50 Get to Know You Games and Icebreakers

Get ready to have some fun with these 50 icebreaker games for your new group!

Seated Young Adult Icebreaker Games

Getting to Know You - Use dice to encourage conversation. Give everyone their own die and a list of
questions associated with a number from one to six. Then, they roll, ask the question that matches the
number and share their answers with each other. Choose to play as an entire small group or find a new
partner after each question.

Share the Story - Have all members of the group break into teams of four and start with a piece of lined
paper each. Give them a really creative sentence starter (that they write down) and then a few minutes
to add to the story. Hit a buzzer, then tell them to all pass their papers to the left or right where the next
person will read and add to that story. Continue this until the original writer gets their paper returned.
They read where the story has gone and then have a few minutes to craft a proper ending. Afterward,
let all members of the group vote on the best story crafted by the group.

Shout Outs - For groups that have formed some relationships but need to be shaken away from the
norm to achieve a deeper sense of community, create a shout out wall that mimics the way social media
works. Give everyone an index card or large slip of paper to write down something positive someone
else in the group did and pin it on the wall.

Instagram Icebreaker - Give the group time to go through their Instagram, or chosen social media
account, to choose one photo that they feel best represents themselves and share it with the group or a
smaller group.

Online Investigator - Break the group into pairs and tell them to look online for as much information as
they can find on the other person. They should write down all of the “facts” they can find. Then, share
them with the other person and cross off any that are not accurate. The result will show young people
how inaccurate online information can be and that there is still so much value in getting to know
someone in person.

What’s Next? - Have the group sit in a circle. The first person starts with any word they wish, but just
one, such as “chocolate.” The next person has to add a word that is associated with that word, such as
“chip.” This continues quickly, with each person adding just one word. Everyone will end up in laughter!

I Feel - In this fun game, each young adult is asked one question, “How do you feel today?” Then, they
have to choose just one word that really represents their entire mood and share it with the phrase, “I
feel...” They should be encouraged to be metaphorical or creative in their responses. Then, they get to
share out and everyone will learn more about each other based on how they feel.

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Young Adult Icebreakers That Require Movement

Teeth, Teeth - This fun game will make everyone laugh. Have everyone sit in a circle and pick a person to
start the chant. Tell them to say their name twice in a chant, “Erica, Erica...” and then the person to their
left repeats their name twice and then adds their own name twice, “Erica, Erica, Sarah, Sarah...” This
continues this way, with each person repeating the person before them and adding their own to the
end. But, there’s a catch: nobody can show their teeth. And, if someone does smile or show their teeth,
anyone who sees this happen yells, “Teeth!” That person is then eliminated, and this continues until the
last person wins.

People Bingo - Create a bingo card that has random facts in each box. These can relate to your group
activity or not. Ideas would be things like, “has been to Hawaii” or “has blue eyes.” Then, they are to go
around and find people who have these attributes or have had those experiences and write their name
in the box. They can only write a person’s name one time.

The Tree - If your group relies on excellent communication, this one will really highlight how important it
is to never assume others know what you mean. Have everyone fold a lined sheet of paper in half
lengthwise. Then, show them an interesting object and tell them only to describe the object on the left
side of their paper, without naming it at all. Afterward, everyone switches papers and now they must
draw what is described on the right, assuming they have never seen the object. Tell participants to be as
cutthroat and honest as possible. If you have space, split the group into two parts and show each group
a different object, so when they switch, they really will not have seen the object at all and won’t have
any frame of reference when drawing.

The Structure - Break large groups into smaller groups of four to five. Give each group the same building
materials, such as sticks of spaghetti, a roll of tape and a bag of marshmallows. Each group is told to
build the tallest structure possible within a set period of time, such as 15 minutes. They’ll learn that the
structure starts breaking long before they can finish it and they will need to work together to have a
structure still standing.

Who Am I? - For this fun game, find pop culture references or very famous people that young people
would be familiar with and write them on labels. You can even use the names of characters from
popular TV shows they might know. Then, each person gets a name on their back where they can’t see.
They ask each other yes or no questions until they find out who they are.

Ultimate Rock, Paper, Scissors - In this version, people play in pairs and the rest of the group cheers
them on like they are watching a professional sports game. Each time there is a winner, a new
contender (the winner from another pair) steps up to challenge them. For some groups, you may need
to set strict boundaries for how the game will go, so that it does not escalate beyond something silly and
fun.

Silent Ball - In this quiet game, the group stands in a circle far enough away to toss a ball to each other.
They cannot communicate to each other with words or sounds, simply trying to make eye contact with
the person they are tossing the ball to. Anyone who doesn’t catch the ball sits down. The idea here is to
teach them that communication is more than just words.

First Date - There’s a certain list of questions people typically ask on a first date. Ask everyone to write
down the list of questions they are most often asked or ask on a first date. Then, they should go find
someone they haven’t spoken to yet and ask them those questions and answer that person’s questions
in return. You can give them a few minutes and then ask them to rotate to a new “date” or stop at one.

Murder Mystery Icebreaker - There are murder mystery games designed for a small classroom-sized
group and written specifically for young adults. Murder mystery games are so fun and encourage a lot of
interaction and acting that will pull even the shy ones out of their shells. This activity will take longer
than most, with complete games taking anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours.

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Would You Rather - Print a list of would you rather questions. With each answer, have the group
separate based on their answer. As the questions keep coming, participants will start to see similarities
between members of the group. Genius Tip: Get started with this list of 100 would you rather questions.

Question Carousel - Have everyone stand up. Play music as they walk around. When the music stops,
they start talking with the person they are closest to. When the music starts, they start walking again.
Continue for several rotations until everyone seems more comfortable.

M&Ms - Give each person a small handful of M&Ms. Don’t worry about the color. But, assign a topic to
each color, such as blue M&Ms are family. Then, they have to share facts about those items with
someone else based on their M&Ms. Since each person’s M&M colors will be different, they’ll need to
pay attention to know what they need to share.

Mirror - In this hilarious game, start with two volunteers who sit back to back and link arms. They try to
stand up at the same time, without their backs losing contact. Then, add another pair and try it with
four. Keep adding two people at a time until it is the entire group trying to stand together.

Name That Song - Take a popular song and split the chorus up into single lines that you write on index
cards. Then, give each person just one of the index cards. Tell them to complete the song by finding the
other parts of the verse and then standing in order of how the song goes.

Snowball Fight - Have each member write their name and a few interesting facts about themselves on a
piece of paper before balling it up like a snowball. Then, give them a couple of minutes to have an actual
indoor snowball fight. Use a buzzer to have them stop and then grab the nearest paper and unroll it. Go
around and let each person share the name and facts that are on their snowball.

Indoor Beach Ball - Have everyone stand up in an open area and tell them they’re going to work
together to keep the beach ball from touching the ground. But, anytime it does, the person who didn’t
catch it shares one thing about themselves with the group.

Hula Hoop Who - Place hula hoops around a large space. Have people walk around while music plays
and when it stops, they need to get inside one of the hoops. Then, give them a few minutes to chat with
whoever is in the hoop with them before the music starts and they do it again.
Jenga - Write good questions on Jenga blocks. Start a game of Jenga and whenever someone pulls a
block they answer the question. You can use questions that really speak to your specific audience, their
interests, experiences, and goals. Genius Tip: If you want to keep the mood light, try a few of these
funny get to know you questions.

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Seated Adult Icebreakers

Just Five Things - This icebreaker is so versatile and can work for any group. Break up into groups of four
or five and tell them they’ll be coming up with a list of five things to answer a prompt. Create a question
that relates to your group. For example, serious prompts can be “five things that inspire you” or “five
habits of successful people.” Fun prompts could include “the five worst movies you’ve ever seen,” “five
favorite foods,” etc. This icebreaker can be used over and over with different questions for different
results.

Two Truths and a Lie - Have each person write down two things that are true and one thing that is a lie
about them. Ask them to choose items that are interesting, funny, silly or noteworthy in some way.
Then, ask people to take turns sharing and have the group try to guess the lie.

Origin Map - Get or draw a giant map of the world and have each person write where they were born.
When you share who was born where, ask them to share one value or tradition from that place that is
special to them or has shaped them in some way. This is an excellent icebreaker for an international
audience.

Logo Lovin’ - In this easy game, ask each person to draw a logo that they really love on a sticky label and
put it on their shirt. Then, they walk around and share with others why they love it. Consider taking
certain logos off the table for selection (such as your own company or organization) to encourage
deeper thinking.

Four Quadrants - Start with a sheet of paper per person that is divided into four quadrants. Then, in
each quadrant, people are to draw a picture that answers the question that you ask. When you’re
finished, they’ll have four images to represent their thoughts on the questions and can take turns
sharing it with people near them.

My Weirdest Day - Ask each person to write a few sentences about the weirdest day of their life. It
should be something they are comfortable sharing or even a story they regularly use when getting to
know new people. Place the stories in a jar and then pull them out one at a time and read aloud. The
group should try to guess who said it.

Build It - Give each person a small amount of building supplies, such as Play-doh or LEGOs. Ask them to
build a structure or image that relates to their reason for joining the group or club. Then, take time to
share what they created and why.

Empathic Origami - If your club or activity is something that new people approach with hesitation or
anxiety, consider this mindful opener. Have each person write down their concerns or worries. Let them
know you will not be sharing it with others, so they can be as vulnerable as they like on the paper. Then,
guide them through a simple origami exercise to turn the paper with the written worries into a bird or
butterfly. Now, they just need to fly their origami into the trashcan as a symbol of letting go of their
worries.

One Word - Break the group into smaller groups of four to five and ask each group to agree on one word
that represents your group or your purpose. If you are a company, it can be a word that describes your
company culture. Give them enough time to really hash it out and come to a decision amongst
themselves. Then, share with the larger group, making a master list of all the words.

Mad Props - Here is an activity for a more established group that is familiar with one another but either
needs to go deeper or has become cliquish. Break the group into smaller groups of four or five and have
them share a story with the group of a time when someone else in the group did something worthy of
props (or a pat on the back). Then, pick the best story from the small group to share with the larger
group when you come back together.

Pick Your Icebreaker - Ask each attendee to bring their favorite icebreaker. Then, have everyone share
them with the group. You can put all these ideas on slips of paper and put them in a jar to use for future
use.

Life Motto - Give each person time to write down the motto that best describes their life up to this
point. Then, allow them to share, either with a small breakout group or with the whole group.

Just One Question - Start with just one question. Either something that will inspire a little conflict, such
as choosing between two things (i.e., pizza or hamburgers, beach or city), or a more thought-provoking
question related to your group. Give everyone a chance to think and respond. Encourage a little healthy
debate.

Toss the Question - Write a bunch of questions you might ask someone you just met on a big ball. Then,
toss it to someone and ask them to pick any question and answer it before tossing it to someone else.

Comedian - Ask each person to prepare their favorite joke. Then, take turns sharing them with the
group. Or, to make people more comfortable, have them share their jokes with a certain number of
people while moving around the group. If needed, give suggestions for certain types of subjects that
should be off-limits to make sure jokes are appropriate.

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Adult Icebreakers Involving Movement

Line Up - Make a list of questions that go with the purpose of your group or club and then ask members
to line up based on the question. For example, a question might be to line up based on how comfortable
you are with rock climbing, from total novice to expert level.

Quotes - Make enough pairs to match your number of members and give the famous quote to one
person and the name of the person responsible for saying it to another person. Then, have members
walk around and share what they have as they attempt to match the speaker to the quote.
Have You Ever - For this game, make a list of personal qualities, accomplishments or facts that could
relate to your activity or purpose. Ask each person to circle the things that are true about them, then
mix up the papers and pass them back out to everyone, so each person has a paper other than their
own. Then, say, “Stand up if you have...” and insert something on the list. You will all learn so much
about each other without having to call out individual people, making this a very accessible icebreaker
for all personality types.

Soul Mates - Write down one half of a popular pair on nametags. It can be a couple that is famous or
pairings like peanut butter and jelly. Then, participants each get a tag stuck to their back so they cannot
see it. Now, they mill around asking closed (yes or no) questions that will help them find their mate.
Pairs should then sit down once they find each other.

Team Jigsaw - In this fun game, split the group into smaller groups and give each group a puzzle or
game, such as Jenga, or an actual puzzle. But, beforehand, take a few pieces from each game and mix
them into another group’s game. As the game progresses, they’ll learn that they need to communicate
with the other teams to get their pieces. You can make it more challenging by allowing groups to barter
and negotiate to get the pieces they need.

Lost in Translation - Similar to the old game telephone, this game also shows how different people can
interpret the same message. Have pairs of two sit back to back with simple art supplies, such as paper
and pencils. Then, tell each pair a word that conjures an image, with each pair getting a different image.
Both draw what they imagine and then they share to compare how they are similar and different in
what they created.

Social Networks - Give each person an index card and have them write facts for a list of predetermined
questions, such as where they went to college, where they have worked previously, what their degree is
in, hobbies, etc. Then, have each person put their index card on a large piece of chart paper when
finished. Now, the whole group works together to draw lines to and from index cards with similarities,
creating a visual social network of your group.

Speed Dating - In this hilarious game, you’ll model a speed dating experience with your group. Either set
up two rows of seats facing each other or station sets of two around the room. Ask everyone to
randomly pick a seat and then tell them they have 2 minutes to ask each other questions before the bell
rings and one side will rotate to a new chair. Then, after the next ring, ask the other side to rotate.

Cinderella - This memorable icebreaker asks everyone who enters to drop one shoe in a basket. Then,
pass them out to different owners and task participants to find their shoe and strike up a conversation
with the person who has it.

Just 10 Things - Task everyone to find ten things in common with the other participants in the group.
Simple similarities that every human has are not allowed.

With any of these icebreakers, your group will be well on their way to bonding and forming a tight-knit
team. Feel free to come back to this list whenever you need to rebuild camaraderie or encourage mixing
in the group. Many of these games are also excellent for times when you need a filler activity or
something to help integrate new members. Enjoy getting to know each other and making new
memories!
Erica Jabali is a freelance writer and blogs over at ispyfabulous.com.

Additional Resources

100 Getting to Know You Questions

50 Funny Get to Know You Questions

75 Get to Know You Questions for Clubs and Groups

25 Icebreaker Activities for Any Group