presentation warm up questions

50+ Fun Icebreakers For Your Next Presentation

If you’re looking for the perfect icebreaker to open your presentation and connect with your audience from the get-go, look no further! With the help of our presentation experts here at 24Slides, we have compiled the ultimate list of icebreakers you can use in your next presentation, meeting, or conference.

We’ll also go through some quick icebreakers 101, solving questions like:

What is an icebreaker?

Why should I start my presentation with an icebreaker?
What makes a good icebreaker for presentations?

And, of course, you’ll get our compilation of over 50 icebreaker examples for your next presentation. Since there’s no one-size-fits-all, we’ve divided our presentation ice breakers into categories depending on the context of your presentation, so you can go straight to the ones that will work the best for you!

In this article, you’ll find:

Icebreakers for one-on-one presentations

Icebreakers for small group presentations (2-10 people), icebreakers for medium group presentations (11-30 people), icebreakers for large groups (31+ people), icebreakers for business and sales presentations, icebreaker ideas for training sessions and workshops.

Virtual presentations icebreakers
Fun icebreaker examples for playful presentations
Great simple icebreaker questions

So, are you ready to become an expert in using icebreakers in your presentations?

Imagine you’re in a room with a bunch of people where you know only a few of them or even none at all. You’d probably start feeling awkward and self-conscious, uncertain to interact with those around you. When you’re uncomfortable, your attention will probably be divided between wanting to listen to the speaker and making sure your elbows don’t touch your unknown neighbor.

And, if you’re the speaker, you might feel pretty awkward too. Speaking in front of an audience is never easy, and you might wonder how to approach your presentation’s topic, especially if it’s dense or very important.

An icebreaker is precisely what its name suggests: it breaks the ‘ice’ of uncomfortableness between you and everyone else around you. Icebreakers are usually short activities meant to help your audience to connect first as people before approaching your presentation’s topic - making your audience more relaxed and likely to hear out your ideas.

Icebreakers can take many forms and shapes, from simple questions to engaging games. They can require people to talk with each other, answer a poll, or even move around the room. Anything that will make your attendees open up could be an icebreaker as long as it makes people feel more at ease!

Benefits of icebreakers

The main objective of using an icebreaker in a presentation is to help people get more comfortable and avoid the common awkwardness when first speaking to a new audience.

Icebreakers can accomplish many things - presenting yourself, getting people more at ease, and even as an introduction to your presentation’s topic. But they also offer a wide array of side benefits, like getting people more involved with your presentation and making it more memorable.

If you’re thinking to yourself, ‘Why should I add an icebreaker to my presentation? I’m just fine without one!’ here are 6 of the top benefits of using an icebreaker in your next meeting.

It breaks down the awkwardness

For people who aren’t 100% an extrovert, presentations and meetings are likely to create a certain degree of awkwardness. And having a room full of people who feel uncomfortable around each other can be detrimental to your presentation. Icebreakers help lessen this feeling in your presentation – making people relax and be more at ease so they can put all their energy into listening.

Icebreakers help people relax and have fun

When people relax, they’re more likely to entertain new ideas. An icebreaker may be the turning point to make them feel more receptive to what you’re going to say. It also opens up more possibilities for inviting your audience to participate and ask questions. Icebreakers are a great way to make them feel welcomed and more likely to volunteer or join whatever activity you’ve prepared for them onstage.

Help you connect with your audience

A presentation where the speaker starts right away can feel a little jarring. Icebreakers are the perfect way to introduce yourself and your topic without throwing your audience headfirst into the presentation. A good icebreaker can help you connect better with your audience – making them, in turn, more likely to hear you out!

Gives your audience an energy boost

Some presentations can feel like they take forever. When you’ve been sitting down for what seems like hours, you might feel yourself starting to nod off. An icebreaker doesn’t necessarily happen just at the start of the presentation. It can be a great way to wake up your audience after a quick break and bring them back to the topic at hand.

Gives a chance to network with others

The right icebreaker can get your audience talking and help them find things in common. After all, your audience is all in the same meeting for a reason! By giving them the opportunity to interact with one another, you are also giving them the extra value of finding people who can work with them in the future.

And, of course, icebreakers are great ways to get the ball rolling, so by giving your audience a chance to talk with one another, you might also get more interesting and unique takes on questions and ideas later on.

Creates a positive atmosphere

A positive atmosphere is created when people lower their barriers and defense mechanisms, making it more conducive to learning. A negative atmosphere, on the other hand, is felt when people don’t feel at ease and give their neighbors the cold shoulder. ‘Breaking the ice’ needs to get done as soon as possible!

5 Practical Tips for a Good Icebreaker

What makes a good icebreaker? This is a tricky question to ask. Many icebreakers that work in certain situations will not work in others, as their use depends on context.

Here are key factors to consider when planning your next presentation’s icebreaker:

Know your audience

Take the time to research your audience. The most important thing when planning your presentation’s icebreaker is to remind that you want your audience to feel less awkward — not more.

Taking your time to learn about the people in front of you is the easiest way to avoid doing or saying something that could potentially offend your audience. Even if you do it unintentionally, the damage will still be done.

Identify your presentation objective

The right icebreaker will help you achieve your presentation objective, so take some extra time to think about it. For example, if you’re giving a presentation on cooperation and teamwork, you can do a game where your audience needs to rely on one another. Or conduct a poll to ask your audience how confident they are in their teamwork skills.

Making your icebreaker closely relate to your presentation’s topic will not only open up your audience but also allow you to transition smoothly to the rest of your presentation.

Involve everyone

The icebreaker should be inclusive, meaning it shouldn’t exclude anyone from joining. For instance, if you have a disabled person in the crowd, then you wouldn’t want him or her to feel awkward for not being able to join.

Have a backup icebreaker just in case the first one excludes someone. The point is that fun icebreakers should make everyone feel more at ease — and not at the expense of the outliers of the crowd.

Make sure you understand the context

To pick the right icebreaker for your presentation, you must know the overall setting in which it will take place. A presentation to the board of directors where you need to explain where the sales have been going down is probably not the best place to use a joke as an icebreaker. Or, if you’re giving a quick 15-minute presentation, you might not want to begin with a game that will take at least 10 of them.

Taking into consideration general setting cues like time frame, space and resources availability, and presentation tone, will help you pick the perfect icebreaker.

The Ultimate Presentation Icebreakers List

Here you’ll find the perfect icebreaker for your presentation. Since not every icebreaker will work on every situation, here you’ll find them divided into several categories:

Icebreakers depending on your audience size
Icebreakers depending on your presentation’s tone and context
Quick and easy questions to break the ice

Do feel free to browse through the entire list: most icebreakers will be easy to adapt to fit your specific needs and your presentation!

Presentation Icebreakers for Every Audience Size

While in a small crowd, you might be able to ask person by person their input, this will most likely not be the case in large groups. On the flip side, a game that needs the audience to divide into teams might be a good pick for a medium-sized crowd, but not a one-on-one presentation.

Among the many options of icebreaker options all over the web, we’ve compiled and edited a list of which ones will work the best for each audience size:

Introduce yourself. Unless you already know each other, introducing yourself is the easiest way to look proactive and get your presentation going. After all, it’s in your best interest for your prospect to warm up to you before your pitch or presentation!
Have a conversation . Don’t go straight to your topic. Always warm up your prospects and engage them in conversation first. Try to ask open-ended (instead of just ‘yes’ or ‘no’) questions. You can tackle topics like current events, or even just the weather! Just talking in a more casual way will make the person feel more at ease and more likely to give you their undivided attention.
Ask them about their personal life. If it’s someone you already know, build rapport by showing you care about them. You can ask about their kids, vacations, or even their favorite sports team. Remembering what they care about can be a huge plus when building a better atmosphere!
Let them tell you what they expect from your presentation. It’s the easiest way to make sure you live up to your expectations! It also allows you to introduce the topics of your presentation seamlessly. Even better, you’ll feel and look more confident and under control by taking charge of the presentation’s rhythm and agenda.
Ask something related to your presentation topic. Ask them if they know anything about your company, product, competitors, or something to that effect. It’s not only a great way to start your presentation without spending too much time on what they already know, but it’ll also help you gauge their knowledge so you can decide how in-depth you need to get in your presentation.
Give them a small present just for showing up. Especially if the meeting is not an obligation for them, being appreciative if they show up can go a long way. After all, they’re investing their time and energy into you!
Compliment them. It’s always nice to get compliments. But don’t overdo it, and always, always be genuine. If your prospect feels like you’re using flattery to get the sale, then it can seriously backfire on you later on. You’ll lose face and credibility.
Introductions but with a twist. Ask everyone to introduce themselves and state something unusual or a fun fact about them. Towards the end of the presentation, ask them if they remember anything other people said during the introduction. If they get something right, reward them.
Ask people to line up alphabetically . You can do this with their first names or last names. Or even their nicknames. This gets people talking and getting to know each other’s names.
Charades . This is one of the best fun icebreakers on this list. It’s a party favorite but can also be used in presentations, meetings, and conferences. You probably already know how this works, but if not, here’s a funny charades video on Jimmy Fallon’s show.

String a story together . Storytelling is a powerful element in presentations. But for this icebreaker, you’ll need everyone’s help to create a story. Start the first sentence yourself and then ask the first person in front of you to continue the story. Each person gets to decide the direction the story takes, one sentence at a time.
Play word games . There are many different kinds of word games. But this is something you may find useful. Identify the subject or category the words should belong to, like animals or food. If the first person chooses ‘DOG,’ the next person must identify an animal that starts with the last letter of the previous word. In this case, it would be something that starts with the letter G, like GOAT.
One word to describe him or herself . Give your audience one minute to think about the perfect word that describes them. And let the others assess if they agree with that word or not.
Social media icebreaker . Let people open up their favorite social media accounts and then share a photo they’re most proud of. Ask them to share a line or two about why they love that photo.
Switcheroo. Ask everyone to stand up and switch seats with the people in front of them. Do this when you notice people are starting to get drowsy and need some stimulation.
Human bingo. This is a fun way to get to know people. Prepare the cards and the pen/pencil. The cards should already be filled out with various traits, characteristics, hobbies, etc. Then, your participants will need to go around and interview each person and check off a box that applies to them. The person who completes their card first gets a prize.
Friendly debate. Group your participants into two. One should be the ‘pro’ group and the other is the ‘anti’ group. For instance, you can choose pizza lovers and pizza haters. Give them a few minutes to present their arguments and let the great debate begin!
Two truths, one lie. Just like the title says, make your participants come up with 3 things about themselves, in which one of them is false. Then, in groups or pairs, the others would have to try and guess which one is the lie. It’s a great icebreaker to make your audience interact more with one another.
Guess game. Just like the last one, it’s easier to make participants interact with one another through a game. Make everyone write on a piece of paper something fun, like an unlikely hobby or the oddest job they ever had. Your audience must try to guess who wrote which one. It’s not only a fun icebreaker, but it also helps people find out the things they have in common.
Going to the beach. It’s an easy game, but a fun one! Each person will start by saying ‘I went to the beach and I took…’ plus an object, like a beachball, a towel, or a surfboard. Then, the next person must repeat the same sentence and add a new object to the list. The more people, the more the list will grow, and the first person who forgets an item loses! It’s also a good icebreaker for making attendees learn each other’s names by adding who brought what to part of the list they need to repeat.
Paper planes. Make your audience write something about themselves on a piece of paper, and then instruct them to make a paper plane out of it and throw it! When they pick up a new paper plane, their goal will be to find the correct person. It’s the perfect icebreaker to get people moving and getting to know each other!
Stretch. This one’s easy and straight to the point, but it does help break the boredom. Ask people to stand up and stretch for a few minutes. You can lead the exercise or play a short video on stage. After this short exercise, you can expect to see a bunch of awake and attentive faces.
Treasure hunting. Hide a few prized items throughout the venue and send your participants on a treasure hunt. It’s always exciting to look out for a prize! Even better, by making them solve clues, you’d encourage your audience to work on their teamwork skills.
Stress buster. Hand small slips of paper to everyone and ask them to write down the things that are causing them stress lately. Then, during or after the presentation, ask them to rip it to shreds.
Snowball fight. Divide your group into two sides, and give each person 3 pieces of paper to crumple. Give them 1 or 2 minutes to try to get as many ‘snowballs’ into the other team’s side. A healthy amount of competitiveness will help you break the ice in no time!
This or that. Another great icebreaker to highlight the things in common! Ask your audience to stand in the middle of the room, and ask them questions that will make them pick a side of the room. Things like ‘Dogs or cats?’ or ‘Night Owl or Early Bird?’ will have them jumping from one side to the other.

Icebreakers depending on your presentation’s tone

When planning your next icebreaker, you must always take into account the context of your presentation. After all, giving a sales report to your boss is not the same as giving a fun workshop on teamwork.

If you’re looking for the perfect icebreaker for a specific situation, here you might find the one you’re looking for!

If you’re looking for a more professional way to warm up your audience for your work presentations, these icebreakers are the one for you. Most business presentations are more serious and straight to the point, just like these icebreaker ideas!

Storytelling. This one is the king of icebreakers for business presentations and for a good reason! Storytelling is an incredibly powerful tool to add to your presentations, as it helps to both exemplify your point and connect emotionally with your audience. And of course, this makes it the perfect option to break the ice and get their entire attention from the get-go.
The highlight of the week. This icebreaker is great for getting your audience into a positive mood. When planning your next business presentation, take some extra time to find something good that happened that week or that month. Maybe you record sales for that month, or you got an exceptionally good review from a customer.
Would you rather? When planning your sales presentation icebreaker, this one will help to get your potential customer right where you want it. Highlight the value they’ll get from your product, and how they are missing out on it. From our experience, asking, ‘What do you prefer, struggling 5 hours per week on PowerPoint, or getting your presentations done by a professional team of designers in 24 hours or less ?’ really puts things into perspective!
Give kudos. The best way to put people in a good mood is to spread out some positivity! Giving the spotlight to someone who has done outstanding work recently can be a great way to break the ice.
Brainstorming session. Group brainstorming is another great way to get people to exchange ideas. You hit two birds with one stone – an icebreaker and an idea generator rolled into one!

The best icebreakers for training presentations and workshops are those that incentivize teamwork and learning skills. These icebreakers will help your team get to know each other better and work together in tandem.

Live polls. There are many apps that allow your audience to make live polls and display the results immediately. This is a great icebreaker, as it can be as serious or lighthearted as you want. You can use it to ask the audience’s mood, their favorite food, and how much they know about the topic at hand.
Word cloud. Just like a poll, a word cloud can be a great option to explore what your audience thinks about a prompt or concept you give them and to get the ball rolling. You can make them write down in groups, have them add their ideas to a board, or even make one through an app !
Problem-solution icebreaker. Present a real or hypothetical problem, and ask people to pitch in their solutions. You can ask them for their input individually, or you can divide them into pairs. As the saying goes, two heads are better than one.
Finish a puzzle together. This is great for group work as everyone can contribute. For example, you can give them a few pieces each, and they’ll then work as a team to complete the puzzle.
Pop quiz. This icebreaker is the best to keep your audience on their toes and on a learning mood. You can add it at the end of your presentation, before or after a coffee break, or even at the beginning to see how much previous knowledge your audience has.

Virtual presentation icebreakers

Not sharing a physical space can make breaking the ice even more of a challenge, especially since many icebreaker ideas would not fit an online presentation. So here you’ll find some icebreaker options that are specifically designed for virtual meetings!

Drawing battle. You don’t have to be a professional artist to enjoy this one! There are many apps and websites that allow you to add this game to your virtual meetings. Just propose a topic and let people try to guess what one of them is drawing! You can even divide them into teams to make it more interesting.
Try a virtual escape room. If you have time, try giving your audience this challenge to build cooperation and teamwork. It’s not only great for learning to work together but also to have fun and loosen up.
Count till 20. Your team must try to count to 20 by shouting one number each… but without agreeing in which order they’ll go. This icebreaker will definitely make people wake up, and probably also laugh as they try to avoid talking at the same time.
Emoji movies. Just like charades, your audience must try to guess the movie or book. But instead of someone acting, they must guess it from the emojis. It’s a great adaptation of a classic game for virtual meetings!

Fun icebreaker ideas for playful presentations

Icebreakers can also help your presentation be more playful and fun! If you like your icebreakers a little silly to make sure people loosen up their inhibitions, then take a look at these ideas.

The no smiles challenge. If you’re making a fun, playful presentation, a great way to make it even funnier is to tell people smiling and laughing aren’t allowed in your presentation. This will most likely have the opposite effect, making people even more ready to laugh at your jokes!
Human rock paper scissors. This is a fun, high-energy game, but may not be feasible for older participants. Check this video to see if this is something you can use in your presentation.

GIFs mood barometer. If you want your audience to be a little bit playful, having them share their mood as a GIF is the perfect way. If you want to keep some control of what they share, you can also use a live poll to give them options to choose from. It’s the perfect lightweight activity that still gives you valuable insights into your audience and their energy levels.
Bad jokes contest. The only thing funnier than a good joke is an extremely bad one. Have your audience try to use their best dad jokes on each other while avoiding laughing at the jokes of the rest.

10 Great Icebreaker Questions for Any Presentation

Sometimes simpler is better, and the easiest way to get people talking is to ask them to do so! These icebreaker questions will help your audience open up without taking much time or extra preparation.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be, and what would be your superhero name?
What's the most random piece of trivia you know and why?
What is the oddest job you ever had, and how did you end up working there?
If you could make a reality show, what would it be about?
What cartoon character would you like to hang out with?
Where is the most embarrassing place you ever fell asleep?
If they made a sitcom about your life, what would the theme song be?
What were the best and worst workshops/meetings/conferences you ever attended?
If the zombie apocalypse began, what three people in this meeting would you want on your team?
If you had to teach a class right now, what would the subject be?

As a speaker or presenter, it’s important that you prepare fun icebreakers for your audience. You want people to be comfortable not just with you, but with their neighbors and groupmates as well. The icebreakers in this list are just the tip of the iceberg concerning the wide array of possibilities you can choose from. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and get creative with your icebreakers!

Need more time to prepare for your presentation? 24Slides has you covered!

Now that you’ve begun thinking about your presentation, and the best way to break the ice with your audience, you might wish to have more time to prepare for it. Luckily, 24Slides can help with that !

You can focus on your presentation’s content and how to make your audience as comfortable as possible, and 24Slides professional designers will tackle the visual aspects of it all. In less than 24 hours , you can get a custom-made, fully editable presentation that will wow your audience and make it even more memorable.

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221 best icebreaker questions for creating genuine connections

two professional women talking across a table

When a group of people comes together for the first time, it can take a little time for them to get to know one another and feel comfortable in each other’s presence. Icebreaker questions and games are an effective way to speed up the process and create a safe space for people to start working together.

In this post, we’ll share the best icebreaker questions for work and any other scenarios where you might want to help people get to know each other. We’ll also share some tips for ensuring your icebreakers are productive and help the group bring themselves to the table without anxiety or frustration. Let’s jump in!

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What are Icebreaker Questions?

Want to go beyond asking someone what they did at the weekend? Icebreaker questions are conversation starters designed to break down social barriers, encourage interaction and help individuals get to know one another. When chosen well, icebreaker questions can help supercharge a team building process and open up conversations that can create bonds and connections.

They are particularly useful when people are meeting for the first time, such as team-building activities , networking events or virtual workshops and meetings. They can also be effective when kicking off a project or injecting something different into a recurring team meeting. These questions are meant to be light-hearted, inclusive, and thought-provoking, fostering a positive and open atmosphere for communication.

Icebreaker questions range from fun and creative prompts to more reflective and personal inquiries, providing participants with opportunities to share aspects of their personalities, experiences, and perspectives. They can also be incorporated into dynamic games like those featured in our icebreaker games collection.

Whatever the format, the best icebreaker questions create a simple and effective opportunity to get people talking and help people feel welcome and included at the start of a session.

What Makes a Good Icebreaker Question?

A good icebreaker question possesses certain qualities that contribute to its effectiveness in initiating meaningful conversations. Here are some key attributes:

Relevance: The question should be relevant to the context and purpose of the gathering. Whether it’s a team meeting, a virtual workshop , or a social event, the question should align with the overall objectives.
Inclusivity: An ideal icebreaker question is inclusive, ensuring that everyone in the group feels comfortable participating. Avoid questions that may make individuals feel singled out or uncomfortable.
Versatility: A good icebreaker question is adaptable to various settings and audiences. It should be versatile enough to spark engagement among diverse groups with different interests and backgrounds.
Open-ended: Questions that invite more than a simple “yes” or “no” answer encourage deeper and more meaningful discussions. Open-ended questions provide individuals with the opportunity to share more about themselves.
Positive Tone: Icebreaker questions should set a positive and light-hearted tone for the interaction. Funny icebreaker questions or humor can be a great addition, but it’s crucial to be mindful of cultural sensitivities and preferences.
Icebreaking Potential: The primary goal is to break the ice and create a relaxed environment. A good icebreaker question should help people feel more at ease, paving the way for smoother communication and collaboration.

Often, the best icebreaker is one that sets the stage for the workshop or meeting to come. They typically help a group start thinking about the topic or theme of the session before the facilitator then guides the group to deeper discussions or activities.

In SessionLab, it’s easy to create a structured session flow in minutes. Create your ideal meeting agenda by dragging and dropping blocks into place in the Session Planner . Easily transition from an icebreaker into a group discussion and add additional activities and items as you need them!

Ensure your session stays on time by adding clear timing to your chosen icebreaker and additional activities. And when you’re done, create a beautiful PDF or Powerpoint export to help you facilitate with confidence.

Team Icebreaker Questions

Even established teams can benefit from using icebreakers to get to know each other more deeply and open up a conversation about they’d like to work together.

These questions are especially effective when used alongside team building activities where you might focus on helping align the team or improve collaboration.

If our team was a landscape, what would it be and why?
What would you like the team to look like in one year from now?
What fictional team from a movie or TV show do you think our team resembles the most?
If our team had a theme song, what would it be?
Where in the world would you most like to go with your team and why?
Share a team achievement or project you’re most proud of and why.
What’s one word you would use to describe our team culture?
If our team were a sports team, what sport would we play, and what would be our team name?
Share a team-building activity you’ve enjoyed in the past and why it was memorable.
If our team had a mascot, what would it be, and why?
What’s one skill or talent you bring to the team that others might not know about?
If our team were a superhero squad, what powers would each team member have?
If you were to give your team an alignment score from 1-10, what would it be and why?
What does the rest of the team need to know this week?
What’s the best advice about how to work well with others you’ve received?
How would you prefer to receive feedback from someone else on the team?
What piece of gratitude would you like to express to someone else on the team?

Want to get your team on the same page and align on how you’d like to work together? The Team Canvas Workshop is an effective session where you and your team will co-create your working culture.

You’ll cover your team goals, roles, responsibilities, rituals and more while working towards creating a more cohesive and connected team.

Check-in Icebreaker Questions

Checking in at the beginning of a workshop or meeting is something many teams miss, but it can be an essential element of a productive session.

These check-in icebreaker questions can help set a positive tone for meetings, allowing team members to share their current state of mind and create a supportive atmosphere.

They can be especially helpful for team leaders and facilitators who may want to gauge how the group is feeling before launching into deeper topics.

What are you hoping to get from the session today?
On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your energy levels today?
Share one thing you’re looking forward to this week.
If today were a weather forecast for your mood, what would it be?
What’s a small victory or accomplishment you’ve had recently?
Share one positive aspect of your day so far.
If your day had a theme song, what would it be?
What’s something that made you smile today?
Is there a goal you’re aiming to achieve by the end of the day?
On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your work-life balance this week?
Share one thing you’re grateful for right now.

Most effective workshops and meetings start with an icebreaker of some description.

Whether it’s in the form of a question or an experiential icebreaker activity, checking in is an effective way of ritually opening a session. Try Hyper Island’s Check-in/Check-out activity to bring this concept to your next session.

Check-in / Check-out #team #opening #closing #hyperisland #remote-friendly Either checking-in or checking-out is a simple way for a team to open or close a process, symbolically and in a collaborative way. Checking-in/out invites each member in a group to be present, seen and heard, and to express a reflection or a feeling. Checking-in emphasizes presence, focus and group commitment; checking-out emphasizes reflection and symbolic closure.

Fun Icebreaker Questions

For many meetings, the intention of an icebreaker is to loosen people up and help create a lighthearted atmosphere. These funny icebreaker questions are designed to do just that.

You might use these fun icebreaker questions in a round-robin format to kick-off a team meeting or simply to break the ice at a networking event without resorting to talking about your job.

How would your primary school teacher have described you?
What’s the most unusual talent or party trick you have?
If you were a meme, which one would you be?
What’s your plan in the event of a zombie apocalypse?
Share a funny or embarrassing work story that still makes you laugh.
If you could swap lives with a cartoon character for a day, who would it be?
What’s your weirdest food combination that you secretly enjoy?
If aliens visited Earth and you were the first person they met, how would you explain your job?
What’s the worst ice cream flavor you can come up with?
What item of clothing are you wearing that could start a new fashion trend?
Share a joke or funny anecdote related to your profession.
What’s the silliest goal you’ve ever set for yourself?
What actor would play you in a film about your life?
What’s the last TV show or film you hate-watched?

Icebreaker games are a great way to help your team have fun and get energized at the beginning of a session.

If you’d prefer using a more experiential activity to get your team engaged and having fun, try a simple icebreaker activity like Soundball or a Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament to generate some laughter while warming up your group.

Rock, Paper, Scissors (Tournament) #energiser #warm up #remote-friendly This is a fun and loud energiser based on the well-known “Rock, Paper, Scissor” game – with a twist: the losing players become the fan of the winners as the winner advances to the next round. This goes on until a final showdown with two large cheering crowds! It can be played with adults of all levels as well as kids and it always works!

This or That Icebreaker Questions

Would you rather and this or that style icebreaker questions are a favourite of many teams who want a quick way to get to know a little more about someone and not get too deep. These are typically fun icebreaker questions that elicit silly answers and can be run in pairs or larger groups.

As with any of the icebreaker questions on this list, be sure to consider your audience with these questions. What might work well for college students might not be right for a group of executives. Even better, tailor your choice of question to start the process of engaging your group in the topic of your session.

Coffee or tea?
Morning person or night owl?
Beach vacation or mountain retreat?
Fiction or non-fiction?
Cat person or dog person?
Sweet or savory?
Phone call or text message?
Introvert or extrovert?
Early bird or night owl?
City living or countryside escape?
Netflix or YouTube?
Reading or watching TV?
Summer or winter?
Indoor or outdoor activities?
Movie theater or streaming at home?
Cake or pie?
Android or iPhone?
Travel by car or plane?
Comedy or drama?
Facebook or Instagram?
Home-cooked meal or takeout?
Fictional or documentary films?
Music or podcasts?
Formal or casual attire?
Pen and paper or digital notes?
Classical or pop music?
Sunrises or sunsets?
Books or e-books?
DIY or hire a professional?
Pizza with pineapple or pizza without cheese?
Sneezing glitter or farting confetti?
Always feeling itchy or always feeling sticky?
Communicate only in GIFs or speak in rhymes for a day?
Only be able to whisper or only be able to shout?
Have a pet dinosaur or a pet unicorn?
Wear socks with sandals or a clown wig to work?
Have a personal theme song that plays everywhere you go or have a laugh track follow you?
Eat chocolate-flavored broccoli or broccoli-flavored chocolate?
Have a third eye or a third arm?
Communicate with interpretive dance or through charades?
Live in a house made of jello or have a floor made of bubble wrap?
Accidentally send a text to your boss that was meant for your friend or to your friend that was meant for your boss?
Have a talking pet fish or a pet parrot that only speaks in movie quotes?
Eat dessert for every meal or never have dessert again?
Be able to teleport but always end up in a random bathroom or fly at a snail’s pace?
Have a conversation with a talking plant or a talking lamp?
Accidentally like a post from your ex on social media or accidentally send a screenshot of your conversation about them to them?
Speak in puns for a day or use emojis instead of words?
Have the ability to mute people in real life or fast forward through awkward situations?
Eat a sandwich with every condiment imaginable or a plain sandwich with no condiments at all?
Sneak into a private VIP party or accidentally photobomb every picture you’re not supposed to be in?
Have a personal theme song that plays loudly every time you enter a room or a drumroll before you speak?
Eat a bowl of cereal with ketchup or a peanut butter and pickle sandwich?
Dance like no one is watching whenever someone says your name or burst into song when you hear a specific word?
Be chased by a swarm of bees or a troop of angry squirrels?
Have a wardrobe that only consists of neon colors or mismatched socks every day?
Always have a piece of food stuck in your teeth or a perpetual bad hair day?
Communicate only through interpretive dance or have your life narrated by Morgan Freeman?
Have a pet rock that tells dad jokes or a pet cloud that makes puns?

Want to go further in this format? Stand up if is an effective icebreaker game that works in a similar manner to this or that icebreaker questions, but can be used to engage entire groups at the same time.

Stand up if #icebreaker #sharing #opening #energiser #online #remote-friendly short, fun, energizing team activity

Icebreaker Questions for Work

Whether you’re running an all-hands meeting or training session at work, there are times when you may want to break the ice in your group and prepare them for the session ahead.

These icebreaker questions for work are especially effective at getting groups to start thinking about workplace culture and their role in an organization. Try bringing them your next culture workshop to get things started on the right foot.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?
If you could choose any historical figure to join the company, who would it be?
If you could change the name of the company, what would you change it to?
What’s the first thing you do when you start work in the morning?
What’s the most unexpected skill or experience you’ve brought to your current role?
If you could redesign our office space, what changes would you make?
Share a challenge you’ve overcome at work and the lessons you learned.
If you had a work-related superpower, what would it be, and how would you use it?
What’s your favorite aspect of your job, and why?
If you could implement one new workplace policy, what would it be?
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?
Share a project or accomplishment that exceeded your expectations.
If you were the CEO for a day, what changes would you make?
What’s one thing you wish everyone knew about your role or department?
What’s the hardest thing about your role?
What was your worst ever job?
What was your first job and what did you learn from it?
Which of your competitors do you most admire and why?

Workshops designed to improve workplace culture or bring a group together to solve key organizational challenges can especially benefit from questions like the above.

Such workshops also benefit from a clear structure and robust planning. Discover how to create and run an effective workshop in our comprehensive guide.

A group of people looking at a poster with notes on it

Unique Icebreaker Questions

When we’re able to reveal something unique about ourselves to the people around us, it can pave the way for deeper connections and bonds. They’re also a great way to get people to think outside of the box and engage the creative part of their brain.

If you’re running an ideation workshop or brainstorming session, these questions a great way to warm up your group and help them to start thinking creatively.

If you could have a conversation with any animal, which one would it be, and what would you talk about?
If you could eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
What hidden talents or skills do you have that people might not expect from you?
If you could choose any historical era to live in for a week, which one would it be, and why?
Describe your job using only emojis.
If your life was a movie genre, what would it be?
Share a unique fact about your hometown or place of origin.
If you could have a dinner party with three fictional characters, who would they be?
How many countries have you visited and which was your favorite?
Describe your personality using three unrelated objects.
What’s your favorite word in a language other than your native one?
If you could be an expert in any field overnight, what would it be?
If you could have a conversation with any historical figure, but they had to wear a silly hat the entire time, who would it be?
Describe your current mood using only emojis.
If you could live in any fictional world, which would it be and why?
Share a funny childhood nickname or a story related to your nickname.
If you were a flavor of ice cream, what would you be, and why?
If your life had a theme song that played every time you entered a room, what would it be?
Invent a holiday and describe its traditions and celebrations.
Share a made-up fact about yourself, and let others guess if it’s true or false.
If you could have a conversation with an alien, what’s the first thing you would ask them?
What’s your earliest childhood memory?
If you were a punctuation mark, which one would you be, and why?
Share a talent you have that no one at work knows about.
If you could bring one fictional character to life for a day, who would it be, and what adventures would you have?
Describe your dream job title and what it entails.
If you were a type of transportation, would you be a hot air balloon, a submarine, or a hovercraft?
Share a unique item from your bucket list that others might find surprising.
If you could have a dinner party with any three people, living or dead, who would they be, and what’s on the menu?
Describe your work style using a weather metaphor (e.g., I’m a brainstorm with occasional creative thunderstorms).
If your pet could talk, what do you think they would say about you?
If you could swap lives with any fictional character for a week, who would it be, and why?
Share a strange or interesting fact about your hometown or place of origin.
If you had a magic remote control that could pause, rewind, or fast-forward your day, how would you use it?
Describe your ideal day off without using the words “work” or “responsibilities.”
Share a metaphor for your life using an object commonly found in a kitchen.
If you were a plant, what type of plant would you be, and why?
Invent a new word and provide its definition.
If you could have a conversation with your future self, what advice would you ask for?
Share a fictional scenario: If you were the protagonist in a movie, what would be your mission or quest?
Describe your dream house workspace—include colors, decorations, and any unique features.
If you could have a one-hour conversation with any animal, which one would it be, and what would you discuss?
Share a fun and unexpected use for a common household item.

Running an event with various small groups? Try using the Common and Unique icebreaker to encourage participants to discover what they have in common and what is unique among members of the group. It’s a great way to help create team bonds and get people talking in breakout rooms too.

Common and Unique #get-to-know #teambuilding #icebreaker Create groups of 4-5 people, and let them discover what they have in common, along with interesting characteristics that are unique to a person in the group.

Thought-Provoking Icebreaker Questions

When a team knows each other deeply, they tend to be more connected, resilient and able to support each other in their day to day work.

While fun icebreaker questions have their place for teams getting to know each other for the first time, with established teams, you may want to go further. These thought provoking icebreaker questions are a great method of creating space for deeper sharing, vulnerability and team bonding.

If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be and why?
Share a personal or professional goal you’re currently working towards.
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
What’s the most challenging ethical dilemma you’ve faced at work, and how did you handle it?
What mentor figure had the greatest influence on your life? What did they tell you?
If you had to teach a class on any subject, what would it be?
Share a book, TED Talk, or podcast that has had a significant impact on your perspective.
If you could solve one global issue, what would it be and why?
What’s a lesson you learned from a failure or setback in your career?
If you could have a conversation with your role model, what would you ask them?
Share a quote that inspires or motivates you in your professional life.
What is your definition of success?
What is your definition of happiness?
What question would you like other people to ask you?
What’s something you’d like to do in life but don’t know how to start?
What do you most value in a relationship?
What cause or purpose do you deeply believe in?
What do you wish you understood better?

Stories about our lives and who we are as people have long been effective ways to bring people together and deepen the bonds between them .

Use an icebreaker game like Telling our Stories to take this concept further and build relationships and trust among your team members.

Telling Our Stories #hyperisland #team #teambuilding To work effectively together team members need to build relations, show trust, and be open with each other. This method supports those things through a process of structured storytelling. Team members answer questions related to their childhood, young adulthood, and now; then weave them into a story to share with the rest of their team.

Icebreaker Questions for Virtual Meetings

While most of the questions above work equally well in an online setting, it can often be effective for workshop facilitators to use questions that reference the virtual environment or ask people to bring their experiences of working remotely to the table.

Shared experiences are a great way to bring people together . Opening a conversation about how to cope with the ups and downs of remote working can have a positive effect on team culture too!

Share a virtual background that represents your ideal workspace and let us know why you chose it.
If your webcam froze on the last facial expression you made, what would your colleagues see?
What’s your morning routine when working from home?
What’s one positive thing that happened to you this week, even if it’s small?
If you could swap offices with a colleague for a day, whose workspace would you choose?
Share a fun fact about your hometown or current location.
What’s the most interesting thing within arm’s reach of your workspace?
If you could choose a virtual background for the entire team meeting, what would it be?
Share a virtual meeting etiquette tip that you find helpful.
What’s the most unusual item in your home office?
If you had a virtual reality headset for work, how would you use it?
What’s the best thing about working remotely?
Where are you calling from?
What’s the favourite thing on your desk?
What did you last eat and what are you going to eat next?

Running icebreakers and other activities in an online setting can sometimes require bespoke software or engagement tools. Check out our post on online tools for workshops and meetings to explore how you might enrich your tech stack and find the best tool for your needs.

Looking for dynamic games you might run in an online setting? In this post, you’ll find dozens of effective virtual icebreakers you can bring to your next virtual meeting.

Diversity and Inclusion Icebreaker Questions

A diverse and inclusive workplace is one which celebrates and champions every member of the team equally. While creating a diversity and inclusivity conscious organization is often the work of many workshops and changes in policy, bringing such topics into the awareness of your team can be a good way to start.

These questions can be an effective way of opening a diversity workshop or to engage your group in thinking about these important aspects of workplace inclusivity.

With these questions, it’s absolutely essential that you consider the context of your session and the participants of the group. A wider conversation about inclusivity in a diverse group is one thing, but essentially asking people from minority groups to educate the rest of the team on their culture is a no-no. Bring in an expert facilitator where possible and consult people from across the team on topics of diversity and inclusion before jumping into the deep end.

What does diversity mean to you?
What does inclusion mean to you?
What does equity mean to you?
Share a cultural tradition or celebration that is important to you.
What’s one thing you wish more people understood about your cultural background?
If you could travel to any country to experience its culture, where would you go?
Share a personal experience where you felt included and valued at work.
What’s one way we can create a more inclusive workplace for everyone?
What’s one thing you appreciate about the diversity in our team?
If you could attend any cultural festival in the world, which one would it be?
What’s a book, movie, or TV show that you believe promotes diversity and inclusion effectively?
Where did you grow up and how do you think it shaped you as a person?

Approaching inclusion in the workplace can be a challenging prospect without a solid knowledge of group dynamics, DEI and facilitation. Brush up on your facilitation skills in order to best lead a group through a productive discussion on DEI principles.

Wellness Icebreaker Questions

A common focus of many organizations is improving the wellbeing and general wellness of people on their team.

A dedicated workshop on various aspects of wellness can be an effective way to get people thinking more consciously about their wellbeing, and these wellness icebreaker questions can be a great way to get those sessions started!

What’s guaranteed to make you smile?
Describe your perfect relaxing day.
Share a self-care ritual or activity that helps you recharge.
What’s your favorite snack or comfort food?
If you could have a wellness day at work, what activities would you include?
Share a mindfulness or meditation technique that works for you.
What’s your go-to method for relieving stress during a busy day?
If you could have any wellness amenity in the office, what would it be?
Share a wellness goal you’re currently working on.
What’s your favorite way to stay active during the workweek?
If you could take a wellness retreat anywhere in the world, where would it be?
What’s one small change you’ve made to improve your overall well-being?
What book or podcast has had a positive impact on your wellbeing and what was a major takeaway?
What’s a wellness technique that doesn’t work for you and why?

Emotional intelligence and our overall wellbeing often go hand in hand. When we are more self aware and able to recongise our emotions, we can then take action, whether that’s taking time to check-in with ourselves or practice self care.

This blog post on emotional intelligence techniques is a trove of effective exercises you can use to help a team build their EQ skills. Want to go further? You might even run a self awareness workshop to help your team practice and build those skills as a group!

Tips for asking Good Icebreaker Questions

Whether you’re asking weird icebreaker questions about plans for the zombie apocalypse or going deeper, there are some best practices for asking effective questions that can help people feel safe, included and able to converse freely. Let’s take a look!

Know Your Audience: Tailor your icebreaker questions to the preferences and demographics of your audience. Consider their professional backgrounds, interests, and cultural diversity.
Balance Fun and Professionalism: Strike a balance between fostering a fun atmosphere and maintaining professionalism. Choose questions that are appropriate for the setting and the nature of the group.
Test the Waters: Start with less personal or intense questions to gauge the comfort level of the group. Gradually progress to deeper or more creative inquiries as the atmosphere becomes more relaxed.
Mix and Match: Incorporate a variety of icebreaker questions into your repertoire. This ensures that you have options suitable for different occasions and preferences.
Be Mindful of Time: Consider the time available and the overall agenda. Icebreaker questions should be engaging but not overly time-consuming, especially in a work-related setting. The icebreaker you run during a week long training course can (and likely should) be more involved than the one you run for a weekly stand-up, for example.
Encourage Active Listening: Emphasize the importance of active listening during icebreaker activities. This fosters a culture of respect and attentiveness within the group. Remember that the purpose of these activities is to create connection and this requires the presence of others in the group.
Create a Safe Space: Establish an environment where participants feel comfortable sharing. Emphasize that there are no right or wrong answers, promoting a non-judgmental atmosphere.
Make non-participation an option: Even when we know people quite well, we can’t possible know everything that’s going on for them or what has happened in their past. Some questions can be difficult or triggering for some people and in addition to carefully considering the questions you use, it’s also important that you leave space for people to non-participate or answer another question if they don’t feel comfortable.

By understanding what makes a good icebreaker question and following these tips, you can enhance the effectiveness of these prompts in your professional and social interactions.

Conclusion

Creating a powerful connection with another person often begins with a single good conversation.

Icebreaker questions serve as valuable tools for creating connections, fostering collaboration, and building a positive group dynamic. Whether you’re running a virtual workshop , a conference or a recurring team meeting, we hope these questions help you get your session off to a fun, engaging start.

Want to go further? Explore our selection of team building activities to discover experiential ways of building group connections. You can also find more examples of icebreakers in our comprehensive collection of effective icebreaker games.

Was there a game or question style we were missing in this post? Let us know in the comments below!

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.

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Kahoot! stands with Ukraine

Kahoot! is committed to supporting Ukrainian educators and learners affected by the current crisis. To protect the integrity of our platform and our users, we will suspend offering Kahoot!’s services in Russia, with the exception of self-study.

Ukrainian educators and learners need our support

We are deeply troubled and concerned by the violence and loss of life resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We stand with the people of Ukraine and we hope for the swiftest and most peaceful possible end to the current crisis.

Kahoot! has received a number of requests from schools and educators in Ukraine requesting the help of our services to continue teaching despite the disruption of the war. We have supported each of these and we are now offering Kahoot! EDU solutions for free for both K-12 and higher education institutions for one year to Ukrainian schools in need. In addition, we are fast-tracking translation and localization of the Kahoot! platform into Ukrainian.

Suspending commercial services and sales in Russia

Our commercial footprint in the Russian market is very limited. We do not have offices or representation in the country, nor do we have any physical operations or data services there. The overwhelming majority of our users in Russia are teachers and students using our free service.

Kahoot! is abiding by the international sanctions regime, and does not allow sales to sanctioned individuals or entities in Russia. Shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Kahoot! initiated a process to suspend offering of all commercial services in Russia. This includes but is not limited to online sales, assisted sales, app store sales and prohibiting sales to Russian corporations and organizations.

Prioritizing safe and secure use of the Kahoot! platform

As part of our mission to make learning awesome, and as education remains a fundamental human right, we offer teachers, students and personal users free access to our platform. We do this in more than 200 countries and regions in a spirit similar to public commons services, such as Wikipedia.

Similarly, inclusivity is one of Kahoot!’s overarching values. As such, our aim is to, whenever and wherever possible, offer children, schools and others the opportunity to use digital tools for impactful education and learning, irrespective of their background or location. This has been our guiding principle also for offering our service in Russia.

Among our first responses to the crisis was to swiftly expand our global moderation team’s monitoring on all Russia-related content to safeguard the integrity of the platform.

However, as the situation continues to escalate, it is vital that we are able to ensure that our platform is used according to our own guidelines and standards. Therefore, in addition to suspending sales, we will be taking all possible and necessary steps to suspend access to Kahoot! services in Russia, with the eventual exception of self-study mode which will feature only content verified by Kahoot!.

This will enable students, school children and other individual users to continue their learning journeys both safely and responsibly. We will continue to assess ways in which our services can be offered safely and responsibly to support all learners and educators, also those based in Russia.

Supporting our employees

At Kahoot!, we are not just a team in name, we are a team in practice. As such, we are committed to the well-being of our employees, especially those with ties to Ukraine, or those that in other ways are particularly affected by the war. We are providing these colleagues with any support we can.

Acknowledging the current situation, the Kahoot! Group made an emergency aid donation to Save the Children and the Norwegian Refugee Council. This is a contribution to support life-saving assistance and protection for innocent Ukrainian children, families and refugees.

As the situation in Ukraine continues to develop our teams across the company are actively monitoring the crisis so that we can respond in the most responsible and supportive way possible.

Our hearts go out to the people of Ukraine, their loved ones, and anyone affected by this crisis.

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80 Fun Meeting Icebreakers Your Team Will Love in 2024

When people hear “meeting icebreaker,” they think of ”bonding exercises.” In this post I share 15 meeting icebreakers that are anti-boring and easy.

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When most people hear the word “icebreaker,” they think of boring, silly, or awkward. In this post, I want to share 80 meeting icebreakers that are:

quick-bonding

If you are a meeting planner, team leader , or event organizer (or simply want to make your meetings a little better), you MUST watch this video for my personal favorites:

And if you want better meetings, you MUST send this article to your meeting planner. I’m going to convince you to upgrade the age-old icebreaker.

What is an Icebreaker?

An icebreaker is an activity, event, or game that is designed to break down social barriers, make others feel more comfortable, and facilitate social interaction. Icebreakers are usually performed at the beginning of a meeting or team session and involve a group of people.

After hosting hundreds of meetings every year, from conferences to sales team retreats , one thing I’ve learned is that an icebreaker truly can make or break an event. Here’s the crazy science on this:

Harvard Business School professor Michael Norton gathered 221 participants and had them form groups of two to four people.
Then, he asked them to do a campus scavenger hunt where they had to run around taking selfies in front of specific locations.
*There was a catch. Half of the teams were asked to do a pre-scavenger hunt icebreaker together, and the other half were simply asked to read an article together.

The results were clear. The teams that did the icebreaker reported liking each other more . This is incredible! Icebreakers improved performance, time, AND likability .

Here’s a list of my favorite icebreakers to avoid having those awkward meetings.

Virtual Meeting Icebreakers

Not all meetings nowadays are in-person. Some are virtual. These fun icebreakers can be performed anytime, anywhere, no matter the distance!

Icebreaker #1: Show and Tell

Best For: Turning coworkers into show-and-tell-loving third graders again!

This is one of my favorite virtual icebreakers. Why? Because it reveals what your teammates really value! Here’s how to perform this icebreaker:

Ask your remote team members to grab a nearby item (or even send a personal picture through group chat!). This item should be unique to them.
Share! Take turns sharing your item and the story or personal meeting behind it.

For example, I recently shared in my weekly team meeting a small personal item: a llama doll I received from one of my friends! It was a great way to show to my remote team how I value small gifts from friends, and an easy icebreaker, too. Win-win!

Icebreaker #2: Teach Something New

Best For: Learning new things, boosting confidence in presentation skills, and promoting engagement and fun in team meetings.

If you like having mini TED Talks sprinkled into your meetings, this one’s for you! “Teach Something New” is one of my favorite icebreakers—each team member will have, say, 5 minutes to teach everyone one little thing. It could be how to draw a giraffe, how to juggle, or a magic trick.

Here’s how you can introduce this activity:

Encourage team members to think about a skill or knowledge snippet they can share within a 5-minute time slot.
At the start of the meeting, ask for a volunteer to go first. They will have 5 minutes to teach their chosen topic.
Other participants should engage by asking questions or offering thoughts on the subject. Remember, the goal is to promote a light, fun learning environment.

Icebreaker #3: Creative Selfie

Best For: Showcasing workspace creativity, bonding, and inspiring décor discussions.

Zoom backgrounds make meetings fun, but they don’t help people get to know each other very well. Location-specific photo challenges could start more personalized conversations because they’ll reveal new things about each coworker.

Explain the Activity: Let everyone know they need to take a creative selfie at their workspace.
Take Selfies: Team members take their workspace selfies—could be in their home office, a coffee shop, or an outdoor setup.
Share the Pictures: Each participant shares their selfie in the group chat or designated platform.
Decide the Winner: The picture that is deemed the most creative (based on your established criteria) wins.

People don’t need to share their location or name their city if they feel uncomfortable. The point is to showcase everyone’s workplace setting because it speaks to their personalities.

After the scavenger hunt, team members could also swap decor ideas to elevate their remote workstations. It may open doors to conversations about their hobbies, pets, and other interests based on what showed up in everyone’s selfies.

Icebreaker #4: Guess The Words (Codenames Online)

Best For: Strategic minds seeking to decode enigmatic clues and outsmart opponents in a witty word game.

A screenshot of an online game, Codenames. In this word game, each Spymaster tries to get the other team to guess a combination of words on the table by giving a one-word clue. It makes for a fun meeting icebreaker.

If you’ve ever played one of my favorite board games , Codenames, this one packs all the fun—but now, it’s online! In this word game, each Spymaster tries to get the other team to guess a combination of words on the table by giving a one-word clue. For example, in the above picture, if you needed to have your teammates guess the words “Bowl” and “Knife,” you might give the clue “Kitchen.”

If you’ve never played Codenames, this one’s a great starter icebreaker that’s super helpful if you want to boost creativity.

Head on over to https://www.codenames.game/ .
Click on the CREATE ROOM button.
Select the preferred game settings and start the game.
Connect with your friends using your favorite audio or video chat.
Share the room URL with your friends.
Enjoy the game!

Icebreaker #5: Draw Anything Your Teammates Imagine

Best For: People who love drawing (even if they are terrible at it!)

Even if you’re not artistic, this game is absolutely funny and fun. Gartic Phone gives you a short time frame to sketch photos based on other players’ prompts—and can result in some hilarious artwork.

Imagine trying to draw your teammate’s prompt of “Harry Potter riding a unicorn in space.”

A screenshot of an image from an online game called Gartic Phone, where someone drew Harry Potter riding a unicorn in space. It gives you a short time frame to sketch photos based on other players’ prompts—and can result in some hilarious artwork and a fun meeting icebreaker.

The weirder the prompt, the crazier the doodles! Here’s how to play this game that combines the classic games “Pictionary” with “Telephone.”

Go over to https://garticphone.com .
Whip up a nickname and select an avatar that screams “you.”
Hit “Start.”
Click the “Invite” button and broadcast the link to your team.
Once the game starts up, everyone is invited to write down a hilarious sentence.
Wait for a sentence from your colleague, and then give it your artistic spin.
Next, it’s your turn to interpret someone else’s doodle by guessing the original sentence.
Have fun and unleash your inner Van Gogh!

Icebreaker #6: Meet the Pet (or child, or partner, or plant)

Best For: Animal lovers, whether furry, leafy, or miniature human ones!

This icebreaker idea is super simple , and who doesn’t like pets? It’s best performed for remote teams that are newer and/or as a first-day icebreaker. Here’s how:

Have your remote team grab their pets or show a picture of them.
Start the introductions! You can start off with the basics (name, age, where you got him/her), but make sure to throw in one personal/fun story you had with your pet.

Pro tip: If your teammate does not have a pet, ask them to describe their ideal pet. Or meet each other’s kids. Or meet each other’s plants. Feeling funky? Ask them what their spirit animal is!

Icebreaker #7: Draw and Guess

Best For: Tapping into your team’s inner Picasso while testing their quick-thinking skills in a vibrant guessing game.

A screenshot of an online game called Drawasaurus, where someone is drawing a mermaid. Drawasaurus is Pictionary with a twist where everyone gets a shot at the scoreboard—the artist and the guessers alike. The game slips a secret word to the doodler, who then creates a visual puzzle for others to solve. It makes for a fun meeting icebreaker game.

If you’re a big fan of draw-and-guess games, then this one’s for you! Drawasaurus is Pictionary with a twist where everyone gets a shot at the scoreboard—the artist and the guessers alike. The game slips a secret word to the doodler, who then creates a visual puzzle for others to solve. The speed of your guesses matters—quicker guesses mean more points.

If every participant manages to decode the drawing, the artist also hits a points jackpot. This sure adds an extra dose of fun to the classic game, doesn’t it?

Head on over to https://www.drawasaurus.org .
Choose a nickname (no stress, this won’t kick off the game).
Tap + Create a Room.
Make your room Private, give it a name, set a password, and select the number of players you want.
Copy the link from the URL bar and send it over to your team.
When everyone’s geared up and clicks Ready to Play, the game begins.
Take turns picking a word to sketch, while others try to guess it.
Rack up points by being the quickest to guess correctly.

Icebreaker #8: Explore The World

Best For: Best For: Armchair explorers and globetrotters looking to test their geography and deduction skills in a thrilling virtual quest.

I absolutely love GeoGuessr—it’s especially fun if your team is located across the globe or loves to travel.

GeoGuessr is a captivating global exploration game that virtually parachutes you into a random corner of the world, using a street view panorama. Your objective? To scour the surroundings for clues that might help pinpoint your exact location on the world map.

For example, GeoGuessr might drop you in a random spot on a canal, and you might use building signs or other clues to help you guess where in the world you are.

Here’s how to play:

Head to https://www.geoguessr.com/ .
Sign up for an account.
Click on “Party” to create your own room.
Invite your friends by sending them your unique room code.
Start playing!

*GeoGuessr does cost a small monthly fee for team play, although it is still recommended.

Icebreaker #9: Phone Photo

Best For: Revealing hidden layers of team members through snapshots of their most memorable (or embarrassing) moments!

Do you want to get to know your team on a more personal note? This icebreaker activity is a great way to break the ice by putting your most embarrassing/awkward/awesome/proud moments up front for the world to see.

Before the video call starts, send out a team message to find an embarrassing/awkward/proud/awesome/proud photo on their phone and post it in the group chat.
When the call begins, share the details about your photo! The more ridiculous the photo, the more laughs you’ll get out of this icebreaker.

Everyone has an interesting photo on their phone, so this is a great activity for everyone! Here’s mine…

An example of a personal phone photo from the an online icebreaker game. It's a great way to get to know your team on a more personal note, by putting your most embarrassing/awkward/awesome/proud moments up front for the world to see. It makes for a fun meeting icebreaker.

Icebreaker #10: Partner Lunch

Best For: Cultivating deeper connections over shared meals and intimate one-on-one discussions.

Want a fun way to make a meeting more… dare I say… delicious? Enter: the Partner Lunch. This icebreaker requires a bit of prep work with your team, and it’ll be better if you’re in similar time zones.

Schedule a time where you and your team can video call and eat a meal together.
Find a partner. Randomly assign partners in your team to talk one-on-one for 10-20 minutes before your group call.
Talk! Now’s a great time for the partners to get to know each other over lunch. You can even have a list of deep questions to help facilitate discussion.

Icebreaker #11: Personal Logo

Best For: Encouraging creativity, self-expression, and understanding team members on a personal level.

The Personal Logo icebreaker is a fantastic way to get your team’s creative juices flowing. It’s not just about doodling a pretty image—it’s a window into each person’s world, reflecting their personality, interests, or passions. Here’s how to get this activity buzzing:

Give guidelines on what the logo should include—it could be a combination of symbols, initials, colors, or abstract shapes. Stress that artistic skills are not being judged; it’s the thought and creativity that count!
Set a timer for the creation process. 5-10 minutes should suffice for a quick sketch. If doing this in a meeting, consider having a quick discussion while everyone works on their logos.
Each participant shares their logo on screen (either by holding up their drawing or sharing it digitally) and explains the concept behind it.
Encourage team members to give positive feedback and ask questions about each logo.
If your team enjoyed this, you could even consider having these personal logos professionally made or used in some team swag !

Icebreaker #12: Scattegories

Best For: Engaging quick-witted competitors who enjoy a playful battle of words and ideas.

A screenshot of an online game called Scattegories. In every round, the game highlights a random letter from the alphabet, asking players to think on their feet and come up with any word or phrase from the chosen category starting with that letter. This makes for a fun meeting icebreaker.

Flexing your rapid-fire brainstorming muscle becomes a thrilling challenge in Scattergories. The person steering the game can select categories as general as fashion and wildlife or as quirky as “famous comic book catchphrases.”

In every round, the game highlights a random letter from the alphabet, asking players to think on their feet and come up with any word or phrase from the chosen category starting with that letter. This game serves as a fantastic icebreaker, especially for those in your crew who can’t resist a competitive streak.

Go over to https://scattergoriesonline.net/new-game.xhtml .
Select your game categories, maybe you like “Team names,” “Thiings You Shouldn’t Touch,” or “Superpowers.”
Hit the Create new game button.
Set up the game’s variables—the starting letters (a majority will be preset), player count, and round numbers.
In the “Who can join” section, opt for Invited friends.
Click again on Create new game.
Grab the link and send it to your teammates.
Everyone will be racing against the clock to fill multiple categories with words starting with a designated letter.
Get through all the rounds and discover which teammate boasts the most impressive word arsenal!

Icebreaker #13: Virtual Background Contest

Best For: Adding a fun twist to virtual meetings, sparking creativity, and enhancing team members’ storytelling skills.

This fun-filled activity not only adds a splash of color and joy to your meetings but it also nudges team members to showcase their creative sides and storytelling skills. Let’s see how you can get this show on the road:

Challenge your team members to pick a virtual background that is uniquely creative or amusingly original.
During the meeting, set aside time for each participant to present their background choice, along with the story or concept behind it.
After all presentations, host a vote to select the “Virtual Background Champion”. This could be a quick poll or even a show of hands.
Celebrate the winner and offer them a chance to lead off the next meeting or decide the theme for the forthcoming contest.

Pro Tip: Having a hard time picking a Zoom background? Check out our guide: 101 Best Zoom Backgrounds to Rock Your Next Meeting

Icebreaker #14: One Word at a Time

Best For: Storytelling enthusiasts ready to weave a quirky narrative, one unpredictable word at a time.

This game is commonly known as “One Word at a Time.” It’s a simple and fun icebreaker or warm-up activity for groups, and it’s also super popular if you’ve ever done improv as well.

Here’s how to get started:

Start the Game: The first person begins the story by saying a single word. It’s often easiest to start with “Once,” but any word that can start a story is fine.
Continue the Story: The next person in line adds another word to the story, and this continues with each participant adding a single word in turn. This can follow a designated order, like going in a circle or following the order of participants listed in a video call.
Listen Carefully: Participants need to listen to each word carefully to make sure their word makes sense in the context of the story.
End the Story: Eventually, the story will reach a natural conclusion. Typically, the facilitator or someone who senses a good ending coming might say “And” and the next person can say “The” and then “End” to wrap it up.

Icebreaker #15: Change My Mind

Best For: Encouraging communication skills, team bonding through friendly debates, and a creative way to learn about diverse viewpoints.

This isn’t just your run-of-the-mill icebreaker—it’s a fun-packed mini-debate club that can spice up your meeting. Best part? While your team enjoys this engaging banter , they’ll also polish their communication skills, flex their persuasive abilities, and experience the art of friendly debate. I love this icebreaker for flexing your creativity!

Here’s how to pull it off:

Introduce the game and ask a teammate to share a non-controversial opinion.
Set a timer for two minutes. During this time, the rest of the team attempts to sway the opinion-holder’s view.
After the timer ends, the teammate shares if they’ve been persuaded and why.
Repeat with the next person.

Icebreaker #16: Rotating Questions

Best For: Diving into your teammates’ minds through a volley of thoughtful and unexpected queries.

In small groups, you can use great questions to get people to open up.

Gather a list of icebreaker questions, or check out my favorite 57 conversation starters you can use.
Have everyone take turns answering questions. If they don’t like a question, they can choose another one to answer!

Icebreaker #17: Culture Exchange

Best For: Promoting cultural awareness, fostering deeper connections, broadening perspectives, and keeping meetings engaging.

This simple, yet incredibly powerful activity, invites participants to share a tradition or custom from their culture. But here’s where we crank up the heat: don’t just stop at explaining the custom. Bring it to life! Share a personal anecdote, cook up a traditional recipe live, showcase an artifact, or even perform a quick traditional dance if you’re up for it.

It’s not just about sharing, it’s about experiencing. This allows for deeper connections, broader perspectives, and hey, it makes for an incredibly fascinating meeting. Just remember to keep the shares short and sweet to keep the momentum going.

Icebreaker #18: Quiz Time

Best For: Uncovering hidden team traits and testing trivia prowess with a friendly dose of competition.

One of the most fun icebreaker activities is to take quizzes and compare the results with your team! Here at Science of People, we absolutely LOVE quizzes. We’ve got a ton of quizzes backed with science to help you and your team understand each other:

How open are you to new experiences? Are you extroverted or more introverted? Are you agreeable? See your traits in our Personality Test !
Are you good at figuring out nonverbal communication? See if you can spot these cues with the Body Language Quiz .
Have you ever noticed you date the same kind of person over and over again? That’s because we have specific attachment styles—find out yours in our Attachment Styles Quiz !
Do you love trivia? You can check out a list of other quizzes on Sporcle .

Icebreakers You Can Do In Person

If you can’t take advantage of icebreakers for virtual meetings, don’t sweat it! Here are some icebreaker ideas you can do in person.

And if you want to increase your charisma while you’re at it, check this out:

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Let’s dive in!

Icebreaker #19: The Candy Game

Best For: Sweet-toothed conversationalists ready to trade colorful candy for flavorful personal insights.

This is my favorite icebreaker because you combine easy bonding with the best possible ingredient: sugar! To coordinate this icebreaker:

Pick your favorite kind of multi-colored candy–a bowl of M&Ms, Starbursts, Skittles, or whatever tickles your fancy.
Next, pass around the bowl and ask people to take as many candy pieces as they like, but NOT to eat them.
Once the bowl of candy has been passed around, each person has to answer a question for each color they take. For example, you can assign questions such as:

Red: What’s your favorite book?

Orange: What’s the best vacation spot you have ever been to?

Blue: What’s your favorite kind of food?

Green: What TV show are you addicted to?

Brown: If you could have any superhero quality, what would it be?

Yellow: What’s the best part of your work week?

Icebreaker #20: The Marshmallow Game

Best For: Creative builders looking to showcase teamwork and engineering skills with a side of sweet victory.

Another icebreaker based on food? Of course! This icebreaker’s end goal is to build the tallest freestanding structure… out of spaghetti, string, tape, and a marshmallow. And if that wasn’t enough? The marshmallow has to be on top! Here’s how to play:

Divide your group into teams of four.
Hand each group these four things: 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow.
Set a timer for 18 minutes. After 18 minutes, the team with the tallest standing structure wins!

This is a great team-building exercise and also forces your teammates to cooperate with each other. I also recommend giving out a prize to the winning team—stacking uncooked spaghetti is definitely not an easy task! This icebreaker was originally introduced by Tom Wujec, who made a TED talk about it, which you can check out here:

Icebreaker #21: I-Spy Riddle Scavenger Hunt

Best For: Injecting fun into mundane schedules, sparking adventurous spirits, and stirring up the team’s inner explorers.

If you want people to get out of the office, you also can have your icebreaker be a mini scavenger hunt. It can be around town, around the office, or around the building.

For example, hunting for bugs is a great way to create an outdoor scavenger hunt for kids or adults. They can take a picture of the first bug they come across, which might not take long. Being outside will refresh everyone so they’re more energetic for whatever’s next on their daily calendar.

Want more ideas? Check out our list: 40+ Scavenger Hunt Games You Can Try Virtually or in Person

Icebreaker #22: Two Truths and One Lie

Best For: Laughter and bonding through uncovering truths and hilarious fibs!

I love the game “Two Truths and One Lie,” because it allows you to get a little more creative with your teams and to have some fun.

Start by asking each person to come up with two facts about themselves and one believable fib.
I have a pet turtle.
Growing up, my family called me “Sasa” as a nickname.
I speak Mandarin.

Can you guess which is the lie?

I do not have a pet turtle! Yes, my family called me Sasa because my little sisters couldn’t say “Vanessa.” And I lived in China during college. Fun facts, right? This icebreaker is a great way to get to know each other, and to have some laughs along the way.

Special Note: If you have introverts in the group, it’s nice to let the group know ahead of time that they should think of two truths and one lie for the meeting. This is helpful for not putting people on the spot.

Icebreaker #23: Desert Island Scenario

Best For: Adventure seekers ready to share their survival instincts and imaginative flair in a hypothetical scenario.

Spice up your virtual meetings with the Desert Island Scenario. It’s fun, it’s simple, and it’s your ticket to knowing your colleagues in an intriguing new way.

Here’s how:

Set the Scene: Tell your team to imagine they’re about to be stranded on a desert island.
Pick Three: Ask each person to come up with three items they’d take with them. Real or imaginary, practical or bizarre, it’s their call.
Share and Explain: During the meeting, everyone shares their chosen items and explains why they picked them.
Have Fun: Enjoy the hilarious, touching, or surprising revelations!

Pro Tip: Give your teammates a heads-up to come prepared with their three items. Nobody likes being put on the spot, and it gives them a chance to think about their answers and let their imaginations run wild. Plus, it builds anticipation for the big reveal.

Icebreaker #24: Paper Airplane Game

Best For: Unleashing creativity and learning fascinating facts through airborne paper revelations!

I love this icebreaker because it is more hands-on.

Pass out different-colored sheets of paper to each person attending the meeting.
Then, ask everyone to write an interesting fact about themselves on the piece of paper and fold it into a paper airplane.
Then, everyone launches their paper airplane around the room.
Finally, everyone retrieves one of the paper airplanes, reads the fact, and guesses whose paper airplane they got.

It’s fun to guess, and you learn new things about each other!

Icebreaker #25: Guess The Item

Best For: Sparking curiosity, igniting laughter, and providing a unique, tactile team-building experience.

Want to challenge your team’s senses and create some laughs along the way? “Guess the Item” is the perfect in-person icebreaker to mix things up. I love this game because it tests your team’s sense of touch and sparks curiosity.

Here’s how you can introduce this tactile teaser to your next gathering:

Prior to the meeting, gather various objects of different textures, shapes, and sizes. Place each object in a separate paper bag.
During the meeting, invite each participant to reach into a bag without peeking and try to identify the object inside only by touch.
Allow each participant to share their guesses. The group can have fun discussing and debating what the mysterious object might be.
Reveal the object to the group once all the guesses are in.
Rotate until everyone has had a turn.

Icebreaker #26: Year of the Coin

Best For: Unearthing memories and forging connections as you journey back in time with coins as your guide.

Have a bowl of coins sitting at home? Perfect! They are great for icebreakers.

Sort through the bowl to make sure you don’t have any coins that are too old
Then have everyone pick a coin out of the bowl.
Go around and ask each person to share something they were doing the year the coin was minted.

This is great for getting to know someone’s past—and to test people’s memories.

Icebreaker #27: One Common Thing

Best For: Discovering unique similarities among your teammates.

This is a great icebreaker if you want to get people moving around the room.

Give everyone a list with each person’s name on it.
Set a timer and have people go around and find one commonality with each person in the room.

The key is, you cannot share the same commonality with anyone else. If everyone in the room works at the same company, that commonality wouldn’t count. This is a way to get people exploring beyond what they already know about each other.

Icebreaker #28: Lego Tower Challenge

Best For: Encouraging teamwork, creative problem-solving, and healthy competition within a fun, hands-on environment.

Looking to unlock the hidden architects within your team and promote a bit of friendly competition? The “Lego Tower Challenge” is the perfect way to engage your team. This hands-on activity encourages teamwork, creativity, and quick thinking under time constraints.

Here are the steps:

Divide your team into smaller groups, preferably of equal size. Provide each team with the same number of Lego bricks.
Set a timer for the challenge. This could range from 5 minutes to 15 minutes, depending on the complexity you wish to add.
The objective is simple yet challenging: each team has to build the tallest Lego tower possible within the given time.
Once the timer goes off, it’s time to measure the towers. The team with the tallest standing tower wins!
Debrief and discuss. Ask each team to share their strategies and thought processes. This can lead to interesting insights about teamwork and problem-solving.

Icebreaker #29: Speed Networking

Best For: Rapid connections, exchanging thoughts and laughs in a lively speed networking setup.

A speed networking session doesn’t just have to be for networking or new people. It also can be for groups that want to get to know each other. You can even do this with a large group of people, as long as you have a big open space.

Ask everyone in the room to find a partner.
Give everyone a conversation starter to answer and set a timer for two minutes. Each person has one minute to answer.
After both people have answered and the two-minute timer is up, have them find a new partner and assign them a new conversation starter.

You can do as many rounds as time allows. If you have a small group, you can make sure everyone in the room gets at least one turn with each other.

Icebreaker #30: Pictionary

Best For: Harnessing creativity, boosting team spirit and light-hearted competition through drawing and guessing.

Here’s the last icebreaker and also a fun one: Pictionary! You can do it online, as mentioned before, but it’s also an amazing game to play at home —you can even bring it to your meetings as a cool icebreaker activity.

If you’ve never played before, Pictionary is basically a word-guessing game where one player chooses a randomly selected word and draws it while the other players guess what the word is. Normal Pictionary is played using a physical board and pencils/pens.

You can also print out a Pictionary board here and a word list here , and use candy pieces as playing pieces!

What Are Good Icebreaker Questions?

Icebreaker questions are a fun, easy way to get to know people and lighten the mood. They are similar to icebreaker activities but usually do not require much or any preparation at all.

Here are some great icebreaker questions you can ask!

Icebreaker Questions to Get to Know Your Teammates

What is your proudest accomplishment?
If you could write a book, what would it be about?
What is the happiest moment in your life? What made it so special?
What is the scariest thing you’ve ever done for fun?
What is the best gift you’ve ever given/received?
What is your dream job?
What is something you were known for in college/high school?
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Where is one place you’d love to travel to?
What does your ideal day look like?

Fun Icebreaker Questions

What is your spirit animal?
Who would win in a fight: a horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses?
If you were a color, what would it be?
What superpower would you choose to have? Why?
What was your favorite television show as a kid?
If you had a time machine, what time period would you travel to?
If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
If you had one wish, what would you wish for?
If you were stranded on an island, what 3 things would you bring with you?
What song best describes you?

Personal Development Icebreaker Questions

What’s one skill you’d like to improve this year, and why?
Can you share a book that significantly influenced your life or career?
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Can you name a person who has had a significant impact on your professional development? How so?
If you could go back and give your 18-year-old self a piece of advice, what would it be?
What’s an accomplishment you’re proud of from the past year?
If you had unlimited resources, what kind of project or business would you start?
What’s a goal you’ve set for yourself recently, and what steps are you taking to achieve it?
How do you handle stress and maintain a work-life balance?
If you could learn about any new topic or skill, without any constraints of time or money, what would it be?

Travel and Leisure Icebreaker Questions

What’s the most interesting place you’ve ever visited?
If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?
What’s the longest trip you’ve ever taken?
Do you prefer nature trips or city trips? Why?
What’s your most essential travel item?
Have you ever traveled alone? What was that like?
What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever eaten while traveling?
Have you ever visited a place just because you saw it in a book or a movie?
What’s one travel experience you’ll never forget?
If you could live in any city in the world, where would you choose and why?

Work Preference Icebreaker Questions

Do you prefer working in teams or independently? Why?
How do you typically organize your workday for maximum productivity?
What motivates you most at work?
What kind of work environment helps you to be most productive?
Do you prefer to have clear guidelines or do you like having the freedom to figure things out yourself?
What part of your work process do you find most fulfilling?
How do you handle feedback and criticism at work?
What is your preferred method of communication in a professional setting (email, phone call, in-person, etc.)?
How do you usually handle tight deadlines or high-pressure situations?
How do you ensure a good work-life balance?

How Long Should an Icebreaker Last?

An icebreaker should not be too long, or it will take time away from the actual meeting. Icebreakers typically last anywhere from 5 minutes to 20 minutes. It should last enough time for people to feel comfortable and relaxed enough to easily discuss more important topics later on in the meeting.

These are my favorite icebreakers, and they work for different-sized groups. When thinking about having a successful meeting or retreat, we often think about the basics, such as a strong agenda, a yummy lunch, and planning. These are all good strategies, but don’t forget about the professional warm-up. A good icebreaker can break the tension, break the awkwardness and, of course, break the ice.

To your success,

Popular Guides

27 thoughts on “80 fun meeting icebreakers your team will love in 2024”.

Hello Mam, I Abhisek from India I really like your concept for developing people skill in new and innovative way it’s really appreciate.. Thanks for giving new way of thinking..

Great ideas, thank you.

I really love your videos especially the 8 icebreakers to warm up meetings, I,d liked to hack 😊them in our virtual meeting, I’m also an aspiring writer and wanted to publish my own book that have part of games and add some icebreakers whoo , your book is interesting, I hope I could grab one sooner or later, thanks Miss Vanessa

Miriam Reyes from Philippines Teacher,Facilitator Aspiring Life Coach,writer and Motivational speaker

So helpful and fun. Thanks for the good job!

I’ve been working my way through these with my team over the course of the pandemic, and these ideas have been great. However, I was surprised to see the inclusion of the term ‘spirit animal’ which is now considered by many to be an appropriation of traditional Indigenous spirituality. Would you consider changing that to something like patronus, role model, doppleganger, inner avatar, animal twin? There are lots of other options!

Hi Bizhiki, thank you so much for going through our meeting icebreakers! You have a very valid point, and we have changed the wording to a more appropriate question. Hope this helps! Rob | Science of People Team

Hi, I echo Bizhiki’s objection to using the phrase “spirit animal” – and it is still on the page, despite Rob’s performative comment about changing it.

Hello! Thank you so much for helping call attention to this issue. We have insured that this reference and any others have been removed from our site.

All the best, Bekah | Science of People Team

We are having a little workplace drama in my office currently. I have decided to introduce some teambuilding warm-ups to our weekly team meeting. I appreciate all of the creative ideas here on your website. I will let you know how it goes!

Comments are closed.

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The Complete List of 200 Icebreaker Questions For Meetings and Tips On How to Use Them

As a meeting host, preparing a strong opening is key. Kicking the meeting off on a high note is especially important, because it sets the tone and expectations of how the rest of it will go.

So how can you make your attendees feel invested and welcome right from the start?

One of the fastest and easiest ways is to begin with an icebreaker question . It can be either light and fun or deep and meaningful.

To go straight to the list of icebreaker questions, click here: List of 200 icebreaker questions

slido icebreaker how was your weekend emoji

If used purposefully, icebreakers can not only help you improve engagement and collaboration, but also deepen a sense of belonging and trust within your team.

That’s why we’ve put our years of expertise in making meetings engaging to good use and asked our Slido colleagues to come up with this list of the 200 best icebreaker questions for your meetings.

Whether you are designing a team-building exercise, onboarding a new team member or just needing a lighthearted start to your weekly meeting, find your perfect icebreaker question from the list below.

Read also: The Best 110 Trivia Questions for Team Bonding Quizzes

What is an icebreaker?

An icebreaker is a game, an activity, or a question intended for people who don’t know each other to start talking and help them to become comfortable in a group setting, like a meeting.

Alternatively, icebreakers are also used in a team setting, where everyone is already familiar with each other – such as a regular department meeting – but when you just need a little help in setting the stage or loosening the atmosphere.

In either case, in our experience, the easiest sort of icebreaker ideas especially for virtual and hybrid meetings is an icebreaker question.

Why use icebreaker questions in the meeting?

You might work in a team where not everyone knows each other that well, or have a new employee joining you.

Or perhaps, you just became a manager of a freshly formed team. In all of these situations, you need to break down the initial barriers and get to know each other.

Even if you know your team quite well, icebreaker questions can open up a new topic of conversation that will lead to a deeper connection within a team. Generally, both fun and deep discussions will help strengthen your team’s bond.

Here are a few tips on how to use icebreaker questions in the right way

Coming up with the right, work-appropriate icebreaker questions for your meeting is easier said than done. We’ve put together a quick list of key tips to help you pick the right icebreaker for your meeting:

Use icebreaker questions that are suitable to the specific audience in your meeting. An icebreaker that works in your day-to-day team meeting may not be suitable if you’re presenting something to the senior management team, for example.
Make sure that people on your team will feel comfortable with your choice of icebreaker questions and be sensitive to their situations. Using meeting icebreaker questions isn’t about putting on a performance, it’s about getting everyone to open up so you can have a productive session together.
It’s important to make sure that questions are inclusive to your audience, too, for example when it comes to subjects such as religious holidays, or if a question will still apply for parts of your audience who are not in the same country as you.
Be original and constantly evolve your approach to delivering icebreakers from one meeting to the next.

A few ideas on how to use Slido for the best results with icebreaker questions

From our experience, the key to success and getting truly positive results from icebreaker questions is interactivity, which engages everyone in the meeting regardless of where they are joining from. That’s why it’s great to use Slido’s live polling feature.

Participants can comment on the poll results as they come in, and as a meeting leader, you can invite team members to share and elaborate on their poll submissions.

Often, this leads to many fun moments, laughs, and inside jokes. The team gets to know each others’ likes and dislikes, as well as how they spend time outside of work.

The goal is to create an atmosphere where people feel comfortable speaking up and thus avoid a meeting dominated by the presenter. When the group feels at ease from the beginning, people are more likely to engage throughout the rest of the meeting.

Why and how to use live polls for icebreaker questions

Live polls are a great way to facilitate icebreaker questions as they allow you to engage with everyone from your team in a matter of seconds, no matter where they are.

In this way, you can start your in-person, virtual and hybrid meeting with an innovative and fun feature that will set the atmosphere for the rest of the meeting.

Slido allows you to run multiple versions of icebreaker questions. There are several different poll types to choose from: Word cloud poll , Open text , Multiple choice poll , Ranking poll and a Rating poll .

We recommend using word cloud polls for short answers. You can achieve that by framing your question ‘in one or two words’ to get short and snappy answers.

An example of a word cloud poll icebreaker question:

In one word, how would you describe the past week?
Where did you spend your summer vacation this year?
Using an emoji, how do you feel before this meeting?

Open text polls are great for longer or more complex answers, where your team will have a little more time to think about their response.

An example of an open text poll icebreaker question:

Without using the title of your job, tell me what you do?
What would you improve in our meetings?
What was your personal highlight of the past month?

slido icebreakers personal highlight open text poll

Multiple choice

Multiple choice polls are a good fit for meetings where you don’t have much time, as predetermined answers are speedier for people to choose from.

The downside is that participants won’t have the space to creatively think about their input. However, multiple choice is perfect for a quick quiz, or forgetting to know your team, for example with ‘two truths, one lie’.

Which of these statements about Frankie is a lie? Options: I saw a volcano erupted in Italy, I practiced karate as a child, My first job was in a shoe shop.
Do you usually manage to meet the deadline? Options: Yes, No
Would you rather have your browser history revealed before your company CEO or your parent?

slido icebreaker multiple choice CEO parent

A ranking poll is ideal if you wish for your participants to rank options in the order of importance or preference. An example of a ranking poll icebreaker question:

What brand of car do you prefer out of these? Options: 1. Mercedes, 2. Ferrari, 3. Peugeot, 4. Lada, 5. Fred Flinstone car
Which of these Christmas movies do you like best? Options: 1. The Grinch, 2. Home Alone, 3. Love Actually, 4. A Christmas Carol, 5. Die Hard
What gift would you give to your business partner? Options: 1. Branded socks, 2. Custom Moleskine notebook, 3. Eco water bottle, 4. Bluetooth speaker, 5. Branded power bank

Rating polls are great to get a quick pulse check of your audience or team, and what they’re thinking or feeling.

An example of a rating poll icebreaker question:

How excited are you about this project? (Scale of 1-6)
How was your last weekend? (1 – terrible, 10 – the best I’ve ever had)
Which emoji best describes your energy level? (There’s an option on Slido to set up ratings polls with emojis that participants can choose from)

How we use icebreaker questions in Slido and how our Customer Success team benefits from it

Slido’s Customer Success Manager Team Lead, Mirka Chromkova, has used icebreaker questions extensively to bring her fully remote team together.

We asked her to share some insights about why they’ve been so successful in helping her team to build a strong bond.

‘The Slido CSM team has 17 staff across all regions, so both distance and time zones are against us,’ Mirka reveals. ‘Even though we work in the same team, on the same things, we didn’t really know each other well at first, and many of us have never met in person.’

Mirka says that she started using icebreakers intentionally during meetings to enable her team to get to know each other better. ‘ I was choosing icebreaker questions that help people get to know each other and allow me to pick on the answers and dig deeper,’ she says.

You can find the list of the best icebreaker questions according to Mirka here .

‘I would focus on purposefully dedicating 15 minutes of our weekly meeting to these icebreaker questions – sometimes focusing on work-related things, sometimes on fun, outside-of-work topics.’

Icebreakers might seem like a simple concept, but Mirka reveals that the returns have been enormous for her team.

‘By starting on a positive and fun note, people would then be so much more open to speaking up during the meeting itself. They’d participate more and would be looking forward to our meetings.

‘The side-benefit that is even more important is that my team is now much more comfortable with each other and our Slack sharing channel has become much more active.

‘Team members have started sharing their learnings, their knowledge, and experiences in their work with clients. This has benefited our whole team and helped us progress and provide a better service to our clients.’

List of icebreaker questions by category

In this section, you can find a handy list of icebreaker questions divided into categories. Each has a different focus and may be suitable for a different situation.

Take a few minutes to browse the various categories, dive deeper into the one that feels like the right fit for you, and then start trying out our suggested icebreaker questions.

The best icebreaker questions according to Mirka, Slido’s Customer Success Manager Team Lead
Quick icebreaker questions that help build momentum

Good ice breaker questions for work

The best icebreaker questions for virtual meetings.

‘If you could’ icebreaker questions to stimulate hybrid meetings
Technology icebreaker questions that get the whole team thinking

Best icebreaker questions for Webex and Zoom meetings

Team ice breaker questions that reveal hidden talents and progress
Hobby icebreaker questions that help the team get to know one another
Funny icebreaker questions that lighten the mood and break down barriers

Find the ultimate would you rather icebreaker question

Icebreaker questions focused on traveling.

Deep ice breaker questions that get everyone thinking outside the box

Awkward and weird icebreaker questions that blow away the cobwebs

Icebreaker questions for adults.

Christmas icebreaker questions that get the whole team into a holiday mood

The best icebreaker questions according to Mirka, Slido’s Customer Success Manager Team Lead

This is a list of icebreaker questions that works the best for Mirka when she’s meeting with her fully remote team:

What did you want to be when you were a kid?
What advice would you give to your younger self?
If you could eliminate one thing from your daily routine, what would it be?
What helps you to feel better on those days when you feel crappy?
What’s your go-to guilty pleasure?
If your job role was made into a movie, what would it be called?
What is one thing in life that you really disliked and then changed your mind about?
Do you have a favorite routine at the moment?

Mirka likes to use them in virtual meetings with her international team. Simply put, they are verified by success.

Quick icebreaker questions that help build momentum

Good icebreaker questions are short, sharp, and straight to the point.

Encouraging your team to give the first answer that comes into their head helps remove inhibitions and shyness, allows people to see how their peers think, and gets the ball rolling so much faster. Take a look at these quick and easy ways to do exactly that:

What’s your favorite place to go on holiday?
What’s your favorite time of the year?
What’s your favorite type of weather?
What’s your middle name?
What’s the one thing you’re really scared of?
If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life what would it be?
Which school subject did you find the most interesting?
What’s the one skill you wished you’d learned as a child?
If you could speak another language, which one would you choose?
Where would you like to retire when you’re older?
What’s your favorite type of pet?
What’s the one animal you’d never leave the zoo without seeing first?
Who’s the funniest person you’ve seen on TV recently?
What’s the one movie you always watch when you have a sick day?
What’s the one country you want to visit more than any other?
What’s your favorite book?
What’s your favorite color?
What’s the one song that always gets you on the dance floor?

When you’re in a work situation, you’ll need to make sure your icebreakers are appropriate for a professional setting and audience. Here are some ice breaker questions that we believe are the right ones for any work occasion:

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Would you like to know other peoples’ thoughts?
If you could bring one thing from your home to the office what would it be?
What’s one work tool you can’t live without?
What’s your favorite office snack?
What’s your favorite memory from the office?
Is there somebody at work who has inspired you?
What is a small act of kindness you were once shown that you’ll never forget?
What’s something you wish you’d learned earlier in life?
What was the last thing you did that gave you child-like joy?
What’s one activity that grants you pure escapism?
What’s an adult problem nobody prepared you for?
What is a lesson you feel you learned too late in life?
What’s a personal side project you’re working on or want to work on?
How would teenage you describe your job?
How will you feel when this meeting is over?

Virtual meetings can sometimes feel less personal, as the participants may not know each other, or maybe they have never even met. Therefore, it is good to use questions that are fun, simple, and will lighten the mood.

Ideally, they allow you to get to know each other better. For the ultimate rundown on how to host a virtual meeting from start to finish, have a look at our guide , or you can find a few examples below:

What was the last movie you watched?
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve done in the last week?
What did you do on your last vacation?
What’s the best way to start off your day?
What is your favorite hobby?
What is something you are passionate about?
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?
What is the most interesting thing you have learned recently?
What is your favorite type of music?
What is your favorite comfort food?

‘If you could’ icebreaker questions to stimulate hybrid meetings

When you have some people physically present in the room, and others who are on the screen, it’s important to get them talking together. These simple questions do just that.

They are ideal if you want to break down the barriers that so often stop great ideas from gaining momentum. Before you dive into the questions, check out our best practices on how to run hybrid meetings in the first place. Now let’s dive into the icebreaker questions:

If you could change one thing about hybrid working what would it be?
If you could share some words of wisdom with yourself on your first day here, what would you say?
If you could work 365 days a year, take the next year off, and repeat, would you?
Do you prefer working from home, or in the office?
How many days per week is your preference for working at home?
What don’t you miss about being in the office every day?
What word best describes how you feel about hybrid working?
If you could work from anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
If you could employ any historical figure in our company, who would you choose?

Technology icebreaker questions that get the whole team thinking

Creating icebreaker questions for small groups who need to discuss in-depth technical issues can be a little challenging at first.

The key is to keep everyone thinking in an analytical way by asking them to recall something related to their role, or their wider technical skills. Not sure how to do that? Take a look at this quick list:

What’s the last book you read that related to your role?
If you could explore a new project for one day a week what would it be?
Who do you think has the broadest technical knowledge in the team?
How do you think Elon Musk would change the way we do things if he was part of the team?
What’s the one thing you would remove from your role to make yourself 10% more productive?
How can you use tech to strike the right balance between being busy and being productive?
How do you think we can maintain our momentum in two sentences or less?
How do you think the world would be different if you had to pay every time you sent an email?
What’s the one piece of technology you want to see us integrate and adapt over the next 12-18 months?
If you could work in the metaverse how important would it be for you to have an avatar that looks exactly like you?

We’ve all gotten used to spending hours of our day on video calls via Webex or Zoom , but they don’t have to all be the same! Break out of the routine and spruce up your next video meeting with these fun questions:

What was the last concert you went to?
What is your proudest accomplishment?
What is the one thing you can’t live without?
What would you do if you had a million dollars?
If you could work for any company in the world, which one would you choose?
Would you rather be a bank robber or a policeman?
What is one thing you would like to learn or do in the next year?
What is the strangest flavor combination you love?
If you could be in a movie, which would it be?
What is your favorite emoji?
Who is the most famous person you have ever met?
Are you more of a winter or a summer person?
Would you rather prefer a couch or table football in your office?
What is your favorite app for work?
If you can choose one space from where you can work, which one would you choose?

Team ice breaker questions that reveal hidden talents and progress

Ice breaker questions for work that allow everyone to show what they do best are really worth considering.

They’re also a great way to give everyone who answers that little bit of extra self-confidence. Take a look at your options below and make a start at your next meeting:

Who will always be on time, even if the meeting is brought forward at the last minute?
Who is most likely to make the rest of the team laugh with a clever one-liner?
Which member of the team always has some wise words for new hires who join us?
If you could be someone else on the team for a day, who would you choose?
Who has the tidiest home office?
Who has the craziest home office arrangement?
Which team member is most likely to make an excuse to get another cup of coffee mid-meeting?
Who came up with the worst excuse for being late and what was it?

Hobby icebreaker questions that help the team get to know one another

One of the best icebreaker questions, especially for virtual meetings, is to ask everyone to share something about them the rest of the room doesn’t know. Hobbies, favorite pastimes, and even goals for the future will all come to the fore here.

These questions are ideal if you want to get everyone talking and sharing a little bit more about themselves. Take a look at a few of our suggestions and then put them into action:

What’s the latest hobby you’ve taken up?
What was your favorite thing to do as a kid?
Who do you think is the most active outside of work?
If you could master one skill this week, what would it be?
Who do you think you could teach to master your favorite hobby the fastest?
What’s your favorite way to relax on a Sunday afternoon if you have the house to yourself?
Who do you wish to play a team sport alongside?
How many hours a week do you spend on your hobbies?
If you had to give up one hobby for a year while all your friends mastered it, what would it be?
What’s the one thing outside of work you think you can do better than anyone else in the office?

Funny icebreaker questions that lighten the mood and break down barriers

When placed strategically in your meeting between topics, icebreakers can serve as instant mood elevators.

You’ll need to be able to read the room, though, in terms of if humor is appropriate depending on who is in the meeting.

Here are a few ways to try adding a little humor to break the ice:

If you could create your dream band, who would be playing alongside you?
What’s the first thing you would do if you were invisible in the office and no one could hear you?
Which computer game do you think you’d beat everyone in the office at?
If you had to play Tetris for 24 hours, how would you stop yourself from going crazy?
If you run for president, who would be your vice president?
Describe something that’d made you laugh or smile today
How would you rate your skills with a yo-yo from one to 10?
You’re now a pro wrestler. What’s your ring name going to be?

Nothing gets people thinking like these ice breaker questions. There is something very enjoyable about having to choose a side and debate your stance in a playful manner during the meeting.

Discovering others who share your opinion on a topic helps to create instant connections, no matter where your teammate is.

We are such huge fans of ‘would-you-rather’ questions, that we even dedicated a whole article to them. Here we include our favorite ones for you to choose from:

Would you rather have super strength or x-ray vision?
Would you rather be the world’s biggest person or the world’s smallest person?
Would you rather be the world’s richest person or the world’s most popular person?
Would you rather be president for a year or a medieval king for a year?
Would you rather be able to swim as fast as a shark or run as fast as a cheetah?
Would you rather have free car travel for life or free airfares for life?
Would you rather be incredibly famous or incredibly respected?
Would you rather have brains or beauty?
Would you rather be Rocky or Rambo?
Would you rather find some hidden treasure or win the lottery?
Would you rather be a pirate or a knight in shining armor?
Would you rather eat junk food every day or have a single pill that gives you perfect nutrition and never eat again?
Would you rather be a child for 10 extra years or be exactly how you are now for 10 extra years?
Would you rather be able to read minds or live in a world where no one can tell a lie?
Would you rather be a cat or a dog?

Travelers tend to be open-minded and eager to learn, and often develop unique perspectives on the world.

If you have people on your team who love to travel, don’t forget to include these icebreaker questions in your meeting session.

Once the responses start rolling in, you can ask people why they answered that way and really break the ice.

Sea or mountains?
Swimming or hiking?
On holiday are you a culture vulture or a beach bum?
What city have you had your best night out in?
Favorite country in the world?
Which country has the best food?
Which country has the worst food?
What’s the most interesting place you have ever traveled to?
What place has made the biggest impression on you?
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
What’s the best thing you’ve ever eaten while traveling?
Have you ever missed a train or a plane while traveling? If yes, what was the reason?
What’s the craziest thing that has ever happened to you while traveling?
What’s the best thing you’ve learned about a different culture?
Do you remember the best thing about your most recent trip?
What’s your favorite travel memory?
What’s the most memorable photo you’ve taken while traveling?
Would you rather stay in a 5* hotel or in a tent somewhere in nature?
What has been your favorite travel experience so far?

Deep ice breaker questions that get everyone thinking outside the box

If you want to get the creativity flowing, it’s all about asking meeting icebreaker questions that are deep and meaningful.

Here we recommend using open text polls that allow for longer answers, or opening up the conversation and getting your audience to discuss after they’ve answered the poll.

What’s your personal definition of success and how will you make sure you achieve it this year?
Why do you think some people are particularly suited to remote working and hybrid roles?
How do you think the world would be different right now if we had had the internet 100 years ago?
What’s the one piece of advice you would give to a new hire joining our team for the very first time?
Are there any mental preparation secrets you’d like to share for hybrid meetings, and how do they differ from in-person meetings?
Do you think people talk more freely online over video than they do face-to-face and in person at the office?
To what extent do you think that reducing your commuting time would improve your productivity during working hours?
If you could work 4 x 10-hour days – the four day work week – instead of the regular 9-5, do you think you’d get more done?

Meeting icebreaker questions that make everyone in the room do a double take and wonder if they heard right are sure to get people talking.

Here are a few suggestions:

What’s the one thing you hope no one is going to ask you in this meeting?
How would you cope if you found out this meeting was going to last 24 hours?
Have you ever joined a meeting from the comfort of your bed?
Have you already made your lunch and got it waiting for you just out of shot so no one on this call knows?
Who do you think is the most likely to say something silly during the meeting ?
If you suddenly ended up in the Stone Age after this meeting what’s the first thing you would do?
Who would you most like by your side if this meeting suddenly turned into Squid Game?
Have you ever screen-grabbed a meeting and sent it to a friend?

This list of icebreaker questions for adults will let you know more about your colleagues’ childhoods, history, and backgrounds, and what they dreamed of when they were little.

It will help to know your teammates better, and give them the space to feel comfortable and maybe a little nostalgic.

What’s something you rebelled against as a kid?
What were some of your favorite activities as a kid?
What’s a landmark, popular destination, or local hangout spot that you either frequented when growing up?
What are you nostalgic about recently?
What’s something you were really into as a kid?
What’s the naughtiest thing you got away with in school?
What do you think has been the most important invention in your lifetime?
Are you a morning or a night person?
What is your earliest childhood memory?
Have you worked in more than three jobs so far during your career?
What will you do in retirement?
Who is your childhood hero?
What was your favorite subject in school?
What was your favorite cartoon character as a child?
What’s a dish that always reminds you of childhood?
What was your favorite ice cream as a kid?
What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
What cartoon would you get up early to watch when you were young?
How would you describe your job to your parents?
What is one thing you wish you’d been taught in school?

Christmas icebreaker questions that get the whole team into a holiday mood

The best ice breaker questions for small groups are often ones that resonate with what the team is going through right now.

By keeping things cheery and positive, and focusing on something like the holidays (if it’s the right time of year), you can really bring everyone out of their shells.

Here are a few festive icebreaker questions to ask so that everyone can get involved:

What’s your favorite Christmas movie?
What’s the best thing about the Christmas buildup?
How do you feel the morning after Christmas?
You can only have turkey or presents. Which would you choose?
What’s your earliest Christmas memory?
Have you ever been carol singing?
What’s your favorite Christmas Eve tradition?
What’s the best Christmas song you’ve ever heard?
What’s the best Christmas present you’ve ever been given?
Who bought you the worst Christmas present ever and what was it?
If you could only buy one person a gift this year, who would it be?
Do you do any charity or volunteer work over the festive season?
What’s your favorite part of Christmas dinner?
If you could swap out the turkey for one meal, what would it be??
Artificial Christmas tree or real Christmas tree?
What’s the one Christmas decoration you cannot do without?
What’s on your Christmas list this year?

How to facilitate icebreaker questions

After deciding on your poll type, here are three tips to help you prepare for icebreaker facilitation:

Slido has a handy ‘typing indicator’ feature, which means you can easily check if participants are still typing their answers before you move on
After collecting the votes, you can get the conversation going by following up on the answers and asking your audience ‘why’ they responded in a certain way
Watch for your audience’s cues and be prepared to answer the question first to create a safe space for your attendees to follow with their input

Final thoughts

When it comes to icebreakers, one of the biggest struggles we hear about from leaders is how to find the time and inspiration for this ‘fun’ activity during their meetings. With so much content to cover, aren’t icebreakers just yet another distraction?

We believe the opposite. The time invested in getting to know your teammates as people and creating a sense of connection will not only enable you to work together better in the meeting, but can also prove fruitful in the long run.

As a result, a purposeful use of icebreaker questions can improve your team’s collaboration, communication, and team culture, which ultimately leads to better work results.

Want to get the most out of our new library of icebreaker questions for hybrid meetings ? Sign up for your free Slido account and integrate the icebreakers seamlessly into your next meeting.

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330+ Icebreaker Questions to Try with your Team

Icebreaker questions can engage your team and get everyone in the right mood for your meeting.

That’s why we’ve curated a list of 330+ icebreaker questions . These prompts help build camaraderie and invite different and surprising viewpoints. It’s time to make your meetings more fun and inclusive.

📌 We have reviewed all of these icebreakers to ensure they are inclusive of diverse groups.

What are good icebreaker questions?

There’s a big difference between good and bad icebreakers . Whether it’s two truths and a lie or being asked to state “an interesting fact about yourself,” there are some icebreakers that make your team die a little inside. We don’t want that happening!

Here are four tips for asking good icebreaker questions:

Choose icebreaker questions that allow for self-expression , don’t have a wrong answer, and anyone can answer. Good news! All icebreakers on this list do just that!
Answer your own icebreaker question first to create a psychologically safe space .
Keep it simple to keep the conversation moving along quickly.
Make it fun and optional to participate so you can build better relationships and a stronger culture.

Spark great conversations!

Quickly jump to the best icebreaker questions here.

All these questions are inclusive, reveal valuable insights about team members, and encourage self-expression. None of them have right or wrong answers or are likely to make anyone feel inadequate.

❤️ Favorite icebreakers
🃏 Easy and fun icebreaker questions
🤣 Funny icebreaker questions
💼 Icebreaker questions for work
🤝 Get to know you questions
🎄 Holiday icebreaker questions
🤔 Deep icebreaker questions
💬 Icebreakers for small groups
☕ More icebreaker and meeting resources

Favorite icebreakers

The questions below are our personal favorites and most popular among users of our online meeting tool , which has built-in icebreakers!

What’s something new you’ve learned about yourself in the last three months?
If you had to describe how you’re feeling right now as an amusement park ride, what ride are you on?
How would you describe your communication style in three words?
How do you recognize when you’re stressed?
If you were coming out onto a stage, what would your entrance theme song be?
If you could bring back a fashion trend, what would it be and why?
If you could live in another historical period, would you? If so, which one?
If you were reincarnated as an animal, what would you choose and why?
What’s one thing you are unbeatable at?
How would you spend your days if you had unlimited time and resources?
How do you get motivated for difficult tasks?
What’s something on your desk, a nearby wall, or out the window that cheers you up during the day?
Do you have any mentors or people you look up to? Tell us about one of them.
What fictional world or place would you like to visit?
You’ve been teleported to the Middle Ages. How would you make a living there?
Suppose you were going to be frozen tomorrow for a one-way 1,000-year interstellar voyage. What would you most want to communicate (and to whom) before you leave?
If you could have an animal sidekick, what would it be? Why?
What looks easy-peasy lemon squeezy but is actually difficult difficult lemon difficult?
You’ve died, but instead of entering the afterlife, you’ve entered Earth 2.0. What are some things that make Earth 2.0 better?
If you could go back in time 10,000 years ago and make a cave painting to confuse everyone in the future, what would you draw?
A genie appears and grants you a wish for someone else in the world. Who and what do you make a wish for?
If you had a magic button on your desk to bring you whatever you wanted, what would it summon?
What’s the last thing you did for the first time?
What smell, image, or sound triggers nostalgia for you?
What’s one thing your parents or guardians constantly nagged you about?
Tell us about a stranger you still remember. What made them memorable?
What ice cream flavor sums up your personality today?
You’ve been granted a one-way ticket to another country of your choice. Where are you going?
What’s something you’ve drawn inspiration from recently?
It’s your first day on the job as an evil villain. What’s the first piece of mischief you commit?
If buying groceries were a game, what would one of the loading screen tips be?

Easy and fun icebreaker questions

Fun is guaranteed with the answers to these icebreaker questions. These icebreaker questions are great for new teams who need to break the ice and build more psychological safety with each other. If you feel you’re ready for something more advanced, check out the deep icebreaker questions below!

What animal best represents you today and why?
If you could have one superpower today, what would it be, and what would you use it for?
What thing from nature, excluding animals, best describes you today?
If you had to sing karaoke right now, which song would you pick?
What is the most used emoji on your phone right now?
What was the first thing you thought about when you woke up today?
Which do you prefer, oceans or mountains? Why?
What’s one of your favorite recent memories?
What’s the best phrase or piece of slang people in your hometown use?
What’s your guilty pleasure right now?
What book would you like to live in?
If you could be famous for one thing, what would it be?
What’s a word or phrase in another language (or your own) that you really like?
What’s the best topping for ice cream?
If you’re at trivia night, what would category would you know most about?
What’s an album you recommend that has no bad songs?
What’s the worst haircut you ever had?
What’s your most successful dance move? Do you dare show it?
What’s an obscure TV show or movie that everyone should watch?

Funny icebreaker questions

These are the funniest icebreakers that make you laugh out loud just from reading them. Prepare for some hilarious answers, too!

What’s the weirdest thing in your fridge right now?
If you were setting off to Mars and could take only one luxury item with you, what would it be?
If you could become a supernatural creature at night, what would it be, and why?
Which fictional character would you want by your side during a zombie apocalypse?
If you were a cocktail, which one would you be?
If your home was packed full of golf balls, how would you remove them?
Would you rather talk like Yoda or breathe like Darth Vader?
Would you rather speak all languages or be able to talk with animals?
What would you do if you came home and found a penguin in your freezer?
What takeaway food represents you today and why?
If you could invent a holiday, what would it be, and what would you call it?
If your car had vanity plates, what would they say?
What is the best bird?
Do you have a favorite dinosaur?
You’ve been chosen to represent your country in a global competition. What sport or activity are you doing?

Icebreaker questions for work

The questions in this section will help you bond more closely with your team-mates, colleagues, or new people who have hopped on board! Consider using them in your weekly 1:1s or as part of team meetings to build psychological safety and trust.

Icebreakers for meetings

These icebreakers are perfect for kicking off any meeting at work.

If you had to describe how you’re feeling right now as a weather pattern, what’s your forecast?
What’s an under-rated skill everyone can benefit from?
What’s something you’re worried about (professionally)?
What’s got your attention today and why?
What was your favorite recent book or article, and what did it inspire?
Heard any good tips lately?
What color best describes your personality today?
What’s one project you could stop doing to give yourself more focus?
What are you excited about this week?
Do you have any routines you use to improve your energy and focus?
What’s one thing you wish could be automated in your job?
What’s one thing you’ve been procrastinating on and can’t finish?
What’s the last thing you completed that you’re proud of?
Have you learned any useful productivity hacks recently?
What’s one productivity tool you couldn’t live without, and what makes it indispensable?
What’s one recent thing or experience that exceeded your expectations?
What are you grateful for today?
What’s something that made you smile recently?
What fruit or vegetable represents your mood today?
What small thing would improve your day today?
What’s something that puts you in a state of flow?
What’s one possession or tool that enhances your daily life?
What’s a simple life hack that everyone can benefit from?
What’s one of the best ideas our company has come up with?
What’s something you want to get better at?
What’s your favorite song or soundtrack for doing focused work?

Icebreaker questions for virtual meetings and remote work

These questions will make any virtual meeting a little less, hmm, zoomy ?

Show us something in your space that you really like.
What’s one skill that helps you successfully work remotely?
Do you have a favorite mug? Let us see it and explain why you love it.
Look around and assess how satisfied you are with your physical workspace. What’s one thing you love about it?
What boundaries have you set to ensure that you unplug from work?
What’s normal where you live but might seem weird to the rest of the world?
How do you like to sit in a chair? Let us see it.
What’s the strangest thing that could unexpectedly appear on screen with you during this meeting?
How do you avoid or recover from Zoom fatigue?
What’s the strangest thing that has ever happened to you during a virtual meeting?
What’s your favorite place for doing virtual meetings?
What’s the most interesting place you’ve ever done a virtual meeting from?

Team building questions

If you want your team to get to know each other and bond, these are the icebreakers to get the job done.

What’s something about the next teammate you appreciate?
What help could you most use that you haven’t asked for?
When was the last time you felt unbounded optimism?
Is there any topic lately that you would like to be mentored on?
Are there any aspects of your personality that hold you back? How do you adapt?
When you’re feeling stressed, how do you deal with it?
What criteria help you decide whether to say “no” to something or commit to it?
Who has made a positive difference in your life recently?
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
What’s something you’re looking forward to and why?
You’re cooking for the whole team. What is your signature dish?
Do you work better with or without music? What are you listening to while you work?
What was your first-ever job?
What’s a strategy you’ve found helpful in your recent work?
What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve taken in your career? How do you feel about having taken it?
Would you rather receive a shoutout from the CEO at a company all-hands meeting or a private word of thanks from them?
Would you rather someone took a boring task off your to-do list or invited you to participate in a project of great interest to you?
What’s a time when someone did something you appreciated (at work or in another context), but you didn’t let them know? What held you back?
Do you have a non-work goal you’re working toward right now? What is it?
What’s an organization or private company you admire and why?
What’s something our team is good at?
Who on the team would you like to swap jobs with for a day?
Who’s an ex-colleague from this job or another that you still think about?
What’s one thing that brings you energy and joy?
What’s something you admire about the people on our team?
What’s a signal you look for that indicates good company culture?
What makes you feel safe?
What is a red flag from an employer that you might not immediately recognize as one?

Informal and funny icebreaker questions for work

Here’s a collection of icebreaker questions that are fun and suitable for work.

What emoji represents you today and why?
If you could be one other person, who would that person be and why?
If you could safely eat any inedible object, what would it be?
If you could pick up a new skill in an instant, what would it be?
What’s something people don’t know about you?
What’s the most useful item you’ve purchased this year?
What’s the worst piece of advice you’ve ever been given? And why was it so bad?
If you could teleport anywhere, where would you go right now?
What’s the last book you quit reading and why?
If you could be fluent in another language instantly, which would you choose and why?
Name a TV show you think is underrated. Describe it in a sentence.
What’s the next item on your bucket list?
What’s your guilty pleasure when you have free time during the week?
What’s your favorite thing about the place where you live?
What’s a hobby or side project you’ve been meaning to take up?
What do your family or other loved ones think you do for work?
When you’re packing for a trip, what’s one thing (other than clothes) you always bring?
If you had to put together a PowerPoint presentation about anything, what would it be about?
What profession did you have in a previous life?
What flavor of tea represents you today?
What would you do if you had a fully paid year-long break from work?
What’s the worst job you ever had?

Get to know you questions

These questions let you break the ice and get to know each other a little better, too. They’re perfect for one-on-one calls or individual coaching sessions.

What’s something new or interesting you’ve learned recently?
What was your favorite recent meal and why?
What’s your favorite self-care activity?
What was the last thing you fell in love with?
Who was the last person you felt inspired by?
What simple thing still blows your mind?
Have you been pleasantly surprised by anything recently?
What are you reading right now?
What’s one country you would love to visit and why?
If you had to give a lecture on one thing, what would it be?
What’s something you couldn’t live without?
What season would you be? Winter, spring, summer, or autumn?
What’s the best book you’ve ever read? Why?
Which bucket list item do you most want to check off this year?
What’s an unusual family or national tradition you have?
What was your favorite subject in school? Why?
If you could keep only one part of your morning routine, what would it be?
Have you ever experienced a culture shock? Where was it, and what happened?
What’s an adventurous thing you’ve done?
What’s a TV show you recommend to everyone?
Where did you grow up, and what was it like?
What’s the most useful thing you own?
Would you rather spend a three-week trip visiting multiple interesting destinations or just one?
Make a choice: Never hear music again or lose the ability to read?
What’s something from your childhood that you still love today?
What’s a favorite movie you always recommend to people? Why do you love it?
What do you value most in a friendship?
What’s something that you’ve never learned to do?
Where do you feel most at home?
What’s one characteristic you admire in others?
What’s the best concert you ever attended?
What was the first concert or gig you ever attended?
What’s something you do to relieve anger or stress?
What’s a thing you do that seems strange to others?
What’s one of your pet peeves?
What’s one of your earliest memories?
What item do you never travel without?
What’s a common word or phrase that you don’t like/won’t use?
What’s in your ideal sandwich?
What is your favorite book from childhood?
What’s a song or album that triggers nostalgia for you?
What’s the most memorable live music or theatre event you’ve been to?
What is a popular movie that you just can’t stand?
What’s something that improved your quality of life so much, you wish you had done it sooner?
What’s one thing you’ve changed your mind about lately?
What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
What musical instrument would you play in a band?

Funny get to know you questions

Having a good laugh brings every team closer together. Here are some strange or funny get to know you questions.

If you did not have to sleep, how would you spend the extra eight hours?
What fictional world would you most like to live in?
If you could live with any fictional character, who would you choose?
What is your favorite smell and why?
If you could describe your life as a movie, what genre would it be?
Name a healthy food you enjoy and an unhealthy one you find hard to resist.
What age do you wish you could be permanently?
If you were forced to watch reruns of a favorite show, which would you choose?
Would you rather take a cold shower every day or always sleep an hour less than you need?
What drink best describes you today?
If you had to eat only one dish for the rest of time, what would it be?
What current fact about your life would most impress your five-year-old self?
What’s something you are craving right now?
What healthy food tastes just as good to you as unhealthy food?
What’s an unusual skill you’d love to master?
You’re on a desert island and can bring one luxury with you – what is it?
What’s a sauce, condiment, or dressing you couldn’t live without?
What’s something you like to do whenever you travel to a new country?
How would your best friend describe you?
What is something you will never eat, no matter how hungry you get?
If you were on a reality show, what would be your catchphrase?
What’s the title of a podcast you would never listen to?
If you were an action figure, what two accessories would you come with?
What question would you ask a psychic?
What’s the best present someone could bring to your housewarming party?
You can be reincarnated for a day as any living or historical famous person. Who do you choose and why?
What’s something that always gives you child-like joy?
What’s your culture’s most underrated food?
If people came with a warning tag, what would yours be?
If you were a kitchen utensil, which one would you be and why?
What would the title of your autobiography be?

Have you ever questions

“Have you ever…” is a surefire starter for anecdotes, tips, and bonding. Here are some variations to consider as icebreakers. Don’t forget the why, what, or where addition to avoid yes or no answers, a characteristic of bad icebreakers.

Have you ever done something extremely scary? What or why (not)?
Have you ever successfully conquered a fear?
Have you ever stayed up for an entire night without sleep? When or why not?
Have you ever been away from home for longer than a month? Why (not)?
Have you ever disconnected from phones and the internet for longer than 24 hours? How did it feel?
Have you ever gone way out of your comfort zone? Tell us about it!

Holiday icebreaker questions

There’s nothing like a festive or seasonal icebreaker to bring the mood of the room up. Here are some of our best icebreakers for connecting at Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Diwali, and the Lunar New Year!

Christmas icebreaker questions

What’s an unusual Christmas tradition you or your family have?
What’s the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received? Why?
If you could get anything for Christmas, what would it be?
What are your plans for this Christmas?
Do you celebrate Christmas? Why (not)?
What’s the most annoying Christmas song ever?
You’re singing Christmas karaoke! What song do you pick?
Which Christmas song would you pick if you had to listen to it for the rest of your life?
If you were a Christmas gift, what would you be and for whom?
If there’s one thing you could change about Christmas, what would it be?

Halloween icebreaker questions

What’s your scariest Halloween experience or one that you have heard about?
How will you dress up this Halloween? If you’re not dressing up, why not?
Do you celebrate Halloween and why (not)?
What would you be or make if you could dress up as anything this Halloween (regardless of the required cost or effort)?
What’s your favorite Halloween movie?
What’s the best treat you’ve ever received at Halloween?
If there’s one thing you could change about Halloween, what would it be?
What will kids receive who show up at your door this Halloween?
If you could change Halloween’s symbolic pumpkin to another fruit or vegetable, what would it be and why?
What’s an urban legend or ghost story local to the place you live or grew up?

Thanksgiving icebreaker questions

What’s an unusual Thanksgiving tradition you or your family have?
Do you celebrate Thanksgiving and why (not)?
If there’s one thing you could change about Thanksgiving, what would it be?
What’s your favorite Thanksgiving dish and why?
What’s one thing you are thankful for this year?

Diwali icebreaker questions

What’s your favorite part of Diwali celebrations?
How will you celebrate Diwali this year?
Does your family have any unusual Diwali traditions?

Lunar New Year icebreaker questions

Do you celebrate Lunar New Year and why (not)?
What’s your favorite Lunar New Year dish and why?
If there’s one thing you could change about Lunar New Year, what would it be?
What’s your most embarrassing Lunar New Year moment ever?
What’s your most best Lunar New Year memory?
What is the farthest or longest you’ve ever traveled to get back home for Lunar New Year?

Deep icebreaker questions

When you’ve developed psychological safety with your team, it’s nice to go a bit deeper. These questions are designed to help you take relationships with others to the next level.

What’s something you’ve recently learned about yourself?
What’s a new habit or practice you’re trying to cultivate?
What’s the most important thing to remember every day that you haven’t been able to?
What sparked your curiosity in whatever you’re most curious about now?
If you could know the absolute and total truth to one question, what question would you ask?
Which question can you ask to find out the most about a person?
If you could do something that you don’t because it’s bad for you, but you could do it without repercussions – what would you do?
What’s one small thing or practice that has vastly improved your quality of life?
How do you approach learning something new?
What’s your favorite word and why?
What’s something you find soothing?
If you had a time machine, would you go back in time to meet your ancestors or forward to meet your descendants?
What’s one thing many people hate but you love?
What’s something you would change if you ran the world?
If you could rid the world of one thing, what would it be?
What is your favorite habit?
What do you enjoy most about what you spend your time on?
If you could go back in time and make a minor change in your childhood, what is one thing you’d learn, so you could be an expert at it today?
What does friendship mean to you?
What’s a book, video, or poem that means a lot to you?
What are you doing when you feel most alive?
What does it feel like to be you right now?
How have you changed in the last year?
What’s the quality you cherish most about one of your closest friends?
What’s something that’s considered socially acceptable now but won’t be in 100 years?
Who is one person who changed your life but doesn’t know it?
If you were handed a megaphone and could blast out one message for the entire world to hear, what would you say?
If you walked into a room with everyone you’ve ever met in it, who would you look for?
What’s something you learned the hard way over the past year?

Icebreakers for small groups

Just can’t get enough of icebreaker questions? We’ve got you covered. Here are many more for small groups, adults, and a list of random questions for when you’re indecisive.

Icebreaker questions for small groups

What’s your one piece of advice to everyone here?
What question do you wish people would ask you?
What is one thing we would never guess about you?
What’s one thing you want to do in life but don’t know where to start?
What’s a cause or purpose you deeply believe in?
What’s a book that affected you so profoundly (emotionally or intellectually) that you still regularly think about it?
What’s something that doesn’t deserve the hate it gets?
What’s a piece of advice that has stuck with you?
What’s something you wish you understood better?
What is one thing your parents or guardians did right? And what’s one thing you wish they’d done differently?

Icebreaker questions for adults

These icebreaker questions are great for when you want to learn about your colleagues’ or team-mates’ past lives. Look back together on growing up, adolescence, or prior experiences.

What was your least favorite food as a child? Why did you dislike it?
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
What was your favorite breakfast as a kid?
What’s something you rebelled against as a kid?
What were some of your favorite activities as a kid?
What’s a landmark, popular destination, or local hangout spot that you either frequented or avoided when growing up?
What are you nostalgic about recently?
What’s something you were really into as a kid?
What is a small act of kindness you were once shown that you’ll never forget?
What’s something you wish you’d learned earlier in life?
What was the last thing you did that gave you child-like joy?
What’s one activity that grants you pure escapism?
What cartoon would you get up early to watch when you were young?
What’s a food that always reminds you of childhood?
What is one thing you wish you’d been taught in school?
What’s an adult problem nobody prepared you for?
What is a lesson you feel you learned too late in life?
What’s a personal side project you’re working on or want to work on?
How would teenage you describe your job?
What factor of your childhood impacted you the most as a person?
Who was your favorite teacher as a kid and why?

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Ready to spark fun conversations?

50 Fresh and Fun Icebreaker Questions to Kick Off Your Next Event

Poll Everywhere Competition leaderboard.

Events, conferences, and summits are great ways to bring people together, share ideas, and spark inspiration. Unfortunately, they can also lead to audience disengagement. No matter how stellar your content, keynote, or slideshow, lecture-based dialogue can lead to attendees spending more time looking at their phones instead of at your presentation. This frustrating challenge has a simple and seamless solution: interactive audience engagement directly from attendees’ phones.

Incorporating icebreaker questions into your presentation is a simple and fun way to engage your audience, lighten the mood, and encourage camaraderie amongst your attendees. Poll Everywhere coaxes participants out of their shells by letting them answer your icebreakers on their phones or devices – not in front of their peers. Everyone responds together, and the results are displayed in real-time as they are received. You can even set up anonymous responses to encourage authenticity and protect your attendees’ privacy.

Hear from the entire audience in the time it would take one person to stand and speak aloud.

Click any of the fun icebreaker questions listed below to copy into your Poll Everywhere account. Don’t have an account? Create an account and get started today!

Discover the Perfect Format for Your Icebreaker

Choosing between one or the other? Use Multiple Choice . Asking for suggestions or feedback? Use Open-ended . Do you have a funny photo or optical illusion? Use Clickable Image . No matter what icebreaker question you ask, Poll Everywhere has the right activity type to get you the most responses. Different activity types let participants respond in different ways, and those responses appear in dynamic graphs and charts. Select plans have a full suite of customization and styling options to integrate them with the rest of your presentation seamlessly.

Saturday or Sunday?
What’s your #lifehack of the week?
What’s the strangest word you know?
In a word, what is your new year’s resolution?
Rank these pizza toppings from best to worst:
What is the worst birthday present you ever received?

Read more: Hosting a fireside chat? Here are 3 tips to make it great

Enable Anonymous Responses

Maybe your fun icebreaker questions touch on some slightly more personal topics. Make the audience feel safe enough to speak up anonymously.

Anonymity is absolute . Once enabled, you won’t be able to match participants to their responses. No one in the audience can determine who said what, either. That data isn’t recorded when anonymity is enabled. As you can see in the examples below, enabling anonymity displays a notification to the audience, letting them know that their responses are protected.

Where are you from?
What’s your favorite food?
What’s the title of your autobiography?
How do you prefer to dance: alone or with others?
Do you prefer to spend time with friends or family?
What’s the most embarrassing haircut you’ve suffered through?

Enable Responses from Registered Participants

If you’re presenting to a group that already knows each other – friends, colleagues – then part of the fun of any icebreaker is seeing who said what. Poll Everywhere has you covered with screen names. This setting is turned on by default and gives each participant a way to choose who they are identified in your Poll Everywhere activities. They type in any name they wish before responding. Those names appear alongside live responses in certain activities and are recorded for all results within your account.

Would you rather it was…
What vice could you never give up?
What’s the best playlist on Spotify?
Which foreign countries have you visited?
What song gets you pumped for the weekend?
What skill or talent do you wish you possessed?
What’s your favorite question to ask during a job interview?
Share something you didn’t understand about the world as a kid:

Moderation Tools Keep Everyone on Track

There are times when fun icebreaker questions can get a little too fun . If you want to play things safe – and curtail any jokers who might be too explicit for your crowd – take advantage of the moderation feature. You can choose to automatically censor profane language, or personally approve each submission before it appears on the presentation screen. Moderation is available on select plans .

What is your American Dream?
Which Harry Potter house are you?
Name a word that rhymes with Orange
What would you do with a million dollars?
Describe your personality using ice cream flavors
Rank the Fast and the Furious films from best to worst
Describe a piece of clothing that felt painful to throw away
Complete the phrase, “It’s like my mama always says, _____.”

Turn Screenshots into Shareable Mementos

Don’t forget to save and share a screenshot of your fun icebreaker questions after your presentation, and maybe even send it out in a follow-up email to attendees.

What’s an example of “Words to live by”?
Do you think there’s life on other planets?
What’s the best thing on Netflix right now?
What one thing really gets on your nerves?
Which podcasts are you listening to right now?
Who is your favorite person on Twitter right now?
What do you enjoy doing outside of work or class?
Which droid would you like to help you around the house?

Creating fun icebreaker questions doesn’t have to be limited to presentations. You can also create polls in Slack . Spin up a question in seconds and share the results with a single link. Discover how Poll Everywhere turns presentations into two-way conversations that engage your audience.

100 icebreaker questions to get the conversation started

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So… What’s your superpower?

Is it your ability to solve a Rubik’s Cube in 30 seconds? Or maybe make the world’s best lasagna?

Whatever it is, is there a better superpower than watching your team bond over a couple of icebreakers you prepared before the meeting?

Nope. We don’t think so, either.

In fact, icebreakers help get the conversation going before any team meeting and even in classroom settings . They’re also wonderful activities to improve team communication and build team spirit.

If you’re looking for inspiration, we have 10 icebreaker categories to kickstart fun and productive meetings:

Team-specific icebreakers

Get to know your team icebreakers

Funny icebreakers, would you rather icebreakers, thought-provoking icebreakers, fun and light icebreakers, seasonal and holiday icebreakers, world travel icebreakers, music icebreakers, company-themed icebreakers, 5 tips to help break the ice.

These four icebreaker tips will help you navigate the start of group discussions and get the team comfortable and excited to answer questions.

Whoever leads the meeting should answer the icebreaker question first. This helps break the tension and immediately opens up the conversation.
Listen actively, and ask follow-up questions if necessary. The goal is to unite the team and give each person the opportunity to answer.
Let people interact with one another.
Allocate enough time, and don’t rush the team-building activity.
Consider the context of the meeting and the people involved when choosing your icebreaker question.

Team-specific icebreakers

The benefit of using team-specific icebreakers is that everyone can have an open conversation about their thoughts and ideas regarding the dynamics and collaboration of a team.

What is your favorite team memory?
Describe your team in one word.
What is your team’s biggest strength?
What are the top three must-have office items?
Best professional development book you’d recommend?
What is your most valuable soft skill for successful teams?
What is your favorite tool to use for team productivity?
How do you describe your job to a three-year-old?
What is your go-to office lunch?
What makes your team unique?

Our top pick: Describe your team in one word.

This question reveals what their team means to them and enables managers to spot the strengths of their team.

Related: Try these 25 icebreaker activities for virtual meetings

Use icebreaker questions to break barriers and understand the personalities and characteristics of each member. In the long run, it helps build compassion and relationships between team members, which results in improved communication and teamwork.

These icebreakers are especially helpful when new employees join a team, as the questions enable them to meet each team member in a fun environment.

Where did you grow up?
What day in your life would you like to relive?
What is the kindest act you have ever done?
Describe yourself in three words.
What was your dream job as a kid?
What are the top three items on your bucket list?
What movie scene is worthy of an Oscar?
Who would be the three guests at your dinner table?
What is your proudest achievement?
Five things that make you happy?

Our top pick: What is your proudest achievement?

This question unveils the events and achievements that are important to each individual. It gives insight into the personality and how each team member defines success.

Use funny icebreakers to lighten the mood. These icebreakers are great for Friday meetings ahead of the weekend or to bring laughter to the team after a rough week.

Do you consider yourself a lemon or a lime? Why?
What is your DJ name?
What is your superpower?
What three things would you do if you were invisible?
What is the best prank you’ve experienced or planned?
Tell us a weird fact you happen to know for no reason.
If you could take one prop from any movie set, what would it be?
Tell us your favorite joke.
If your pet could talk, what would they say?
If your life was captured in the “expectation vs. reality” meme, what would the two pictures be?

Our top pick: What is your superpower?

This is a fun way to ask your team members what their secret talents are and what they consider their strengths to be.

Would you rather questions are fun because they don’t put team members on the spot to come up with an answer; instead, they offer two options to choose from. This is helpful for teams that might be a bit shy or for new hires at the company.

Would you rather get free plane tickets or free accommodations for the rest of your life?
Would you rather spend a weekend in a tropical paradise or a snow haven?
Would you rather speak 10 languages or play 10 instruments?
Would you rather always be two hours early or 20 minutes late?
Would you rather sail or van life around the world?
Would you rather be able to control time or fly?
Would you rather read the end of every book or always forget the story’s ending?
Would you rather be a whale or a lion?
Would you rather have every traffic light turn green or always have the best parking spot?
Would you rather have slow internet or always forget your passwords?

Our top pick: Would you rather have every traffic light turn green or always have the best parking spot?

This question challenges employees to choose between practicality and patience. Both are important skills in the workplace and fun values to discuss.

Thought-provoking questions are interesting ways to dig deeper into employees’ opinions and perspectives. However, they should only be asked when the team has already built a strong relationship with one another, as they require vulnerability and a safe space.

Why do we create art?
What subject do you wish was taught in every school?
If you could know the answer to any question, what would it be?
What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?
When do you feel the most courageous?
What piece of advice would you give to your 16-year-old self?
When was the last time you tried something for the first time?
What are the three values you treasure the most in a friendship?
What is the best piece of feedback you have ever received?
Where do you find inspiration?

Our top pick: If you could know the answer to any question, what would it be?

This is our favorite question as it reveals what deeper topics employees find interesting and what problems they'd like to solve.

Fun and light icebreakers let employees bring out their creativity and have fun getting to know one another with questions that are unrelated to work.

What is your favorite cereal?
Which two companies would you like to be sponsored by?
What was your last Netflix binge?
If you could be a character in any movie, what character and what movie would it be?
If you invented an ice cream flavor, what ingredients would it have, and what would it be called?
If you could make an office rule that everyone had to follow for a day, what would it be?
What is the best concert/ festival you have ever been to?
A genie grants you one wish; what do you wish for?
What would you title your biography?
What three items would you bring with you on a deserted island?

Our top pick: If you could be a character in any movie, what character and what movie would it be?

This reveals what characters employees admire, which is a fun way to understand a person!

Related: Try these icebreakers for smaller groups

Get your team in the holiday mood with seasonal icebreakers. These are great for celebrating the change of seasons and building holiday spirit in the workspace.

What is your favorite season?
What’s your favorite holiday?
Do you over or under-decorate for the holidays?
What is your favorite summer activity?
What is your favorite winter meal?
If you could add an additional holiday to the calendar, what would it be and when?
Do you have any special traditions for the new year?
Do you create a New Year’s resolution list?
What is your favorite holiday movie?
What is your favorite holiday song?

Our top pick: Do you create a New Year’s resolution list?

This is a great opener to discuss each individual's New Year’s resolutions and to create a team New Year's resolution list.

After any vacation, travel icebreakers are a great way to bring out stories and understand what type of activities and experiences your team enjoys outside of work.

If you had to sleep on a beach anywhere in the world, where would it be?
If you could live in a different country for a year, which country would you choose?
What is your favorite travel story?
What is the most underrated city you have ever visited?
What country impacted you the most?
What is your favorite travel hack?
If you could organize a team retreat, where would it be?
Who is your favorite travel buddy or group?
What is more important for you when traveling, comfort and relaxation or energizing new experiences?
Who is the most interesting person you’ve met while traveling?

Our top pick: What is your favorite travel story?

Traveling always creates new memories and stories. It's a great question to understand how employees overcome challenges, their goals during their time off, and how they learn from their experiences.

Music questions are helpful for teams in the early stages of getting to know one another because they are lighthearted and fun to share without needing to get too personal.

What song brings back childhood memories?
Which artist would you like to meet?
Which band would you join? And what would your role be?
If you could name a band, what would it be called?
What song has the most beautiful lyrics?
How has your taste in music changed in the past 10 years?
What is your go-to karaoke song?
What movie has the best soundtrack?
What song would be the anthem of your life?
If you were a genre of music, what would it be?

Our top pick: What song would be the anthem of your life?

This is a creative question to see how your employees would describe their lives and to inspire discussions over the answers.

Company-themed questions are helpful and relevant icebreakers before any company event, like an all-hands meeting. They keep the attendees on track and focused on the company discussion.

If you could swap roles with anyone at the company for one day, who would it be?
What advice would you give a new hire at the company?
What do you most enjoy about your job?
How do you define success at the company?
What is your favorite company value?
What do you think is your company's biggest strength and weakness?
Where do you see the company in a year?
If you could change the company's name, what would it be?
If the company had a mascot, what would it be and why?
Who has influenced your work ethic the most?

Our top pick: What is your favorite company value?

This creates an insight into what value each employee finds the most important and chooses to live by.

Now you’ve broken the ice...what’s next?

Once the ice is broken, it’s time to get your team to collaborate through plans, strategies , and development.

However, starting a meeting with an icebreaker doesn’t automatically mean your team will continue to collaborate effectively. They will still need the support of collaboration tools and continuous team spirit to maintain the trust they’ve built .

That’s where a tool like Mural can step in, helping facilitate teamwork with a collaboration platform to express ideas, share thoughts , and plan together.

Take a peek at how our virtual whiteboards can bring your team’s imagination to life.

20+ online warm-ups & energizers to try with your team

25 fun icebreakers for virtual meetings

12 engaging ice breaker ideas for small groups

How to Collect Feedback from Stakeholders Effectively

Visual collaboration: What it is & how to get started

What is the difference between traditional project management and Agile?

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VIDEO

OET WARM UP QUESTIONS
WARM UP QUESTIONS IN OET SPEAKING
OET WARM UP QUESTIONS
Dr BKM institute OET SPEAKING WARM UP QUESTIONS
✨Oet Warm Up Questions and Answers
Simple principle to remember for a warm-up

COMMENTS

50+ Fun Icebreakers For Your Next Presentation - 24Slides
Always warm up your prospects and engage them in conversation first. Try to ask open-ended (instead of just ‘yes’ or ‘no’) questions. You can tackle topics like current events, or even just the weather!
70 Icebreaker Questions for Any Meeting or Presentation
Icebreakers are activities or questions used at the beginning of meetings or presentations to create a positive and engaging atmosphere, break down barriers between participants, and encourage communication and collaboration, making them an essential tool for any successful meeting or presentation.
221 best icebreaker questions for creating genuine connections
Kickoff your meetings effectively with this collection of the best icebreaker questions. Funny icebreaker questions and deeper conversation starters included!
10 energizing icebreakers for meetings and presentations
Gone are the times when meeting hosts had no alternative but to ask questions out loud, and to one person at a time in a meeting. Now, you can ask icebreaker questions like “In one word, how would you describe the project delivery?” and seamlessly collect everyone’s anonymous input at the same time.
80 Fun Meeting Icebreakers Your Team Will Love in 2024
In small groups, you can use great questions to get people to open up. Gather a list of icebreaker questions, or check out my favorite 57 conversation starters you can use. Have everyone take turns answering questions.
List of 200 Icebreaker Questions & Useful Practical Tips - Slido
Coming up with the right, work-appropriate icebreaker questions for your meeting is easier said than done. We’ve put together a quick list of key tips to help you pick the right icebreaker for your meeting:
330+ Icebreaker Questions to Try with your Team - Parabol
Try our Free Icebreaker Generator. Icebreaker questions can engage your team and get everyone in the right mood for your meeting. That’s why we’ve curated a list of 330+ icebreaker questions. These prompts help build camaraderie and invite different and surprising viewpoints.
50 Fun Icebreaker Questions for Events and Meetings
Incorporating icebreaker questions into your presentation is a simple and fun way to engage your audience, lighten the mood, and encourage camaraderie amongst your attendees. Poll Everywhere coaxes participants out of their shells by letting them answer your icebreakers on their phones or devices – not in front of their peers.
100 icebreaker questions to get the conversation started - Mural
Get to know your team better with these 100 icebreakers. Use these icebreaker questions to kick off a meeting and help participants feel more comfortable.
80+ Creative Icebreakers for Brainstorming - Mentimeter
Brainstorming can be a great way to bring together some creative, innovative, and disruptive ideas from each and every member of your team. However, our brains oftentimes need a warm-up or a way to get us in a creative thinking mode. So to help combat this we can use some icebreakers.

50+ Fun Icebreakers For Your Next Presentation

What is an icebreaker?

Icebreakers for one-on-one presentations

Benefits of icebreakers

5 Practical Tips for a Good Icebreaker

The Ultimate Presentation Icebreakers List

Presentation Icebreakers for Every Audience Size

Icebreakers depending on your presentation’s tone

Virtual presentation icebreakers

Fun icebreaker ideas for playful presentations

10 Great Icebreaker Questions for Any Presentation

Need more time to prepare for your presentation? 24Slides has you covered!

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Conclusion

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80 Fun Meeting Icebreakers Your Team Will Love in 2024

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What is an Icebreaker?

Virtual Meeting Icebreakers

Icebreaker #1: Show and Tell

Icebreaker #2: Teach Something New

Icebreaker #3: Creative Selfie

Icebreaker #4: Guess The Words (Codenames Online)

Icebreaker #5: Draw Anything Your Teammates Imagine

Icebreaker #6: Meet the Pet (or child, or partner, or plant)

Icebreaker #7: Draw and Guess

Icebreaker #8: Explore The World

Icebreaker #9: Phone Photo

Icebreaker #10: Partner Lunch

Icebreaker #11: Personal Logo

Icebreaker #12: Scattegories

Icebreaker #13: Virtual Background Contest

Icebreaker #14: One Word at a Time

Icebreaker #15: Change My Mind

Icebreaker #16: Rotating Questions

Icebreaker #17: Culture Exchange

Icebreaker #18: Quiz Time

Icebreakers You Can Do In Person

Unlock the Secrets of Charisma

Succeed with People

Icebreaker #19: The Candy Game

Icebreaker #20: The Marshmallow Game

Icebreaker #21: I-Spy Riddle Scavenger Hunt

Icebreaker #22: Two Truths and One Lie

Icebreaker #23: Desert Island Scenario

Icebreaker #24: Paper Airplane Game

Icebreaker #25: Guess The Item

Icebreaker #26: Year of the Coin

Icebreaker #27: One Common Thing

Icebreaker #28: Lego Tower Challenge