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Icebreakers
9 icebreakers for small groups, large groups, and virtual meetings, with how to run each one and the variations worth knowing.
These are 9 icebreakers, grouped by the room you're running: a small group, a large group, or a video call. Each one comes with how to run it and, where there is one, a variation.
Each person shares 3 statements about themselves: 2 true, 1 a lie. Everyone else guesses which one is the lie.
A sample round: "I have a pet dog, I've traveled to 5 different countries, and I'm a professional dancer." The guessing tends to open up conversations about travel, pets, and hobbies.
Everyone stands in a circle and grabs hands with 2 other people, never the person standing next to them. The group then untangles the knot without letting go.
It takes communication, problem-solving, and physical cooperation. Expect the group to stop and strategize before anyone moves.
Go around the circle. Each person says their name and one fact about themselves that starts with the same letter as their first name: "My name is Alex and I love apples."
People learn names and get one detail to hang each name on. To adapt it, pick a theme the group shares. A room of music fans can give their name plus a favorite band or musician.
Toss a ball or beanbag to someone, calling out their name as you throw. They call out another person's name and toss it on, and so on until everyone has had a turn. It tests listening and makes names stick.
Variation: the group stands in a circle, and whoever catches the ball says their name and a hobby they enjoy before tossing it to someone else.
Everyone lines up in order of their birthdays, January 1 to December 31, without speaking. The group has to solve it with nonverbal communication only.
Swap the sort order to keep it fresh: favorite color, height, or shoe size.
Everyone sits in a circle, and one person stands in the middle and says something true about themselves: "The great wind blows for everyone who has a pet." Anyone it's true for stands up and finds a new seat while the person in the middle grabs one too.
It gets people moving and mixes up who's sitting next to whom. Variation: the group stands in a circle and each person says their name, a place they've traveled to, and an interesting fact about themselves.
Give everyone a list of items to find in their home, like a red book, a coffee mug, and a plant. The first person to find all the items wins.
It gets people up from their desks, and you see a little of everyone's home along the way.
Each person picks an item from their home that's important or meaningful to them and explains why they chose it. The stories behind the objects do the work.
Everyone shares an emoji that represents how they're feeling today. It's quick, it gives you a read on the group's mood, and it's a starting point for deeper conversations.