Classroom Ice Breakers & Activities
Here’s a list of icebreaker activities for school-based specialists to use with students at the beginning of the year—great for both whole groups and 1:1 sessions. These activities help build rapport, reduce anxiety, and create a positive start.
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⭐️ “All About Me” Interview
How to Play:
Give students a list of fun, age-appropriate questions (e.g., “What’s your favorite subject?” “What helps you feel calm?”). Students can either:Pair up and interview each other,
Be interviewed by you one-on-one,
Or complete the questions on a worksheet.
Option: Turn answers into a drawing or poster to present to the class!
Why It Works:
This helps students reflect on their own preferences and identities, while learning about others. It builds confidence, encourages respectful listening, and sparks future conversations.⭐️ All About Me Posters or Drawings
How to Play:
Provide each student with a blank template or plain paper. They’ll draw or write about themselves—things like favorite foods, family members, hobbies, or dreams. When finished, they can present it to the class, small groups, or just you.Why It Works:
This taps into visual learning and self-expression while giving everyone a structured way to share. It builds pride in individuality and helps teachers and classmates get to know each other on a deeper level.⭐️ “My Superpower” Drawing or Discussion
How to Play:
Ask: “If you could have a superpower, what would it be?” Students can draw themselves using their imagined superpower or simply share it aloud. Encourage them to explain why they chose that power.Why It Works:
This activity is a fun mix of creativity and identity. Students reveal what they value or wish for—like invisibility (for alone time), flying (freedom), or healing (helping others). It builds empathy and lets students feel seen.⭐️ “If I Were a…”
How to Play:
Use prompts like:“If I were a color, I’d be…”
“If I were a weather, I’d be…”
“If I were an animal, I’d be…”
Make sure to follow with “because…” to help students explain their reasoning. This can be written, spoken, or illustrated.
Why It Works:
This encourages abstract thinking and creative expression while revealing students’ personalities, feelings, and moods. It’s playful and open-ended, giving everyone space to shine.⭐️ Feelings Check-In
How to Play:
Use visuals like printed emojis, zones of regulation charts, or color mood charts. Ask:“Which one shows how you’re feeling today?”
Then follow up with:
“Why that one?”Students can point, hold up cards, or write their answers if verbal sharing feels hard.
Why It Works:
This builds emotional awareness and helps normalize talking about feelings. It’s especially helpful for specialists to track moods over time and create a classroom culture of empathy and safety.⭐️ Story Sentence Starters
How to Play:
Give students a sentence starter and let them finish it aloud or in writing. Examples:“The best day I ever had was…”
“A time I was really proud of myself…”
“One time I was nervous but brave was…”
You can share as a group, in pairs, or use them as journaling prompts.
Why It Works:
This helps students practice storytelling, sequencing, and emotional sharing. It supports language development and helps others relate to their experiences.⭐️ Two Truths and a Lie OR Two Truths and a Wish
How to Play:
Each student thinks of two true facts about themselves and one “lie” (or wish). The group guesses which is which! For example:“I have a cat.”
“I went skydiving.”
“I want to be a pilot someday.”
If using the "Wish" version, the third statement is something they hope for instead of a lie.
Why It Works:
This lighthearted game builds curiosity and attention. It invites students to choose what they share, while encouraging classmates to remember and connect. The "Wish" version also promotes goal-setting and empathy. -
⭐️ Question Ball Toss
How to Play:
Use a soft beach ball or foam ball and write a variety of get-to-know-you questions all over it (e.g., “What’s your favorite food?”, “Do you have siblings?”, “What’s your dream vacation?”). Students stand in a circle and gently toss the ball to one another. When a student catches it, they look at the question closest to their right thumb and answer it out loud before tossing the ball to someone else.Why It Works:
This game is low-pressure and fun, encouraging students to open up at their own pace. The randomness of the questions and movement keeps things playful while sparking conversation and connection.⭐️ Would You Rather? (Movement Game)
How to Play:
Designate two sides of the room for answer choices. Ask a series of “Would you rather…” questions (e.g., “Would you rather have a pet dragon or a pet unicorn?”). Students move to the side that matches their choice. You can pause and ask a few students to explain why they chose that side.Why It Works:
This activity gets kids moving and thinking, with no pressure to speak unless they want to. It reveals interests and personalities in a visual, active way and helps students see how they’re similar or different from their classmates.⭐️ Human Bingo
How to Play:
Create Bingo cards with fun traits or experiences in each box (e.g., “Can ride a bike,” “Loves ice cream,” “Has a younger sibling”). Students walk around the room asking classmates questions and writing down names of people who match each box. First student to get 5 in a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) shouts “Bingo!”Why It Works:
This game encourages communication and active listening. It breaks the ice quickly by promoting movement and one-on-one interactions. Great for learning names and discovering commonalities.⭐️ Find Someone Who…
How to Play:
Hand out a checklist of prompts like “Find someone who likes to read,” or “Find someone who has the same favorite color as you.” Students must mingle to find classmates who match each statement and write their names down.Why It Works:
Like Human Bingo but less competitive, this promotes peer interaction and discovery in a gentle, low-stakes format. It helps quieter students ease into socializing and gives them a script for starting conversations.⭐️ “Me in 3”
How to Play:
Each student comes up with three things that describe them. These can be words (e.g., “Baseball, Gamer, Oldest sibling”), drawings, or even three small personal items brought from home. Students take turns sharing their “3” with the group or in small circles.Why It Works:
“Me in 3” allows for self-expression and identity sharing while giving students control over what they reveal. It builds self-awareness and encourages others to see them as multi-faceted individuals.⭐️ Common Ground
How to Play:
Put students in pairs or small groups and challenge them to discover 3–5 things they all have in common (e.g., “We all like pizza,” “We’ve all been to a zoo”). After a few minutes, each group can share one of their commonalities with the whole class.Why It Works:
This activity encourages listening, collaboration, and connection. It shifts focus from differences to similarities, helping students form bonds and feel like part of a group. -
🧼 Note: Some cleanup likely for some of activities!
⭐️ 1. Marshmallow Tower Challenge
How to Play:
Your team has 18 minutes to build the tallest free-standing tower using only the materials provided:20 spaghetti sticks
1 yard of tape
1 yard of string
1 marshmallow
The marshmallow must go on top, and the tower must stand on its own—no taping to desks or leaning on objects!
Why It Works:
This challenge is all about collaboration, engineering thinking, and resilience. Students must plan, test, and revise under time pressure—mimicking real-world problem solving. It also reveals natural leadership and teamwork dynamics.⭐️2. Paper Chain Race
How to Play:
Each team gets 1 sheet of paper per person, scissors, and tape or glue. In 10 minutes, build the longest paper chain possible. Everyone on the team must contribute!Why It Works:
This activity is quick, hands-on, and requires delegation and teamwork. Students must strategize how to work efficiently as a group—great for activating group roles and inclusive participation.⭐️ 3. Cup Stack Challenge
How to Play:
Using only the provided materials:6 plastic cups
1 rubber band
4–6 strings tied to the band (one per student)
Students must work together to stack the cups into a pyramid (3-2-1). No one may touch the cups with their hands—only use the strings to stretch and move the rubber band!
Why It Works:
This task requires patience, teamwork, and communication—especially since students can’t complete it alone. It also builds coordination and problem-solving in a fun, low-mess way.⭐️ 4. Save the Gummy Bear
How to Play:
Each group is given:1 gummy bear
1 small cup
A mix of materials (foil, cotton balls, straws, tape, etc.)
You have 15 minutes to build a shelter that protects your bear from “rain” (the teacher will slowly pour water from above). The driest bear wins!
Why It Works:
Combines STEM thinking with creativity and teamwork. Students must prototype and plan under time constraints while thinking about design, protection, and materials.⭐️5. Human Knot
How to Play:
Stand in a circle. Everyone reaches their right hand across and grabs someone else’s hand (not next to them). Then do the same with their left hand. Without letting go, work together to untangle into a circle.Why It Works:
This is a classic for building trust, communication, and laughter. It requires students to think spatially, listen, and cooperate without a “leader.”⭐️ 6. Silent Line-Up
How to Play:
Students must line up silently in a specific order—like by birthday (month and day). No speaking or writing—only use gestures and non-verbal cues. When everyone thinks it’s correct, the group checks together.Why It Works:
This quick game builds non-verbal communication skills and gets everyone thinking creatively. It’s also inclusive—everyone has to observe and contribute to succeed.⭐️ 7. Balloon Tower
How to Play:
Each team gets 10–15 balloons and a roll of tape. You have 15 minutes to build the tallest balloon tower possible. It must stand on its own—no leaning or outside support.Why It Works:
This challenge emphasizes innovation, problem solving, and patience, especially with unpredictable materials! It also sparks lots of laughter and teamwork.Note: Some popping could lead to loud noises!
⭐️ 8. Puzzle Piece Challenge
How to Play:
Each group receives a puzzle—but 3–4 pieces are swapped with another group’s puzzle. Teams must communicate, collaborate, and trade to complete their puzzle. First group to finish wins!Why It Works:
Encourages inter-group cooperation, not just internal teamwork. Students must practice negotiation, listening, and shared goals, making it a great social-emotional learning boost. -
What’s something that always makes you laugh?
What’s your favorite thing to do at recess?
If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?
What’s your dream job or thing you want to be when you grow up?
What’s something you’ve learned that you're really proud of?
