Ever felt awkward at a team-building event, staring at the clock, wishing it would just end? Icebreaker games can save the day, but the wrong ones can make things even worse. We’ve all been there – the cringe-worthy charades, the forced laughter, and the awkward silence.
So, if you’re tired of the same old boring games, we’ve compiled a list of 40 icebreaker games that you can easily implement in both virtual and in-person meetings.
Non-Cringey Icebreaker Games For Remote Teams
Here are icebreaker games perfect for your virtual meetings:
1. Two Truths and a Lie
Each of your team members shares 2 true facts and 1 lie about themselves. The rest of the team then tries to guess which statement is the lie.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Perfect for 5-15 participants in a virtual meeting.
Duration: 10-15 minutes
2. Virtual Coffee Chat
Invite your team to enjoy a casual virtual coffee break where they can chat and connect on non-work topics.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Best for 2-5 participants in a virtual breakout room.
Duration: 15-30 minutes
3. Show & Tell
Ask your team members to bring a personal item and share the story behind it. This helps everyone get to know each other in a more meaningful way.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Ideal for 5-10 participants in a virtual meeting.
Duration: 20-30 minutes
4. Online Pictionary
Draw simple pictures while your teammates try to guess what it is within 30 seconds. Here are pictures you can draw:
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Best for 4-10 participants in a virtual meeting.
Duration: 15-30 minutes
5. Desert Island Scenario
Challenge your team to imagine they are stranded on a desert island and need to pick 5 survival items from the list.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Ideal for 4-8 participants in a virtual meeting.
Duration: 15-20 minutes
6. Trivia Quiz
Engage your team with a fun and competitive trivia quiz that tests their knowledge across various topics. Here are trivia questions you can use:
- What is the largest planet in our solar system? Answer: Jupiter
- Who wrote the play “Romeo and Juliet”? Answer: William Shakespeare
- What year did the Titanic sink? Answer: 1912
- What is the capital of Japan? Answer: Tokyo
- How many continents are there in the world? Answer: 7
- Which country is home to the kangaroo? Answer: Australia
- Who painted the Mona Lisa? Answer: Leonardo da Vinci
- What is the tallest mountain in the world? Answer: Mount Everest
- What is the chemical symbol for water? Answer: H2O
- Who was the first person to walk on the moon? Answer: Neil Armstrong
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Perfect for 4-20 participants in a virtual meeting.
Duration: 15-30 minutes
7. 20 Questions
One of your team members thinks of an object, and the rest of the group asks up to 20 yes/no questions to guess what it is. The goal is to figure out the object within the limited number of questions.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Best for 3-10 participants in a virtual meeting.
Duration: 10-20 minutes
8. Remote Scavenger Hunt
Prepare a list of items that your team can find around their homes within a set time limit. They must return with the items and show them on camera to complete the hunt. Here’s a list of items you can use:
- A book with a blue cover
- A coffee mug
- A kitchen utensil
- A plant (real or fake)
- A pair of sunglasses
- Something that lights up
- A photo frame
- A cozy blanket
- A piece of fruit
- A handwritten note
Ease of Execution: Moderate
Group Size & Setting: Ideal for 4-15 participants in a virtual meeting.
Duration: 15-30 minutes
9. Icebreaker Questions
Answer fun, lighthearted questions with your team to help spark conversation and get to know each other better. Questions can range from personal preferences to hypothetical scenarios, like:
- If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
- What’s your favorite movie of all time?
- If you could have dinner with any famous person, dead or alive, who would it be?
- What’s the strangest food you’ve ever eaten?
- If you were an animal, which one would you be and why?
- What’s one hobby you’ve always wanted to try but never have?
- What’s your go-to karaoke song?
- If you could live at any time, which would it be?
- What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
- What’s the first thing you would do if you won the lottery?
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Suitable for 3-20 participants in a virtual meeting.
Duration: 10-20 minutes
10. Virtual Escape Room
Work together to solve puzzles and riddles to “escape” from a virtual scenario within a time limit. Use these free online escape room templates for your meetings.
Ease of Execution: Moderate
Group Size & Setting: Best for 4-10 participants in a virtual meeting, with everyone collaborating on puzzles.
Duration: 30-60 minutes
Non-Cringey Icebreaker Games For Daily Standups
Here are quick icebreakers during your daily team updates:
11. One-Word Check-In
Each team member shares one word that describes how they are feeling or what’s on their mind at that moment.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Suitable for 3-15 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 5-10 minutes
12. Daily Highlights
Everyone shares one positive or standout moment from their day, helping to uplift moods at the start or end of a meeting.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Ideal for 3-15 participants in a short virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 5-10 minutes
13. Fun Fact Sharing
Each teammate shares an interesting or quirky fact about themselves, which helps build connections and spark conversations.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Works well for 3-15 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 5-10 minutes
14. Quick Would You Rather?
Prepare thought-provoking “Would you rather?” questions to start interesting debates and discussions. Engage everyone to answer these questions and learn their preferences. Here are fun questions you can use:
- Would you rather always be 10 minutes late or 20 minutes early?
- Would you rather have the ability to fly or be invisible?
- Would you rather live without music or without TV?
- Would you rather explore space or the deep ocean?
- Would you rather have a pause or a rewind button in your life?
- Would you rather only be able to whisper or only be able to shout?
- Would you rather have unlimited free time or unlimited money?
- Would you rather travel the world for a year or stay in one place with all the luxuries?
- Would you rather never get angry or never feel envy?
- Would you rather read minds or control time?
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Perfect for 3-20 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 5-15 minutes
15. Picture of the Day
Everyone shares a recent photo they captured in the group chat. The team reacts to each photo, and the one with the most reactions wins the title of “Picture of the Day.” The details of the winning photo are then shared with the team for a fun discussion.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Ideal for 3-15 participants in a virtual meeting, team chat, or in-person meeting.
Duration: 10-20 minutes
16. Mood Meter
You’ll present a board of different moods, and everyone picks an emoji that best describes how they’re feeling. It’s a quick and engaging way to gauge the overall emotional state of the team, opening up space for support or celebration.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Ideal for 3-20 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 5-10 minutes
17. Rapid Fire Questions
The team answers quick, fun questions with no time to think, promoting spontaneity and fast-paced interaction.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Works well for 3-15 participants in a virtual meeting.
Duration: 5-10 minutes
18. Daily Wins and Challenges
Everyone takes turns to share one success and one challenge they faced during the day. This celebrates small wins and creates space for team support.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Best for 3-15 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 10-20 minutes
19. Quick Creative Challenge
Give your team a short, fun task like drawing, writing a slogan, or solving a riddle in 5 minutes. Then, everyone shares what they finished, making it a fun and interactive way to spark creativity.
Ease of Execution: Moderate
Group Size & Setting: Best for 3-10 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 10-15 minutes
20. One Minute Story
Give your team one minute to create and tell a short story based on a random prompt. It’s a fun way to encourage quick thinking and storytelling skills.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Ideal for 3-10 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 10-15 minutes
Non-Cringey Icebreaker Games For Weekly Meetings
Keep your weekly meetings light and interactive with these energizing icebreaker games:
21. Personal Wins
Share a recent personal achievement or something you’re proud of together with your team. It’s a positive and uplifting way to boost morale and build team connections.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Ideal for 3-15 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 10-20 minutes
22. “What’s on Your Desk?”
Take turns with your team to show an item from each of your desks and explain why it’s there. It’s a fun and lighthearted way to get a glimpse into each other’s workspaces.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Works best with 3-10 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 10-15 minutes
23. Weekly Trivia
Each week, post a fun trivia question in your group chat as a poll on different topics. Your team competes to see who knows the most. Keep a tally of the scores, and at the end of the month, award the high scorers for some friendly competition.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Best for 3-20 participants in a virtual group chat.
Duration: 5-10 minutes per week
24. Highs and Lows
Encourage your team to share one high point and one low point from their week. It’s a simple way to celebrate successes and offer support for challenges.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Ideal for 3-15 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 10-20 minutes
25. Goal Updates
Team members share updates on their personal or work-related goals. They discuss progress, challenges, and next steps, which encourages accountability and helps the team stay motivated and aligned.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Best for 3-10 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 10-20 minutes.
26. Success Stories
Share success stories from professional or personal life experiences to inspire your team. Give everyone a chance to tell their story and share their own insights.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Ideal for 3-15 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 10-20 minutes
27. Book/Movie Recommendations
Take turns recommending a favorite book or movie and explain why each of you enjoyed it. This sparks conversations and offers a fun way for the team to share interests.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Best for 3-15 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 10-20 minutes
28. Weekly Reflection
Create virtual breakrooms during your meeting and form small groups where everyone shares a brief reflection on their week, discussing what went well, challenges faced, and lessons learned. It’s a simple way to encourage growth, self-awareness, and team connection.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Best for 3-10 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 10-20 minutes
29. Best Team Moments
Compile team pictures, stories, and memorable moments. Flash these during the meeting, and encourage everyone to share stories or add insights to reminisce about the moment together.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Best for 3-15 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 10-20 minutes
30. Quick Team Survey
Send out a brief survey with fun or work-related questions to gather insights or opinions from your team. It’s a quick way to get feedback and start a discussion during a meeting.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Ideal for teams of 3-20 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 5-10 minutes for the survey
Non-Cringey Icebreaker Games For Team Building Events
31. Human Bingo
Create and print a bingo card with fun facts or experiences (“Has traveled to another country” or “Plays a musical instrument”). Everyone will talk to colleagues to find out who matches the descriptions and fill in their names. Here’s a human bingo card you can customize:
| B | I | N | G | O |
| Traveled to another country | Has a pet | Speaks more than 2 languages | Plays a musical instrument | Worked from a coffee shop |
| Loves cooking | Has completed a marathon | Has met a celebrity | Prefers tea over coffee | Has a home office setup |
| Visited more than 5 countries | Knows how to code | Enjoys hiking | Favorite color is blue | Can juggle |
| Runs or exercises regularly | Has lived in more than 2 cities | Has been with the company for 5+ years | Likes to read non-fiction books | Volunteers in the community |
| Attended a virtual concert | Loves gardening | Enjoys painting or drawing | Prefers dogs over cats | Has a unique hobby |
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Best for 5-20 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 10-20 minutes
32. Scenes from a Hat
Random scenarios are drawn from a hat, and participants act them out on the spot. Here are scenes you can put on your list:
- A person trying to explain how to use a smartphone to a caveman.
- 2 people are lost in a jungle, arguing over which direction to go.
- A chef teaching someone how to make an impossible dish with missing ingredients.
- A superhero trying to find a regular job.
- A person stuck in an elevator with their favorite celebrity.
- A detective who’s constantly forgetting important clues.
- 2 people trying to build a piece of IKEA furniture without instructions.
- Someone delivering terrible news but trying to make it sound positive.
- 2 spies who keep mixing up their secret codes.
- A person auditioning for a movie role they know nothing about.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Best for 4-10 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 15-30 minutes
33. Storytelling Chain
One team member starts a story with a sentence, and each person adds a new sentence to continue the story. It’s a fun and imaginative way to collaborate and build a narrative together.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Best for 3-10 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 10-20 minutes
34. Common Ground
Small groups or pairs identify things they all have in common that aren’t related to work (hobbies, favorite foods, or life experiences). Teams are given a set amount of time (usually 5-10 minutes) to come up with a list of 5-10 things they share. Afterward, each group presents their findings to the larger team.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Ideal for 3-15 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 10-15 minutes
35. Speed Networking
Pair team members in breakout rooms for brief, timed conversations to quickly get to know each other. After each round, pairs rotate, so everyone can connect with multiple team members in a short period.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Best for 6-20 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 15-30 minutes
36. Who Am I?
Each team member acts out a famous person or character, while others guess who they are based on their actions.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Works best with 4-10 participants in a virtual or in-person meeting.
Duration: 10-15 minutes
37. Talent Show
Take turns showcasing a unique talent or skill, whether it’s singing, playing an instrument, or performing a magic trick. It’s a fun and entertaining way to share hidden talents and bond as a team.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Best for 5-15 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 30-60 minutes
38. Cooking Challenge
Selected teammates compete by preparing a dish within a set time, showing their cooking skills live on camera.
Ease of Execution: Complex
Group Size & Setting: Best for 3-10 participants in a virtual meeting.
Duration: 30-60 minutes
39. Gibberish Translator
One person speaks in gibberish while another acts as their translator, making up what they’re saying on the fly.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Best for 4-10 participants in a virtual or in-person meeting.
Duration: 10-20 minutes
40. Improv Games
Engage in short, unscripted activities where everyone has to act out scenes or respond to prompts spontaneously. Here are activities you can try:
- Yes, And… – One person starts with a statement, and the next person adds to it by starting their response with “Yes, and…” to keep building on the idea.
- Props – Participants are given random household objects and must come up with creative uses or scenarios involving them.
- Fortunately, Unfortunately – Participants alternate between positive and negative statements to tell a story, starting with “Fortunately” or “Unfortunately.”
- Freeze – 2 participants start acting out a scene. At any point, someone can say “freeze” and swap in, continuing the scene in a different direction.
- Questions Only – A scene is played out, but participants can only speak in questions, which makes it more challenging and hilarious.
Ease of Execution: Easy
Group Size & Setting: Best for 3-10 participants in a virtual meeting or in-person meeting.
Duration: 15-30 minutes
Conclusion
Engaging your team in icebreaker games can refresh their minds and keep them motivated in their tasks. It also builds strong team relationships and helps communicate better during projects. You can choose what best fits your team’s needs, as long as everyone enjoys it.
Partner with Genius to access A+ talent that fits right into your teams. Our local teams in Latin America and the Philippines carefully vet every candidate to guarantee quality and reliability. Plus, we prioritize your satisfaction—enjoy free interviews with no pressure to hire. Fill out this form now to get started.
FAQs
What are the 4 C’s icebreakers?
The 4 C’s icebreaker focuses on building connections through 4 areas: Commonalities, Challenges, Choices, and Changes. Participants share something related to each “C,” encouraging conversation and understanding within the group.
How do you do the 3 question mingle?
In the 3 Question Mingle, participants move around the room (or virtual space) and ask 3 pre-set questions to different people. These questions help them learn something new about each person. Afterward, they share interesting facts they’ve discovered with the group.
What is the 3 P’s ice breaker?
The 3 P’s icebreaker stands for Personal, Professional, and Passion. Participants introduce themselves by sharing something about their personal life, professional background, and passion or hobby. This helps create a complete view of each individual.
What is the five-finger game icebreaker?
In the Five Finger Game, participants hold up 5 fingers and, one by one, share 5 personal facts, lowering a finger with each fact they share. It’s a quick way to get to know others and promote engagement in a fun and simple way.
