29 icebreakers for remote teams

Weather report: If your week so far were a weather forecast, what would it be?

3 minutes, 4 to 80 Directions: Everyone types a forecast in the chat at the same time, such as sunny with a chance of meetings. Facilitator note: One word is plenty, and passing is fine.

Arm's-length show and tell: Hold up the most interesting thing within arm's reach, or describe it.

5 minutes, 4 to 20 Directions: Go round quickly; each person gets about ten seconds for one item. Facilitator note: Describing works as well as showing, and cameras can stay off.

View from the window: Describe the view from your window in five words, or invent one.

5 minutes, 5 to 60 Directions: Type answers in the chat; the host reads out the most surprising. Facilitator note: Invented views are welcome; nobody needs to say where they are.

Reaction roll call: Which reaction emoji do you use most, and what does it secretly mean?

3 minutes, 4 to 100 Directions: Everyone posts their emoji, then two people explain theirs. Facilitator note: Any emoji is a good answer.

Dream background: If you could have any place in the world as your video background today, where would it be?

4 minutes, 5 to 50 Directions: Type the place in the chat; the group guesses who picked which. Facilitator note: Real or imaginary places both count.

Keep one app: If you could keep only one app for work, which would it be?

5 minutes, 4 to 24 Directions: Go round once; each person gives one reason in a sentence. Facilitator note: Paper and pen count as an app.

Frozen face: Your screen freezes mid-sentence on a call. What is the funniest face it could freeze on?

4 minutes, 3 to 100 Directions: On the count of three, everyone pulls the face on camera or describes it in the chat. Facilitator note: Cameras off is fine; describe it instead.

Emoji portrait: Using only emoji, draw how your day is going.

7 minutes, 4 to 30 Directions: Post your emoji picture, then pairs guess what each other's picture means. Facilitator note: Three to five emoji are plenty.

Snack o'clock: Is it breakfast, lunch, dinner or midnight-snack time where you are, and what would you eat right now?

7 minutes, 6 to 24 Directions: Answer in the order people type in the chat. Facilitator note: Nobody needs to name a city or time zone.

Status update: Write a custom status for today, such as busy plotting the perfect lunch.

5 minutes, 4 to 60 Directions: Post statuses in the chat and vote for the funniest. Facilitator note: Keep statuses kind.

Chat waterfall: In one word, what is the best thing about working from wherever you are?

5 minutes, 5 to 80 Directions: Everyone types their word but waits; the host counts down and all press Enter at once. Facilitator note: Watching the words pour in is the fun.

Movie title: Look at the picture the host shares and give it a dramatic movie title.

6 minutes, 4 to 24 Directions: The host shares one unusual image; everyone types a title, and the group votes. Facilitator note: Have a picture ready before the call.

Shared story: Add one line to our story: the video call was going perfectly until ___.

6 minutes, 4 to 30 Directions: Each person adds a line in a shared document in turn; the last person writes the ending. Facilitator note: Keep the story fictional and kind.

Island with Wi-Fi: Stranded on a desert island with perfect Wi-Fi, which three gadgets do you bring?

7 minutes, 4 to 40 Directions: Type three items and spot the most popular one. Facilitator note: Imaginary gadgets are allowed.

Hidden common ground: In your breakout room, find three things you all have in common that nobody can see on camera.

6 minutes, 6 to 48 Directions: Groups of three to five have five minutes; each group shares its most surprising one. Facilitator note: Keep to likes and habits, not personal details.

Before and after coffee: Describe yourself before your first coffee and after it, in two words each.

6 minutes, 4 to 50 Directions: Post both in the chat; the host reads a few aloud. Facilitator note: Tea, juice or nothing counts too.

Postcard from your desk: Write a one-line postcard from your workspace to the rest of the team.

5 minutes, 4 to 36 Directions: Post the postcards in the chat and read the best ones aloud. Facilitator note: Nobody needs to show their workspace. No factual claim is made. This is an original facilitation prompt.

On mute: What is the funniest thing that could happen while you think you are on mute?

6 minutes, 4 to 18 Directions: Go round, then vote for the best imagined disaster. Facilitator note: Imagined stories only. No factual claim is made. This is an original facilitation prompt.

Draw a house together: On a shared whiteboard, draw a house where each person adds exactly one thing.

7 minutes, 3 to 15 Directions: Take turns adding one item each, then name the house together. Facilitator note: Stick figures and scribbles are perfect. No factual claim is made. This is an original facilitation prompt.

Thumbs check-in: Thumbs up, sideways or down: how is your energy right now?

3 minutes, 4 to 90 Directions: Show a thumb on camera or post the emoji; nobody needs to explain. Facilitator note: It is a check-in, not a score. No factual claim is made. This is an original facilitation prompt.

Join sound: Which sound effect should play every time someone joins this call?

7 minutes, 6 to 33 Directions: Everyone types or makes their sound, then the group votes for the winner. Facilitator note: Quiet typed sounds count. No factual claim is made. This is an original facilitation prompt.

Meeting snack: Sweet or savory: what is your ideal mid-meeting snack?

5 minutes, 5 to 60 Directions: Run a quick poll or show hands, then ask two people to name their snack. Facilitator note: Any snack counts, even an imaginary one. No factual claim is made. This is an original facilitation prompt.

Somewhere to visit: On the shared world map, mark one place you would love to visit.

6 minutes, 4 to 28 Directions: Everyone adds a dot to a shared map or whiteboard and names the place in a word. Facilitator note: A place to visit, not where anyone lives. No factual claim is made. This is an original facilitation prompt.

Alphabet food relay: Name a food for the next letter of the alphabet: A for apple, B for banana, and so on.

6 minutes, 6 to 48 Directions: Go in chat order; each person types the next letter's food. Skip the hard letters. Facilitator note: X can be anything you like. No factual claim is made. This is an original facilitation prompt.

Morning in three emoji: Tell the story of your morning in three emoji.

5 minutes, 4 to 72 Directions: Post the emoji, and the group guesses the story. Facilitator note: Nobody has to confirm the guess. No factual claim is made. This is an original facilitation prompt.

Rainy day list: Add one item to our shared list of the best things to do on a rainy day.

7 minutes, 6 to 30 Directions: Everyone adds a line to a shared document, then the host reads the list back. Facilitator note: Repeats are fine; they show what the group likes. No factual claim is made. This is an original facilitation prompt.

Team hold music: Hum, type or describe a tune that would make great hold music for this team.

6 minutes, 4 to 24 Directions: The group guesses the tune or the mood. Facilitator note: Describing the mood works as well as humming. No factual claim is made. This is an original facilitation prompt.

Friday call: What should a Friday afternoon call be: a quick quiz, a show and tell, or finishing early?

5 minutes, 5 to 50 Directions: Answer by speaking, in the chat or with a reaction; all three count. Facilitator note: Say before you start that every route counts. No factual claim is made. This is an original facilitation prompt.

One-word goodbye: Sum up today's meeting in one word.

7 minutes, 4 to 40 Directions: Everyone types the word and presses Enter together. Facilitator note: A word or an emoji both work. No factual claim is made. This is an original facilitation prompt.