ICE BREAKERS
An Ice Breaker is just like the word says. It is any activity that is designed to “break the ice” in any
new or unfamiliar situation. Ice breakers are used to introduce others and begin the process of
developing a team.
In order for an Ice Breaker to be an effective tool in Group Development the following criteria is
necessary:

Very little contact; people in a new environment require personal space and are often
uncomfortable touching others.

Must have an element of FUN & humour.
laughing.

Must encourage group interaction. BUT no group member should ever be put on the spot.
All activities should be voluntary.
Ice Breakers work best when participants are
***In order for an Ice Breaker to be truly effective the leader should facilitate activities that
are fun, upbeat and allow the participants to make lots of noise and laugh.
The Infamous “Group Juggle”
READY!
Find some children
Collect a variety of small balls or softer objects suitable for throwing
SET!
Ask your group to form a circle. A group of 10-15 works great!
GO!
Introduce yourself and throw a ball to someone in the circle. That person will catch the ball, say
their name and pass the ball to someone else. This continues until everyone has had the ball and
has had an opportunity to introduce themselves.
To make it more of a challenge, try remembering the order in which the ball went around and
repeat the process faster and faster. Try adding more than one ball or other objects such as; bean
bags, rubber chickens and other animals etc.
Helpful Tip! Use the “Bumper‟s Up!” rule to ensure safety and make sure everyone gets a turn. Group members place
hands (palms forward) in front of them until they have received the object , after they have received it they can put their
hands down. Think of this position as your BEST Karate stance!
The BIG Wind Blows
READY!


SET!

There is no set up and no equipment needed for this fast paced “get to know you” game
All you need is your imagination and energy
Gather your group around. ANY age will do!
GO!



Children form a circle (they can stand or sit)
A volunteer goes into the center of the circle and says "the BIG wind blows on everyone who has
brown hair." Everyone with brown hair needs to leave their spot and find a new one…but WATCH
OUT, because the person in the middle is trying to find a place in the circle. Whoever does not get
a spot in the circle will be the next in the middle.
Commands can be based on physical appearances (hair colour, eye colour, who is wearing
sandals, who is wearing running shoes), personal preferences (likes pizza, loves hockey) personal
accomplishments (plays on a team, plays a musical instrument, speaks another language) or
whatever else you can think of.
Zip, Zap, Zoom
READY!
 There is no set up or equipment for this challenging name game
SET!

GO!


Gather your group around (anywhere from 10 to 30 children in recommended) Normally
this works best with children 8 years and up!
Children form a circle and one person volunteers to go in the middle. If the person in the
middle points at you and says "zip", you must say the name of the person on your left
hand side. If the person in the middle points at you and says "zap" you must say the
name of the person on your right. If the person in the middle says "zoom", everyone
must quickly change spots.
SO WHERE IS THE CHALLENGE??? Well, when the person in the middle points at you
and makes a command, you must respond with the correct name before they say
"bumpity bump, bump, bump" or else it is your turn to be in the middle.
That's Me!!!
READY!
 All you need is your imagination (and a pen and paper) to create your FUN “that‟s me!”
call out list
SET!

GO!


Group members form a circle and crouch down close to the ground (ready to leap up at
any moment). This activity works with any number of children and any age will do!
The leader calls out something (ie. can play a musical instrument or likes to eat cold
pizza) and those who fall into that category jump up and shout that's me
!!!
Try using statements that encourage participants to tell a little bit about themselves, not
only things we can see (ie. has brown hair)
FUN Alternative Alert!
Ask children in the group to volunteer to call out their own list for everyone. This
encourages more group involvement. BE CAREFUL…uncontrollable laughter is a
common side effect!
Toilet Paper Anyone?!?!
READY!
 All you need for this activity toilet paper…enough for the entire group to use!
SET!

GO!



Have participants sit in a circle formation. Avoid using this activity for groups larger than
10 children or it could take all day. ANY age group will do!
Hand out a roll of toilet paper and ask children to take as much as they would normally
use after going to the washroom. (some of your comedians will take piles of toilet paper,
while other may only take one square)
After everyone has taken their toilet paper, tell the group that they will now tell the group
one thing about themselves for every square they have taken.
For younger groups you may have to give some examples
Moving to Music
READY!
 You will need music and a CD player. If this isn‟t an option, you can play a musical
instrument, shake a “shaker” or simply sing for your group!
SET!
 Throw out the traditional “circle” formation and get ready to groove. This game works for
all group sizes and any age will do!
GO!



Children move around the room or playing area dancing to music that is being played.
When the music stops they turn to the person closest to them and initiate a conversation
(for younger children, the facilitator can call out a topic, ie. your favourite TV show) When
the music starts again they say "bye bye" and move around the room again in a search to
meet someone else!.
The game continues until most people have met each other.
Name Switch
READY!
 There is no equipment or set up needed for this challenging name game
SET!

Throw away the traditional “circle” formation for this game and just get started! Any
group size is great…the bigger the group the more challenging the game. This game
is recommended for children 8 years and UP!

The group will mingle, shake hands with someone and introduce themselves. Once
they have been introduced they must trade names. The group must keep mingling
until they get their own name back.
GO!
SOUND Easy? We’ll chat later.
Ya Can’t Stick Me With Your Name!
READY!
 You will need a roll of masking tape and pens (or permanent markers – thin!)
 If children are older have them print their name on three separate pieces of tape, for
younger campers you will need to help
SET!

Ask the group to gather around and show them the boundaries (create a bigger space
for more people or younger children. A smaller space becomes more challenging)
Ask each their to stick their tape somewhere on their arms

GO!
 Everyone must try to stick their name on anyone else while others are sticking their
name on you.
 If you get rid of all stickers you may step outside boundaries because you are SAFE!
Once the game is over return stickers to owners and re-introduce.
Name Number
READY!
 You will need a GIANT dice (real or home made!)
SET!


GO!



A group of ten works best…but more will work. Any age will do!
Ask children to form a circle (sitting down) or around a table
Ask a volunteer to roll the dice. When the dice stops the person must try to say that
many names in the group (ie. if you roll a “3”, you have to say three of the names in the
group)
The last person that is mentioned will be the next roller
Continue the game until every child‟s name has been mentioned
Warp Speed Name
READY!
 You don‟t need any equipment or set up for this fast paced name game!
SET!


GO!



Ask children to form a circle (or a triangle if you want to be CRAZY!)
This game works with all group sizes and any age group
Go around the circle, each person shares their name and something interesting about
themselves. (for younger campers you may need to ask them a specific question, like
“say your name and tell us your favourite movie” ) Make sure everyone gets a turn
Start with one person. He/she will say their name and going clockwise the next person
will say their name, and then the next…until it gets back to the first person
How fast can you go??? Challenge the group to go SUPER fast!
String Toss
READY!
 You will need a ball of thick string (ie. butcher cord) or yarn
SET!
 Set up small groups of 8–10 players, ages 6 and up!
 Ask them to sit in a circle
GO!
 One person is given the ball of yarn and finds the end of it. (s)he will toss the ball of yarn



to anyone within the circle while they are still holding the end of the ball of yarn.
The person holding the end will ask the person they threw the yarn to a question
If this is a new group that doesn‟t know everyone they are to introduce themselves first
before answering the questions at the beginning of the game.
That person then holds part of the yarn and tosses the ball of yarn to anyone that hasn‟t
received the ball yet. You repeat this until everyone has had the ball of yarn and you will
notice that you have created a unique web that has connected all the players together in
one way.
Helpful Hint! Give examples of some questions to ask. (ie. favourite color, music group,
favourite food, favourite sport, favourite season etc.)
The Barnyard Shuffle
READY!
 There is some preparation for this activity. On a slip of paper, write the name of an animal
that makes an obvious noise. Create five to ten slips for each animal.
SET!

This activity works best with children 8 years old and UP, and can be used with groups of
between 20-30 children
GO!
 Give each participant a slip of paper, but tell them to keep their animal a secret. The

participants are to find the rest of their kind, but there is no talking. So how do they find
the others? They have to make the noise of the animal. Once two of the same kind have
found each other, they stay together to find more. Continue until all of the like animals
have created one big group. Children should close their eyes while they find their group.
The leaders should watch carefully to ensure safety
This is a good game to get children laughing and is a great way to divide groups of
children into teams
Two Truths And A Tale
READY!
 You don‟t need any equipment for this get to know you game…just an active imagination!
SET!

This activity works best with a small group of children (no more than 10), and works with
any age group!
GO!
 Each person must make three statements about themselves, one of which isn't true. (ie. I
live on a farm, I like chocolate ice cream and my favourite colour is blue). The group must
use their detective skills to guess, or vote on, which statement is the tale.
Four Corners
READY!
 All you need is children, 4 pylons and a GREAT imagination for this game
SET!


Have children gather in the center of a gym (or a field with 4 pylons, in a square formation
for boundaries) and explain the boundaries
This game is great for any group size and any age!
GO!

Call out 4 different things while pointing to a different corner for each one…ie. pizza,
hamburgers, spaghetti, broccoli. Participants run to the corner (or pylon) of the item they
most prefer. Some examples of things you could call are;
-blue, red, black, green
-hockey, soccer, basketball, swimming
-reading, math, science, gym
-pizza, chicken, spaghetti, hamburgers
-fall, winter, spring, summer
Atom
READY!
 You don‟t need any equipment for this game and it doesn‟t need any set up!
SET!

GO!


Ask children to gather around and introduce the game, this game works for groups of all
sizes and ages!
Introduce this activity by telling participants that they are all molecules floating aimlessly
around the room. Instruct them to move freely but call out instructions slow, faster, super
fast etc.
Then call out "groups of 3", participants must quickly join forces making a group of 3, the
facilitator must then try to "break in" to one of the groups BUT they must stick together
and avoid letting that happen. The facilitator tries a few different groups, then asks group
members to float around until he/she calls out another number. Call out a few different
numbers, and end the game by calling out "groups of one."
Who Am I?!
READY!
 For this silly icebreaker game you will need “post it” notes and pens/markers
SET!


This activity is best with older children and works well for a group of up to 10 children
Have each person secretly write on a post-it note the name of a famous person. Keeping the name
hidden, stick the post-it to another‟s forehead.
GO!
Each person takes turns to ask the group questions to figure out whom the unknown person is. The catch is
that only yes or no answers can be asked. Some examples;




Am I alive?
Am I female?
Do I have brown hair?
Am I a singer? Actor?
If the answer is no your turn is over. If the answer is yes, you can ask another question. Keep going until you
get a no or make a guess at whom you are. If you guess right, you win or if you guess wrong your turn is
over. Keep going until everyone has guessed or if time is tight, maybe stop after a few right answers.
The Talk Show Host
READY!
 You won‟t need any equipment for this “get to know you” game. Although you may want
to give paper/pens or markers for Talk Show Hosts to record their answers…they can
draw OR write their answers
SET!

GO!


This game is good for older children (who can interview and record answers) and works
best with a group of no more than 10 participants
Get the group to pair off and take turns in being a talk show host and guest. The talk
show host has to find out 3 interesting facts about their guest. Switch the roles and
repeat.
Bring everyone back to the big group and ask them to present briefly the 3 facts about
their guest to the group. Maybe go round the group randomly so people are less aware of
their turn coming up next and panicking about it OR ask people to volunteer
The “If I Were” Mingle
READY!
 A fun icebreaker game to encourage creativity, all you will need is children and an
imagination. You could also have music playing.
SET!

This activity works GREAT for all age groups and is best for a group of up to 10 children
GO!


Ask children to mingle around and when you “cue” them, they should stop, introduce
themselves to the person beside them and answer the question you call out
Some examples; Ask each person to say what they would be and why, if they were a…
• A piece of fruit
• A famous person
• A household object
• A cartoon character
• Any other off the wall group you can think of!
Name Bingo
READY!
 This variation of BINGO requires a little bit of preparation but is a FUN way to get to know
one another!
 You will need to prepare a 5 square by 5 square blank bingo card for each child with a
“free space” in the middle.
 You will need paper & pencils AND bingo markers
SET!


GO!


This game work best with older children and any group size will work!
Have each player write his/her name on a small piece of paper and drop it into the hat for
later use. Each player also writes his/her name in ANY square of his/her own bingo card.
The object of the game is to fill in your bingo card with the names of the people in the
room (no name can be written more than one time) Start by introducing everyone and
writing each persons name once on your BINGO card. If children have extra squares
write the names of famous people (have the children decide)…and make sure to include
them in your hat to draw from!
Once everyone has had an opportunity to meet each other and complete their card,
participants gather in front of the caller and tests their luck in a game of BINGO!!!
Missing Person
READY!
 You won‟t need any equipment or set up for this “get to know you” game!
SET!


GO!

This is a great game for children of all ages
Ask children to sit in a circle and you are ready to go…
Can you find the missing person??? One person volunteers to be "it", faces away from
the group and covers his/her eyes. Another person volunteers to leave the room/space
(without the person who is "it" knowing his/her identity), while the rest of the group
changes places. When everything is ready the facilitator asks the person who is "it" to
turn around and guess who the missing person is while the group slowly counts to ten. It
is a race against time and if the group counts to ten before "it" solves the mystery, start
again choosing new volunteers. Do this a couple of times to let others have an
opportunity to find the missing person.
Catch that Animal!
READY!
 You won‟t need any equipment for this game that is sure to get people laughing!
SET!

GO!

This game is a hit with children of all ages and works best with a group of up to 10
Everyone sits in the circle and picks an animal, a motion and a noise for that animal.
One person "sends" the action to another person by making their own noise/motion, and
then someone else's noise/motion. That person, in turn, makes their noise/motion, and
then another person's.
For example, in a game with a cat, a dog, and a monkey, the action might be as follows:
Cat Dog
Dog Cat
Cat Monkey
and so forth...
Cat, monkey, and dog are commonly used, but creativity is encouraged...the sillier, the
better!
If someone "messes up" (stumbles over their noise, does the wrong combination of noise
and motion, or hesitates too long), they're out for that round. Last person still in is the
winner.
Name Bop
READY!
 All you need for this super FUN “get to know you” game is a “pool noodle” (cut in half of
course!)
SET!


This is a great game for children of all ages and works best with a group of 10-15 children
Ask children to sit in a circle and you are ready to go…
GO!

This is a test once everyone thinks they know everyone else‟s name. The group sits in a
circle, with one person “it” sitting in the middle. “It” has a soft club (the pool noodle).
 The leader begins by saying someone‟s name. That person must say their own name
and the name of someone else before they get “bopped” (softly below the waist!) by “it”
 And so it goes „til someone gets bopped, and then they become “it”.
High-Five Name Toss
READY!
 You won‟t need any equipment for this exciting variation of the “group juggle!”
SET!


This game is great for all ages, although younger children may be more enthusiastic!
It works best with a group of up to 10 -15 children
GO!

Follow the traditional “Group Juggle” rules, but instead of tossing a ball(s), participants
cross the circle, exchange high fives and take each others spots in the circle.
I’m going on a Picnic (name variation)
READY!
 You won‟t need any equipment or set up for this “name” variation of “I‟m Going on a
Picnic”
SET!

This game works best with older children and is best with a group of no more than 10
participants
GO!



Get the group into a circle. Then start out by introducing yourself and a food that begins
with the same letter. For example “My name is Kerri and I am bringing Kiwi”
Then the next person does theirs, plus yours. Then the third person does theirs, the
second's and the first's name and food.
It then moves on down the line, so that the last person has to do everyone with in the
group!
Double-Whammy Group Juggle
READY!
 Find some children!
 Collect a variety of small balls or softer objects suitable for throwing
SET!

GO!



Ask your group to form a circle. A group of 10-15 works great!
Introduce yourself and throw a ball to someone in the circle. That person will catch the
ball, say their name and pass the ball to someone else. This continues until everyone
has had the ball and has had an opportunity to introduce themselves. (Sound Familiar?!)
Once the group has successfully completed the task, instruct them to pass the ball in the
exact REVERSE order
Once the group has successfully completed that part, introduce a second ball or object of
a different color/style/shape. Instruct the group that they must pass the ball in the original
order while still passing the first ball in the REVERSE order.
GOOD LUCK!
Left, Right, Me, You
READY!
 Find some children!
SET!

GO!



Ask the group to form a circle while standing up
The leader starts off by standing in the middle
They point to someone and say either “you”, “me”, “left” or “right”
The person they‟ve pointed to must say the same of the person corresponding to what
they leader said (i.e. they would say their name if the leader said “you”, they would say
the leader‟s name if the leader said “me”, they would say the name of the person on their
right if the leader said “right” etc.)
A Real Icebreaker
READY!
 Freeze 2 t-shirts in ice (the day before)
SET!


Divide campers into 2 separate groups
Provide each group with a frozen shirt
GO!


Instruct each group that they need to defrost their t-shirt and wear it
First team to wear the shirt wins