31 icebreaker games for students

Why use icebreakers in the classroom?

The first moments of any lesson, lecture or workshop can have a profound effect on how people participate later. In my experience working with kids in a creative writing workshop, the way I began the lesson and the activities I started with could either get students excited and engaged or conversely, create resistance I would spend the rest of the session having to work with.

Icebreakers like those we’ve collected here are a great way to help students mentally arrive in the lesson and get ready to learn. Student icebreaker games are an example of turning passive classrooms into a space for active learning which, as noted by Engageli, can improve participation and even test scores.

As a facilitator, I’ve also found these activities effective for getting a read on the energy in a room and tailoring my material or approach based on how people are feeling. Whether you’re using icebreakers that explicitly ask students to check-in or simply get folks talking, these can provide a wealth of information you can use when it comes to delivering the rest of your lesson.

In ongoing programs, these kinds of activities also have a positive effect on class dynamics. For example, fun icebreakers can help students let loose and make new friends at the beginning of a learning program and build bonds that will help them in class.

It’s worth noting that this works for people of all ages – connections with our peers is important to our sense of wellbeing and ability to engage, whether we’re talking about kids, middle school students or adult learners. Take the time to build those connections early and people will be well positioned to learn effectively.

If you’re curious to learn more, check out our guide on the role of facilitation in teaching.

Best icebreakers for students

You’ll find the icebreaker games below sorted into various sub-categories so you can find the right one based on your needs. Whether you just want fun icebreakers to get all the students in your class energized or you’re looking for something more thoughtful that will help you with classroom management, you’ll find something you can add to your next lesson with ease.

I’ve included a section of activities that work especially well with older students, though it’s my belief that almost any activity can work with classes of any age if they are tailored to the group and delivered thoughtfully by the teacher or facilitator.

For example, many of the icebreakers here provide opportunities to reflect that might be great for middle school students or college classes but you may wish to sidestep when working with younger learners. As with many elements of pedagogy, your own judgement and approach are as important as the methodology being used. Use the activities here as a guide, and let me know how you get on in the comments!

Physical icebreakers for students

Physical icebreakers are an excellent way to energize students, promote interaction, and create a positive learning environment. These activities are particularly useful at the beginning of a new school year, when introducing new students to a group, or before starting a collaborative project with the entire class.

By engaging students in light physical activities, you can help them feel more comfortable with their peers, reduce anxiety, and increase their willingness to participate in class discussions too.

Line-Up

Best for: Promoting non-verbal communication and teamwork, energizing groups
Time: 5-30 minutes
Materials: None
Participants: 10-40

Line-Up is a simple yet powerful activity that challenges participants to organize themselves in a line according to specific criteria – all without speaking a word. This exercise is a fantastic way to break the ice with a large group and get participants to engage with other students in a fun and approachable way.

The facilitator gives the group a task, such as lining up by height from tallest to shortest. The catch is that participants must complete this task without uttering a sound. Participants use gestures, facial expressions, and creative problem-solving to achieve their goal. As they master the basics, the facilitator can increase the challenge with more complex criteria like eye color, date of birth, or even distance from birthplace.

Simpler versions of Line-Up work well to warm up a new group or younger students, while more challenging variations push older students out of their comfort zones. For an extra twist, blindfolding participants takes the activity to a whole new level, requiring even more trust and teamwork.

Build-a-Shake

Best for: Building group closeness, fostering creativity, and introducing participants in a fun way
Time: 5-10 minutes
Materials: None
Participants: 4+

Build-a-Shake is a dynamic, fun activity that gets participants collaborating to create unique handshakes. Start by having two students pair up and create a two-step handshake. They practice it, then find new partners among the other students in the class and teach each other their handshakes. This process repeats, with participants continually meeting new people and expanding their handshakes. By the end, each pair has a six-step handshake to perform for the entire group.

Build-a-Shake not only helps participants get to know each other but also promotes teamwork, creativity, and non-verbal communication. As participants collaborate to create and remember increasingly complex handshakes, they naturally build rapport and break down social barriers. The final performances and voting for the most creative handshake add a touch of friendly competition and celebration to the experience.

Sound Ball

Best for: Energizing groups, increasing spontaneity and teamwork
Time: 10-30 minutes
Materials: None
Participants: 5-50

Sound Ball is an easy, energizing activity that gets participants moving, thinking on their feet, and working together in a playful way. The exercise teaches valuable lessons about teamwork and spontaneity while serving as a fun, energizing icebreaker.

Students stand in a circle and throw imaginary balls to each other, making unique sounds as they do. The first student to catch the ball must repeat the sound before making a new one and throwing the ball to someone else. As the game progresses, multiple imaginary balls are introduced, increasing the challenge and energy level.

By engaging participants in a fun, physical challenge that also exercises their creativity and listening skills, Sound Ball creates a positive atmosphere that carries through to subsequent activities.

Near and Far

Best for: Building connections, discussing group dynamics, energizing groups
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: None
Participants: 10-50

Near and Far is a playful activity that demonstrates how individual choices impact the whole system. It’s perfect for warming up a classroom, sparking discussions about how we relate to one another, and exploring network-building in a fun, physical way.

Students stand in a large circle and secretly choose two people – one to stay close to (their “near” person) and one to stay away from (their “far” person). When the activity starts, everyone moves around trying to stay near their chosen person while keeping away from their “far” person. The result is a constantly shifting, chaotic dance as people react to others’ movements.

Near and Far naturally creates interesting patterns and dynamics, providing rich material for discussion. With younger students, it can be useful to frame the activity as a game so that folks don’t take it personally if other students pick them to be the “far” person. In any case, be sure to debrief this game to explore themes like assumptions about others, and how small changes can have big impacts in complex systems.

The Group Map

Best for: Getting to know participants, exploring diversity, building connections
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Large open space
Participants: 5-15

The Group Map is a dynamic icebreaker that gets participants moving, sharing, and connecting through their geographical backgrounds. The activity helps groups discover shared experiences and unique perspectives, making it perfect for kicking off sessions with diverse groups, whether they’re from different regions within a country or from around the world.

Facilitators create an imaginary map in the room, designating North and other key directions. Students walk around the room and position themselves on this “map” based on where they grew up. Once everyone has found their spot, participants share a value or characteristic they gained from their hometown, along with a brief explanation of why it’s important to them.

The Group Map adapts for different contexts by changing the geographical scope (e.g., town, country, continent, or world) or the reflection question. It’s a great way to help participants get to know each other, finding common ground while also appreciating their differences.

Sync Claps

Best for: Generating focus and alignment in groups, improving non-verbal communication
Time: 5-30 minutes
Materials: None
Participants: 10-40

Sync Claps is a dynamic circle exercise that challenges participants to work together in synchronization. The activity serves as an excellent tool for warming up a group and helping them truly arrive in the lesson.

Start by having participants stand in a circle. One person starts by turning to their neighbor and clapping in sync with them. This clap then “travels” around the circle, with each pair trying to clap in perfect unison. As the group gets more comfortable, they try to speed up the clap while maintaining synchronization. For an added challenge, facilitators can introduce a “double clap” that changes the direction of the clap’s movement.

So long as you have room, Sync claps can work with a class of almost any size, and it can be a lovely moment to see a clap travel all the way around a circle of your peers before returning to you. I’d absolute recommend it!

Student icebreakers for checking-in

As educators, we know that creating a positive and engaging classroom environment is crucial for effective learning. One powerful tool in our toolbox is the use of check-in activities where students write or reflect on their current state before sharing with the group at the start of a lesson or after a break.

These quick, interactive activities serve multiple purposes: they help students transition into a learning mindset, help create connection points among classmates, and provide teachers with valuable insights into their students’ emotional states and readiness to learn.

Weather Check-In

Best for: Opening activities, self-awareness exercises, team building
Time: 5-10 minutes
Materials: None

The Weather Check-In is a creative and engaging icebreaker that quickly gauges the emotional temperature of a classroom.

Here’s how it works: Ask each student to share how they’re feeling using weather imagery. For example, one might say, “I feel like I’m in the eye of a tornado, with things swirling around me though I’m calm,” while another might share, “I feel like I’m walking through a sunny field with spring petals drifting down all around me.” This metaphorical approach allows students to articulate complex emotions in a relatable and often poetic way. To switch things up, you might encourage students to draw a visual representation of the weather that they’re feeling.

The Weather Check-In also serves as a great tool for building empathy and understanding among classmates. For an added layer of reflection, teachers can revisit the activity at the end of a session to see how the classroom “climate” has changed.

Object Meditation

Best for: Opening activities, self-awareness exercises, emotional check-ins
Time: 5-10 minutes
Materials: Small objects (one per participant)

Object Meditation is a mindfulness technique that helps participants become present, aware, and emotionally balanced at the start of a session. This icebreaker exercise uses everyday objects as anchors for reflection and emotional regulation.

Here’s how it works: Ask each participant to choose a small object from their surroundings – it could be a pen, a mug, or even a piece of fruit. Guide them through a brief meditation, focusing their attention on the object while prompting them to check in with their physical, mental, and emotional states. Invite them to “transfer” any distracting thoughts or unwanted feelings into the object, leaving them free to engage fully in the upcoming session.

I particularly like using this activity with older kids who may be more able to discuss their feelings and be more engaged with mindfulness as a concept. In any case, it’s a valuable tool for self-awareness and emotional intelligence that the whole class carry beyond the session too.

Rollercoaster Check-In

Best for: Opening activities, self-awareness exercises, team building
Time: 5-60 minutes
Materials: Flipchart/whiteboard, markers

The Rollercoaster Check-In is a playful and visual method that creates a shared picture of a classes’ emotional landscape.

Start this icebreaker by drawing a wavy line across a flipchart or whiteboard that resembles a basic rollercoaster with loops, steep sections, and shallow parts. Then, invite participants to place themselves on different points of the rollercoaster, explaining their current emotional state. One student might put themselves at the top of a loop, feeling excited and energized, while another might be at the bottom of a dip, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

By using the metaphor of a rollercoaster, the Rollercoaster Check-In supports participants to think carefully about their feelings, often leading to more nuanced and honest sharing. It can really cultivate a sense of togetherness and help students who might have difficulty sharing their feelings join in.

Forced Analogy

Best for: Creative thinking, team building, gaining new perspectives
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials: Random objects or descriptions of objects

Forced Analogy is an improv technique that challenges participants to draw unexpected connections between random objects and the topic at hand, sparking creativity and bringing forth new perspectives.

First, have everyone find or imagine a random object. You can do this by asking participants to quickly grab something nearby (“Find something blue in 5 seconds, go!”) or by providing a list of random items. Then, pose a question like “How is your object like you/the lesson/the class?” Participants then share their analogies, explaining how their item relates to the topic.

By pushing people to make unexpected connections, Forced Analogy can help students think creatively and express themselves in a safe, fun way.

Emoji Check-In

Best for: Quick emotional assessments, digital engagement, non-verbal communication
Time: 2-10 minutes
Materials: Digital platform with emoji reactions or printed emoji cards

The Emoji Check-In is a modern twist on the classic mood meter that speaks students’ language. This quick, visual activity allows participants to express their current emotional state using the language of emojis.

Here’s how it works: At the start of a class or session, ask students to choose an emoji that best represents how they’re feeling at that moment. If teaching online, most video conferencing platforms have built-in reaction features to use. For in-person classes, consider printing out a set of emoji cards for students to hold up or ask them to draw the emoji of their choice.

Once everyone has selected their emoji, invite volunteers to share why they chose that particular one. This opens up opportunities for deeper discussions about emotions and experiences while also helping you get a read on how everyone in the group is doing.

Rose, Thorn, Bud

Best for: Reflection, sharing experiences, creating positive action
Time: 5-15 minutes
Materials: None (optional: paper and pens for writing)

Rose, Thorn, Bud is a versatile icebreaker that encourages reflection, gratitude, and forward-thinking all in one go. This activity provides an effective and memorable way to check in with students that covers the good, the bad, and what they’re looking forward to.

Ask each student to share three things about their day, week, or a specific project:

• A Rose: Something positive or successful
• A Thorn: A challenge or difficulty they’ve faced
• A Bud: An area of opportunity or something they’re looking forward to

For example, a student might say, “My rose is acing my math test, my thorn is struggling with a group project, and my bud is looking forward to the upcoming school play auditions.”

By using the Rose, Thorn, Bud framework, teachers create a structured way for students to process their experiences, celebrate successes, address challenges, and look to the future. In my experience, this kind of thinking can really stick and as such, it can help learners share how they’re feeling and approach challenges productively throughout a course.

Classroom speaking activities to help break the ice

Classroom speaking icebreakers are an effective way to create a lively, interactive learning environment. These activities not only help students overcome their initial shyness but also foster a sense of community and encourage active participation.

In this section, we’ll explore a variety of engaging activities designed to improve student confidence and get everyone talking. From quick warm-ups to more in-depth exercises, these icebreakers will help create a positive atmosphere where every student feels comfortable expressing themselves.

I’ll often use this kind of icebreaker as a warm-up for some of the techniques from our collection of active learning strategies. They’re a great way to get students used to the idea of speaking up and set the stage for open conversations.

One Word Method

Best for: Stimulating creativity, building group bonding, warming up participants
Time: 2-10 minutes
Materials: None

One Word Method is an easy-to-run activity where participants collaboratively create a sentence, with each person contributing just one word at a time. I’ve found it especially effective with younger kids, who tend to ask if we can play again and again.

To run the One Word Method, choose a topic or prompt focus on. One student (or the teacher) starts by saying a single word related to that topic. The next person adds another word, building on the previous one. This continues around the group, with each participant adding one word at a time until a full sentence is formed. For example, if the topic is “What to eat,” the sentence might unfold like this: “My / stomach / wants / food / but / not / any / food / it / wants / chocolate.”

The One Word Method encourages quick thinking, active listening, and often results in unexpected and humorous outcomes. If you have a massive class, demonstrate before breaking students into small groups and challenge them to create a grammatically correct sentence relating to the topic of your lesson.

Whose Story Is It?

Best for: Team bonding, creative storytelling, fostering personal connections
Time: 15-30 minutes
Materials: Paper, pens, hat or container for collecting stories

Whose Story Is It? is a fun and engaging icebreaker that encourages storytelling while helping the whole class learn surprising facts about each other.

Start Whose Story Is It? by having each student anonymously write a short, true story or fact about themselves on a piece of paper. The facilitator collects and reads out the stories one by one. The group then takes turns guessing which person each story belongs to. Once a few guesses have been made, the real storyteller reveals themselves and shares more details about their experience.

This is a great activity for the first week back from holiday or when bringing a new class together – you can even simplify this activity by using different themes, such as having students write down their favourite movie and why.

Common and Unique

Best for: Team bonding, fostering connections, celebrating diversity
Time: 20-30 minutes
Materials: Paper and pens for each group

Common and Unique is an engaging icebreaker that encourages your class to discover shared experiences while celebrating their individual uniqueness.

To implement Common and Unique, divide the class into groups of 4-5 students. Give each group two sheets of paper and pens. In the first round, groups compile a list of things they all have in common, digging deeper than surface-level observations. After about 5 minutes, have a spokesperson from each group share their list. For the second round, groups identify at least two unique characteristics for each member – things that apply to only one person in the group. Groups can then share these unique elements, either by having each person reveal one of their own or by turning it into a guessing game.

By balancing unity and individuality, Common and Unique is a great way to help students make new friends while creating a classroom atmosphere where students feel both part of a whole and valued for their unique qualities.

Happiness Exercise

Best for: Team bonding, icebreaking, fostering positive connections
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: None

The Happiness Exercise is a delightful icebreaker that applies the principles of Appreciative Inquiry to create positivity and build interpersonal relationships.

Start by asking participants to share stories about times when they were happy, as well as moments when they made someone else happy. The key is for students to listen attentively to the first person speaking before they also share.

The Happiness Exercise has a simple and universal appeal. Students often find that choosing which happy experience to share is the hardest part – a wonderful problem to have! The Happiness Exercise not only helps break the ice with a positive atmosphere, but it also reinforces the idea that making others happy is a great way to boost one’s own happiness.

Diversity Bingo

Best for: Icebreaking, team bonding, celebrating diversity
Time: 15-30 minutes
Materials: Bingo cards with diverse statements, pens

Diversity Bingo is a lively icebreaker that encourages students to mingle, share a few things about themselves, and discover the rich diversity within the group.

Start by creating a bingo card filled with diverse statements or questions that apply to various members of your class. Hand out the cards and instruct participants to mingle, introducing themselves and finding others who match the statements on their card. When they find a match, that person signs the corresponding square. To encourage more interaction, limit the number of squares any one person can sign per card.

Diversity Bingo is highly flexible – teachers can tailor the bingo card statements to align with class objectives or focus on specific themes. Diversity Bingo not only helps students learn about each other but also celebrates the diversity within the group, creating a more inclusive classroom environment and creating bonds that can persist through the school year ahead.

Count Up

Best for: Generating calm and focused collective energy, team bonding, improving group awareness
Time: 5-30 minutes
Materials: None

Count Up is a deceptively simple activity that challenges participants to count up to a specific number as a group, with each person saying one number at a time – but if two people speak simultaneously, even for a split second, the count starts over from one.

Count Up requires a group to concentrate and be aware of others and as such, it can help create a sense of collective calm that is great if you want to bring the classroom down a notch after a high energy lesson or break. The shared focus of this activity can be incredibly powerful, creating a unified team energy that lingers long after the exercise ends.

While Count Up is excellent for in-person sessions, it can also be adapted for online environments. In virtual settings, keep cameras on but instruct participants to only unmute when speaking their number. This adds an extra visual element to help with timing but maintains the core challenge of the exercise.

Everyone is a Liar (Two Truths and One Lie)

Best for: Learning names, sharing personal information, breaking the ice
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials: None

“Everyone is a Liar,” also known as “Two Truths and One Lie,” is a fun and engaging way to help students get to know each other while encouraging active listening and curiosity. In this activity, each participant comes up with three statements about themselves—two that are true and one that is a lie. The challenge for the rest of the group is to figure out which statement is false.

Two truths and a lie usually begins with the facilitator demonstrating how it works by sharing their own three statements. The group can ask follow-up questions to gather more details before voting on which one they believe is the lie. Once revealed, the process continues with each participant taking a turn, either in small groups or as a whole class.

Try using this activity during the first week of term to help facilitate the process of students getting to know one another and seed the potential for deeper connections. A wonderful alternative that you use to inject moments of levity throughout lessons is Just One Lie, where participants mingle and then later introduce one another and facts they’ve learned about them at various intervals during the session.

High energy student icebreakers

Are your students struggling to engage with each other or the lesson material after lunch? High-energy icebreaker activities are the perfect solution to kickstart your students’ enthusiasm and create a dynamic learning environment.

These interactive activities not only help break down social barriers but also boost participation, encourage teamwork, and set a positive tone for the rest of your lesson. I’ve found they can be particularly effective as a preamble to collaborative projects where you want everyone to participant and to build excitement for what’s coming next.

A word of warning: high-energy can be noisy and loud, so make sure you are in a space where you are not disturbing other classrooms or just other people, and that you have a clear way to bring silence back (such as clapping or ringing a bell).

Giants, Wizards, Elves

Best for: Energizing large groups, breaking the ice, encouraging physical activity
Time: 15-30 minutes
Materials: None (just open space)

Giants, Wizards, Elves is a fast-paced icebreaker that gets students moving and laughing. This lively game combines elements of rock-paper-scissors with a dash of tag, creating an engaging activity that boosts energy levels and team spirit too.

To play Giants, Wizards, Elves, split your group into two teams and designate a center line and two safety zones. Teams huddle to choose one of three characters – Giants (hands up high), Wizards (fingers wiggling), or Elves (hands on ears). On the count of three, teams face off and act out their chosen character. Giants beat Elves, Elves beat Wizards, and Wizards beat Giants.

The winning team chases the losing team, trying to tag as many people from the other group as possible before they reach their safety zone. Tagged players join the winning team, and the game continues until one team absorbs the other.

Giants, Wizards, Elves excels at getting students out of their seats and interacting with each other. The game encourages quick thinking, teamwork, and a bit of strategy too.

Human Machine

Best for: Energizing groups, promoting collaboration, breaking the ice
Time: 5-30 minutes
Materials: None (just open space)

Human Machine is a fast-paced, physical activity that transforms your group into a living, breathing “machine,” engaging everyone and preparing them for the next challenge.

To create a Human Machine, gather your students in a large circle and explain that they’ll be building a human machine together. One by one, participants step into the circle, each adding a unique repeating sound and movement. For example, the first person might say “whoop whoop whoop” while flapping their arm. The next person connects to them physically, adding their own sound and motion. This process continues until everyone is part of the machine, creating a symphony of sounds and movements working in unison.

Human Machine excels at getting students out of their comfort zones in a fun, low-pressure way. The silliness factor is quite high, but it’s a great Trojan horse for introducing a collaborative mindset to learners.

Snowball

Best for: Energizing groups, promoting teambuilding, sharing information playfully
Time: 20-40 minutes
Materials: Paper, pens

Snowball is a playful activity that creates a lively, active atmosphere by asking participants to throw paper snowballs and respond to what’s written on them.

To play Snowball, give each student a sheet of paper and have them write answers to five questions about themselves (without their names). Once everyone is finished writing, have everyone crumple their papers into “snowballs” and engage in a playful snowball fight. Only lead this with groups you can trust with keeping it civil!

After the fun, each person picks up a snowball, un-crumples it, and tries to find its owner by asking questions based on the written answers. Once pairs are formed, participants introduce their new “snowball buddy” to the group, sharing what they learned.

Snowball is an incredibly flexible game. You can also ask participants to write questions on their snowballs and have the person who receives it to provide an answer. This is a great way to debrief learnings from a lesson or check knowledge levels among your class.

Excited

Best for: Energizing groups, exploring motivation, team building
Time: 3-5 minutes
Materials: Letter cards spelling “EXCITED”

Excited is a quick, high-energy activity that not only energizes your group but also helps them explore what makes a task motivating and how it feels to work together successfully.

To run the Excited exercise, select seven volunteers to stand in a line facing the group. Give each person a letter card that, when arranged correctly, spells “EXCITED.” The rest of the group then calls out directions to rearrange the letter holders until they spell the word correctly. Once solved, lead a round of applause for the entire group.

The brief, unexpected nature of the task, combined with the intellectual challenge and playful chaos, makes Excited a highly engaging game. I’d recommend following with a quick debrief to explore how it felt to participate and what lead to eventual success. The resulting discussion can help students consider how to apply these motivational elements to everyday activities and how they might be more involved in their own learning too.

Zip Zap Zop

Best for: Energizing groups, improving listening skills, building team cohesion
Time: 5-10 minutes
Materials: None

Zip Zap Zop is a fast-paced improv game that sharpens listening skills while injecting a burst of energy into any setting.

To play Zip Zap Zop, have your students stand in a circle. One person starts by making eye contact with someone else, clapping their hands, and saying “Zip!” That person then makes eye contact with a new person, claps, and says “Zap!” The third person continues the pattern with “Zop!” The game continues with this “Zip, Zap, Zop” pattern, requiring players to stay alert and respond quickly.

Zip Zap Zop encourages students to be present in the moment, a skill that’s invaluable for learning. For an extra challenge, try the “Pyramid” variation of Zip Zap Zop: start with one round of Zip-Zap-Zop, then two rounds, then three, before working your way back down. This version adds a mental challenge that’s perfect for older students or those who need an extra brain boost.

Follow the Follower

Best for: Energizing groups, building team connection, encouraging creativity
Time: 5-20 minutes
Materials: None (just open space or Zoom for virtual sessions)

Follow the Follower (also known as Mirrors) is a versatile exercise that works brilliantly for both in-person and virtual sessions.

To play, one person starts as the leader, making simple movements that everyone else copies. After about 15 seconds, they pass the leadership to someone else by calling out their name. The new leader acknowledges with a “Thank you [previous leader’s name]” and takes over. As this activity progresses, it often evolves into a “follow the follower” scenario, where no single person is clearly leading – and that’s where the real fun begins.

Follow the Follower is effective for warming up a group, transitioning between topics, or injecting some energy into a long session. For virtual sessions of Follow the Follower, ensure everyone is in gallery view on Zoom and encourage them to creatively use the screen space available for best results. You can even add music by sharing your computer sound for a virtual dance party.

Icebreaker activities for older students

In my experience, every group has different needs, expectations and levels of comfort. The best activities are often those that find the right balance between satisfying those norms while gently introducing something new or unexpected to this mix. Stretching the comfort zone, in other words, without tipping anyone into “panic” mode.

While all of the activities in this blog post can work well with older groups, the methods below are especially good with older students and participants who often have the ability to think more critically and who may wish to express themselves more deeply during an icebreaker.

Powerpoint Karaoke

Best for: Improving communication skills, building confidence, and team bonding
Time: 45-60 minutes
Materials: Pre-prepared slide decks, projector or screen sharing software

Powerpoint Karaoke challenges participants to think on their feet and present with confidence. Volunteers take turns presenting slide decks they’ve never seen before to a live audience. The slides are typically random and unrelated, forcing presenters to improvise and create coherent narratives on the spot. This exercise builds presentation skills while encouraging quick thinking, creativity, and the ability to handle unexpected situations with grace.

To run Powerpoint Karaoke, facilitators need several slide decks with 8-10 random slides each. Volunteers present one at a time, with the audience voting on the best performance at the end. The combination of humor, challenge, and supportive atmosphere makes Powerpoint Karaoke an excellent icebreaker or team-building activity for older students or professionals.

For ongoing courses, I like having slides which vaguely correspond to learning material from the previous of forthcoming session, creating a nice through-line between sessions. While you can spend as long as you like on this game, you can also ask just a few of students to go at a time and make this a fast icebreaker if you wish.

Non-verbal improv

Best for: Energizing groups, improving non-verbal communication skills, encouraging creativity
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: List of phrases or prompts (optional)

Non-verbal improv challenges participants to communicate ideas without using words. Participants are divided into pairs or small groups. One person is given a phrase or concept to act out, while the others try to guess what it is. The catch? No speaking allowed! Players must rely entirely on gestures, facial expressions, and body language to convey their message.

Non-verbal improv gets students moving and laughing while encouraging creative thinking and problem-solving. The activity is particularly effective for breaking the ice in new groups or as a warm-up before diving into more serious topics about communication or as a preamble to deeper collaborative projects. It practically guarantees student presence and by debriefing in small groups or as a whole class, it’s a great opportunity for considered discussions on how we communicate.

Yes, and Picnic

Best for: Improving active listening, building on ideas, and fostering collaboration
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: None

The Yes, and Picnic activity encourages participants to actively listen and build on each other’s ideas. Students sit in pairs and engage in four short conversations planning an imaginary event, like a picnic or road trip. Each round introduces a new way of responding:

1. “No…” (shutting down ideas)
2. “Yes, but…” (acknowledging, then contradicting)
3. “Yes, and…” (accepting and building)
4. “Yes, what I like about that is… and…” (appreciating specifics and expanding)

As pairs progress through the rounds, they experience firsthand how different response styles impact collaboration and creativity. The final round drives home the power of active listening and enthusiastic co-creation.

Yes, and Picnic works well both in-person and online, making it a versatile tool for improving communication skills and helping students think about the way they collaborate and relate to one another.

Just the facts

Best for: Breaking the ice, energizing groups, encouraging quick thinking
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials: None

Just the facts is a fast-paced, engaging icebreaker that challenges participants to think on their feet and stick to the facts – no opinions allowed. Start by having students sit in a circle before introducing a topic relevant to the class or training session. Going around the circle, each person must quickly state a fact about the topic. The catch? No repeating facts, and no opinions or unproven theories.

Just the facts becomes increasingly challenging as obvious facts are used up. If someone says something that might not be a fact, other participants can challenge by calling out “Just the facts!” The group then votes on whether it’s truly a fact or not. Each time the group allows a non-fact, they lose a point. The game ends when the group loses as many points as there are participants.

Just the facts energizes the room while encouraging critical thinking and helping participants focus on concrete information – it’s a great way to set the tone for future engagement and to gauge levels of knowledge in the room too.

The Feeling Wheel

Best for: Improving emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and team building
Time: 5-15 minutes
Materials: Feeling Wheel image, stickers or post-it notes

The Feeling Wheel helps participants develop a richer emotional vocabulary. Using Robert Plutchik’s Feeling Wheel, participants identify and articulate their emotions with greater precision, leading to improved self-awareness and better understanding of others.

The facilitator introduces the activity, emphasizing that all emotions are valid and important. Participants examine the Feeling Wheel and use a sticker or post-it to mark the emotion that best describes their current state. If comfortable, each person shares their chosen emotion and explains why they feel that way. They can also explore related emotions on the wheel and consider the “root emotion” at the center.

The Feeling Wheel helps individuals check in with themselves while fostering empathy and connection within the group. Facilitators can adapt the Feeling Wheel for various scenarios, such as exploring hypothetical situations or tracking emotions over time. The Feeling Wheel serves as an engaging and insightful tool for breaking the ice, building team cohesion, or encouraging emotional reflection in any group setting.

3 Question Mingle

Best for: Encouraging introductions, fostering curiosity, building connections
Time: 30-60 minutes
Materials: Post-it notes, pens

3 Question Mingle is a fun and interactive icebreaker that gets students talking, connecting, and learning about each other in a natural way. Instead of answering generic questions, participants create their own, making the activity a great way for students to ask what is important to them.

Each participant starts by writing down three open-ended questions they’d love to ask someone new—these could be about interests, experiences, or fun hypotheticals. With questions in hand, they begin mingling, pairing up for quick one-on-one conversations where they ask a question and listen to the response. After each exchange, they swap questions, meaning each person now has a new question to ask in their next conversation.

This simple format keeps interactions dynamic while encouraging deeper engagement. By the end, participants will have met multiple people, discovered interesting insights, and built a sense of connection—all without the awkwardness of forced introductions.

Final thoughts on student icebreakers

The start of any learning journey can fundamentally shape how we engage with the material and take ownership of our learning. But it’s not always easy to get every student to be present and arrive in the session ready to learn.

Using these icebreaker activities to warm-up your group and encourage participation can make the difference between a lesson being a joy or a struggle to teach. Choose an activity that helps set-up the lesson ahead and gets your students talking productively around your topic and you can ensure learnings stick and that they effectively leave behind what came before.

Want to go further? Check out these resources to help improve your practice and deliver better learning experiences.

• An ideal learning experience often begins with a well-structured agenda. Check out our posts on how to design a training session plan or how to plan a workshop for tips and best practices on agenda design.
• Looking for more inspiring activities? Our collection of the best icebreaker games has even more facilitated tested techniques you can bring to your classroom.
• If you’re leading virtual classes, this bespoke list of virtual icebreakers can help you find something that will work in that setting.

We hope these activities provide an easy-to-implement boost to your lesson planning. Is there something missing? Do you have an effective student icebreaker that you’d like to add? Let us know in the comments below, or join the discussion in our friendly community!

James Smart Head of Content

James Smart is Head of Content at SessionLab. He’s also a creative facilitator who has run workshops and designed courses for establishments like the National Centre for Writing, UK. He especially enjoys working with young people and empowering others in their creative practice.