Authentic Lessons for 21st Century Learning

Ice Breaker Collection

Patricia McDaniels-Gomez, Keiana Cross | Published: September 5th, 2025 by K20 Center

Summary

Looking for quick ice breaker activities? This collection of ice breakers offers numerous strategies that can be adapted for a variety of circumstances. Options range from lighthearted games to structured discussion, from personal to broadly applicable. These strategies create opportunities for participants to get to know one another and begin building community. Looking for questions to ask during an ice breaker activity? Find a list of potential questions, organized by tone at https://k20.ou.edu/icebreaker.

Resources

Human Bingo

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 2nd - Secondary

A quick icebreaker activity where students move around the room, share conversations, and work to identify traits in others. Read more »

Strategy Instructional Strategy

User Group Group Size

  • Large Group (at least 30), Whole Class

Copied To Clipboard Placement In Lesson

  • Engage/Opening, Explore/Learning Activity

Time Frame Time To Complete

  • Less Than 10 Minutes, 10 - 20 Minutes

Tag Intention Or Purpose

  • Collaborate, Conversation Starter, Critical Thinking, Infer, Physical Movement, Problem Solving, Recognize, Speak & Listen

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 2nd - Secondary

Use the pre-filled cards or the attached template to create your own. Create cards as general or as detailed as needed.

Sweet Talk

Grade Level Grade Level

  • Preschool - Secondary

Sweet Talk is a student grouping strategy in which students create their own groups by selecting preferred items from a box and then respond to prompts that relate to their choices. This grouping strategy can be used in any subject area. Read more »

Strategy Instructional Strategy

User Group Group Size

  • Small Group

Copied To Clipboard Placement In Lesson

  • Engage/Opening

Time Frame Time To Complete

  • Less Than 10 Minutes

Tag Intention Or Purpose

  • Active Engagement, Collaborate, Conversation Starter, Increase Teacher "Toolbox", Physical Movement, Reflection, Student Choice

Grade Level Grade Level

  • Preschool - Secondary

For an ice breaker, write several open-ended questions designed for participants to get to know each other. For example, you might ask “What is your favorite movie?” or “Where is your dream vacation destination?”

Snap, Clap, Pop

Grade Level Grade Level

  • Preschool - 12th

This strategy can be used as an icebreaker or get-to-know-you activity to establish community in a classroom or can be used with content to incorporate physical movement into a formative assessment. For younger grades, it can be used to teach simple vocabulary or topics. For older grades, it can be... Read more »

Strategy Instructional Strategy

User Group Group Size

  • Whole Class

Copied To Clipboard Placement In Lesson

  • Engage/Opening, Evaluate/Assessment

Time Frame Time To Complete

  • Less Than 10 Minutes

Tag Intention Or Purpose

  • Activate Prior Knowledge, Conversation Starter, Physical Movement, Recognize, Review, Self-assessment, Speak & Listen

Grade Level Grade Level

  • Preschool - 12th

Create statements you know will apply to some participants or that you are interested in knowing about them. For example, "If you traveled somewhere on vacation, stand and call out where" or "If you play a musical instrument, stand up and air play."

Last One Standing

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 3rd - 12th

A bell ringer strategy that can be employed as either an icebreaker or as a means of activating prior knowledge, Last One Standing has students answer a question in a novel way. Read more »

Strategy Instructional Strategy

User Group Group Size

  • Large Group (at least 30), Medium Group (at least 10), Small Group, Whole Class

Copied To Clipboard Placement In Lesson

  • Engage/Opening

Time Frame Time To Complete

  • Less Than 10 Minutes

Tag Intention Or Purpose

  • Activate Prior Knowledge, Active Engagement, Physical Movement, Review

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 3rd - 12th

Ask questions to see how familiar participants are with a program or group of people. For example, “This career studies how water moves and behaves both above and below the ground” or “This facilitator speaks three languages.”

Beach Ball Talk and Toss

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 1st - 12th

This collaborative strategy is a fun, active way for students to engage in substantive conversations. With meaningful prompts or questions, students can reflect on their learning, review content or vocabulary, and much more with this highly adaptable learning strategy. Read more »

Strategy Instructional Strategy

User Group Group Size

  • Medium Group (at least 10), Small Group (at least 4)

Copied To Clipboard Placement In Lesson

  • Engage/Opening, Evaluate/Assessment

Time Frame Time To Complete

  • 10 - 20 Minutes

Tag Intention Or Purpose

  • Active Engagement, Collaborate, Conversation Starter, Cross-Curricular, Physical Movement, Reflection, Review, Speak & Listen, Student Choice, Vocabulary

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 1st - 12th

This strategy can be used as a whole-group activity or with smaller groups. Not only does this work well as an ice breaker, it’s a fun way to get participants up and moving.

30 Second Spotlight

Grade Level Grade Level

  • Undergraduate - Secondary

Students practice creating and delivering concise presentations. Each student creates one slide and has exactly 30 seconds to present on either a content topic or a topic they are passionate about. Read more »

Strategy Instructional Strategy

User Group Group Size

  • Individual, Small Group

Copied To Clipboard Placement In Lesson

  • Engage/Opening, Extend/Additional Learning Activity, Evaluate/Assessment

Time Frame Time To Complete

  • More Than 30 Minutes

Tag Intention Or Purpose

  • Evaluate, Speak & Listen, Summarize

Grade Level Grade Level

  • Undergraduate - Secondary

Use this strategy to let participants introduce themselves by sharing any information they want, or provide an open-ended question for them. Ask participants to share a fun fact about why they chose to participate in your program or professional learning experience.

Fiction in the Facts

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 6th - 12th

Students analyze statements to differentiate between fact and fiction, promoting critical thinking and discourse among students to identify correct content area knowledge. Read more »

Strategy Instructional Strategy

User Group Group Size

  • Individual, Whole Class

Copied To Clipboard Placement In Lesson

  • Engage/Opening

Time Frame Time To Complete

  • Less Than 10 Minutes

Tag Intention Or Purpose

  • Analyze, Collaborate, Compare & Contrast, Critical Thinking, Evaluate, Recognize

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 6th - 12th

Participants generate their own statements as a way to build rapport and gain insight into others in the group. Use a more directed approach by providing prompts such as “What food could you eat every day?” or “What is a hidden talent you have (or wish you had)?”

Quiz, Quiz, Trade

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 1st - 12th

Students review information together by asking and answering questions with a partner. This collaboration fosters active engagement and discussion. Read more »

Strategy Instructional Strategy

User Group Group Size

  • Small Group

Copied To Clipboard Placement In Lesson

  • Engage/Opening

Time Frame Time To Complete

  • Less Than 10 Minutes

Tag Intention Or Purpose

  • Physical Movement, Speak & Listen

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 1st - 12th

Modify this strategy by focusing the questions on personal interests. Write one question per person. Participants break into pairs, ask each other the question on their paper, trade, then find a new partner. Continue until the whole group has had a chance to speak with everyone else.

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