Top ten icebreaker games
Our top ten icebreaker games list includes some team building ice breakers, icebreaker games for children, icebreaker games for adults and get to know you icebreaker ideas.
Icebreaker games are amoung the most widely used games for youth groups, corporate team building events, small groups and social events. Sometimes it's hard to know which ice breaker ideas are going to be the best for your group so we've decided to compile a list of our top ten youth group icebreaker games.
We've chosen each group game thinking generally about a few things - how easy it would be for people who don't know each other to play, how fun the icebreaker game is, how durable the game is (ie. can it be played with a small group or a large group) and most importantly will it actually break the ice, or will things turn out just as awkward as before.
10. Ultimate Icebreaker
While maybe not technically an icebreaker "get to know you game" - this game takes the term "icebreaker" literally. And for that awesome literal interpretation, it comes in at box-number 10 in our top ten icebreaker games. The aim is for each team to melt a block of ice with clothing frozen into it. The first team to put on the clothing wins!
9. Teeth
While Teeth requires a group to already be a little bit comfortable with each other, it's a good youth group game to loosen up people - even if they are already friends. It's one of those games that can provide a whole lot of laughs and a whole lot of good times.
8. Blow Wind Blow
One of the more laid-back ice breaker games in this list, Blow Wind Blow, is a really great low pressure game to play to mix people around. While it's not really a "get to know you game", it does allow for easy opportunities to spark up a conversation or sit next to someone you might not know.
7. Secret Identity
This is a good group game to get people to start mingling - and that's why it's it features in our Top Ten Ice Breaker Games. When you have a group full of people who haven't spoken to each other, this is a great quick icebreaker game to use.
6. Remember Me?
Are you one of those people who have struggle to remember names? Well this ice breaker game is for you! "Remember Me?" is a great way to introduce new people into a youth group and give them a chance to remember everyone else's names.
5. Mix & Meet
Any ice breaker game involving food is surely worth playing. Mix and Meet uses M&Ms to help a small group get to know each other. This is a perfect fun game to kick of a small group discussion, a team building event or even a one on one meeting.
4. Team Architect
This game comes under the category of "team ice breakers" and while it doesn't force any deep getting to know you conversation, it does allow for opportunities for team members of a group to see how each other works dynamically. Team Architect requires the members of a team to work together to complete an objective (usually to build something).
3. Shoe Talk
Definitely a favourite icebreaker idea! I played this game at a camp recently and it really helps to get to know a couple random people in a low-pressure situation. The game allows the opportunity to ask a question of another person, but doesn't allow enough time for it to become awkward.
2. Name Bingo
This group ice breaker game can be done with any size of group and it works perfectly even when no one has ever met before. Each person needs to complete their bingo sheet by meeting a selection of different people who fit in each category of the grid. A seriously awesome mixer game!
1. Two Truths And A Tale
An all time classic youth group icebreaker game - one of the ones I use most commonly. While it doesn't work for a larger group, as a small group icebreaker it's as entertaining and as interesting as they come. It provides an opportunity for each group member to share interesting things about themselves, as well as revealing part of how they think and maybe how their sense of humour works.
