21 Best Icebreakers: The Loveliest Games To Play To Get To Know People

The process of starting conversations with new people, even if you really want to get to know them, can be stressful lots of times. We feel you. I bet we’ve all been through that. Based on years of experience, we believe that playing ice-breaking games turn out to be really helpful. It’s all in one: you have fun and some good laughs, but you also get to ask questions that if asked out of nowhere (without the games) may sound cringe.

Yeah, let’s say we believe games help you out. But what games precisely? Well, in short words, these games are mostly about questions & other ways to make you say things out loud. They will most likely get you new friends, and lovers, or even make you know your people better. Just as in card games to help you know people better, each game has a unique game scenario, and the sharing level is different in each one. Yes, games are fun themselves, but especially considering that they only require minimum equipment!

Why are ice-breaking games so important?;
The games:

Quotes;
Never Have I Ever;
Bounce The Ball;
Diversity Bingo;
Who’s Most Likely To…;
Line Up;
Spill It Or Eat It;
Two Truths And One Lie;
Question Carousel;
Seven Words;
Group Map;
Hot Take;
Story Owner;
The Spider Web;
Toilet Paper;
Jenga Questions;
If I Were…;
Truth Or Drink;
Candies;
Speed Dating;
Teeth, Teeth;

Conclusion;

Why Are Ice-Breaking Games So Important?

These games help in making everyone feel comfortable. While asking questions, answering, and telling pieces of information, y’all consciously or not, make sure nobody is left out.
Lots of the time, they help people talk about things they couldn’t earlier. This includes anxiety, different traumas, and life experiences.
There’s nothing more awkward than starting a game night or making people talk with each other. Ice-breaking games help in ‘killing’ the silence and starting convos.
They help remember people’s names. It’s crazy going home from a party or a gathering, and not remembering the names of people you spent time with.
Getting-to-know-each-other games are amazing even as energizers. Not only on game nights or parties. Before a meeting, school lesson, traveling, important meeting, getaway, or whatever. They really set up a great atmosphere, so all tasks later are done perfectly.
These games build memories. This comes from deep within my heart. I remember many people, many good times with the help of ice-breaking games.
You’re the ‘master’ of the game. There isn’t anything too personal unless you want to. You decide what information you want to share with the group.
They bring people closer. It’s amazing how after one or even better, 2 or more games are played, everyone feels like they know each other for a long time since many secrets are shared.
People tend to really trust others when playing icebreakers. Since they haven’t known them before, and since everyone tells a piece of themselves, they feel like their little secrets are safe.
Since there will be many hobbies and interests shared with the other players, you may find many things in common, which may lead to new friendships and collaborations.
Not only with people that you don’t know at all. Ice-breaking games work fine with even your family or close friends. If you feel like you’re losing touch with them, these games may really give you a good hand;
They work incredibly fine with all ages (even kids) & numbers of players. The location, whether it is indoors or outdoors, doesn’t cause a problem.
Last but not least, they bring many laughs & lots of fun. It’s not like you’ll only be talking. That would be boring. You will share things while doing different activities. They’re heartwarming.

1. Quotes

Everyone loves quotes, right? Well, we couldn’t have had a better start than with this simple lovely game. It works well with as many people as you wish, but however, for best results, we suggest it for large groups. Make pairs of people depending on the total number of players. One player becomes the game organizer. What you have to do if you’re the game organizer, is give one famous quote to one player, and give the name of its author to another player.

The whole point is that the quote and the author should meet with each other. So, every player should walk around the room, talk with the others, and share their stories, until they find their match. Optionally, the first player who manages to talk to the quote author is the winner.

2. Never Have I Ever

Of course ‘Never Have I Ever’ will always be a top-tier game. It is, hands down, one of the most effective ice-breaking games. All you have to do to start playing is make a list of questions (or most likely use our ‘Never Have I Ever’ list of questions), and ask everyone to sit in a circle. Continue by reading each question out loud, such as ‘Never have I ever been arrested’ or ‘Never have I ever not slept for 48 hours’. Next, everyone has to answer ‘I have’ or ‘I have never’ in different ways. Whoever has the least ‘I have’-s, is the most innocent & wins the game.

3. Bounce The Ball

Go get that ball from your neighbor’s kid and you’re fine! As you assumed, this game is preferred to be played outside, I don’t think you wanna break the plate set… Everyone stands up & one of you holds the ball. The game may either be played around a question entertaining enough for y’all, or just information you want to share about yourself and things you love. The player who has the ball start by sharing their opinion/information, and then bounce the ball. If the ball lands near one player or bounces in their direction, they have to catch it and continue telling what they have to tell. The game continues for as long as you wish. Just as simple as that!

4. Diversity Bingo

We love diversity, we love bingo, so why not have them both in one? You should start by making a bingo card divided into grids, and write any question or statement that relates to the group. Everyone gets their bingo cards and starts communicating with the other players, sharing and receiving information. People you talk to should also sign your card in the squares where a statement is written that applies to them. Whoever gets the most signs, or is close to completing the bingo, wins. In the end, make sure everyone shares what they learned about the other players.

5. Who’s Most Likely To…

Who’s most likely to love this game? All of you! Sit on the couch or on the floor where all players can see each other. Go through our ‘Who’s Most Likely To…’ questions, and pick your favorite ones. Read them out loud, and then you have to point or tag the player who you think is most related to the question. This game is better when you already know the other players a bit, but while someone tags someone else, you learn new things about them and also get to hear their stories. The game can simply be turned into a drinking game. Whoever gets tagged the most, has to drink!

6. Line Up

You don’t have to ask people if they’re a dog or cat person, or a tea or coffee. You may just simply play ‘Line Up’. The game is as simple as it sounds. All you gotta do is make a list of basic questions (10 to 20), such as Dog/Cat, Tea/Coffee, Summer/Winter, and others, and ask them out loud. People don’t have to say a thing. They just have to line up. For instance, if you’re a summer fella, you just have to go and line up with the other people who prefer summer. Otherwise, you go to the other line. That’s how you get everyone’s answers at the same time. To make it even more fun, you may take pictures after every question, so if you ever wonder about a question, you’ll have proof.

7. Spill It Or Eat It

Do you think you’ve heard this name somewhere? Want my help? It’s probably James Corden’s ‘Spill Your Guts Or Fill Your Guts’! Yes, the game is weird, it may get disgusting, but it brings hella laughs! Ask everyone to sit around the table, and prepare some weird, not tasty at all food combos. It could be raw meat, pickle juice, Mayo & Cherry sauce, tabasco, or whatever. Everyone takes their turn to ask the person to their left a question and tell them what they have to eat. It could either be a super simple question, something very personal, or embarrassing.

If they don’t feel comfortable answering, they might have to eat/drink whatever combo you chose for them. Besides getting to know people based on their answers, you also understand what their limits are! Ps. keep some water and milk near you, interesting stuff is about to happen.

8. Two Truths And One Lie

We love when our games are simple & fun. That’s all we need to get to know people deeper. ‘Two Truths And One Lie’ may be played with as many players as you want, and it doesn’t have any strict rules. Taking turns, everyone has two tell 2 truths and 1 lie about themselves. Here’s an example: ‘I am an architect, my family lives in Chicago, and I love cats’. Now, everyone guesses which was the lie from the 3 statements you said. After everyone takes their time to guess, you give the final answer which one was the incorrect one. This is how you tell everyone about things you like and things you don’t. Statements could be anything you want. From general to personal. We. Love. It!

9. Question Carousel

Of course, we’re not going to spend the day without music, what were you thinking? Obviously, everyone has to stand up before the music starts. When it does, everyone starts dancing and losing it all. Once the music stops, everyone should stop and speak to the person they’re closest to (physically). When the music starts again, everybody gets back to dancing, and then repeats again. We would recommend one player stays on the playlist, so they may improvise with the music. Don’t forget to play songs the mass of players like, so everyone will be singing and dancing…

10. Seven Words

Have you ever struggled with questions such as: ‘Describe this vacation in 3 words’? Well, we’re sorry to announce, but we have something similar here. Set the timer and give everyone about 2 minutes to think of 7 words that could best describe their lives & personalities. When the timer’s off, everyone has to only use 7 words to describe themselves best. If you don’t know each other at all, you may start with basic information, such as name, age, job, siblings, or anything like that. But if you’re already friends, continue sharing more stuff, such as things you’ve started to like lately, or anything similar. Have a blast!

11. Group Map

You have people coming from different nationalities at your gathering? We got your back bro! Ask everyone to imagine there’s a world map on the floor, and each player takes their spot as if they’re staying in the country. Starting from the youngest, all players have to tell something that makes their country unique, and what are the things that keep them connected to their country. Optionally, you may also share a meaningful story related to your hometown with the group. In the end, ask everyone to tell what they liked most about each player’s country. It’s very heartwarming seeing everyone sharing a piece of their soul with people they’ve just met.

12. Hot Take

Are you brave enough to do the hot take? Let’s be clear, we’re not talking about the ‘Hot Seat’ though. All you gotta do is tell a very unpopular opinion of yours. Something you’ve thought about for a long time but couldn’t say out loud. It could be anything like ‘Amazon Prime is better than Netflix’. This for sure will start a hot debate. Everyone gives their opinions whether they support the statement or not. This is how you see how their mindsets work. Once the debate ends, one other player gives their hot take, and debates start again. Make sure to always say things you believe, and things that you assume people won’t agree to. This is our sweet little tip for better communication 🙂

13. Story Owner

What’s better than telling everyone your funniest life experiences? To play this game, give everyone one small piece of paper and a pen. Ask everyone to write down their funniest, or even most embarrassing story, and put all the paper in a bowl or any other container. When everyone finishes writing, one of you reads all the stories one by one, without knowing who wrote what. Continuing further, the group has to guess who is the owner of every story. When everyone takes their guesses, each player tells what they wrote, and optionally gives further details about the stories. This is how you start to know the life experiences of all players one by one.

14. The Spider Web

This game is, hands down, one of my very favorite ice-breaking games. All you need to start playing this precious one is a good colorful ball of yarn & some people. Everyone should sit in the circle, and one player starts by holding the yarn & sharing details of their life. Once details are shared, you should toss the ball to another player, which should continue to do the same. After some minutes of playing, a beautiful spider web of yarn is created. What we like to do when you think you’ve played enough, is cut the yarn and tie whatever’s left in your hand, so it would be like a cute meaningful bracelet. The web has one meaning: connection is the aim.

15. Toilet Paper

The name is a bit strange, isn’t it? Take one toilet paper roll, and tell everyone to take as many papers as they want. You may use any funny reasoning, such as ‘we’ve run out of toilet paper, so take as much as you think you’ll need during the day’. The whole idea behind it is that you should share a detail of your life for every toilet paper you’ve taken. So, for instance, if you have 5 pieces of toilet paper, you should tell 5 pieces of information about your life & personality. It’s very important that no one knows why the paper is actually used, because they may take only 1, and it won’t be that fun. We love when people take dozens of toilet paper. They think they’re cool. Whoopsies…

16. Jenga Questions

We all know about Jenga. We all love Jenga. What we love about this version we’re about to show, is that it is 2 in 1: Jenga & questions. All you have to do is write some getting-to-know-you questions on Jenga blocks and set them up as usual. Questions can be anything you want, always depending on how well you know the group. Everyone has to continue playing as if you were playing standard Jenga. This time, for every block you draw, you have to answer the question written on it, and then place it on top. If you don’t answer, it is equal to destroying the castle. Yup, if you do the latter, you lose.

17. If I Were…

If I were a boy…Guys, get this song out of my head! Well, this game, called ‘If I Were…’, is all about artistically describing yourself. So, all you gotta do is say (for example): If I were a song I would be (name of the song) if I were a movie…, if I were a city…, if I were a Disney character…&, and so on. While telling all these details, you tell lots about yourself. Usually, that song, that movie, that character, is very similar to you. People knowing what these elements are about, also start understanding your personality better. It’s a very psychological & deep way to get to know people.

18. Truth Or Drink

We’re never getting tired of mentioning ‘Truth Or Drink’. This is amazing especially when you want to have some drinks with your new friends. Borrow some of our ‘Truth Or Drink’ questions, and read them out loud. Also, make sure to keep some beers or some good wine near you. You may decide who starts first using a bottle or just taking turns. Now, when it’s one player’s turn to answer, and they think the question is too personal, or they simply don’t feel comfortable answering, they have to drink. Of course, if you’re willing to know people better, it’s recommended you say everything out loud. However, some drinks won’t hurt 🙂

19. Candies

We would like you to take a guess on this game, but we know you have no clue at all! Well, the kid inside you is happy about the candies. To begin with, put some colorful candies, m&m’s, or whatever into a bowl. Ask everyone to take 3 candies in different colors. After everyone does that, you tell them what questions each candy color contains (you should prepare the list earlier). So, let’s say, red is ‘what is your most meaningful gift’, blue is ‘describe your family members’, orange is ‘what is your dream job?’. Everyone who has taken their 3 colors, has to answer these questions. Yes, you can eat the candies afterward…

20. Speed Dating

Fellas, here’s a surprise: ‘Speed Dating’ isn’t only for couples. Mercifully! You’ll see that it is one of the simplest games you’ll find. Ask everyone to create pairs, most likely with someone they don’t know at all. Everyone should sit face to face with their partner. You should start the timer for 2-3 minutes. When the timer’s on, everyone has to speed up their conversation. Make sure you give many details, but also listen to what your partner has to say. Optionally, after the time is off, you switch places with the pair to your left and continue the whole process all over again. It screams communication!

21. Teeth, Teeth

Oh la la, we’re always up to games that make us show our teeth! Well, you don’t wanna show your teeth in this one, but anyways… To help you out, begin the game after everyone is sitting in the circle. Ask the first player to say their name twice, for example: ‘Bob, Bob’. Next, going clockwise, the other player has to first repeat the name of the player before them twice, and then say their name twice. Now, it would be something like ‘Bob, Bob, Monica, Monica’. This continues until everyone has remembered the other players’ names. There is one main rule though: you can not show your teeth while saying the names. If that happens, and someone sees you showing your teeth, they scream ‘Teeth!’, and you’re eliminated, babe!

Conclusion

Communication is the key. Agreed. The key to every friendship, relationship, and every other human connection. Sometimes that can be a struggle. That’s why these games have proven to help people out. Considering here also that they work with any group of people, any age, any number of players.

We love how cheap it is to play the games mentioned above. During times, the most expensive thing you’ll need is gonna be some wine, or some candies, which are all affordable. Even if you’re thinking of hosting a game night, always start with our ice-breaking games to be the best host ever!

New connections are on their way!

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21 Best Icebreakers: The Loveliest Games To Play To Get To Know People