15 Back to School Icebreaker Games for Kids
That first week back is a lot, isn’t it? New classmates, new teachers, maybe even a whole new school. Even the most social kids can feel a little shy when they’re staring down a room full of half familiar faces.
Icebreaker games are honestly one of my favorite tools for this. They take the pressure off getting to know each other and turn it into something silly and fun instead. Whether you’re a teacher setting the tone for the year, or a parent looking for something to break the ice at a first week playdate or classroom party, here are 15 of our go to icebreaker games.
1. Two Truths and a Lie Everyone shares two true facts about themselves and one made up one, and the group has to guess which is the lie. Simple, but it never gets old.
2. This or That A quick back and forth game where kids pick between two options (pizza or tacos, recess or art class) and see how their answers compare to everyone else’s. We actually made a printable version of this exact game in our Back to School Game Bundle if you’d rather have it ready to print and go.
3. Find a Friend Bingo Give each kid a bingo card full of prompts like “find someone with a summer birthday” or “find someone who has a pet,” and have them mingle to fill in the squares. Great for a classroom full of new faces.
4. Scattergories Pick a category and a letter, and everyone races to write down as many matching words as they can. It’s a fast way to get kids laughing and comparing answers with people they just met. This one’s also in our Game Bundle.
5. Would You Rather An easy one to pull out anywhere, no supplies needed. “Would you rather have recess extended by 10 minutes or get an extra 10 minutes of computer time?” is a solid opener.
6. Never Have I Ever (Kid Friendly Edition) The classic party game, minus anything inappropriate for the classroom. “Never have I ever been to Disney World” or “never have I ever broken a bone” work well, and kids love finding out who has something in common with them.
7. The Name Game Each kid picks a word that starts with the same letter as their name (Jumping Jake, Silly Sarah) and the group tries to remember everyone’s name and word by the end. A genuinely helpful way to actually learn names, not just a filler game.
8. Four Corners Label each corner of the room with an option (like four different favorite seasons or four different superpowers), call out a question, and have kids run to the corner that matches their answer. Great for burning a little energy too.
9. Emoji Pictionary Show a string of emojis and have kids guess the word, phrase, or person they represent. This is one of our favorites from the Game Bundle because it works for almost any age.
10. Beach Ball Question Toss Write a question on each section of an inflatable beach ball, and whoever catches it answers whichever question their thumb lands on. Kids love the physical, silly element of this one.
11. A-Z Word Game Everyone tries to come up with a word for every letter of the alphabet within a set theme (school supplies, animals, whatever fits). It’s simple, but it’s a surprisingly good way to get quieter kids participating. This game is also part of the Game Bundle.
12. Guess Who (Fun Facts Edition) Collect a fun fact from each kid ahead of time, then read them out loud one at a time and have the group guess who it belongs to. A sweet way to highlight something unique about every kid.
13. Back to School Riddles A round of school themed riddles is a low key way to get a group thinking and talking together, especially for kids who might feel shy jumping into a more active game. These riddles are also part of the Game Bundle.
14. Interview Swap Pair kids up and give them a few minutes to “interview” each other (favorite animal, favorite food, what they did over the summer). Then each kid introduces their partner to the rest of the group instead of talking about themselves. It takes the pressure off, and kids tend to open up more when they’re the one doing the asking.
15. Family or Classroom Trivia Night End the week with a lighthearted trivia game about each other, favorite foods, pets, hobbies, whatever fits your group. It’s a fun way to wrap up the first week and show how much everyone’s already gotten to know each other.
A little tip: 5 of the games on this list, This or That, Scattergories, Emoji Pictionary, the A-Z Word Game, and the Riddles are all part of our Back to School Game Bundle, so if you loved a few of these, you can grab them all together, ready to print and play with no extra prep.
However you use these, I hope they help make that first week feel a little less new and a little more fun!
