Introduction
Virtual meetings can sometimes feel impersonal and disconnected. Breaking the ice is crucial to create a welcoming atmosphere and foster engagement among participants. Here are ten fun English icebreakers that are guaranteed to work for virtual meetings.
1. Two Truths and a Lie
Objective
This icebreaker helps participants get to know each other in a fun and interactive way.
How to Play
- Each participant takes turns sharing two true statements and one false statement about themselves.
- Other participants guess which statement is the lie.
- The person who tells the lie explains why it’s not true.
Example
Alice: “I’ve traveled to five continents.” (True) “I can speak fluent Spanish.” (True) “I’ve won a national baking contest.” (False) Bob: “I’ve never eaten a vegetable I didn’t like.” (False) “I’ve been skydiving.” (True) “I’ve met the Queen of England.” (True)
2. Virtual Show and Tell
Objective
This activity encourages participants to share something personal or interesting from their home environment.
How to Play
- Each participant is given a few minutes to show a physical object from their home and share a story or background about it.
- The rest of the group asks questions and comments.
Example
Charlie shows a vintage record player and explains how it was his grandfather’s, and they used to listen to classic music together.
3. Virtual Speed Networking
Objective
Speed networking can be adapted for virtual meetings to help participants make new connections quickly.
How to Play
- Divide participants into small groups of two or three.
- Each group spends a few minutes discussing a topic, then rotates to a new group.
- This continues for a set time, allowing participants to meet multiple people.
Example
Participants discuss their favorite book, followed by their favorite travel destination, and then their go-to comfort food.
4. Virtual Scavenger Hunt
Objective
A virtual scavenger hunt can be both entertaining and engaging, requiring participants to interact with each other to find clues.
How to Play
- Create a list of virtual clues that lead to a final answer.
- Participants must work together to find the clues and solve the puzzle.
- The first group to solve the puzzle wins a prize.
Example
Clue 1: “Find an object that is red.” Clue 2: “Take a photo of it and share it with the group.” Clue 3: “The name of this object is the answer to the next clue.” Final Answer: “Heart”
5. Virtual Pictionary
Objective
Pictionary is a classic icebreaker that can be easily adapted for virtual meetings.
How to Play
- One participant is the artist, and the others must guess the word or phrase being drawn.
- Use a whiteboard or collaborative drawing tool for the artist.
- The person who guesses correctly gets a point, and the game continues until a time limit is reached.
Example
The artist draws a “cat,” and participants must guess the word.
6. Virtual “What’s in My Bag?”
Objective
This icebreaker allows participants to share personal items from their home and discuss their significance.
How to Play
- Each participant takes a few minutes to show and discuss an item from their bag or home.
- Participants can ask questions and share their own stories.
Example
Diana shows a vintage coin from her collection and talks about her passion for numismatics.
7. Virtual “20 Questions”
Objective
“20 Questions” is a classic game that can be a fun way for participants to learn more about each other.
How to Play
- One participant thinks of a person, place, or thing.
- The others ask yes-or-no questions to guess what it is.
- The person who guesses correctly gets to be “it” for the next round.
Example
Evan is “it,” and the group guesses the person he’s thinking of based on yes-or-no questions.
8. Virtual “Two Truths and a Lie” (with a Twist)
Objective
This twist on the classic icebreaker adds an element of strategy and can be more challenging.
How to Play
- As in the original game, each participant shares two true statements and one false statement.
- However, the false statement must be cleverly hidden among the true statements.
- Participants must guess which statement is false.
Example
Frank: “I’ve climbed Mount Everest.” (True) “I’ve lived in three different countries.” (True) “I’ve won an Oscar for my cooking show.” (False, but the lie is cleverly hidden among the truths.)
9. Virtual “Word Association”
Objective
Word association can be a quick and easy way to get the conversation flowing.
How to Play
- The facilitator says a word, and each participant must respond with the first word that comes to mind.
- The game continues with each new word, and participants build upon the previous responses.
Example
The facilitator says “cloud,” and participants respond with words like “blue,” “sky,” “soft,” “fluffy,” etc.
10. Virtual “Guess My Song”
Objective
This icebreaker is a fun way to bring some music into the virtual meeting and get participants to interact.
How to Play
- One participant chooses a song, and the others must guess the title based on clues given by the person who chose the song.
- The person who guesses correctly gets a point, and the game continues until a time limit is reached.
Example
Grace picks a song, and gives clues like “It’s a popular song from the 1990s” and “The chorus goes ‘Don’t stop believin’.‘”
Conclusion
By incorporating these fun English icebreakers into your virtual meetings, you can help create a more engaging and interactive environment for all participants. Remember to tailor the activities to your audience and meeting objectives for the best results.