Icebreakers
Beach Ball Icebreaker
Write questions all over a beach ball and toss it around the room.
By type
Classroom Icebreaker Games
The first days of school set the tone for the year. These icebreakers help students learn names, find things in common and feel safe speaking up, without putting anyone on the spot.
- π² 13 games
- β Free
- π₯ Board-ready tools
Icebreakers
Desert Island
Students choose three items they would bring to a desert island and justify their picks.
Icebreakers
Find Someone Who
Students walk around with a grid of prompts and find a classmate who matches each one.
Team building
Human Knot
Students hold hands across a circle to make a tangle, then work together to untangle without letting go.
Team building
Philosophical Chairs
Students physically move to the side of the room that matches their view on a debatable statement, then argue respectfully, moving if they change their mind.
Team building
Silent Line-Up
Students line up in order by birthday, height or name without talking.
No prep
Thankful Alphabet
The class works through the alphabet naming one thing they are thankful for per letter.
Icebreakers
The Name Game
Each student says their name plus an alliterative word ("Jumping Jada"), and the next student repeats all the names before theirs.
Icebreakers
The Toilet Paper Game
Students take as many squares of toilet paper as they "think they will need" without knowing why.
Icebreakers
This or That
A fast two-choice warm-up: pizza or tacos, summer or winter.
Icebreakers
Two Truths and a Lie
Each student shares three statements about themselves, one of them false, and the class guesses the lie.
Review games
Who Am I?
A student holds a card to their forehead without seeing it and asks yes-or-no questions to figure out which person, animal or term they are.
Icebreakers
Would You Rather
Give students two choices and have them pick a side of the room, then explain their reasoning.
Quick picks
Top 5 to try first
- π Beach Ball IcebreakerWrite questions all over a beach ball and toss it around the room.
- ποΈ Desert IslandStudents choose three items they would bring to a desert island and justify their picks.
- π Find Someone WhoStudents walk around with a grid of prompts and find a classmate who matches each one.
- πͺ’ Human KnotStudents hold hands across a circle to make a tangle, then work together to untangle without letting go.
- π Philosophical ChairsStudents physically move to the side of the room that matches their view on a debatable statement, then argue respectfully, moving if they change their mind.
Play online
Online icebreakers games for the board
Board tools
Free tools for these games
Classroom TimerBig full-screen countdown with presets and an alarm.Open tool βRandom Name PickerPaste your class list and pick students fairly.Open tool βRandom Team GeneratorSplit the class into random groups in one click.Open tool βBingo Card GeneratorMake printable bingo cards from any word list.Open tool β
Questions teachers ask
Frequently asked questions
What are good first day of school icebreakers?
Two Truths and a Lie, Find Someone Who, The Name Game and Would You Rather are easy to run with a new class.
How do I make icebreakers comfortable for shy students?
Start with low-risk games like This or That where students only point or move, and let students pass if they want to.
Explore
More classroom games
π§Έ Kindergarten (Kβ2)π Elementary Studentsπ Middle Schoolπ High Schoolβ Mathπ¬ ESLπ€ Vocabulary and Spelling Gamesπ§ͺ Scienceπ Review gamesβ‘ Brain breaksπ Icebreakersπ€ Team buildingπ No prepπ€« Quiet gamesπ§οΈ Indoor recessπ End of yearπ Back to schoolπ Halloweenπ¦ Thanksgivingπ Christmas & winterπ Valentine's Day