Icebreakers

Before the group meets, text everyone and ask them to tell you an interesting fact about themselves that few people know. Try to discover information that sets each person apart from the others, such as, “I have a tugboat named after me” or “I once wrecked the same car four times”. Make a sheet with one fact from each person and a blank beside this fact or cut and paste them into one long text and send it to the whole group. Give everyone in the group five to seven minutes to find who goes with which fact. When they find the right person they must also learn one other fact about that person.

Go around the room and have each person share something that makes them different from anyone else in the group, like, “I’ve never left the state I was born in”, or “I am one of ten kids.”

Have each person make three statements about themselves: two true statements and one lie. Each person takes their turn and shares their three statements and the rest of the group tries to figure out which statement is the lie.

Ask, “Your house is on fire, and everyone is safe. You have thirty seconds to run through the house and collect three or four articles you want to save. What would you grab? Why?“ After everyone has done this, the group can discuss what they learned about the things they value.

Pass a bag of M&M’s around and tell everyone to take a few. Then, before they eat them, ask them to share something about themselves for every M&M they have. For example, something about their family for every red one, something about their plans for the future for every green one, etc.

Thinking back as far as you can, draw a line graph to represent your life. Consider the high points, the low points, moments of inspiration, moments of despair, leveling off times, and where you are now. After you’ve drawn it, share what it means to you with the group.

Bring newspaper or magazines. Have each person tear out a picture, article, or anything they think tells something about themselves. If there’s enough time they can make a collage that tells more about themselves.

Have each person share their best and worst moments from the previous week. This icebreaker is an easy one to use at first and gives you good feedback concerning their life at the moment. Some veteran groups do this every week. Their best and worst moments will become more honest over time.

Ask, “You’ve been exiled to a deserted island for a year. You are told you may take three things you want, apart from the essentials. What would you take and why?

Ask each member to name three people past or present, they admire. Why? Or ask them if they could spend the day anyone in history, who would that be and why? What one or two questions would they want to ask them?

Give each person the same amount of M&M’s (try ten). Start by stating something you’ve never done that you think everyone else has done. You might say, “I’ve never had a birthday party, “or some other true statement about yourself that you think everyone else has surely done. Then, everyone who has had a birthday party pays you and M&M. You pay everyone who has not had a party. Keep playing until everyone has a turn or until someone runs out of M&M’s. Obviously the idea is to come up with the most M&Ms.

Give each person a 3x5 card. You pick the topic and let them write the questions. For example, you choose “Friendship” as the topic and they each write out a question for anyone in the group to answer about friendship. For example.” What do you value most in a friend?” Then pile all the cards face down in the middle of the group and let people draw.

Play “You Write the Question” again by changing the topic. Topic ideas on the lighter side: jobs, life goals, funny stories, hobbies, etc. Topic ideas on the more vulnerable side: family, fears, dating issues, significant relationships, relationship with God, etc.

If you could go anywhere in the world now, where would you go and why? If you could talk to anyone in the world, who would it be? Why? If you could talk to any person who has died, who would you talk to and why? If you could wish one thing to come true about your upcoming summer, what would it be?

Take five minutes and find the following items in your wallet, bag, pocket, or purse. Something that...

You’ve had a long time

You’re proud of 

Reveals a lot about you

Reminds you of a fun time

Concerns or worries you

Have each person share the first item.

Repeat with the second and so on. 

Check out ConversationStartersWorld.com to get thousands of questions to ask your group to help them to get to know each other better. Start with the list of 250 and tell each student to pick a number between 1 & 250. Read that question and have everyone answer it, then have someone else pick a number.

CONVERSATION STARTERS WORLD