Ice Breaker Games for Kids
Below you can find a list of fun ice-breaker games for kids that will help them get to know each other. So, if you have a group of kids who are new and want to “break the ice” as they say, these ice breaker activities should help!
What is an Ice Breaker Game?
Ice breaker activities and games are generally used when you have a group of people who don’t know each other. Ice breaker games generally involve introductions, question games, and team building activities.
Why are Icebreaker Games great for Students?
Young children and students can sometimes be shy meeting new people, especially when in a large group. Ice breaker games help to calm the nerves by getting their minds off the fact that they don’t know anyone. By the time kids and students play a few ice breaker games, you should notice a change in their behavior and the way they act with the others.
14 Fun Ice Breaker Games for Kids and Students
Here are some fun icebreaker games for kids and students that you will love!
1. Find your partner
What you will need
Index cards
Safety pins
How to play
Have names of characters written out ahead of time on the index cards. Disney characters are a great one to use or well-known movies and TV shows.
Attach one of the index cards to each one of the child’s back while they stand in a line. When you are ready have the children mingle and ask each other questions about their characters in “yes” or “no” form.
The children will try to figure out who they are while also looking around the room for their character partner.
Possible idea’s
Charlie Brown and Snoopy
Micky Mouse and Mini
Anna and Elsa
Simba and Nala
Example Questions
Am I alive?
Am I a cartoon?
Am I a girl?
Do I have powers?
Am I an animal?
2. Ice breaker bingo
What you will need
Bingo Boards
Clip Boards
Pencils
How to play
In this Ice Breaker game, each child has a bingo board with a clip board, the object of the game is to cover your bingo board with other signatures. The first child to have 5 in a row wins.
To be able to fill up a bingo square with a signature, a child has to successfully answer a yes question. Th children can only sign one square on each person bingo board. You can find already created bingo sheets online or you can create your own.
3. Never have I ever
How to play
Children will sit in a circle holding 10 fingers up, one child will start by saying “never have I ever” and then something they have never done.
If children in the circle have done what the other child has not, then they put down a finger. Whoever has all their fingers down first wins. This is a great way to have the children get to know one another by asking questions and seeing what others have and have not done.
Possible questions
Never have I ever…
Been on an airplane
Had a dog
Been to America
Rode a bike
Had any brothers
4. Two truths and a lie
What you will need
Index cards
Pencils
How to play
This is one of the most interesting ice breaker games for kids. Children will be given an index card with 3 numbers on it. At each number the children need to write two things about themselves that are true and one thing about themselves that is not true.
The children will stand in front of everyone and say their two truths and a lie in any order trying not to laugh when they say their lie.
The other children will have to guess which of the 3 answers is not true. This is a fun way to get children thinking about themselves and coming up with a fun way to try and trick other children.
Example
My favorite food is pizza (T)
I have 5 sisters and one brother (L)
I live on a farm (T)
5. Conversation cubes
What you will need
This ice breaker game for kids can be purchased off Amazon
How to play
The game comes with 6 soft foam dice and 36 conversation starters on them. There is many different ways to play this game but often times the easiest way for new children getting to know one another is by having the children sit in a circle, each child rolls the dice and then reads and answers the question on the cube.
To get all of the children involved, encourage the children to make comments on what conversation the other child has just answered.
6. Getting to know you
What you will need
A beach ball with questions written out on them
How to play
The children will get into a circle and toss the ball to one another. Make sure all children are getting a turn to catch and throw the ball. Whichever question the child’s “right thumb” lands on is the question they will answer.
Possible questions
How many siblings do you have?
Where do you live?
What is your favorite movie?
What are you scared of?
What is your favorite holiday?
7. Mix & meet
What You Will Need
A bowl of M&M’s
How to play
Each color of M&M will have its own meaning.
Red- Family
Blue- Movies
Green- Hobbies
Yellow- Friends
Orange- School
Each child grabs a handful of M&M’s, the children can separate their M&M’s into colors and count how many of each they have. However, many blue ones they have will be how many facts they have to say about movies, however many red ones they have will be how many facts they have to say about their Family. At the end the children can eat their M&M’s. You can play more than once by changing the meaning of each color and adjusting it to age level.
8. Name relation games
How to Play
Everyone will sit in a circle facing each other. One person will start by saying their name and a food that begins with the first letter of their name, the next person repeats what the first person says and then adds their own food. Each child has to remember what everyone in front of themes food was.
You can switch up the game by playing with different themes such as movies, books and hobbies. Whoever in the group can make it all the way around without messing up wins.
9. Tell me a story
How to Play
All the children will sit in a circle, one child will start with 4 words to start a sentence. For example, “once upon a time”, each person will have to add a word onto the person in front on them.
The object is to create a funny sentence by adding words but also remembering what the full sentence is. This is a fun way to get the children thinking about words and how to make sentences funny but also to relate to the children around them.
10. Where do you stand
What You Will Need
A large area and some chalk or masking tape.
How to Play
Make two lines on the ground, one at either end of the room. The children will stand in the middle of the room and the facilitator will call out two words while pointing to each line, the children then have to choose which category they like better and choose that line to go stand on. This will help children better known other students interests that are similar to theirs. Often times it will strike up conversations on what they both like.
Ideas for line categories
Pizza or mashed potato’s
Cats or dogs
Apples or pears
Beaches or mountains
Writing or reading
11. Shoe talk
What you will need
Shoes
How to play
Split the children up into two groups. One of the groups will put one of their shoes into the middle of the floor, the other group will come pick up one of the shoes and then finds the person the shoe belongs to. Give the children in the pair 1 minuet to ask 3 questions about them.
After one minute each pair will have to state one thing they learned about that person. To switch pairs, have one of the groups find a new shoe to steal. This practices good listening skills while learning about their new friends.
12. Whip that smile off your face
How to play
Children will sit in a circle and one person will start the game, this person will smile there biggest, ugliest, funniest smile while trying to make the other children laugh. The children must be silent while doing this and can only smile.
The object of the game is it get everyone in the circle to laugh at your smile, when the children laugh at the person making the funny smile, they get a point, then the child wipes the smile off their face and passes it to the next person. This is a fun way to be silly but also confident with the people around you.
13. Silent interview
How to play
This ice breaker game for kids is best played with older children due to it being a charades game. Split the children up into partners, have the children introduce themselves. The facilitator will explain to the children that they have 3 minuets to tell their partner 3 things about them without speaking. This includes no whispering, mouthing words or making sounds.
Once the time is up, call the children back with their pairs and have them introduce each other by saying the three things they learned. If the children are younger you can do this as a full group activity instead of in pars. This activity is a fun way to engage children in explaining themselves by using thinking and gestures.
14. You, me, left, right
How to play
Students will form a circle; the facilitator will be the person calling the actions. Each child will introduce themselves to the person to the right and left of them. The facilitator will point to someone in the circle and say “you” “me” “left” or “right” and then count to five at a reasonable pace.
The child who is being pointed to must correctly name the person before the caller counts to five. Once the children have played a few times, add another caller to the mix to make it more fun.
More Fun Ice Breaker Games for Kids?
Do you know any other Ice Breaker Activities for kids? If you have played or know of any other fun Ice Breaker Games for Kids that we can add to the list let us know!
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