There is no shortage of situations in which a great ice breaker can be helpful. You might be on a first date and want to get into a deeper conversation. Maybe you’re at a work social and looking to befriend new colleagues. Or you might be in charge of book club and need an easy way for everyone to get to know each other.
Whatever the case, having a few ice breakers on-hand is always a good idea. You can opt for a funny ice breaker like, “What’s the best prank you’ve ever played on someone?” There are also adventurous icebreakers, such as, “If you could travel to any other planet, where would you go?” You can even get deep with the other person if the setting is right, by asking something like, “What was the last kind act you did for another person?”
No matter what ice breaker you choose, make sure to have an answer prepared. It’s rare that a person won’t ask that you open up too, since the whole point of ice breakers is getting to know each other.
Regardless of what situation you find yourself in, there’s an ice breaker that can get everyone comfortable. Here are some of the best ice breakers to try out.
General ice breakers
- What’s your favorite cereal?
- What’s the last show you binge-watched?
- What seat do you sit in on an airplane?
- Who is your favorite author?
- What app do you use the most?
- What’s your favorite dessert?
- What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
- What’s your favorite restaurant?
- What throwback song do you love?
- Would you rather go out for lunch or dinner?
- What did you spend your first paycheck on?
- Do you think aliens are real?
- What is your least favorite food?
- What was the first cell phone you had?
- Do you garden?
- What is your favorite holiday?
- Are you indoorsy or outdoorsy?
- What is the best thing you bought so far this year?
- What does an ideal solo day look like for you?
- Do you prefer to shop online or in-person?
- Do you have the cilantro soap gene?
- Have you ever won a contest?
- Beach or active vacation?
- What name would you give a boat?
- What’s your favorite smell?
- What season would you be?
- What’s your favorite soup?
Funny ice breakers
- What’s your most used emoji?
- What would you be famous for?
- What’s your go-to pump-up song?
- What fictional family would you most like to join?
- Who would you want to live as for a day?
- What’s your strangest habit?
- Would you rather go to space or deep sea?
- What’s your phone wallpaper?
- If you could have an unlimited supply of one thing for the rest of your life, what would you pick?
- What is your biggest pet peeve?
- What reality show would you want to be on?
- What’s the worst haircut you’ve ever had?
- What is your go-to karaoke song?
- How do you eat pizza?
- What’s the best prank you’ve ever played on someone?
- If you could choose a different name for yourself, what would it be?
- Who would you team up with during a zombie apocalypse?
- What’s one task you always put off?
- What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?
- What movie should have won an Oscar but didn’t?
- What’s a weird fact you know?
- What superpower would you choose?
- What dog breed would you be?
Deep ice breakers
- What subject do you wish was taught in every school?
- When do you feel the most courageous?
- Where do you find inspiration?
- When was the last time you cried?
- Where is your happy place?
- What’s on your bucket list?
- How would you describe yourself?
- What’s something you learned about yourself in the past year?
- Did you have a stuffed animal as a child?
- What age would you choose to live at forever?
- Where did you grow up?
- What would you do if you won $100 million?
- What was the first dream you accomplished?
- What did you want to be as a kid?
- Who is your favorite person?
- How do you clear your head?
- What’s the most precious thing you own?
- What was the last kind act you did for another person?
- Why do humans create art?
- What are five things that make you happy?
- If you could live any age as a kid again for a day, which would you choose?
- What is one important skill every person should have?
- What’s a piece of advice that always sticks with you?
- What would you tell high school you?
- What would your memoir be called?
Experiential ice breakers
- Have you ever lived abroad?
- Have you ever lived in another state?
- Have you ever skydived?
- Have you ever bungee jumped?
- Would you eat a bug?
- What is your favorite weekend trip?
- What place have you visited that most surprised you?
- What’s the best souvenir you’ve ever brought home?
- What time period would you travel back in time to?
- What band would you like to join?
- Do you prefer lakes or oceans?
- Would you rather swim or kayak?
- What’s the tallest structure you’ve ever been on?
- What view do you wish you could wake up to every day?
- What’s your favorite mode of transportation?
- Can you sleep on planes?
- What other country would you want to live in?
- What moment left you the most culture shocked?
- Do you have any scars?
- Would you ever go on a silent retreat?
- If you could travel to any other planet, where would you go?
- What’s the hardest physical challenge you’ve ever done?
- If you could automate any task what would it be?
- Would you rather speak 10 languages or play 10 instruments?
- How would you describe your job to a three-year-old?
- What’s a new activity you enjoy doing?
Check out more questions to get to know someone!
