6 quick virtual icebreakers to engage your participants and set a positive tone for your meeting
Run an icebreaker that everyone will love
Running an icebreaker doesn't have to be hard, it can be as easy as asking everyone where they are joining from or where they were born.
When you use StreamAlive, these responses can be plotted on a map in real-time. All your audience has to do is type their answer in the chat and StreamAlive does the rest.
No more boring or cringeworthy icebreakers. Keep it simple. Just ask everyone where they are from.
See how it works in our interactive demo or learn more.
Other icebreakers you can try
1. Two Truths and a Lie
How it works: Each participant prepares two true statements and one false statement about themselves. The rest of the group votes on which statement they believe is the lie. This game encourages attention to detail and provides personal insights in a playful manner.
Example Usage: "I've climbed Mount Everest, I've never broken a bone, and I speak three languages fluently." Participants then discuss and choose the lie.
Possible Pitfalls: Encourage participants to choose fun and light-hearted lies to avoid personal discomfort or oversharing. Stress the importance of keeping the game friendly and non-invasive.
2. Virtual Show and Tell
How it works: Prior to the meeting, ask participants to choose an item within arm’s reach that has a story or significance to them. During the meeting, each person will have a turn to share their item and its story.
Example Usage: "This is a mug from the first country I ever traveled to on my own, which sparked my love for travel and exploring new cultures."
Possible Pitfalls: Set a strict time limit for each participant to avoid overly long stories that might derail the meeting's agenda.
3. Virtual Background Challenge
How it works: Challenge participants to choose a virtual background that represents something about their personality, hobbies, or dreams. Participants take turns guessing what the background reveals about the person.
Example Usage: "Guess why I chose a background of the Northern Lights!"
Possible Pitfalls: Remind participants to keep their backgrounds work-appropriate and to choose images that do not contain offensive or divisive content.
4. The Quickfire Question Round
How it works: Prepare a list of light-hearted and open-ended questions. Rapidly ask participants these questions, giving them just a few seconds to answer. This builds energy and spontaneity.
Example Usage: "Pineapple on pizza: yes or no?","Coffee or tea?"
Possible Pitfalls: Ensure questions are inclusive and avoid topics that may be sensitive or divisive among participants.
5. The Alias Introduction
How it works: Participants invent a creative or humorous alias for themselves related to a personal hobby, dream, or funny story. They then introduce themselves using this alias and explain the story behind it.
Example Usage: "I'm the Midnight Gardener because I once had to replant my entire garden after a nocturnal critter destroyed it!"
Possible Pitfalls: Instruct participants to keep aliases and stories suitable for the workplace to maintain a professional environment.
6. Emoji Mood Check-In
How it works: At the beginning of the meeting, ask participants to choose an emoji that best represents their current mood or how they feel about the topic of the meeting. This serves as a quick emotional temperature check and can lighten the mood.
Example Usage: "Choose an emoji that best describes how you feel about our project launch."
Possible Pitfalls: Remind participants that the activity is meant to be fun and should not be used as a platform for airing grievances or negative feedback without constructive solutions.
Make your icebreakers visual
If you want to go with a "tell me about yourself" type of icebreaker then how about making it visual?
StreamAlive helps you to visualize your chat stream into word clouds, call-out bubbles, or even a Tetris-inspiring wall of cascading tiles.