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Don’t you feel better now that we’ve gotten that out of the way? Get Your Free Icebreaker Questions Bundle Icebreaker games make meetings better by loosening everybody up and getting them into “meeting mode.” Consider the icebreaker meeting warm-up, an exercise you need to avoid awkward cramps throughout a meeting. Despite persistent cliches, icebreakers for adults do not have to follow any particular format, and they definitely do not have to be lame. You can use pretty much any game or activity you want to break the ice before your meeting, as long as it gets people talking and smiling. A well-planned virtual icebreaker activity can also be a great way to ease the tension before a conference call with coworkers. And if you’re really trying to go for some bonus points, consider pairing your icebreaker activity with snacks for the entire team to get the energy in the room pumping. Without further ado… 1. The Solve a Murder IcebreakerCue The Office theme song… Michael Scott enters… “There’s been a murder…” In all honesty, Michael was actually on to something! Solving a murder mystery can be a great way to break the ice with your team. Check out Outback’s Virtual Clue Murder Mystery for all types of mystery games that are designed for both the physical and virtual workplaces that help to develop teamwork, communication, and culture building. Remember… If all else fails… Finger guns galore… 2. The Foodie IcebreakerWho doesn’t love talking about food? Chopped, Master Chef, Cutthroat Kitchen, Top Chef, Cake Boss, Restaurant: Impossible… There is even a Master Chef Junior folks… Point is: food is a common ground that we all share and an excellent way to break the ice. Bambee, a company dedicated to helping small businesses with their HR needs, sees eating as a fantastic team bonding experience and icebreaker for new hires. Food can also be the perfect topic for a short icebreaker. Everyone eats, and most people love eating, so it’s a perfect opportunity to get out of the office in a group setting to learn more about each other.
Break the ice by asking everyone what dish they would want to prepare for the team. Ask them how they learned to make it, why it’s significant to them, and what powerful memory they associate with it. 3. Scream For Ice Cream
This Ice(cream) breaker will place your meeting guests in a fun and lively how-to icebreaker where your coworkers will learn how to make ice cream in a bag! Listen to some tunes, get to know each other a bit better, and shake your ice cream ingredients until everything is perfectly frozen. Yum! The folks at Unboxed Experiences can even provide pre-made kits to be sent directly to remote employees tuning in from home. Cap off your icebreaker activity by cracking open a soda and pouring rootbeer, orange soda, or cherry cola over your fresh ice cream for a delicious float to sip on as you get down to business.
Sample your next beer flight from home! 4. The One-Word IcebreakerI feel alpaca. The company culture leaders at Assembly (a free employee recognition software) keep things simple by having everyone describe their current mood in one word. You can have people explain their one-word mood descriptor if you want to add more depth to your icebreaker activities, but you can also just go with the flow and enjoy how cryptic some of the answers can be. The free Assembly Icebreaker Template allows you to:
5. The Trivia Results IcebreakerWater Cooler Trivia gives you and your team weekly trivia quizzes that spark conversation and competition. The trivia is super-customizable so you can choose the categories and difficulty that work for your team. You can even choose a “personalized” category like Coffee, NYC, or Tech that their professional question-writers will write just for you. It’s like all the fun of pub trivia but without the logistics of coming up with questions or getting everyone together in the same room at the same time. The best way to use Water Cooler Trivia as a meeting icebreaker? Set up the quizzes so that the results are sent right when your weekly meeting starts. Then your team can celebrate the winner and laugh at the funniest responses as a light-hearted way to break the ice. Thousands of companies use Water Cooler Trivia to make their work week more fun and there’s a free four-week trial.
6. The All-Inclusive IcebreakerVirtual icebreakers are needed now more than ever. As the workplace is being reimagined, it’s looking like one or more days a week working from home or remotely is going to be the standard. Having said that, the Fun Bundle For Adults is the perfect icebreaker idea for keeping friends, families, coworkers, and employees entertained. These 6 thoughtfully designed PDFs can help you spice up Zoom meetings or be used in just about any situation where you want people to get to know each other better! 7. The Virtual Game IcebreakerWhat happens when you combine fun online games with built-in video conferencing technology? The ultimate Zoom icebreaker! These Fun and Affordable Virtual Game Icebreakers were designed specifically with remote teams in mind. The games (trivia, charades, impersonations) will show you new, hilarious sides to your coworkers. For an extra layer of get-to-know-you goodness, each icebreaker activity integrates personalized player trivia into the game – how well do you know your teammates? You’re about to find out! 👉 Check Out The Library of Virtual Game Icebreakers 👈 8. The OMG Icebreaker 😮Brought to you by The Assist, a free weekly email that delivers workplace culture and productivity inspo, this icebreaker activity will have your teammates dropping jaws and sharing laughs. Ask your colleagues this question: “What is the craziest request you’ve ever gotten in your career?” Be prepared for some major team bonding and left field answers like the one below:
9. The Online Quiz IcebreakerPop quiz! The folks at Weve created a really fun and easy-to-use icebreaker tool that will help your team get to know each other a little more each week through ice breaker quizzes and games. With a huge catalog of ice breaker options to choose from, you will be cracking up with your coworkers in minutes! Choose from activities as short as 5 minutes to longer activities where you and your colleagues can play multiple games via an online icebreaker showdown. Split into teams and participate in rapid-fire activities that are sure to break some ice! Here are just a few of the icebreaker quiz games you can try out…
To start quizzing your coworkers, get more information at Weve. 10. Tea & MindfulnessFor teams looking for a slightly longer icebreaker, this 30 minute virtual session will refocus and destress your team members via a guided meditation and goal setting activity with Unboxed Experiences’ Guided Tea & Mindfulness Experience. Participants will also learn how to brew and taste 3-6 globally sourced loose leaf and flowering teas as they experience a guided mindful exercise and goal-setting meditation. Guided mindfulness tastings are fun and can enhance collaboration amongst teams by creating shared experiences. This icebreaker might just be the perfect thing you schedule for your team on a busy day! 11. The Escape Room IcebreakerEscape from prison, uncover ancient treasure, or even steal priceless art with this engaging icebreaker activity! If you’re going to escape, you HAVE to work together. Escape rooms give your team a fun way to connect and learn about each other’s strengths and weaknesses. The experts at Team Building Hub have mastered the art of the remote adventure that will ensure your team bonds while also having a blast! 12. The Movie Pitch IcebreakerA favorite at Bonusly, split people into groups and have each group come up with a movie they want to make. Everyone should have a short pitch prepared within 10 minutes. (This film is The Avengers meets My Little Pony.) Let everyone make their pitch, and then have all virtual meeting attendees vote on which idea deserves “funding.” The winners won’t immediately move to pre-production, but they might get a company-wide shoutout on the Bonusly platform for their creativity – next step… Hollywood! 13. Paint & Sip IcebreakerThis virtual icebreaker brings colleagues together to flex their creative minds and sip some bubbly in a relaxed atmosphere! Drawing and painting can keep employees engaged while taking them to a place free of competition and workplace pressures. Coworkers can bond through their shared creative journey, and walk away with a fun experience and a beautiful keepsake to remember after!
Virtual Draw and Sip offers fun icebreaker activities and food/drink packages for in-person, remote, or hybrid teams looking to add even more flair and energy to the party. 14. The Speed “Dating” IcebreakerHave everyone sit near people they don’t work with. Tell everyone to look to their right and announce that they’ll be spending the next 5 minutes speed networking with the person next to them. The goal: 5 conversations in 5 minutes. Set a timer; every time the buzzer goes off, it’s time for people to find a new conversational partner.
15. The Holiday IcebreakerHo-Ho-Ho… The holidays are (practically) here! Kick off your next virtual meeting this holiday season with an icebreaker activity that all Rudolph and Frosty enthusiasts will love. Break out the egg-nog, fire up the Zoom app, and get ready to experience one of these holiday-themed icebreaker games:
16. Laugh Out Loud IcebreakerBreak a smile to break the ice! Nothing warms up a group quite like shared laughter. What most folks don’t know is that laughing together also relieves stress, connects teammates and boosts productivity. Laughter On Call has a variety of distinct and effective services that use a unique mix of Improv games and Stand-up prompts, led by a team of professional comedians. Starting off a big meeting, conference, or team building activity with a laughter icebreaker can help settle everyone in and open up the lines of communication. Also, because Laughter On Call started in the healthcare space all their programs put mental health first creating a space that is compassionate, inclusive and downright fun! Whether your goal is team-building, improving communication skills, encouraging innovation or simply sending the message, “We care about your well-being,” LOC will customize a icebreaking workshop exactly right for you. 17. The ‘Start Happy Hour Early’ IcebreakerMix things up with a fun virtual happy hour icebreaker to start the last meeting of the week off right. This online mixology icebreaker event includes a delicious beverage team members can sip on as they crush the big meeting and get down to business. Star your Zoom call with an expert mixologist in the break room teaching you and your teammates how to prepare a delicious drink! Cocktails & mocktails will be crafted, your team will settle into the meeting, and you will get to enjoy your tasty drink as you hop into your agenda. Sip, Sip, hooray! Tip: Send everyone joining your virtual mixology get-to-know-you activity a box of snacks that pairs with their drinks. You can find some great options to explore here. 18. The Office Charades IcebreakerKick off your meetings by playing a few rounds of charades where the presenters can pick only office-related things. If you’re rusty on your charades skills, here’s a quick refresher:
19. Chew on This IcebreakerWhat’s an even better way to break the ice than any ol’ icebreaker activity? Snacks of course! Bonding over food is something humans have done for centuries and Caroo expertly curates this experience with their Icebreaker Box. They also include an icebreaker activity for you to make things even easier. 20. Let’s Build a Story Together IcebreakerWe all love a good story, right? Building a storyline is one of the oldest and most fun ways to have a good laugh! In this icebreaker activity, the meeting host begins the story with an opening sentence on Empuls (an employee engagement platform). They then tag one of the attendees and leave them with an incomplete sentence. The tagged attendee completes the sentence and tags another person to continue the story. By the time all attendees have completed their turn building out the storyline on the Empuls discussion thread, you will have one crazy hilarious story that you can all read together. Quick, simple, and easy to set-up — this meeting icebreaker is a good mix of engagement and creativity for your group. 21. The Boss Q&A IcebreakerBring in the head of your department or project and give everyone 15 minutes to ask any questions they have, no holds barred. This icebreaker gets everyone thinking about the topic of your meeting. It might even clarify some of the issues the meeting aims to solve.22. The Logo Love IcebreakerDuring this icebreaker from the American Management Association, participants choose a brand logo they identify with and explain why. Here’s how to play:
23. The Yankee Swag Swap IcebreakerDid someone say swag??? Here is a creative idea to try out during your next company meeting that will quickly help to break the ice and get everyone smiling:
24. The Trading Card IcebreakerGamestorming recommends kicking off meetings by having everyone make trading cards to represent their personalities.
25. The Problem-Solution IcebreakerAn excellent strategy to highlight your company culture, give everyone about ten minutes to pick out the biggest problems they see in the office and quickly dream up solutions. People can volunteer to pitch their ideas. Encourage problem solving and creative thinking by declaring the room a safe zone, even if the boss is in the room. These quick ice breaker ideas will break the thickest of ice, and it might even inspire some projects if someone pitches an idea that resonates with the room.26. The Shoe IcebreakerThis icebreaker from Chron requires zero prep and very little time to complete, but it’s pretty unforgettable. Have everyone leave one shoe by the door. Redistribute the shoes so everyone has one shoe that doesn’t belong to them. Set a timer for five minutes, and tell everyone to find the shoe’s owner and then strike up a 2-minute conversation, preferably about a subject other than shoes.27. The Marshmallow ChallengeThis challenge from Tom Wujec, a business visualization expert, makes the perfect icebreaker and team-building hybrid. Break your meeting attendees into groups of four. Give each group 20 sticks of spaghetti, 1 yard of tape, 1 yard of string, and one marshmallow. Ask them to build the tallest freestanding structure they can. Sit back and see what happens. Here’s Tom Wujec talking about the team-building virtues of the Marshmallow Challenge: Bonus: The Props IcebreakerTo conduct this inspirational icebreaker, give everyone five minutes to think of a recent situation where one of their co-workers blew them away with their skills and kindness. (It’s a major plus if the situation involves someone in the meeting!) Now have everyone tell the stories to the rest of the group.28. The Company History IcebreakerSignUpGenius’s icebreaker helps employees learn some valuable company history. Make a list of icebreaker questions, pop them on the projector, and ask employees if they know the answers. (Individual buzzers could be totally cool if you have any on hand!) Here are some question ideas:
29. The No Smiling IcebreakerGovloop has a counter-intuitive icebreaker that actually leads to lots of laughter. Tell everyone they can’t smile during the first five minutes of the meeting. You’ll be amazed at how humorous some people become when they’re told not to smile. Get the camera ready to take some silly pictures. 30. The Instagram IcebreakerTo conduct this idea from William Joseph, just give employees a few minutes to scroll through their Instagram photos and pick a snapshot they want to share with the group. They can share the photo and explain why they picked it. This will help some personality shine through, especially if people on your team need to get to know each other. You can also pick a photo to caption together and schedule the Instagram post for a time to review at your next meeting. If you were looking for some team icebreakers – this would be the one.Bonus: The Friendly Debate IcebreakerUse this student-centric icebreaker idea from the Cult of Pedagogy in your next meeting. Start out by posing a harmless would you rather question that prompts people to choose a side. Here are some examples:
Have everyone physically divide into sides—pro pizza to the right; pro taco to the left. Let all the like-minded people discuss the virtues of their position for a while, and then have a representative try to sell the other side of the room. This will give everyone a chance to see things from different perspectives. It will open everyone’s minds for a productive meeting. 31. The Employee-Driven IcebreakerThis icebreaker takes the cake on ease. Have each meeting attendee bring their favorite icebreaker. This “icebreaker” can be a funny joke, a quote, a phrase, an activity—anything at all. This icebreaker works because it removes the “Why are you making me do this?” factor. Everything employees do will be self-inflicted. 32. The Electric Fence IcebreakerThis icebreaker from Toggl gets employees up and moving as they build an imaginary electric fence and try to cross it without getting “electrocuted.” Make the fence by tying some string between two chairs. They can cross the fence however they like as long as they don’t go under it. 33. The Things-in-Common IcebreakerThis FairyGodBoss icebreaker helps teammates get to know each other on a deeper level by discovering what they have in common. Split people into groups and tell them to find out how many things they have in common. The group who discovers the most things in common wins, so it pays to be persistent and thoughtful. (Physical features and clothing colors do not count!) Each group will announce what they have in common to the rest of the group. Have everyone else raise their hand if they also have the thing in common.34. Conflict Resolution Role PlayMost people, especially in work environments, avoid conflict like the plague. That’s amazing right? Why shouldn’t we all just get along? Because just “getting along” isn’t that simple all the time. And if most people eschew conflict, then most people probably don’t know how to deal with it, or more importantly, resolve it, when it does come up. This role-playing ice breaker deals out some conflict-resolution takeaways, and it also captures everyone’s attention and get them invigorated for your meeting. Why? Because this exercise involves drama, and there are few things people find more compelling than that. Start by selecting your conflict premise. You can make up your own based on your personal office experiences or use/borrow some of these for inspiration. Keep things simple by sticking to just two “characters.”
Create your discussion questions. These are the questions you’ll discuss as a group after the role-play skit is complete. Design questions that make people examine the success of the characters’ conflict resolution efforts and explore how things could have been handled differently. For example:
When it’s meeting time, ask for 2 volunteers to play the characters. Tell them your premise and set a timer for 5 minutes. Make sure they know they can behave however they want and say anything they want. People will get the most from this 5-minute team building activity if it’s truly organic and open-ended. After the skit, set a timer for 10 minutes and pose your discussion questions with the group. 35. Play a Round of SpyfallSpyfall is a role-playing and guessing game rolled into one. You can play it on phones or computers, and you don’t need any materials to get started. Game summary: The interface assigns each player an identity. One person is the “spy.” All the non-spies are in the same location (their identity assignments tell them what this location is). The spy’s identity assignment includes no location.
To play, everyone asks each other thoughtful questions until someone has enough clues to wager a guess. Spyfall makes a perfect icebreaker because it is the kind of group game that gets people thinking critically, talking to each other, and also getting unprecedented insight into how their coworkers’ minds work. It’s also incredibly fun. (Most games last less than 15 minutes.) 36. Thought Experiment IcebreakerWarm up everyone’s active thinking muscles before your big meeting with a thought experiment icebreaker. Thought experiments prep people to challenge assumptions and status quos and to think outside the box. This icebreaker will be especially helpful before a brainstorming session. The Thiagi Group has a toolkit that will help you get started with some meeting-appropriate, quick thought experiments that get participants considering the work competencies and skills they value most in themselves. Bonus #1 Peek Into Each Other’s Home Office/Workspace IcebreakerAn icebreaker for distributed teams, the good folks at Time Doctor recommend an exercise that encourages team members to open their home offices/workspaces to one another virtually. Each team member will make a short video showing off their home office/workspace and some of their favorite things. This activity allows team members to get to know one another on a more personal level and can lead to feelings of welcomeness and friendship. This activity may be better suited for small teams, but it’s undoubtedly a great way to get the personal feel going. Another way to do this is by allowing one team member to show off their home office/workspace at the beginning of each week’s work meeting, on a team member’s birthday, or during a virtual happy hour cocktail kit experience. Bonus #2 The Inspirational Speaker IcebreakerPut meeting attendees out of the spotlight and invite an inspirational speaker to break the ice before your meeting. Pick someone with expertise in what your company does or what you’re meeting is about. Ask the presenter to make the talk super quick so there’s plenty of time for Q&A. Bonus #3 The Personality Quiz IcebreakerMake sure everyone has their smartphones. (We doubt this will be a problem.) Send everyone a link to a personality quiz you think they would like. Since there are probably over a million quizzes circulating, we know there will be one to pique your interest. Everyone can take the quiz and then reveal their results to the group. Have everyone explain why they agree or disagree with the results. Bonus #4 The Toilet Paper IcebreakerThis idea from Lifehack requires minimal effort and minimal funds. To play, pass a roll of toilet paper around and have everyone rip off how much they would usually use. Everyone will probably think you’re crazy. When the toilet paper makes it all the way around the circle, have everyone count their squares. The number of squares each person took is the number of fun facts they have to reveal about themselves. Bonus #5 The “Trip to Paris” IcebreakerWhat better way to get to know your team than to travel together? Visit France with Woyago’s virtual ice breaking tours through Paris!While the tours are a fun and informative way to learn about the City of Lights from the comfort of your desk, they are also expertly crafted to encourage active collaborative participation from team members and get them ready to engage before the next meeting. It’s also a great way to onboard new employees and make them really feel like a part of your team. The tone is decidedly humorous and light-hearted, but don’t be fooled – the tour guides are pros at facilitating interactive group activities and make sure that everyone contributes to the group experience. Tip: Paired with cheese and wine, Woyago’s virtual trips to Paris also work great as a post-work team building activity. Bonus #6 The “Building Connections” IcebreakerBuild deeper relationships while having fun together with Brightful’s meeting games! Hop into a gameroom and choose from a list of lighthearted or deep questions to get to know your teammates better. Or if you prefer, you can hang out over a game of cards, Werewolf or Draw It to let the fun times happen organically! Brightful works with all video conferencing software. There is nothing to download or install. Bonus #7 The Mindfulness IcebreakerMeetings can sometimes fail because of what we bring to them, and we’re not talking about notebooks and cell phones. If meeting attendees feel stress, especially about the meeting itself, then tension will dominate the agenda. Reduce stress by opening the meeting with a mindfulness icebreaker. Start with three minutes of silent contemplation, and then have everyone write down what is stressing them out. When everyone finishes writing, tell them to rip up their stress. Put all the scraps together in a bowl on the table. Bonus #8 The Artsy IcebreakerPrep your meeting table with art supplies. At the very least, provide 2 sheets of paper and 1 pencil for everyone. But if you think your team will be into it, then go ahead and go crazy with colored pencils, paint, glue, dry noodles, and anything else you can stick on paper. Give everyone a prompt to avoid creative block. We love Artwork Achieve’s prompt, “Illustrate a cause or current event that you are passionate about.” Allow 10 minutes for creating and 10 minutes for sharing and discussing. Bonus #9 The Minefield: The Obstacle IcebreakerThis classic classroom activity from TeachThought makes the perfect meeting icebreaker. Set up “obstacles” around the conference room table. (We recommend something harmless and funny, like squeaky toys.) Now everyone takes turns navigating the obstacles while blindfolded, guided only by the shouts and direction of their teammates. (PS – Get more sh*t done with The Assist— the #1 free weekly newsletter made for assistants by assistants.) People Also Ask These Questions About Icebreaker GamesQ: How can icebreakers boost work productivity?
Q: What are some fun icebreaker games for work in 2022?
Q: Where can I find good icebreaker games for my next meeting?
Do you have any favorite fun icebreakers you want to share? Let us know in the comments below. Motivating & Managing Employees Resources:Thoughtful Employee Recognition & Appreciation Ideas for 2022 [Updated]Team Building Kits For Boosting Engagement141 Inspirational and Motivational Quotes for Work21 Freakishly Effective Ways to Motivate Employees11 Insanely Powerful and Motivational Videos For Your TeamManaging Millennials in The Workplace: Stop Making It Complicated17 Lessons Most First Time Managers Make the Hard WayHow to Run a Productive One-on-One Meeting14 Essential Team Management Skills for First-Time Managers45 Insanely Fun Team Building Activities For Work31 Things Successful People Do To Increase Their Productivity at WorkWhat is a good game to getTruth or Dare is one of the most classic getting to know you games. Each round, players must choose to answer a personal question or perform a dare.
What are good icebreakers for adults?The 10 Best Icebreakers for Adults (Tried & Tested). 1) QuizBreaker IceBreaker Game.. 2) Human Billboards.. 3) My N.A.M.E.. 4) Neighbours.. 5) A Penny For Your Thoughts.. 6) Rather Than.. 7) Ready, Set, Reorganise.. 8) Similarities & Differences.. What is a getting to know you activity?Get-to-know-you type icebreakers (or introduction games) help people become more acquainted with each other — helping people learn and remember names and as people share about their unique interests, experiences, memories, and so on.
What is a fun quick ice breaker?Two Truths and a Lie
One of the more classic ice breakers in the list, Two Truths and a Lie can be used anywhere from family parties to company events. To play, you simply ask each person to brainstorm three "facts" about themselves -- two of the facts will be true, and one will be a lie.
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