Virtual icebreakers by Katharina Walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers Feel free to add your own ideas or comment on existing posts to tell us about your experience. Please describe the activity as well as you can and mark your post green if the suggestion is 1) very simple to execute both instruction-wise and technology-wise, 2) FUN, 3) requiring no prior preparation from the participants. en-us 2021-05-08 12:11:00 UTC 2025-10-26 03:41:29 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/2604.png Spyfall katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1504926141 The classic card game reimagined for an online context]]> 2021-05-08 12:13:18 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1504926141 Skribbl katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1504927071 Free multiplayer drawing and guessing game]]> 2021-05-08 12:14:34 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1504927071 Brightful katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1504930743 Extensive catalogue of games - from team building activities to deep and meaningful conversation starters]]> 2021-05-08 12:19:05 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1504930743 Woyago katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1504933699 More of a longer team building exercise: book your own guide for an online wine and cheese tasting or a bike ride through Paris]]> 2021-05-08 12:22:25 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1504933699 Home scavenger hunt katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1504936254 Great to get your colleagues out of their chairs: Give your teammates a little task such as: “You have 25 seconds to fetch something yellow,” or “Get the weirdest thing in your apartment, then bring it back to show us”.
You can even take it a little further and play a full-scale virtual scavenger hunt (e. g. 20 tasks in 5 minutes):
  • Take a picture of a view from your window and post it to a padlet
  • Find something smaller than your fingernail
  • Bring the softest thing you own
  • Change your Zoom background to your favorite movie set
  • Bring an item that’s older than you are
And on a hunt you go.
]]> 2021-05-08 12:25:10 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1504936254 2 truths, 1 lie katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1504938397 This fun game is great for introducing new colleagues or getting to know each other better. Collect three statements about each of your colleagues in advance – two of them should be true facts and one should be a lie. Tell your colleagues to provide a lie that’s not so obvious so as to make it harder for others to guess. Put all of the collected statements into a presentation and make it a live poll during your event.]]> 2021-05-08 12:27:44 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1504938397 Guess whose desk? katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1504947063 Get to know your colleagues a little better, and take a sneak-peek into their home work stations. This icebreaker is a mixture of ‘Guess who?’ and a house tour.
Collect pictures from your colleagues of their desks at home, add them to a presentation (also giving several other options) and make it a live poll: “Can you guess whose desk this is?”
]]> 2021-05-08 12:37:20 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1504947063 Last picture on camera roll katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1504949828 Ask your colleagues to go to their phones, and dig out the last photo that they took. Ask them to either post it to a Padlet or simply show it to the camera. Then, ask them to share a story behind the picture.]]> 2021-05-08 12:40:31 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1504949828 Random questions katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1504951711 Here are a few example questions that serve really well for getting to know your colleagues better:
  • What’s the most useless thing you have in your home?
  • What would your superpower be if you had one?
  • What one thing should everybody stop doing right now?
  • What’s one song or artist that you’re embarrassed to admit you like?
]]> 2021-05-08 12:42:31 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1504951711 Group storytelling katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1504954326 Put your improvisation skills to the test. Since actual trips are difficult to arrange this year, at least you could make up a cool story of how it would have gone.
Create a slideshow of random travel pictures, start a story and then call on one of our teammates to follow up on what the previous person said, based on what picture is currently up.
Take turns in telling crazy things you did during your imaginary trip and hold on for dear life because it's gonna be one hell of a ride
]]> 2021-05-08 12:45:28 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1504954326 Hey robot katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505000802 Each player needs a device/phone that answers questions for you (Alexa/Siri/Google). Similar to taboo, each player has to try and make their device say a certain word without actually saying that word. When you lack motivation to come up with words for various games, use this free word generator. Here's an example from the Tonight Show:]]> 2021-05-08 13:30:01 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505000802 Group mad libs katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505015723 If you haven’t done Mad Libs before, it’s a fill-in-the blank story that can lead to a pretty hilarious final product. Mad Libs is great for any size group because your employees will be partnering up.
Before your meeting, find the short story, song lyrics, news article etc. you want to use (even your own mission statement). Partner up your teammates and assign one as the reader (who gets the text with blanks and only the word category the blank should be behind it in brackets) and one as the writer (who needs to come up with words - don't tell them what the story is about for even more fun). In breakout groups, the reader will ask the writer for a word that's an adjective, noun, or adverb, depending on what the type of blank space is. When each team is finished filling out their story, have them return to the main group and share their creation.]]> 2021-05-08 13:43:57 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505015723 Sell it katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505023620 This is a great virtual icebreaker because it requires little preparation. At the start of your meeting, ask each employee to grab any item on their desk, but don’t explain why. If they ask, let them know they will find out soon. 
Once each employee has an item in their hand, explain that they are now going to try to sell it to the other members. They can set the price and have one minute to deliver a sales pitch and one minute to answer questions.
After all pitches are made, employees will be allowed to use a poll to select one item they would “buy.” 
The person who gets the most employees to purchase their product wins.
]]> 2021-05-08 13:50:54 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505023620 Funny virtual icebreaker questions katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505024670
  • What is your funniest memory with your best friend?
  • What is the craziest dare you have ever taken?
  • What were your teenage anthems?
  • If you could be eating any food in the world right now, what would it be?
  • If you were a store at the mall, which would you be?
  • What is your worst date story?
  • Which of your past Halloween costumes is your favorite?
  • Do you have any guilty pleasure shows that you watch?
  • Tell the team a knock-knock joke.
  • What is the strangest item near you?
  • What commercial jingles or theme songs get stuck in your head?
  • If you could choose your own nickname, what would it be and why?
  • If you had a ridiculous amount of money, what unnecessary thing or experience would you indulge in?
  • If you could eliminate one food from the world, what would it be?
  • Share a good or bad impression!
  • If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would the song be and why?
  • If you were sponsored by a brand, which one would you want it to be?
  • What topic do you know a lot of random trivia about?
  • If your life became an action movie, which fictional character would you want to be?
  • What is a common thing that you have never done? Fly, change a tire, etc.
  • If you could live in any sitcom universe, which would it be?
  • What is the scariest thing you have done for fun?
  • If you had to wear a shirt with one word on it for an entire year, which word would you choose?
  • If you were in the wrestling ring, who would be your opponent?
  • How did your parents embarrass you as a kid?
    • ]]>     2021-05-08 13:51:57 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505024670     The M&M game katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505027677 This would normally be an in-person experience: Fill a bowl with M&Ms and pass around the group. Ask each person to take an M&M. Once the bowl of M&Ms has been passed around, explain the colours of the M&Ms mean certain things, such as:

    Red: Favorite superhero
    Orange: Favorite outdoor activity
    Blue: Favorite food
    Green: Favorite vacation spot
    Brown: Favorite TV show
    Yellow: Why you absolutely love your agency/organization/company

    Then circle around the table and ask your team to give answers for the M&Ms they scooped out of the bowl. In an online setting, the players should choose from a set of pictures that each mean a certain thing.
    ]]>     2021-05-08 13:54:53 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505027677     How much toilet paper do you use? katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505032589 This game is normally also used when people actually are in the same places and requires minimal effort and minimal funds. To play, pass a roll of toilet paper around and have everyone rip off how much they would usually use. Everyone will probably think you’re crazy. When the toilet paper makes it all the way around the circle, have everyone count their squares. The number of squares each person took is the number of fun facts they have to reveal about themselves.
    In an online setting, simply share a poll where each person has to indicate the number of squares.]]>     2021-05-08 13:59:28 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505032589     Alien invasion katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505037587 Divide up the group and tell them that aliens have landed. Each team has to create 5 simple drawings that best describe and communicate your company’s products and culture so the aliens will understand and not abduct you. Have them upload them to a shared document/folder/padlet. Take a few minutes and look at all the images and talk through common themes.]]> 2021-05-08 14:04:22 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505037587 Letter hunt katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505038597 Put the team into breakout rooms and give them all 5 minutes to find an object for every letter of the alphabet (a - apple, b - book, etc.). One person on each team will write the objects down. The team will have to communicate well to prevent overlap and get creative on some of the letters.]]> 2021-05-08 14:05:08 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505038597 Future headlines katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505039935 Ask each person to write a newspaper or magazine headline for the company in 10 years. Give everyone time to work independently and have time for sharing with the larger group.]]> 2021-05-08 14:06:25 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505039935 Guess the artist katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505046801 Before your next meeting, ask every teammate to create/draw an image or find a picture they can use to tell a unique story or fact about their lives and have them send it to you. During the meeting, have them figure out together which picture belongs to which person. When a correct guess is made, that person needs to share their story with the group. Do this over video conference with an app that allows screen sharing like Google Meet or Zoom, so the speaker can include video for the storytelling and everyone can connect the name, face and story. ]]> 2021-05-08 14:12:35 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505046801 Retelling a stressful situation in a fun way katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505052024 The idea comes from Hotel Gatherly premium member Britta's clown workshop 😁
    Divide everyone in groups of 2 and give them 2 minutes in a breakout room to tell each other about a recent stressful event in their private or work life.
    Then ask them in the bigger group how they experienced this situation. 
    Send them in the breakout rooms again and have them re-tell the exact same story to their partner with a slight twist: they have to completely omit the letter 's':
    a) either by using words that do not contain this letter at all
    b) or by faking a lisp or making some other weird sound whenever the letter 's' comes up in a word.]]>     2021-05-08 14:16:38 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1505052024     Spot the faker katharina_walch https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1508201160 2021-05-10 08:06:49 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1508201160 Your Strenghts kimmokuortti1 https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1513833306 Tell your pair one or two things that you are really good at. Then tell your partner how you can demonstrate that. (The idea here is to focus on your STRENGHTS instead of your weaknesses or "areas of development". People usually find this empowering.)]]> 2021-05-11 15:23:07 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1513833306 Your Dream Team? kimmokuortti1 https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1514014785 Let's acknowledge each other's skills! Who would you choose in your team for the following tasks and why:
    1) Starting and international office from zero?
    2) Applying for a multi-million multinational development project in higher education?
    3) Contracting a management team for a new university?
    4) Building a university with absolutely the best comprehensive digital learning and online service experience?
    Be creative! Choose as many people as you like - from the EAIE volontary Leadership! (Maybe a wild card from the Office staff!!!)]]>     2021-05-11 15:58:13 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1514014785     Introduce yourself, BUT... kimmokuortti1 https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1514150326 Introduce yourself to the others WITHOUT mentioning your work/job, your tittle, your profession or your degrees/education.]]> 2021-05-11 16:23:49 UTC https://padlet.com/katharina_walch/virtual_icebreakers/wish/1514150326