By Jenny Davis

The purpose of icebreaker activities is to make people feel comfortable speaking up in a group, learn about each other, and open the door to a truly dynamic meeting or event. A well-structured icebreaker takes some of the pressure off being put on the spot to come up with something vague to share – after all, who hasn’t gone completely blank when asked to say “something interesting” about themselves–while still finding ways to introduce or deepen relationships by revealing small insights into personality. (Note: cheesy questions are easy questions! A team united by eye-rolling is still a team united.)

Remote Icebreaker Questions: The Basics

Playing icebreaker games in a virtual space goes best when there’s a facilitator who can keep it going. This person can keep the pacing fast while also having a sense of when to skip someone who needs more time and come back to them later. Alternatively, consider having each participant nominate the next one as soon as they’ve finished answering the questions.

The facilitator also can ask follow up questions when appropriate or encourage other team members to ask. If any participant is uncomfortable answering the given prompt question, have another ready to substitute for it. There should be no wrong answers, but because practicing speaking in front of the group can be really useful, you’ll want everyone to eventually be able to come up with something.

Icebreaker Activities:

If you only have time for one round, here is one of the most effective icebreakers…have each team member finish the sentence: “I bet I’m the only one in the room who…” with something not readily apparent about themselves (i.e. not their hair color). An introduction, then, might go, “My name is Julie, and I bet I’m the only one in the room with a styrofoam phobia!” Then the moderator can survey the rest of the group: “Anyone else here have a styrofoam phobia?” If the answer is no, Julie wins. Alternatively, you can go around the group and have everyone answer some questions.

Sample Icebreaker Questions:

Individual icebreaker questions work great appended to simple introductions. Participants might be asked to state basic information about themselves in addition to answering a quirky question. For example: Prompted to give a name, role, and answer to a question, a participant might say “My name is Janey, I’m in HR, and if I had to choose a superpower it would be retractable adamantium claws.”

• If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

• What was your first job?

• What podcast, movie, TV show, or book would you recommend?

• Would you rather go bungee jumping or caving and why?

• Would you rather have the ability to read minds or see through walls?

• If people are working from home…Can you introduce us to your pets?

• If you woke up famous tomorrow, what would it be for?

• What’s your best scar story?

• What’s your go-to karaoke song?

• Would you rather live a hundred years ago or a hundred years into the future?

• What’s the most interesting food you’ve ever tried?

• If someone made a movie out of your life, what genre would it be?

• What animal best represents your personality?

• If you had access to a time machine, when would you go and why?

• If you had theme music play every time you entered a room, what would it be?

• If you could have an animal sidekick, what would it be?

• If you had a button on your desk that could summon one thing any time you wanted it, what would it be?

• If people are working from home…can you find one nearby object and tell a story about it?

• What emoji is the most frequently used on your phone right now?

• What’s the oddest thing in your fridge?

• Has anything made you smile today?

• What are you grateful for right this second?

• What kind of music do you listen to when you work, if any?

• What is the most useful thing you’ve bought this year?

• What was the last book you didn’t finish?

• What fact about you today would impress your ten-year old self the most?

• What’s the best Halloween costume you’ve ever seen or worn?

• What’s your favorite word?

• What is something you learned the hard way?

• What about you would we be surprised to know?

• When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

• Do you fold your pizza?

• What is your favorite joke?

• What is your top restaurant recommendation for your city?

• Do you think Bigfoot is real?

• What’s the strangest coincidence you’ve ever experienced?