Icebreaker acts for welcome parties that rapidly bring people closer: surefire, easy crowd-pleasers
Entertainment and performances are essential for welcome parties.
Sometimes the hosts perform, and sometimes the newcomers do—both patterns exist.
Either way, it’s nerve-wracking, and choosing what to do can be tough.
In this article, we’ll introduce performances recommended for people in any position.
We’ve picked a wide range: activities that help everyone open up, ideas that let others get to know you, and funny bits.
However, be sure to avoid acts that are too long and bore participants, or anything vulgar!
Icebreaker performances for welcome parties that instantly bring people closer: foolproof crowd-pleasers (1–10)
Intro QuizNEW!
In this quiz, you guess the song title by listening only to the intro, the opening part of the track.
It’s a popular quiz anyone can join casually, and it has a nostalgic feel.
How about gathering songs that were hits during the participants’ youth and enjoying the quiz? You can make it a fastest-finger individual match, or turn it into a team competition where you discuss answers—great as an icebreaker with people you’ve just met and a way to become friends.
The hyper intro quiz, where you answer after just one second of the intro, is also a blast and highly recommended!
In-house video screeningNEW!
How about creating a company-themed video and giving it a screening? I recommend going for the exact opposite of your usual image, even if the content is serious.
For example, if your workplace is usually friendly and lively, make the video with a cool vibe.
Some people might feel shy about swapping their usual smile for a serious face, but it’s sure to make the video memorable! Of course, you can make it a comedy piece too—come up with something that gets everyone buzzing with excitement.
Samurai sword-fighting (chambara) battleNEW!
Chanbara Battle is a game where players use soft swords to knock off balls attached to each other’s arms.
Because it’s played in teams, a sense of camaraderie grows even among people meeting for the first time.
You’ll naturally start talking as you think about strategies.
Have fun moving your bodies together, cooperate, and lead your team to victory.
If time allows, switch team members and leaders to create more chances to talk with newcomers.
You can buy chanbara equipment at online shops.
Introducing someone else
Tako-shokai (introducing others) is a well-known icebreaker-style self-introduction game.
Normally, when someone says “Please introduce yourself,” you talk about yourself, right? But in this game, you introduce someone other than yourself.
You can have people pair up, or make a name lottery and have participants draw a name.
If everyone is complete strangers, it can be fun to introduce someone based on imagination first and then have the person correct it afterward.
Block-Style Self-Introduction
This is a well-known self-introduction game that also works as an icebreaker.
It’s a simple game that even lower-grade students can play, so give it a try.
First, have all participants form a circle.
Then each person says, “I’m [Name], who likes [Thing],” sharing a personal highlight and their name.
You go around in order, but there’s a twist: you must remember and repeat what each previous person said—“I’m [Name], who likes [Thing]”—and then introduce yourself at the end.
It can be quite challenging with a large group, but it’s a fun way to remember everyone and is highly recommended.
wotagei
Originally, it was a dance where people cheered on idols and voice actors with glow sticks, but lately it’s become known to the general public as a performance art to be watched.
Issei Takahashi even showed it in a commercial.
With the glow sticks being so flashy, I think it would be perfect for a welcome party.
Flip joke
In a flip-board routine, comedians perform using boards (flips) with drawings or words on them.
Because the flips provide visual information in addition to words, the jokes are easier to convey and can be performed solo.
The content can be anything.
You can write part of the routine in words, or get laughs from the drawings on the flips.
Popular comedians like Bakarhythm and Sosina from Shimofuri Myojo also perform flip-board comedy, so use them as references and try creating your own original material.