40 icebreakers by grade
Good first-week icebreakers are short, low risk and about things every student can answer: favorites, choices and small facts, not family, money or bodies. These forty are sorted by grade band, K–2, 3–5 and 6–8, with what to say, what you need and how long each takes. Use one or two a day for the first two weeks, and let any student pass.
Kindergarten to 2nd grade
1. Name and a move
Standing in a circle, each student says their name and makes a move, like a jump or a wave. The whole class says the name back and copies the move. About ten minutes for a class.
Grades K–2You need Nothing
2. Find your other half
Hand out halves of animal pictures. Students walk around to find the person holding the other half, then tell each other their favorite animal.
Grades K–2You need Picture cards cut in half
3. Favorites corners
Ask "Which fruit do you like best?" and students walk to that corner. Ask each corner to say hello together, then call a new question with new corner signs.
Grades K–2You need Four signs in the corners: apple, banana, grapes, orange
4. Name claps
Say each student's name and clap its syllables together: Ma-ri-a is three claps, Ben is one. Then group students who have the same number of claps.
Grades K–1You need Nothing
5. Question ball
Toss the ball to a student. They answer the question under their right thumb ("Favorite color?", "A pet you'd like?") and toss it on.
Grades 1–2You need A soft ball with simple questions written on it
6. Same and different
Partners find one thing that's the same about them and one that's different, such as a favorite snack. Each pair shares one with the class.
Grades K–2You need Nothing
7. Draw your favorite
Everyone draws their favorite thing to do on a weekend. In pairs, students show their drawing and say one sentence about it.
Grades K–2You need Paper and crayons
8. Letters in my name line-up
Students line up from the shortest first name to the longest, counting letters on their fingers. Ask who has the same number of letters.
Grades 1–2You need Nothing
9. Classroom treasure hunt
Pairs find the five places on the list, such as the pencil sharpener, the library baskets and the turn-in tray, and put a sticker next to each one they find.
Grades K–2You need A picture list of five places in the room
10. Yarn web
Sitting in a circle, a student holds the end of the yarn, says their name and a favorite food, and rolls the ball to someone else. By the end, the class has made a web.
Grades 1–2You need A ball of yarn
11. Puppet hello
Pass the puppet around the circle. Whoever holds it makes the puppet say "Hello, my name is..." and one thing they like. Shy students often find the puppet easier.
Grades Pre-K–1You need A hand puppet
12. All about me page
Students fill in and draw on the all about me page, then share one box with a partner. Hang them up for the first open house.
Grades K–2You need The all about me pageUse All about me page
13. Back to school bingo
Play a round of back to school bingo to learn the words for the classroom and the school day.
Grades 1–2You need Back to school bingo cardsUse Back to school bingo
3rd to 5th grade
14. Two truths and a fib
Students write two true things and one made-up thing about themselves. Each reads them aloud and the class guesses which is the fib. Do your own first so they see the idea.
Grades 3–5You need Scrap paper
15. This or that
Call two choices ("Summer or winter?", "Cats or dogs?") and students step to one side of the tape. Ask one person on each side for a reason.
Grades 3–5You need A strip of tape down the middle of the room
16. Partner introductions
Partners interview each other with the three questions for three minutes, then each introduces their partner to the class using the answers.
Grades 3–5You need Three interview questions on the board
17. Name acrostic
Students write their first name down the side of a page and a word or phrase that describes them for each letter. Post them by the door.
Grades 3–5You need Paper and markers
18. Common ground
Groups of four find five things they all have in common (not "we're all in fourth grade"). Each group reads its list, and the class looks for things every group shared.
Grades 3–5You need Paper for each group
19. Fact toss
Students write a fun fact about themselves, crumple it, and toss it into a pile. Each student takes one, reads it aloud, and the class guesses whose fact it is.
Grades 3–5You need Scrap paper
20. Team paper tower
Groups build the tallest free-standing tower they can in ten minutes using only paper and tape, then talk about who did what. It shows you who leads and who listens.
Grades 3–5You need Ten sheets of paper and tape per group
21. Class puzzle
Each student decorates their piece with their name and things they like. The class puts the puzzle together on the wall.
Grades 3–5You need A large puzzle cut from poster board, one piece per student
22. Spin a question
Spin the wheel for a question and three students answer it. Spin again until everyone has answered once over the week.
Grades 3–5You need The getting to know you wheelUse Getting to know you wheel
23. Desert island picks
Students choose three things they'd take to a desert island and explain why to a partner. Sharing the funniest picks with the class breaks the ice quickly.
Grades 3–5You need Nothing
24. Find someone who
Squares say things like "has read a book about space" or "can whistle." Students find a classmate for each and write their first name in the box. One name per box.
Grades 3–5You need A grid of "find someone who..." squares
25. Would you rather sides
Spin a question and students move to the side of the room for their choice. Two from each side explain their reasoning.
Grades 3–5You need The would you rather wheelUse Would you rather wheel
26. Goals for the year
Students write one thing they want to get better at this year. Collect them, and hand them back in the spring to see how far they've come.
Grades 3–5You need The I can goal sheetUse I can goal sheet
6th to 8th grade
27. Fact or fiction about the teacher
Show five statements about yourself, some true and some not. Students vote on each, then you reveal the answers. It lets them know you before you ask them to share.
Grades 6–8You need Five statements about you on a slide
28. Six-word introduction
Students describe themselves in exactly six words, such as "Soccer player, younger sister, loves rainy days." Read a few aloud, with permission, and post the rest.
Grades 6–8You need Index cards
29. Speed chat
Students in the inner circle face a partner in the outer circle and answer a question for one minute each. The outer circle moves one seat and you ask a new question.
Grades 6–8You need Chairs in an inner and outer circleUse 1 minute timer
30. Agree or disagree line
Read light statements ("Breakfast is the best meal", "Homework should be optional on Fridays") and students stand where they fall on the line. Ask the ends to explain.
Grades 6–8You need A line on the floor, agree at one end and disagree at the other
31. Shared and unique
Groups of four list three things they all share and one thing unique to each person. Groups present their lists in under a minute.
Grades 6–8You need Paper for each group
32. Group skills list
Groups list every skill, hobby and talent they have between them on chart paper, then decide what kind of business they could start together.
Grades 6–8You need Chart paper
33. Hopes and worries cards
Students write one hope and one worry about the year on an index card, with no names. Read a few aloud and talk about how the class will handle the common worries.
Grades 6–8You need Index cards
34. Stranded ranking
Each student ranks the items alone, then the group must agree on one ranking. The talk is the point: watch how groups make decisions.
Grades 6–8You need A list of ten items for a team stranded on a mountain
35. Index card bridge
Groups build a bridge between two desks from index cards and tape, then test how many coins it holds. Debrief on what made the team work.
Grades 6–8You need Twenty index cards, tape and a stack of coins per group
36. Mystery animal on your back
Stick an animal name on each student's back. Students ask classmates yes or no questions to work out what animal they are.
Grades 6–8You need Sticky notes with animal names
37. Build the class agreement
Ask "What helps you learn, and what gets in the way?" Groups list ideas, and the class turns the best ones into four or five agreements everyone signs.
Grades 6–8You need Chart paperUse Class rules poster
38. Pick your question
Each table has three question cards from easy to deeper. Students choose which one to answer, which lets quieter students start with an easy one.
Grades 6–8You need Three question cards per table
39. Silent birthday line-up
Students line up in order of birthday month and day without speaking, using only gestures. Check the order aloud at the end; it's harder than it sounds.
Grades 6–8You need Nothing
40. If you were a tool
Students pick the tool that describes them best (a flashlight, a measuring tape, a sponge) and explain why to their table group.
Grades 6–8You need A slide with pictures of twelve everyday tools
Making it work
- Go first. When you answer your own icebreaker, students see how much to share.
- Keep questions about choices and favorites. Avoid questions about family, money, holidays at home or bodies, which can leave some students out.
- Always let a student pass, and come back to them later with an easier question.
- Do one or two icebreakers a day for the first two weeks rather than an hour on the first day.
- Use first names only on anything that goes on the wall.
Questions teachers ask
- What are good icebreakers for the first day of school?
- Short ones with no wrong answers and nothing personal: name and a move for young students, this or that for grades 3 to 5, and fact or fiction about the teacher for middle school.
- How do I help shy students with icebreakers?
- Pair work before whole-class sharing, written answers instead of spoken ones, and a puppet or object to hold all help. Let any student pass without comment and return to them later.
- How long should an icebreaker take?
- Five to fifteen minutes. A short icebreaker at the start of the day or a lesson works better than a long block of them on the first day.
- Do middle school students still need icebreakers?
- Yes, but they work best when they feel like a challenge or a discussion rather than a game for younger children. Team challenges and agree or disagree lines usually land well.
Written for teachers by Peabody Teach. No ads, no affiliate links. Something wrong or missing? Tell us.