26 icebreaker games for groups

Find someone who

Players

12 to 60

Minutes

15

Ages

8 and up

You need

A printed grid of light prompts, or the grid on a screen, and pens

1. Give everyone a grid of light prompts such as “has visited a castle” or “can whistle”.
2. People mingle and write a different person's name in each square.
3. Stop after ten minutes and ask for a few surprises.

Without a printer: Show the grid on a screen and have people jot names on any paper.

For this game: Human bingo

Two truths and a lie

Players

4 to 30

Minutes

10 to 20

Ages

8 and up

You need

Nothing

1. Each person says three short statements about themselves: two true, one made up.
2. The group guesses which one is the lie, then the speaker reveals it.
3. Keep statements light, such as a food you dislike or a place you have been. Anyone can use a ready-made set instead of their own.

Without a printer: Nothing to print.

For this game: Two truths and a lie ideas

Speed pairs

Players

10 to 40

Minutes

15 to 20

Ages

10 and up

You need

A timer and a list of light questions

1. Make two lines facing each other.
2. Partners get two minutes on a light question.
3. One line moves along one place for a new partner and a new question.

Without a printer: Read the questions aloud from a phone.

Common ground circle

Players

10 to 30

Minutes

10

Ages

6 and up

You need

A circle of chairs, one fewer than players

1. One person stands in the middle and says “Anyone who likes...” with something light, such as rainy days.
2. Everyone who agrees swaps seats; the middle person grabs a free one.
3. Whoever is left standing goes next. Offer seated swaps or a raised hand to anyone who prefers not to move.

Would you rather walk

Players

Any number

Minutes

10 to 15

Ages

6 and up

You need

A list of would-you-rather questions and room to move

1. Read a would-you-rather question and point to one side of the room for each option.
2. People walk to their choice and chat with a neighbor for a minute.
3. Start the next question. For a seated version, people raise one or two fingers.

Human bingo for teams

Players

10 to 50

Minutes

15

Ages

Adults and teens

You need

Printed bingo cards of work-safe skills and pens

1. Give each person a card of squares such as “has used a spreadsheet formula” or “has given a presentation”.
2. People collect a different name for each square.
3. The first full line wins; each person then introduces one discovery to the group.

Without a printer: Show the card on a screen and let people write names on any paper.

For this game: Human bingo

Build the tallest tower

Players

6 to 40, in teams of 3 to 5

Minutes

15

Ages

8 and up

You need

For each team, 20 sheets of paper and a strip of tape

1. Give every team the same materials and five minutes.
2. Each team builds the tallest tower that stands on its own.
3. Measure the towers, then ask each team what they would change next time.

Back-to-back drawing

Players

Pairs, any number

Minutes

10 to 15

Ages

8 and up

You need

Paper, pens and a few simple drawings to describe

1. Pairs sit back to back.
2. One partner describes a simple shape drawing without naming it; the other draws it.
3. Compare the drawings, then swap roles.

Two-minute desert island

Players

6 to 40, in groups of 3 to 5

Minutes

10

Ages

8 and up

You need

A timer

1. In small groups, agree on three ordinary objects to take to an imaginary desert island.
2. Add one rule for life on the island.
3. Each group shares its list and its rule.

Story in a sentence

Players

4 to 15

Minutes

10

Ages

6 and up

You need

Nothing, or paper to write the story down

1. One person starts a story with a single sentence.
2. Each person adds one sentence in turn.
3. The last person gives it an ending and a title, and someone reads the whole story back.

Picture it

Players

Any number

Minutes

10

Ages

6 and up

You need

One unusual photo or drawing, on a screen or printed

1. Show the picture.
2. Each person suggests a title, or what happened just before it.
3. Vote for the funniest and the most likely.

Name and a gesture

Players

4 to 25, in a circle

Minutes

5 to 10

Ages

5 and up

You need

Nothing

1. Standing or seated in a circle, each person says their name with a small gesture.
2. The group repeats the name and gesture back.
3. The next person goes. A wave or a nod counts as a gesture.

Category chain

Players

Any number

Minutes

5 to 10

Ages

6 and up

You need

Nothing

1. The host names a category, such as fruits.
2. Around the circle, each person adds one item without repeating.
3. A pause of five seconds starts a new category, and nobody is out.

Common thread

Players

8 to 40, in groups of 4

Minutes

10

Ages

10 and up

You need

Nothing

1. In groups of four, find three things everyone has in common that you could not see by looking, such as a favorite season.
2. Keep to likes and experiences, not personal details.
3. Each group shares its best one.

Quick-draw introductions

Players

Pairs, any number

Minutes

10

Ages

8 and up

You need

Paper and pens

1. Each partner describes a favorite place in a few words.
2. The other has one minute to draw it; drawing skill does not matter.
3. Each shows the drawing to the group and names the place.

Two words

Players

2 to 30

Minutes

5

Ages

8 and up

You need

Nothing, or the chat on a video call

1. Ask everyone to sum up how they arrive today in two words, such as “sleepy but curious”.
2. Go around once.
3. Nobody explains unless they want to.

Group number count

Players

8 to 20

Minutes

5 to 10

Ages

8 and up

You need

Nothing

1. The group counts from 1 to 20, one number per person, in no set order and without signals.
2. If two people speak at once, start again from 1.
3. Play seated, with eyes open or closed.

Map of where we have been

Players

2 to 30

Minutes

10

Ages

8 and up

You need

A large printed map or a shared online map, and stickers or pens

1. Put up the map, or draw a rough one.
2. Each person adds a dot for a place they have visited or would like to visit.
3. Each says one word about their place.

Pass the sound

Players

6 to 20, in a circle

Minutes

5

Ages

5 and up

You need

Nothing

1. One person makes a sound and passes it to the next.
2. Each person copies the sound, then changes it slightly as they pass it on.
3. See how far it has travelled when it comes back round.

Treasure trade

Players

8 to 30

Minutes

15

Ages

10 and up

You need

Cards or slips of paper and pens

1. Everyone writes one useful tip on a card, such as a shortcut or a favorite recipe.
2. Mix the cards and hand them out.
3. Each person reads theirs aloud and the group guesses who wrote it.

Mirror partners

Players

Pairs, any number

Minutes

5 to 10

Ages

5 and up

You need

Nothing

1. One partner leads slow hand gestures and the other mirrors them.
2. Switch roles.
3. Talk about what made the movements easy to follow. Play seated or standing; no contact is needed.

Group sketch

Players

3 to 15

Minutes

10

Ages

6 and up

You need

A sheet of paper or a shared drawing surface

1. Start drawing a shared imaginary place.
2. Each person adds one feature and says what it is.
3. Stop when every volunteer has added something.

Common-ground pairs

Players

Pairs, any number

Minutes

10

Ages

8 and up

You need

Nothing

1. Partners talk about a hobby, food or activity they enjoy.
2. Find one shared interest.
3. Introduce it to the group only if both agree, then swap partners.

Silent line-up

Players

8 to 30

Minutes

10

Ages

8 and up

You need

Nothing

1. Players arrange themselves in order of the month of an invented birthday, using gestures only.
2. Read the months aloud afterwards to check the order.
3. Invented dates mean nobody reveals anything personal. Offer a seated version.

Object introductions

Players

4 to 20

Minutes

10

Ages

6 and up

You need

Ordinary objects in view

1. Each person chooses an ordinary object in view and explains one possible use for it.
2. The next player gives another use, or chooses another object.
3. Nobody needs to show a personal possession.

Three-word wish

Players

Any number

Minutes

5

Ages

10 and up

You need

A whiteboard or a shared document

1. At the end of a first session, each person says three words for what they hope the group will get out of working together.
2. Collect the words.
3. Read them back at the next session.