QuickTips Index
Ice Breaker - People Bingo
People Bingo is one of the most popular ice breakers because it's so easy to customize for your particular group and situation, and everyone knows how to play it.
Personal Flag
Flags have a way of making everybody feel good, especially when they’re waving in the breeze. Ask your students to make their own personal flag and present it to the class.
2-Minute Mixer
You may have heard of 8-minute dating, where 100 people meet for an evening full of 8-minute dates. They talk to one person for 8 minutes and then move on to the next. Eight minutes is a long time in the classroom, so we’ll call this ice breaker a 2-minute mixer. Ready? Go!
Marooned
This ice breaker is a great introduction when the people gathered are strangers, and it fosters team building in groups that already work together. I have always found the choices people make to be very revealing about who they are as a person.
Ice Breaker - Snowball Fight
A snowball fight in the classroom is pure fun, and it's also a great way to introduce students or review a topic. Using paper from your recycle bin makes it even better.
Ice Breaker: Where in the World?
The more technology brings us together, the smaller the world becomes. Where in the world are you from? Or, where in the world is your favorite place?
If You Had a Magic Wand
If you had a magic wand, what would you change? This is an ice breaker that opens minds, considers possibilities, and energizes your group when discussion is dead.
Expectations
Expectations are powerful, especially when you're teaching adults. Understanding your students' expectations of the course you're teaching is key to your success. Make sure you know what your students expect with this expectations icebreaker.
Everyone's a Foodie
Find out what your students or guests like to eat. And what they never want to put in their mouths again! Who are the foodies in your group?
A Few of My Favorite Things
You know the song. These are a few of my favorite things... Use this ice breaker just for fun, or customize it to your topic.
Fortune Cookie Writer
Everybody loves a fortune cookie, especially if they get a good fortune. Some love it even more if the cookie is a little sassy. My mom adds "in bed" to the end of hers. Learn something about your students when you ask them to write fortune cookies. Are they gurus? Or wisecrackers?
Ice Breaker - Photo Scavenger Hunt
A picture is worth a thousand words. Almost everyone has a photo or two in their wallet, especially when you’ve got a room full of adults, or even better, baby boomers with grandchildren. The photo scavenger hunt is on!
Ice Breaker: Two Truths and a Lie
Two Truths and a Lie is a fun and humorous ice breaker for introductions in the classroom, at a meeting, anywhere.
Ice Breaker - The Name Game
You may have people in your group who hate the name game so much they’ll still remember everyone’s name two years from now! Ha! You can make it harder by requiring everyone to add an adjective to their name that starts with the same letter (e.g. Cranky Carla, Blue-eyed Bob, Zesty Zelda). You get the gist.
Ice Breaker: Table Topics
Table Topics is an ice breaker sure to make introductions interesting and conversation lively. Choose from nine versions of the four-inch acrylic cube, each filled with 135 thought-provoking questions. Great in the classroom and meeting room, around the table or on the patio.
Three Words
If you had to describe yourself in three words, which three would you choose?
Tattoo
I'm often surprised, maybe even shocked, by the people who share with me that they've always wanted a tattoo. These are people I would never have guessed would be interested in such a thing. The first question is always, "What kind of tattoo?" And then, "Where?" You know the drill.
Super Powers
Wouldn’t it be great to have super powers? If you could have one super power, which one would you choose?
If You Won the Lottery
Money is pretty powerful. How’s that for an understatement! It’s easy to think having a lot of it would solve all our problems, but history shows otherwise. If [i]you[/i] won the lottery, what would you do with all the cash?
Ice Breaker - Play-Doh Animals
This ice breaker is perfect for any group that has gathered for hands-on topics. Get them involved right away by giving each student a can of Play-Doh[sup]TM[/sup] and a handful of pipe cleaners. Can you imagine the results already?
Ice Breaker - Beach Ball Buzz
Have a little beach fun without leaving your classroom. Beach Ball Buzz can be as fun as you choose depending on the questions you write on the ball. Make them related to your topic or completely frivolous and fun.
Ice Breaker - Kinetic - Drum Jam
A simple drum jam can be a fun and easy kinetic ice breaker or energizer to wake up your class. All you need is your hands on your desks. Start with a few rhythm exercises and let the jamming begin.
Ice Breaker - Kinetic - Scarf Juggling
Scarf juggling will get your class up, moving, and laughing. The cross-body movement also stimulates both sides of the brain, so when the exercise is over, your students will be ready to learn.
Ice Breaker - Kinetic - Rhythm Recap
When it’s time to recap what you’ve just taught, recap with rhythm. Remember the old game where you sat in a circle, slapped your knees, clapped your hands and snapped your fingers? Slap, slap, clap, clap, snap right, snap left.
Ice Breaker - Kinetic - Brainstorm Race
A brainstorm race is a great way to review topics you've already covered, and have some energizing fun in the process. Teams race to brainstorm and list as many items as they can in a certain amount of time---without speaking!
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