Ice-breakers
warm-ups
1. “This is Me” worksheet.
Students draw a self-portrait and also they can add some things about
themselves. Favourite colour, flower, animal etc. Older students can add more
details about what they like and why.
2. Jeopardy. Here you can create your own jeopardy. It can be a classroom
vocabulary (desk, chair, whiteboard, computer, etc) classroom rules, facts about
studying, fun questions, etc. https://jeopardylabs.com
3. Learn or revise classroom rules. You can make it in a fun way. Matching
picture to the name of the action. Miming a rule. Create extra funny or
impossible rules for students to divide them into two columns.
4. Goals. At the beginning of a school year students may write their goals for
the year and how they plan to achieve them. For young learners, one goal they
can work towards is writing their names or memorizing the alphabet. They can
also practice writing sight words or basic sentences on tracing paper. For older
students, have them think about a goal for each area of ESL (reading, writing,
listening, and speaking). You can put them on the wall where they can see it
during a year or hide in a box and open at the last lesson.
5. Scavenger hunt. If you already have the books, you can do a scavenger hunt
based on a book. This way students get familiar with their tools for studying.
(How many units does a book have? What page is the rules section? Who are the
main heroes of the story? (younger kids) Find a picture of a sun in a book, etc)
6. Funny name. Ask your students to come up with an adjective that starts with
the first letter of their name. (Hilarious Helen, Sunny Sarah)
@linguisticgirl
7. Find someone who. Students will have to mingle and talk to their
classmates. Try using interesting and funny questions.
Find somebody
-who doesn’t like chocolate.
-who is vegan.
-who has a tattoo.
-who speaks more than 2 languages.
-who’s never flown before.
-who wants to be famous.
-who has a special talent.
8. Conversations. It is better for teenagers and higher levels. You can up with
your own questions or you can find good ideas on this website.
https://eflideas.com/2021/03/06/50-esl-conversation-questions-for-teenagers-
and-adults/. (16+, B1+)
9. Speed dating. Set a time limit. Give your students a list and let them get to
know each other. A classroom appropriate variation of speed dating.
https://eflideas.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/esl-speed-dating-
questions.pdf. (13+, B1)
10. Vocabulary taboo https://eslgames.com/esl-taboo/
11. Ask Would You Rather…? Questions. You can make students stand up
and choose sides of the classroom depending on their option. Higher levels
can explain why they would choose this or that.
12. Two Truths and a Lie
Students have two write two truths and one lie about themselves. The other
people have to decide which one is the lie and then vote on it. The winner is
the person who spotted the most lies.
@linguisticgirl
13. Positive, Negative, Crazy
Write a discussion topic on the board (for example, food, pets, social media,
school year, English) and then start passing a ball or “hot potato” from student
to student. As students pass the hot potato around, they must stop when they
hear you say the words positive, negative or crazy.
When you say, “positive,” the student holding the potato must stop and make
a positive statement about the topic. For example, If the topic is food, their
statement might be “My favorite restaurant is Ichiban Sushi.”
If you say, “negative,” they must make a negative statement about the topic,
e.g. “I’ve never eaten Chinese food!”
And, if you say, “crazy,” the sentence they create can be anything they like,
such as “One time I ate a whole pizza myself!”
14. Blobs and lines
This activity is easy, quick, keeps students moving and talking, plus helps them
discover what they have in common. The idea is for students to listen to their
teacher’s prompts and organize themselves in a line (for example, in
alphabetical order of last name) or in blobs according to something they have
in common (birth month).
Try these prompts:
• Line up in chronological order of your birthdays
• Line up in order of how many siblings you have
• Find those who are allergic to the same things as you
• Gather with those who have the same coloured clothing as you
• Line up in alphabetical order of your fathers’ names
• Gather in four blobs: those who travelled by car to class, those who
travelled by bus, and those who travelled another way
15. Toilet paper roll
Produce a roll of toilet paper and ask students to take as many sheets as they
like, without telling them why. Once the class has their sheets, reveal that each
sheet corresponds to a question their small group will ask them. You can also
do this with pieces of candy.
@linguisticgirl
16. Three things in common
Small groups must identify three things that they have in common with each
other – the stranger, the better. Put prompts on the board if you would like,
then give students time to talk. Later, students report back and vote on which
group has the strangest three things in common.
17. Sit down if…
With the class in a circle the teacher asks a series of quirky yes/no questions.
Students sit down if they can answer “yes” and the last student standing is the
winner.
18. Puzzle finder.
You need to print out a puzzle or cut out the picture and then cut it into
puzzles. You can use any picture depending on what you want your students
to revise (colors, shapes, food, etc). Students have to create the puzzle. You
need to have 1-2 pieces of a puzzle for each of the students. In order for
students to put the puzzle together correctly, they will need to be able to
describe their piece to others. They do this while mingling and looking for
adjacent pieces, as well as listen to others’ descriptions. It’s an excellent way to
get students talking to all their classmates.
19. The Name Game is perfect for a smaller class of 15 students or fewer to
help your students (and you too!) remember each other’s names. It works best
for kids because it’s so simple. For example: “My name is Helen I read 35 pages
of a book yesterday.” The next student repeats information about me and
adds his line. “Her name is Helen and she read 35 pages of a book yesterday.
My name is Tom. I ate two apples in the morning”. A teacher can set the
example. Here you can use past, future, conditionals, etc.
@linguisticgirl
20. The expert. INT ADV
Have the students write down 5 things that they are an expert in. Write your
own list first by way of example. For example:
1. Teaching
2. Cats
3. Australia
4. Airplanes
5. Photography
Once the students have written their lists, get them to circle the 3 that they
think will be most interesting to the other students in the class. Divide
students up into pairs and give them 5 or 6 minutes to ask some questions to
their partner about things they are experts in. Encourage your students to
actually listen to what their partner is saying instead of just thinking about
what to say next.
21. Balderdash 18+ INT ADV
Introduce a strange word that you’re sure they’ve never heard before (ask
them to be sure that no one knows it, and make sure nobody looks it up!).
Have each student write down a definition that they believe fits the word.
Collect all of the definitions and insert your own—the correct one—into the
mix. Read off the definitions and have students vote on which they believe to
be the correct one. Give points for students who guess correctly.
22. Sit Down
Everyone stands up and the teacher can ask a series of random, fun questions.
For example:
· Sit down if you (have) are an only child.
· Sit down if you don’t like pizza.
· Etc.
@linguisticgirl
23. Icebreaker Questions for Adults?
Do you have any pets?
How long does it take you to get to school (here)?
What was the last book you read or movie you’ve seen?
Did you take a vacation this winter (or summer) break?
Do you like to cook?
What do you like to do in your free time?
Do you have any restaurant recommendations for this area?
Do you speak other languages besides English and your (first language)?
Have you heard about any interesting events coming up in our city?
If you had a million dollars to spend, what would you do?
If you could change something about your country, what would it be?
What do you like to do for fun?
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