Icebreakers that get people moving (for both small and large groups)
Icebreakers to ease tension are used in many schools and workplaces, right? Among those, the ones that get people moving seem even more effective at dispelling nervousness and anxiety, don’t they? Here, we introduce icebreakers that involve physical movement.
We cover activities that don’t require much space, ones suitable for small groups, and ones that can be done in teams for larger groups.
Try using them during sluggish morning briefings or before afternoon meetings.
- A collection of icebreakers you can enjoy with a small group
- Team-based recreational activities for adults that are fun even with large groups
- [In a Short Time] Icebreakers and Fun Games That Shine at Morning Meetings
- A simple and fun co-op game that enhances teamwork
- [Elementary School] Quick and Easy! Indoor Recreational Activities Perfect for Lower Grades
- Icebreaker Ideas and Games Collection
- Get the Fun Going! Easy Classroom Games You Can Play at School: Recreational Activities for the Whole Class
- Games you can play with just conversation. Classic and popular activities you can enjoy without any props!
- [Self-Introduction & Games] Icebreaker Ideas Collection
- [For University Students] A Roundup of Fun Games and Recreational Activities
- Recreation Ideas That Truly Excite High School Students! A Fun Collection of Activities
- Recreation popularity rankings for junior high school students
- A roundup of recommended icebreakers for college students
[For Small and Large Groups] Physical Icebreakers (1–10)
Air-reading game
This “reading-the-room game” is an icebreaker that brings to mind the popular game “Takenoko Nyokki”! Participants sit in a circle and stand up one at a time while calling out numbers in order starting from 1.
You can choose when to stand, but if you overlap with someone else, you lose—so watch others closely and time your move.
Once everyone has stood up, continue by sitting down in the same way.
Although it can be played competitively, it might be great for team-building to set a target number and aim to complete the sequence without any overlaps.
front, back, left, and right
This is an icebreaker called “Forward, Back, Left, Right,” where everyone holds hands in a circle and moves in sync with the leader’s calls.
When the leader says “Forward,” participants step forward while saying “Forward.” Do the same for “Back,” “Right,” and “Left.” Once everyone gets used to it, try saying and moving in the opposite way from the leader’s calls! It’s not a competitive game, so just enjoy moving together.
Speeding it up makes it more challenging and boosts concentration!
Hula hoop relay
The classic recreation activity “hula hoop relay” is perfect as an icebreaker! Everyone holds hands to form a circle, and each person passes their body through a hula hoop in turn.
The rule is to keep holding hands while going through, so raise or lower your hands to help the people on your left and right pass more easily.
Some people may feel shy about holding hands, but even those who aren’t comfortable with conversation or physical activity can join this easy icebreaker.
It’s suitable for all ages, so give it a try!
[For Small and Large Groups] Active Icebreakers (11–20)
Plus Action
It’s an icebreaker you can enjoy with a small group! This “Plus Action” game is like a memory-based charades chain.
Have participants play rock-paper-scissors to decide the order.
The first person strikes a pose; the next person imitates it and then adds a new movement of their own.
You keep repeating this, and whoever forgets the sequence and can’t continue loses.
It’s fine to add easy-to-remember moves, but if you add funny ones, everyone might chuckle, the atmosphere will relax, and nerves may ease up!
Pass the ball.
This is an icebreaker called “Pass the Ball,” where the team discusses and practices how to move the ball as quickly as possible! Form teams of about 4 to 6 people and decide the order in which you’ll pass the ball.
At the start signal, begin passing and record the time.
If the first round takes 5 seconds, for example, brainstorm ways to make the next round shorter—aim for 4 seconds.
Try different ideas, like standing closer together or adjusting how you throw the ball.
You can also create multiple teams and make it a team competition—it’s a lot of fun!
Magical Banana
A Magical Banana game where clapping and rhythm are key.
The first person says, “When you say banana, I think of ___,” filling in a word by association.
The next person keeps the rhythm and continues saying what the word makes them think of.
Keep the rhythm going by saying the phrase “When you say ___” each time.
Once everyone gets used to the game, speed it up by increasing the clapping and rhythm tempo.
The main point is to say your associations in time with the rhythm; if you can’t say one in time, restart on the spot and try again.
Ping-Pong Great Escape
This is an icebreaker where you build a tower out of newspaper and place a ping-pong ball on the top.
Split into several groups with the same number of people, and give each group newspaper, a ping-pong ball, and tape.
At the start signal, work together as a team to build the tallest tower.
The team with the tallest tower wins, but to win, the tower must be able to hold the ping-pong ball and stand on its own for at least 5 seconds.
Discuss within your team and cooperate to build the tallest tower you can!