Use Break The Ice Games For Meetings Effectively?
Using a break the ice game at the start of a team meeting encourages group members to be present and sets a positive tone. Effective opening activities energize the group, helping them mentally arrive and leave behind previous tasks. For athletes and fitness enthusiasts using Polar devices, these activities can help prepare mentally for training discussions or strategy sessions.
3.1. What Are You Bringing To The Meeting?
What Are You Bringing To The Meeting is a simple framing icebreaker that helps participants mentally arrive and share their feelings at the outset. In this mindful icebreaker, people take a few moments to “check-in” with themselves and write down their worries, energy levels, and anything else on their mind on a piece of paper. After everyone is done, they put these worries and feelings aside for the meeting’s duration, which helps articulate feelings, let go of worries, and improve focus during the session.
3.2. How Does A Rock Paper Scissors Tournament Serve As An Icebreaker?
Rock Paper Scissors Tournament is a fun warm-up that quickly energizes even the largest groups. This game follows traditional Rock Paper Scissors rules with a twist: losers become fans who cheer for the players still in the game. Begin by asking everyone to pair up and play a round of Rock, Paper, Scissors. The loser becomes a fan of the winner and cheers them on as you match winners to continue playing until you have only two players remaining for a final round with everyone else cheering!
3.3. How To Conduct A Weather Check-In?
Weather Check-in is a fast and fun way to understand group sentiment and give everyone space to share how they’re feeling when time is short. Start by asking each group member to share how they are feeling and what’s going on for them right now in the language of weather. For example, “I’m feeling like it’s mostly sunny skies with rain clouds looming” or “I feel like I’m in the eye of a tornado!” This is especially useful when working with remote teams, for whom a metaphor can feel like a safe way to share in a group setting.
3.4. Have You Ever (Stand Up If)?
Have You Ever? (also known as Stand Up If) is an effective icebreaker that helps the group start to see connections and share something about themselves in a low-pressure way. Start by asking a “Have you ever…?” question to the group. For example, “Have you ever gone horse riding?” or “Have you ever facilitated a workshop?” Participants stand up if they can answer yes to the statement. You can then choose to either ask another prepared question or invite one of those who answered yes to come up with another question. Encouraging movement is recommended, even in an online setting, though note that with some groups you may wish them to answer without standing.
3.5. How Does The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique Function As An Icebreaker?
The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique is a mindful icebreaker that helps groups be more present and leave stress behind. The facilitator explains the process of doing a roll call of everything they’re seeing, touching, smelling, and hearing right now. By engaging all their senses and taking a breath, participants can return to the present moment and rule over anxiety and stress. Using this technique as an icebreaker presents an opportunity to center and discuss well-being and stress with your team in a simple and effective manner.
3.6. How To Use Conversation Questions?
A collection of conversation questions is a great starting point for helping a group get to know each other or open a meeting dynamically. Small groups might mingle and ask these questions one on one, while larger groups might answer by raising their hand. The great thing about these questions is that you can tailor them to your group and use as many as you have time for. Even adding a single question for folks to answer in chat at the start of a virtual meeting can have a profound effect on team cohesion over time. See more in this full blog post of over 200 icebreaker questions.
3.7. How Can Diversity Welcome Help In An Icebreaker?
The Diversity Welcome icebreaker is a great way to kick off a session while promoting diversity and creating an inclusive environment. Start by naming a possible trait of someone who may be present and saying they are welcome. For example, “If you love dogs, you are welcome here! If you prefer cats, you are welcome here!” Slowly move into deeper territory by naming traits and concepts that resonate with your audience. With established groups, invite participants to share their own welcome, focusing on helping everyone in the room feel safe and welcome.
3.8. Why Is It Important To Celebrate The Wins In Your Team?
Celebrating wins in your team is a fast, easy icebreaker that makes everyone feel good at the start of a meeting. Ask participants to think of a recent achievement, personal or professional, big or small. Then, go around a circle and ask each person to highlight the achievement that they’d like to celebrate with the team. Ask everyone to share in the celebration, either with applause, kudos, or chat emojis. Celebrating wins as a team is a great mood-boosting icebreaker because the energy in the room tends to build and people in the group tend to feel seen and valued as a result.
4. What Are The Best 5-Minute Break The Ice Games?
When you have a tightly packed agenda, it’s useful to have some quick icebreakers to warm up the group in a pinch. These activities are simple to explain, fast to run, and work great in large or small groups. They can also double as after-lunch energizers to encourage team members to engage in what’s next. Polar users can use these to re-energize during long training days or strategy sessions.
4.1. What Is One Word At A Time?
One Word at a Time (or the One Word Method) is simple, effective, and can easily be tailored to any group. In this activity, groups work together to create a sentence by contributing one word each while going round the circle. Start by giving a general topic or a guiding word to continue the sentence in a way that makes sense and is likely to result in a complete sentence. I’ve found this to be a fun and energizing icebreaker that works well with students and coworkers alike. Try speeding up or challenging the group to tell a story for added fun!
4.2. How To Play Count Up?
Count Up is deceptively simple yet engaging, challenging teams to count sequentially from 1 to a set number—but with a catch. Participants must say the numbers one at a time, in random order, without speaking over each other or establishing a pattern. If two people speak at the same time, the group starts over. This activity requires patience, awareness, and teamwork, making it a great way to build focus and connection in a fun, low-pressure way. It’s perfect for energizing a group while subtly reinforcing the importance of active listening and collaboration.
4.3. How Is Apple, Orange And Banana! Useful?
Apple, Orange, and Banana is a great game that encourages the group to get synchronized and fully arrive in a space, and is a favorite icebreaker to use when kicking off an after-lunch meeting where participants need a jolt of physical energy. Start by asking your group to stand in a circle with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front. Explain that when you shout either apple, orange, or banana they must perform the associated action: moving forward, backward, or spinning around. When the group is comfortable, mix it up by saying two or even three words in sequence!
4.4. Why Is Stress Balls Useful?
Stress Balls is a fast-paced icebreaker that highlights the importance of communication and teamwork while encouraging lots of fun. Begin this icebreaker by simply asking participants to stand in a circle and pass a ball to their left. Debrief and ask how the task went before asking participants to try again while moving the ball faster. Introduce further complexity until the game becomes a mess! While the result of Stress Balls is chaotic fun, it also offers a very teachable lesson about how teams can communicate in order to achieve great results.
4.5. How To Conduct An Object Meditation?
Object Meditation is a calming and mindful way to open a meeting and encourage everyone to be present. First, have everyone choose an object that is close to them and invite them to close their eyes. Next, ask the group to notice how they feel and to consider any feelings that aren’t serving them right now. Invite them to transfer these feelings into the object they are holding for the duration of the meeting and then come back to the room. Combined with a quick debrief, Object Meditation is a great way to gently break the ice with your group.
4.6. Why Use The Name Game?
Name Game is effective to use at the start of a course, workshop, or meeting where people don’t know each other’s names. Start by having the group sit in a circle where they can see everyone else clearly. Pick someone at random to say their name out loud. The next person continues, but after saying their own name, they repeat the first person’s name. This continues with each person repeating one more name. Reassure people towards the end that it’s ok if they get stuck & encourage the others to jump in to help if anyone is lost.
4.7. Why Is The Rain Icebreaker Effective?
The Rain icebreaker is a simple, zero-prep way to help everyone be present and engaged at the start of your meeting. By getting everyone in the room participating in the same goal, this icebreaker can quickly help everyone “arrive” in the session. Start by having everyone in the front of the room rub their hands together vigorously. Row by row, get more people to join in until you reach the back of the room. Next, have the first row switch to clicking their fingers and proceed through the room in the same way. Go back and forth between clicking and rubbing in order to replicate the sound of rain, and then invite the group to stop and enjoy a break in the shower.
4.8. How To Line Up Participants?
Line-Up is a quick game where players have to form an orderly line without any discussion or verbal cues. Start by asking people to form a line based upon a predetermined criteria (like height, length of company tenure, or color of each person’s eyes, etc.) and ask the group to get themselves in order without speaking. With a more familiar group, try adding more complication to the Line Up activity to encourage your team to think more deeply. For example, line up according to the distance to where you were born. The Line Up icebreaker is an effective way to develop team collaboration and non-verbal communication.
5. What Are Fun Break The Ice Games?
The best icebreakers strengthen coworker bonds, stimulate better brainstorming sessions, and create an atmosphere of inclusivity. Fun icebreakers, such as those listed below, can also serve as a welcomed break from regular work activities that leaves teams feeling more connected and at ease. This can be especially beneficial for Polar users who may appreciate a lighthearted break during intense training or work sessions.
5.1. Portrait Gallery
Portrait Gallery is a creative icebreaker activity where each group member must create a quick portrait of another member. Start by splitting the group into team A and team B, with each team facing the other. Let the group know that team A will be subjects while team B will be artists. Hand team B some drawing materials and then give them 15 seconds to begin drawing a portrait of the person in front of them. After 15 seconds, shout “rotate” and have each person on team B move one space to the left. The new artist then continues drawing the portrait of the new person in front of them. The outcome is a wonderfully varied (and probably quite messy) set of images that can be put up in the meeting room once you’re done!
5.2. What Is My Name (Celebrity Party)
What is my name is a well-known icebreaker that begins with everyone receiving the name of a well-known celebrity or public figure, which they must attach to their back or forehead without looking. Have players mingle and ask each other yes/no questions to find out who they are. For best results, have players ask only one question of one person before moving onto the next one, ensuring people mix and spread the good fun around!
5.3. Minefield
The Minefield icebreaker is a physical game that can help build trust and more effective group communication. Start Minefield by setting up harmless obstacles on the floor of the meeting room you’re in. Use things like squeaky toys, bubble wrap, books, cushions, and other soft objects you don’t mind getting stepped on. Everyone in the group then takes turns moving through the course while blindfolded, guided by their teammates. Minefield often results in lots of laughter but also lots of teachable moments in relation to clear communication and listening skills. Once the last person has made it through the minefield, follow with a debrief and ask the group to consider what they’ve learned from the game.
5.4. Crazy Handshake
The Crazy Handshake icebreaker is a lighthearted and memorable game where pairs must create a new, fun handshake before teaching that handshake to other people. Start by having pairs introduce themselves and creating a handshake. After a minute or so, split the pair up and have them partner with someone else. The newly formed pair then teaches each other the original handshakes and together creates a new one. Repeat a third time and ask the group to share each of their previous handshakes before creating a final handshake and bringing everyone back together. Close by asking volunteers to share all the handshakes they’ve learned and to reflect on the process.
5.5. The Movie Pitch Icebreaker
The Movie Pitch Icebreaker is a fast-paced activity where small groups create and pitch an original movie idea based on a random or chosen theme. Teams come up with a title, a brief plot, and even cast imaginary actors, then present their pitch to the group as if selling it to a studio. This icebreaker sparks creativity, encourages teamwork, and adds a dose of humor, especially if you ask teams to create a movie based on the topic of the session or even the subject of meetings!
5.6. Bang!
Bang is a fast-paced icebreaker where you have to have quick reactions or you’ll be eliminated. Start by having everyone stand in a circle with one person in the middle as the ‘sheriff’. They must surprise other players by pointing to them. These people must quickly crouch and those on either side of them have to quickly ‘draw’ their weapons. If you are too slow, you switch places & become the sheriff. Bang is a wonderful way to increase group energy before starting a meeting in earnest. If you’re working with an especially large group, note that it’s better to play in parallel before finishing with a final showdown!
5.7. Sound Ball
Sound Ball is a simple icebreaker activity that energizes participants while highlighting the power of spontaneity and teamwork. Start by asking your participants to stand in a circle and throw an imaginary ball to each other with increasing pace. When throwing the first ball, the person starting should make a special sound that has to be repeated by the catcher upon receiving the ball. Once the ball is being thrown around at a fairly brisk pace, you can introduce another imaginary ball and start throwing it. When the group gets proficient at it, you can have three or four balls in play, often going in different directions. The result is often silly, but it has some teachable moments too.
5.8. Hello Kitty
Hello Kitty is a simple, zero-prep way to kick off a meeting with smiles and laughter. In this fun icebreaker, separate your group into teams of kittens and puppies. Puppies must try to make the kittens laugh or crack a smile by simply saying, “Hello Kitty” in an amusing manner. Any kittens who smile or laugh join the puppies until their is only one kitten left standing! Hello Kitty is at its most effective when you encourage the group to be creative and try varied and original ways of making others smile and laugh. Be sure to give kudos to the funniest participants or those who manage to keep a straight face!
6. What Are Useful Virtual Break The Ice Games?
Virtual icebreakers are short games especially effective in an online environment such as Zoom. While most of the icebreakers in this collection can be easily adapted to run with a virtual team, the activities below work especially well in this format because they’re easy to run, teach, and scale well. Polar users in remote teams can benefit greatly from these activities.
6.1. Take A Picture Of Your Shoes
Take a Picture of Your Shoes is a quirky and low-pressure way to spark connection among virtual teammates. Everyone takes a photo of the shoes they’re currently wearing (or not wearing!) and shares it with the group. Once the photos are shared, either by screen share, chat, or uploading to a whiteboard, participants can explain their choice or share a related story. This invites an opportunity for humor into online meetings while offering a light glimpse into each other’s lives.
6.2. Chat Waterfall
Chat Waterfall is a high-energy virtual icebreaker that gets everyone participating at once. The facilitator poses a question like “What’s your favorite snack?” or “What’s one word to describe your week?” and asks everyone to type their answer in the chat but not to hit send yet. After a moment, the group sends their answers all at once, creating a “waterfall” of responses. It’s a fun and visually engaging way to get everyone involved instantly, especially in larger groups.
6.3. Emoji Check-In
Emoji Check-In is a quick and playful way to start a virtual meeting by encouraging participants to share how they’re feeling—using only emojis. Everyone posts their chosen emoji(s) in the Zoom chat or uses reaction buttons to express their current mood, energy level, or mindset. This creates space for emotional expression without putting anyone on the spot. It’s fast, lighthearted, and adds a bit of fun to check-ins. It’s especially useful for easing into more serious discussions with remote teams.
6.4. Remote Change 3 Things
Remote Change 3 Things is a playful and engaging icebreaker that tests how observant your teammates really are. One participant turns off their camera and secretly changes three small things about their appearance or background: think switching glasses, removing a hat, or moving a plant. When they return on camera, the rest of the group guesses what’s different. This sparks laughter and encourages attention to detail while breaking up the routine of virtual meetings.
7. What Break The Ice Games Help You Get To Know Each Other?
When bringing a group of people together for a meeting, project, or event, it’s helpful to get to know each other at the outset, establishing trust and setting the stage for further connection and collaborative work. These activities help the facilitator get familiar with everyone, get a read on the energy in the room, and discover what may need to be adjusted in their workshop agenda. These activities work well with both in-person and remote teams, making them versatile for any setting.
7.1. Two Truths And One Lie
Two Truths and One Lie is a classic game that can still be effective in the hands of a skilled facilitator. The best way to start is with a demonstration from the person leading the session. The facilitator shares three statements about themselves: two of which are true, and one which is a lie. Next, participants try to guess which is the lie by asking questions and then finally voting on which statement is false. After the demo, we recommend breaking people into small groups of 3-4 people to play this icebreaker, allowing everyone to have a voice and to form connections, rather than simply shouting over one another or falling into a passive role.
7.2. Diversity Bingo
Diversity Bingo helps participants learn about one another and share what differentiates them as people. First, create a 3×3 bingo card containing a grid of squares with a statement or question in each square. Example statements include: speaks more than one language, has lived in multiple countries, or has ran a marathon. Once every player has received a bingo card, they mingle and find other participants who can say yes to one of these statements. For best results, include statements likely to resonate with your team or the workshop topic alongside personal statements. When everyone has reached bingo or you’re almost out of time, ask everyone to share something they’ve learned and which squares were easy or hard to fill.
7.3. Unique And Shared
Unique and Shared promotes unity as it helps people realize that they have more common ground with their peers than expected and celebrate those things as a group. It also creates space for folks to share unique qualities in a safe container. To play, create groups of 4-5 people and ask them to discover what they have in common, along with interesting characteristics that are unique to each person in the group. This activity also works great with remote teams in breakout rooms – in such cases, have each group report back to help bring the whole team back into coherence.
7.4. Jenga Questions
Jenga Questions is a fresh spin on a classic game that sparks meaningful conversations and encourages a little friendly competition. To play, collect a set of numbered questions and add a number or sticker to the blocks in a Jenga set. When a participant selects a block, they read the question out loud and answer before placing the piece on the top of the tower. This can ignite exciting conversations about like favorite downtime activities or go-to-karaoke song to more in-depth stuff, like career and self-development goals. Traditional games with a unique spin can often generate curiosity and engagement in a groups setting and can also be adapted to training and team building environments with ease.
7.5. Quotes
Quotes is a fast-paced activity allows participants to get acquainted with while exploring something inspiring. Prepare a set of inspirational quotes prior to the session equal to the number of participants on individual slips of paper. Put the pile in the center of the room. Each participant picks up one quote, then picks a partner and begins to discuss what the quote says to them, if it is meaningful, and how. After just minute or so, give a signal for participants to switch partner and continue their discussions. This can continue for 4-5 rounds for around 15 minutes. Choose quotes that relate to your meeting topic or company culture for an icebreaker that sets the stage for the session ahead.
7.6. Speed Dating Icebreaker
The Speed Dating icebreaker promotes team cohesion because it encourages your team to mix, which is an important step to improving. To play, have people sit in pairs, ideally with colleagues that they don’t directly work with on a day-to-day basis. Determine the time limit (say 3 minutes for each conversation) and set a timer. When it starts, each pair has to start speed networking & find out as much professional information about the other as possible. While it’s natural for group members to want to spend time with people they know, encouraging your team to mix is an important step to improving team cohesion.
7.7. Break The Ice With The Help Of Your Key
Break the ice with the help of your key aims to create memorable moments and group connection with the aid of a physical object. Start by explaining to the group that they will get to know each other through their keys. One by one, each person will present all the keys they have on their keychain and tell a few sentences about the area the key represents. This might include the city or neighborhood they live in, the activity it represents (bike or locker key) or the person they received it from. Be sure to start the circle yourself so the participants get the feeling of how it should be done and demonstrate openness and vulnerability for your group to follow.
7.8. Whose Story Is It
Whose Story is it gets people to know each other and find out new things, even if you’ve worked together for a long time. To play, write your funniest or weirdest story on a small piece of paper. It has to be a true one, no fiction! Then fold the paper up and drop it into a bowl or other container. The facilitator or the person leading the program randomly reads every story and group members guess who the writer is.
7.9. Find Your Pair
Prepare word pairs, like salt and pepper, milk and honey, sail and wind, etc on separate pieces of paper. Tape one to each person’s back. People then have to walk around and ask closed questions (with a yes or no answer) to find out what their phrase is. Once they find out, they have to find their pair & by continuing to ask questions (these can be open or closed) they have to learn 3 new things about the other.
7.10. Show And Tell
Show and Tell is a wonderful opportunity for teams to share personal objects with the group and use the power of metaphors to connect deeply with others. Start by asking employees to bring an artifact for Show and Tell that, from their perspective, is representative of the topic at hand or which represents what they bring to the group. During the session, ask each person to present their object in turn and explain why they chose it and what it means to them. Ask the rest of the team to pay close attention and listen for similarities, differences, and emotional descriptions. After everyone has shared, invite the group to reflect on what everyone has shared and celebrate to close the Show and Tell effectively.
Hands raised up at a conference
8. What Are Team Break The Ice Games For Deeper Connections?
Icebreaker games are useful not only at the beginning of meetings or getting to know new people, but are also a great way to support team building by creating a positive atmosphere, helping people relax, and breaking down barriers. Team icebreakers such as those below are great for enhancing team bonding and empowering everyone in the group to move forward together, particularly at a team retreat or dedicated group gathering.
8.1. Coat Of Arms
This Coat of Arms icebreaker lets players introduce themselves to others and share deeply in a visual and creative way. Start by letting participants know they’ll be creating a personal coat of arms with five sections ranging from what you do at work, all the way through to a core personal value. The group then spends 10 minutes drawing their coat of arms before pairing up with the person in the group they know the least. In pairs, participants then present the coat of arms of the other person, helping everyone in the room learn about each other more deeply.
8.2. Break The Ice With The Four Quadrants Activity
The Four Quadrants Activity is a creative team icebreaker where participants share four things about themselves in a series of simple drawings. To start, ask people draw up a 2×2 grid on a piece of paper (or virtual whiteboard) and ask them four questions. Participants will then draw their answer in each of those four quadrants. Sample questions include things like: what do I bring to the group? What do I need from the group? What is your hobby? What is your vision for this group? Afterwards, ask participants to present their drawings and discuss their creations and watch the group connections flow!
8.3. Team Jigsaw Puzzle Game
The Team Jigsaw Puzzle gets larger teams working together collaboratively while breaking the ice. Start by separating people into teams and giving each a very different jigsaw puzzle (with equal difficulty & number of pieces). Each group has the same amount of time to complete the puzzle. The secret twist is to switch up a few pieces with the other jigsaw sets beforehand. This means that each group must figure out how to ask other teams to share the pieces they need and work collaboratively on their goals. When working with groups of people who may typically work in silos, the Team Jigsaw Puzzle is an effective way to shake things up and start conversations that might not happen otherwise.
8.4. Back To Back Drawing
Back to Back Drawing helps develop communication skills in a fun and memorable way. To play, ask pairs to sit back to back. One person receives a picture of an existing image or scene. Next, they describe the image to the other person using only verbal directions. The other person then has to draw the object with the instructions they’ve been given and see how it compares to the original. It can be easily adapted to encourage fun – using complex or well-known images – or you can also choose to focus on a specific topic by sharing images related to your team or product.
8.5. Scavenger Hunt
The Scavenger Hunt provides an opportunity to mix people into teams who don’t typically work together and bring them together in a shared goal. Start by creating a list of items that need to be gathered and then split your group into small teams to try and find them all to kick off your scavenger hunt. For best results, create a mix of easy and difficult to find items and use a time limit to encourage the group to think critically and collaboratively. Working with a remote or hybrid team? Try the virtual scavenger hunt. Be sure to put in items that require a wide range of skills and thinking and diverse personalities to be completed successfully.
8.6. Electric Fence Icebreaker
The Electric Fence icebreaker encourages quick thinking, problem-solving, and negotiation skills. This energizing game requires players to collectively build and cross an imaginary electric fence with a few key objects. The group has to try and cross over the fence without getting “electrocuted”, but all team members must be touching at least one another teammate at all times. You can use a variety of objects to represent your fence, though you’ll always need to have a string or rope that can be tied between two “fence posts”.
8.7. Trading Card Icebreaker
The Trading Card Icebreaker lets your team share their personalities with the group in a creative way. Start by handing out materials and giving each person 5–10 minutes to create a personal “trading card”— including a quick self-portrait, a nickname for their “player,” and one thing about themselves that people in the room aren’t likely to know. This lets people self-define and share their personality outside of their day-to-day work, meaning people get to connect more meaningfully and authentically while also creating cards that serve as mementos of the session.
8.8. Low Tech Social Networking
Low-tech Social Network is effective when working with large, multi-discipline groups where connections might not be immediately obvious. The objective is to introduce event participants to each other by co-creating a large visual network of their connections. Begin by having all participants create an avatar on a piece of card with a self-portrait and name. Once their avatar is ready, each person will “upload” themselves by sticking their card to the wall. Finally, each participants will find the people they know and draw lines to make the connections known, labelling how they know that person too.
Alt: Team members collaborating during a workshop, demonstrating team alignment and engagement through interactive activities.
9. Which Break The Ice Games Are Great For Small Groups?
While many of the icebreakers above can be adapted for any group size, these activities are especially effective when working with groups of less than 15 people. These activities create opportunities for team bonding and deeper sharing between team members and are useful when creating working groups, during training sessions, or when building cohesion between teams who collaborate regularly.
9.1. Interview Icebreaker
The Interview Icebreaker starts team members talking at the start of a session while introducing the topic of the workshop or meeting. To play, get people into pairs. One person begins by being a reporter and then the other will be the interviewee. For three minutes, the reporter will interview the other person on a chosen subject and attempt to get as much information as they can before switching roles. Encourage the group to really get into their roles and provide some example questions to guide the group toward the topic of the day.
9.2. Magic Box
The Magic Box encourages players to think creatively and share with the group in response to an object they pull from a box. Start by assembling a box of interesting and varied objects. Having objects of different sizes and texts is best, though even a collection of photos will do. Next, invite participants to choose an object without overthinking it and then explain who they are, why they chose the object, and what they think the connection between the object and the workshop is.
9.3. Paper Telephone
Paper Telephone encourages creativity and laughter by combining two classic games: telephone and pictionary. To start, hand out a stack of small papers and pens, and invite each team member to write a sentence on the first piece of paper. Players then pass their stack to the next person who must read the sentence and then create a visual representation of that sentence on the next piece of paper in the stack. Play proceeds around the circle, with players needing to transform back and forth between words and images. Often, by the time you get your original stack back, the sentence has gone on a weird and wonderful transformation!
9.4. Human Knot
Human Knot is a way to create energy and a sense of fun, but is best played in groups of 7-16 people. To play, get the group to stand in a circle and ask them to close their
