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Guys, whether you're planning a get together for friends who haven't yet met, or you're a teacher or company manager, you need ideas for some fun icebreaker games to get everyone loosened up and ready to interact and build efficient relationships.

Ice breaker games are far more effective than free for all small talk because they allow people to observe each other's behaviors from a distance and adjust their reactions and behaviors accordingly so that all connections get off on their best foot.

Fun icebreaker games cultivate a relaxed, fun atmosphere that allows everyone to show their playful side. They're sure to bring out the best in everyone and make everyone excited to develop deeper friendships and/or professional relationships.

Contents

Best Games

Best Games

Question Games

Question Games

Funny Games

Funny Games

For Teens

For Teens

For Adults

For Adults

Small Group

Small Group

Quick Fun - #Quick-Fun

Quick Fun

Large Group

Large Group

26 Best Fun Icebreaker Games

Fun icebreaker games can turn initially shy introverts into the life of the party. So many people in our world long to connect with others but they just need a little bit of boost.

1. Two Truths And A Tale

Every player makes two statements that are true about themselves and one that is not true, one after the other. Others have to guess which one is not true.

2. Name Bingo

You'll need to pre-make bingo cards for this game. Each space on the bingo board should contain characteristics or experiences like "has long hair, has traveled to over 10 countries, is an only child, or has played a sport professionally." Give each player a copy of the bingo card. The object of the game is to have everyone go around the room asking others if they have experienced or are the features indicated on the bingo card. If they are, write their name in the space. The first person to fill in a whole row wins.

3. Extreme Rock, Paper, Scissors

You literally can play this classic game with an endless number of people. Start everyone off in pairs. Two rounds out of three wins. The winners continue into final rounds until there is one winner. Losers cheer on the finalists.

4. Song Sync

The leader decides on a word that is commonly found in popular song lyrics like "Hey," or "Love." Make sure you indicate if variations of the word are or are not allowed (you decide). Everyone has to sing a line or two from a song that has that word in it. Everyone is free to google it on their phone. Those who can't find a song or are caught making up lyrics to a made-up song are out.

5. How Much Do You Use (Toilet Paper game)

Get a roll of toilet paper. Pull off a few squares, and ask every player to do the same. When everyone has their squares, ask them to count the number of squares they took. The number of squares indicates the number of things they have to tell the group about themselves.

6. The One-Word

If you needed to describe your mood in one word, what would it be? From everything from fine to llama, this is a fun ice breaker game.

7. Team-Win

Want to inject some positivity into your team? With every individual success, you are bound to creative team success.

8. Knock Knock game

With a little bit of humor and the odd Dad joke, this game is a great way to start off the day.

9. Charades

Sometimes all you need is an old-fashioned game to bring everyone together.

10. Movie Pitch

Allow your team to become the Hollywood director they have always wanted to be with this movie pitch game.

11. Problem-Solution

This game is not only a great way for people to get to know each other, but it is also a great way for your business to find solutions to ongoing problems.

12. Minefield: The Obstacle

Want to create a maze in your conference room and reach peak fun. Well, this game is for you.

13. No Smiling

This is one of the most simple games out there. Because what happens when you tell someone not to do something? They normally do it!

14. The Artsy

Allow your team to create incredible artistic creations and tap into their creativity with this game.

15. Crazy Questions and Answers

This one takes a bit of planning but it is actually really effective and funny! Depending on the combination, you could get combinations that are ridiculous and others that are completely hilarious!

16. Betty Boop

Noisy and incredibly silly, this game is a great icebreaker. This game gets very loud, very quick.

17. The Magic Word

This attention-seeking game is a great way of getting and maintaining a groups attention. With a combination of prize-winning and always listening out for the magic word, you will have the group in the palm of your hand.

18. Scavenger Hunt

A variation on an old classic, players can use any digital device to find items like credit cards to a video of a toilet flushing.

19. Belly Balloon Break

What do you get when you combine two people, their bellies and a balloon? An eye-watering, hilarious ice breaker game.

20. If I Could Have, I Would Have

They say that there are multiple universes where your life could be different. Why not explore these alternative realities with this great game.

21. Sentence Starters

This simple sentence-finisher game is a great way to get to know new people.

22. Cup Stacking

Depending on how large your group is, stacking cups on top of each other without falling over will either be very easy or very hard.

23. Paper Balls

A variation on tradition hoops, players get extra points for getting the paper ball closest to the basket.

24. Superlatives

If you want to get your group to use their heads and quick, this ice breaker game is a great way to get those minds and bodies moving.

25. Electric Pulse

A sensory delight, this game is the epitome of teamwork.

26. String a Story

Depending on the length of string players pick, you could get to know a little or a lot about them.

8 Fun Icebreaker Question Games

These lists of ice breaker questions guarantee that you will never run out of questions to ask to keep a game colorful and alive. They offer endless potential for intimacy, compassion and finding common ground.

27. Never Have I Ever Questions

Eventually, we run out of things that we have never done but are dead set curious about whether it's actually a common occurrence. Check out our never have i ever questions.  To play, each player brings up some experience that they have never had, and all the other players who have had the experience must accept a penalty in some way. A shot, a sip of beer, or a loss of a point. The person with the most points at the end, or who is the most sober, wins.

28. Most Likely To Questions

When you go around the room asking these Most Likely To Questions, lots of funny first impressions about individual people come up for speculation.

29. newlywed game questions

These questions are great for entertaining guests at a wedding. Have the best man or the maid of honor ask these newlywed game questions so everyone can get a better idea of who the bride and groom really are, far beyond how they met.

30. truth or dare questions

When you ask truth or dare questions the receiving person is agreeing to either reveal something intimate about themselves in words or make a grand show of experiencing something that is decidedly out of most people's comfort zones. This sort of thing inspires all kinds of courage in others for each question that is successfully and willingly answered.

31. would you rather questions

These would you rather questions give players two options so their answers are often quick and off the top of their heads, yet they can reveal lots about what's going on between the lines. The choices we make say everything about who we are.

32. Who Done It?

This game requires note cards and pens for every member of your group. As everyone to write down something interesting that they have done or experienced on their note card. The sillier, more unbelievable, and more unique and rare, the better. Collect the cards. Shuffle them. Pass them out again. Each player reads the card they get and tries to guess which person did the thing on the card. The person they guess just shakes their head yes or no and the guessing continues until the person who did it is identified.

33. What ticks you off?

Everyone share the most annoying things and everyone gets to laugh about the ones they have in common.

34. Jenga questions

Type questions on tiny pieces of paper and affix them to each wooden block of a Jenga Tower game. Every player has to answer the question on the block they draw before they attempt to add the block to the top of the tower.

6 Fun Icebreaker Games That Can Also Be Funny

These best funny icebreaker games are indirect invitations to show our silly side, our daring side, or our creative and optimistic side where we might otherwise get tongue tied.

35. Hot Potato Camera

Everyone sits in a circle. Grab someone's smartphone and set it to selfie camera mode. The first person to start passing the phone decides how long they want to set the timer for, whether one second, or half a minute or something in between. Have everyone pass the camera around to the beat of a song, angling the camera toward their faces. Since nobody knows when the timer will go off and for whom, you're sure to get a silly, awkward selfie of the person stuck with the camera when the timer goes off. You can all laugh at it.

36. Animal Sounds

Prepare folded slips of paper with animals that make known sounds written on them. Make sure that you have two slips of paper for each animal. Pass out the slips of paper and tell players not to tell anyone what animal they get. Have everyone blindfolded. Each player's job is to continuously make the sound of their animal and find the other person in the room who is also that animal, based on the sounds they're making.

37. Act and React

Prepare a bunch of note cards by writing different descriptions of experiences on them. For example, "You've just won the lottery!" or "You've just met your favorite actor on the street." Shuffle the cards and pass them out to players. Each player has to act out his or her reaction to the event with sounds, expressions, gestures, and words.

38. Telephone/whisper down the lane

Unless you have clear communication and perfect diction, this game will dissolve into a big giant funny mess.

39. 10 things you have in common

The best icebreakers are ones that help people realize that they have something in common.

40. Paper airplanes

With a healthy dose of competition and engineering, you could have a world-class paper plane race on your hands.

7 Fun Icebreaker Games For Teens

Sometimes, your crowd is a younger one. Teens and adults have different preferences, so we've curated a list of awesome ice breaker games for teens.

41. String Game

Cut a bunch of string or yarn into various lengths, from a few inches to 30 inches long. Ball all of the string up into one big clump. Make sure there is one piece for each player. Have every player select a piece of string. Each person has to talk about themselves for the entirety of the time it takes to wind their unique piece of string around their index finger. It's funny because some people's strings are going to be very long!

42. Paper Balls

Give each player four sheets of paper. Have the players write down a general funny get-to-know-you questions that they would like to know about the other players on each piece of paper. For example, "What's your favorite kind of a person, and why?" or "What do you think of giraffes?" Have all the players crumple up their four sheets of paper with questions on them into "snowballs." Have everyone have a snowball fight with the paper snowballs for a good 30 seconds. When time's up, have everyone grab four paper balls as fast as they can and un-crumple them. Every player has to answer their four questions.

43. Blind drawing

You'll need paper and drawing tools for everyone. Have all your players partner up and don blindfolds. Each player will attempt to draw a portrait of their partner while blindfolded.

44. Mix & Meet

Do you love M&M's? Then this game is for you! Each color is assigned a category (i.e. blue=family, red=hobbies, etc.) and each player has to tell a fact about themselves.

45. Team Architect

Patience and creativity are essential for this game. People that work best together will more than likely create a functional structure.

46. True False Run

This is a great active ice breaker game. It also tests peoples general knowledge.

47. Mix & Mingle

If you have a really shy group, this is a great game. It is a variation on true false run and players to understand more about each other. There is power in numbers with this game.

7 Fun Icebreaker Games For Adults

When you're dealing with a more mature crowd, you've got to take their preferences into consideration. These time-tested ice breaker games for adults will be surefire winners at your next social soiree.

48. Lineup Game

Prompt all players to put themselves in order in a line based on qualities that everyone has that are not automatically apparent. For example, in alphabetical order by middle name, or by month of birth. Add some twists in, like a rule that players aren't allowed to speak.

49. 2-Minute Mixer

This is essentially like speed dating. Have all your players pair up while you keep the timer. Every one interacts for two minutes and when times up, everyone moves on to another partner until every pair possible has had their 2 minutes.

50. The perfect square

The group starts out with a rope. Everyone is blindfolded and they have to make a perfect square with the rope.

51. Conversation Starters

When you have a shy group, it can be difficult to get them to talk. With a few suggestions, they will be talking in no time.

52. Quirky Talent

You don't have to wait until the Christmas party to know what someone's quirky talent is.

53. Don’t Say that Word

Do you know how difficult it is to not say a word when you have been told not to say it? Nearly impossible!

54. Tic-Tac-Toe Trivia

With a mix of good old-fashioned tic-tac-toe and general knowledge, you're sure to have a great ice breaker game on your hands.

9 Quick Fun Icebreaker Games

There are lots of reasons why you might need quick icebreaker games - you could be placed in a class or workgroup, or you might even be meeting friends of friends for the first time. It's incredibly useful to have some amazing little icebreaker games up your sleeve as you never know when you might need them.

55. Alphabetic Introductions

This is a super quick game to help team members introduce themselves.

56. Animal Farm

A fun and fast icebreaker which helps to keep people on their toes.

57. Forehead Poker

This game, also known as Indian Poker, is an awesome way to get to know other people in the group.

58. Human Knot

A great hands-on icebreaker game which is perfect for teambuilding.

59. Arm Wrestle

Variations of arm wrestling can be great for icebreaking as they can help pairs work with each other instead of against each other.

60. Boppity Bop Bop Bop

This is a super fun game to play with kids as the rules are simple and easy to grasp.

61. Name Touch

Name Touch is one of the most useful games for learning new names, something that many of us aren't very good at.

62. The One Question

This kind of game is perfect for groups of adults, whether a social group or a workgroup.

63. Roll & Poll

Roll & Poll makes it easy to learn new things about each member of the group. All you need is dice and a question sheet for this quick fun icebreaker game.

15 Fun Icebreaker Games For Small Groups

Sometimes, small intimate groups demand their own set of unique icebreakers to get the party started. These icebreakers for small groups will give every member of your crowd a chance to smile and recall that we're all more similar than different.

64. Name Aerobics

Have everyone sitting in a circle. Each player says their first and last name while making four distinct hand or body gestures for each syllable of their name. For example, Delilah Kim: "De-Li-Lah Kim" has four syllables, so she would make four distinct gestures for each syllable. Everyone in the circle must mimic the gestures as many times as it takes for everyone to get the "choreography" flawlessly.

65. Crocodile Race

This game requires some space and agile players. Divide players into at least two teams of 4-10 players. Assign a leader to each team, who will stand in front, at the starting line. All other players should stand behind the leader. Everyone should crouch down and put their hands on the person in front of them's shoulders. The fastest team to hop or waddle across a designated finish line in a crouched position without letting go of each other's shoulders wins the game.

66. Human rock-paper-scissors

Designate full-body poses for rock, paper, and scissors respectively. For example, "rock" can be a person curled tightly into a ball. Proceed to play the game with full-body signals instead of hand signals.

67. Tug of Water War!

What do you get when you combine the losers of tug of war and a giant water fight? Tug of Water War, obviously!

68. Balloon Shuffle

Do you want your team to look really silly? Want to get everyone laughing? Then this one is for you!

69. Chaos

Shifty eyes. Unspoken words. And one person without a chair. All this combines to create complete chaos.

70. Monkey in the Middle

The aim of the game is to make people laugh. And boy does this one make people laugh.

71. Musical Boys and Girls

A variation of musical chairs, this game pits the boys against the girls in the most hilarious way.

72. Raining Balloons

What do you get when you combine a big bag of balloons and teams fighting to collect the most? You get raining balloons!

73. Remember Everything

Want a quick way for your group to get to know each other better. Then you might need to play remember everything.

74. Sitting Soccer

Even the seasoned soccer players will find this one difficult. But everyone will think it is hilarious!

75. What Are the Odds?

A hard one to explain but once your group gets the hang of it, this game is really difficult to stop playing!

76. Big Feed

Trying to feed someone with a normal spoon is one thing, but trying to feed them when the spoon is at the end of a long stick is quite another.

77. Duck Duck Splash

Like Duck Duck Goose? Love water games? Well, this game is the perfect game for you.

78. Just Dance Live

Want to bust out your best moves? Think you have what it takes to be the best dancer on your team? Try out Just Dance Live for size.

12 Fun Icebreaker games for large groups

When you're working with a big group of people you'll want to consider the space you have to move around, and how you get everyone up to speed and organized. These ice breakers for large groups take the intimidation factor of finding your tribe in a sea of many. They're sure to get everyone talking and milling about and feeling like a part of a whole.

79. Name Toss

You need a ball or a bean bag. Everyone sits in a circle. Each player says the name of another player as they toss the ball to that player. Continue until everyone has caught the ball.

80. Egg drop

You need supplies for this. Every single player gets a raw egg. Each player has to run around finding supplies to adequately package and pad their raw egg so that when everyone drops their egg out of a second or third story window, their egg does not break.

81. Sneaky Phrase Game

With code words and secrets, this game will make sure that your group is kept on their toes at all times!

82. The Bible Sells

If you need to teach a little about religion as well as get the individuals in your group to work together, this game is for you!

83. Zip Bong

With a little bit play-acting and a dollop of distraction from other players, this game is hilarious!

84. Collaborative Drawing

When you have a large group of people, you can be sure that some of them are artistic and others are not. This game is a great way of bringing all that together.

85. Defend the Egg

With creative problem solving, ingenuity and teamwork, this game can get super messy!

86. Electric Current Game

Combine trust and a fast-moving team and what do you get! The winners of the electric current game.

87. Bigger and Better

Want to know who in your group is the best seller? Trade-in your other ice breaker games for this one!

88. Great Wind Blows

A clever variation on musical chairs, this game is perfect for groups of teens or large groups that need to break the ice.

89. Newspaper Towers

This game is simple. Give a group lots of newspaper and ask them to make a tower and then see which groups tower is bigger.

90. Sardines

This hilarious game is great for groups of any age. Just make sure that you have a large area to play in.

Downloadable list of fun icebreaker games

Here is a downloadable and printable list of fun icebreaker games (right click the image and select Save Image As…): 

How To Pick The Best fun icebreaker games

Obviously, not all fun icebreaker games are for every occasion. Not all levels of intimacy are appropriate for every setting. So, we've put together a handy list of guidelines for wisely choosing the best fun icebreaker games for your unique situation.

1. Consider your preparation options and limitations

Some icebreaker games require some preparation. You may need to write things on cards, or blow up balloons. You may need specific tools that will need to be collected and stored at the end of the games.

2. Think about the environment and any physical limitations

Small rooms where people are packed in tightly are not going to encourage people to move around freely. Some people might be self-conscious about their bodies or athletic ability in a smaller space.

3. Different people are comfortable with different levels of intimacy

It definitely takes some intuition beforehand. If your icebreaker puts participants on the spot and asks them to share information about themselves they don't want to share, the game could have the opposite effect.

4. Identify the Desired Outcome

Every group get-together has a desired outcome. From trying to get people to work better together to giving people an opportunity to get to know each other better, there is an ice breaker game for each desired outcome. All you have to do is pick one!

5. Have fun!

This might seem like a silly step, but it is the most important. The main idea of an icebreaker game is to get people to loosen up and open up. And the best way to do this is to have lots of fun. So when you're picking an icebreaker game, make sure you pick one that is fun and enjoyable for your entire group.

More Awesome Ice Breaker Activities

We've got a lot more curated lists of fun questions to help you forge the relationships and connections you long for. These connection points are sure to enhance the camaraderie possible amongst any group.

  1. When you're playing truth or dare, you want some dares that are appropriate for the occasion while still pushing players slightly out of their comfort zones.
  2. When you're creating more intimate relationships via timeless favorites like truth or dare, your truth questions set the stage for what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
  3. Would you rather is a tamer game than truth or dare, and it narrows people's choices down to two options that encourage commitment. Check out our fun would you rather questions.

In Conclusion

Knowing lots of fun icebreaker games and having an endless supply of related questions and materials is mandatory for building a solid foundation for connection, friendship, and community among any group of people, no matter how big or small.

All fun icebreaker games are opportunities to build your communication skills and empathy. They might even go so far as to make people feel less lonely and more skilled at conflict resolution.