Icebreaker Ideas and Games Collection
We’re introducing classic, popular icebreakers and games!
Have you heard the term “icebreaker” before?
Put simply, it refers to activities that ease the tension and awkward silence that often arise among people meeting for the first time.
Whether you’re a student at the start of a new term or a new employee just joining a company—most of us have experienced that feeling when stepping into a new environment.
In this article, we’re sharing topics and games you can enjoy even with people you’ve just met!
If you want to build better relationships in a new group or team, or help nervous newcomers loosen up and have fun, give icebreakers a try!
Icebreaker Topics and Games Summary (1–10)
Name demon
When it comes to icebreakers, remembering people’s names is the first step, right? This game, called “Name Tag,” is perfect for helping you remember names.
Participants call out each other’s names, and the person who is “it” tries to tag the person whose name was called.
Before getting tagged, that person calls another participant’s name, and the process repeats.
By doing this, everyone naturally learns each other’s names.
Who am I? game
Each person has a name written on their back, but they themselves don’t know what it says.
It’s a game where you ask people around you yes-or-no questions—such as “Am I food?”—based on them looking at your back, and use their answers to figure out what you are.
The four corners of the room
“Four Corners of the Room” is an icebreaker that helps make everyone’s differences of opinion easier to see.
It’s hard to know what people are really thinking, right? And sometimes it can be tough to speak up.
In those moments, dividing the room into four corners—such as Yes, Sometimes, Hard to Say, and No—creates clear options and makes it easier to ask for and share opinions.
It can be useful to try it with a variety of questions!
cross clap
If you’re looking for an icebreaker to warm up the room, I recommend a game called “Crossed Claps.” The rules are very simple: one person acts as the leader and stands at the front, and everyone only claps when the leader’s hands cross as they move them.
If the leader intentionally throws off the rhythm or avoids crossing their hands, the atmosphere naturally loosens up and everyone relaxes.
trifectaNEW!
What would you do if you had to spend 100 million yen in a single day? What would you do if you could stop time for an hour? How would you answer when asked such outlandish questions? Sanrentan is a game where you deduce the other person’s values and preferences and try to guess their answers perfectly.
Written in kanji as “三連単,” it sounds a bit like horse racing predictions.
It’s a great icebreaker for getting to know someone.
Although it’s sold as a card game, handwritten slips work perfectly well too.
Prince Shōtoku game
As you know, conversation is key to getting along with someone you’ve just met.
This “Prince Shōtoku Game” is perfect for breaking the ice, because it naturally gets you to look the other person in the eye while talking.
In this game, one respondent listens to two prompts spoken simultaneously by two prompters and then answers what each of the words was.
By the time everyone has had a turn as the respondent, you’ll all be chatting naturally.
Hula hoop relay
Everyone holds hands to form a circle.
A hula hoop is looped into the circle, and while keeping hands linked, each person steps through the hoop and passes it along to the next person.
You repeat this and race to see how long it takes for the hula hoop to return to its starting point.
You can compete by team for the best time, or enjoy discussing strategies for how to shorten the time as you play.