Icebreaker Games About Boundaries? The 61 Top Answers

Orlando Counseling offers relationship therapy

Do you feel confused about your relationship patterns? Tired of feeling like you’re failing when it comes to romance? As an Anxiety and Trauma Therapist offering counseling in Orlando, I would like to bring clarity and light to some questions you may have about your relationships. Whether you’re in a relationship or contemplating a recent divorce or breakup, this blog series on boundaries will bring to light some of the relationship dynamics that are making you feel stuck.

In the first post, Borders Deconstructed, I gave an overview of borders. In my most recent blog post, 3 Boundary Basics [+ 20 Q Self-Assessment On Top], I walk you through the healthy functions of boundaries and how they affect how you move through the world.

In this post, I share four boundaries that promote a healthy relationship and 14 questions to see how you’re doing. This blog post focuses on awareness of boundaries rather than setting boundaries. In 5 steps to setting a boundary I am sharing the steps to setting a boundary.

If you answered no to two or more of the questions in this blog post, I encourage you to explore your boundary dynamics with a therapist. Many of the clients I work with who find it difficult to set healthy boundaries have had difficulties in their families of origin, i.e. with mom and dad. In many cases, we had to heal some of the early relationship wounds before healthy boundaries would “snap into place.”

I also encourage you to read this blog Trauma Triangle: Making Sense of the Chaos to look at the unhealthy communication patterns and internal perspectives you are holding.

The first and most obvious type of boundary is your physical boundary. This includes your body and the personal space around your body, which I like to call your “bladder”. Control over the extent of physical closeness and contact with your body, whether sexual or otherwise, is within your physical limits. The freedom to say “yes” or “no” to any kind of touch is an example of a healthy physical boundary.

It’s also important to understand that your marginal physical needs are constantly fluctuating depending on your emotions, stress level, and your environment. You may be open to a lot of closeness in the morning and maybe not in the afternoon. Being able to recognize this need within yourself and having the ability to communicate it are part of a healthy physical boundary.

Some questions to ask yourself when it comes to physical boundaries are:

Can I identify my physical borderline needs?

Can I accept my changing physical borderline needs without judgement?

Am I comfortable communicating my physical limitations?

Can I ask for what I need without feeling bad (guilty, selfish, broken, etc.)?

material limit

This refers to your belongings, like your money, your car, your home, etc. Do you have the ability to say “yes” or “no” when it comes to sharing your belongings? Ideally, this limit will change over time. Ideally, you won’t share your money, car, or home early in the relationship, but as trust grows and the relationship develops, you begin to share more material things.

I’ve seen a lot of relationships end where someone feels completely taken advantage of for revealing too much, um, my younger self belongs to that group of people. Three dating relationships in a row and I was like, “How come all my exes owe me money?”

Some questions to ask yourself about material limits are:

Do I make time to share my material things?

Do I allow trust to develop before sharing material things?

Does the amount of sharing match the development of the relationship? For example, “We’ve been together for a year and are now living together.” versus “We’ve been together for a week and are now living together.”

time limit

When it comes to time, I’m talking about time spent together and communicating (talking, texting, email, social media messaging, FaceTiming, etc.). Not only do we have different individual needs when it comes to how much time we devote to a relationship, our needs change based on how we’re feeling at the moment. This need for time can be negotiated in a healthy way by being open about your needs and your partner’s needs.

Some questions to assess how you deal with time limits are:

Am I comfortable setting deadlines?

Can I say “no” without feeling guilty?

Can I focus on other important aspects of my life (work, fitness, friends) without feeling pressured to constantly communicate with my partner?

internal border

This refers to accepting your own inner world; Having your thoughts, feelings and opinions and the security in the relationship to express yourself. By valuing your own inner experience, you don’t feel compelled to change for someone else. Thoughts, emotions, and preferences are constantly changing, so allowing these fluctuations without judgment is important to having a healthy inner boundary. The inverse of this is to also respect the different emotions and opinions of others. If we all shared this appreciation for differences, not only would our intimate relationships be more peaceful, I believe our world would be a better place.

If you find that you have put your happiness in someone else’s hands or if you have a habit of complaining and blaming others, I encourage you to read this Stop the Blame Game blog

Can I identify my feelings and express them to my partner?

Am I comfortable sharing a different perspective in my relationship?

Can I accept that my feelings, thoughts, and preferences change frequently?

Am I safe in my relationship to express my inner world?

Healthy boundaries are fluid, not fixed, which means they can change over time and from hour to hour. Boundaries are not rules. It’s about creating a safe environment where you can identify what you need and communicate those needs to your partner.

In my next blog post, Boundaries: 21 Questions to Uncover Your Style, we’ll look at healthy and limiting boundary styles. Until then, feel free to share comments or ask questions in the comment box below.

Want more about borders? Check out these posts:

Boundaries deconstructed

3 Boundary Basics [+20 Q Self-Assessment to Boot]

Limits: 21 to questions Discover your style

5 easy steps to set a boundary

Limits: 3 reasons why you are pushing the limit

Trauma Therapists, Orlando FL

Sometimes you need something more than self-help blogs. We understand. If you’re looking for additional support, we’re here to help. We offer face-to-face and virtual appointments. Click here to learn more about counseling at Mindful Living Counseling Orlando.

330 Icebreaker questions to try with your team

Icebreaker questions can motivate your team and get everyone in the mood for your meeting.

That’s why we’ve compiled a list of over 330 icebreaker questions. These prompts help build camaraderie and invite different and surprising points of view. It’s time to make your meetings more fun and inclusive.

What are good icebreaker questions?

There’s a big difference between good and bad icebreakers. Whether it’s two truths and a lie, or being asked to come up with “an interesting fact about yourself,” there are some icebreakers that will leave your team feeling a little dead inside.

Here are four tips for asking good icebreaker questions:

Choose icebreaker questions that allow for self-expression, have no wrong answers, and anyone can answer. Answer your own icebreaker question first to create a psychologically safe space. Keep it simple to keep the conversation going. Have fun so you can build better relationships and a stronger culture.

Quickly find the best icebreaker questions here:

All of these questions are inclusive, provide valuable insights into team members, and encourage self-expression. None of them have right or wrong answers or are likely to make anyone feel inadequate.

🤖 Random icebreaker generator

Generate a random icebreaker for your team with our free widget!

❤️ Favorite Icebreaker

The following questions are our personal favorites and the most popular among users of our agile online meeting tool. You can’t go wrong with these.

What new things have you learned about yourself in the last three months? If you had to describe how you feel right now being a ride at an amusement park, which ride are you on? How would you describe your communication style in three words? How do you know when you’re stressed? If you walked onto a stage what would be your opening theme song? If you could bring back one fashion trend, what would it be and why? If you could live in a different historical period, would you? If so, which? If you were reincarnated as an animal, what would you choose and why? What are you unbeatable at? How would you spend your days if you had unlimited time and resources? How do you motivate yourself for difficult tasks? What’s something on your desk, a nearby wall, or out the window that cheers you up during the day? Do you have any mentors or people you look up to? Tell us about one of them. What fictional world or place would you like to visit? You have been teleported to the Middle Ages. How do you live there? Suppose you were to be frozen tomorrow for a 1,000-year one-way interstellar journey. What would you most like to share (and who) with before you leave? If you could have an animal friend, who would it be? Why? What looks easy-peasy Lemon Squeezy but is actually difficult difficult Lemon Squeezy? You died, but instead of entering the afterlife, you entered Earth 2.0. What makes Earth 2.0 better? If you could go back in time 10,000 years ago and draw a cave painting to confuse everyone in the future, what would you draw? A genie appears and grants you a wish for someone else in the world. Who and what do you wish for? If you had a magic button on your desk that would bring you anything you wanted, what would it summon? What was the last thing you did for the first time? What smell, image or sound triggers nostalgia in you? What did your parents or guardians constantly tease you about? Tell us about a stranger you remember. What made her unforgettable? What ice cream flavor sums up your personality today? You have been granted a one-way ticket to another country of your choice. Where are you going? What have you been inspired by lately? It’s your first day at work as an evil villain. What’s the first mischief you commit? If grocery shopping was a game, what would be one of the loading screen tips?

🃏 Simple and fun icebreaker questions

Fun is guaranteed with the answers to these icebreaker questions. These icebreaker questions are great for new teams that need to break the ice and build more psychological security together. If you feel like you’re ready for something more advanced, check out the deep icebreaker questions below!

Which animal best represents you today and why? If you could have a superpower today, what would it be and what would you use it for? What in nature, apart from animals, best describes you today? If you had to sing karaoke right now, which song would you choose? What is the most used emoji on your phone right now? What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up today? Which do you prefer, oceans or mountains? Why? What’s one of your favorite memories lately? What’s the best phrase or slang people use in your hometown? What’s your guilty pleasure right now? Which book would you like to live in? If you could be famous for one thing, what would it be? What is one word or phrase in another language (or your own) that you really like? What is the best topping for ice cream? If you were at a quiz night, which category would you know the most about? What album would you recommend that doesn’t have bad songs? What was the worst haircut you’ve ever had? What is your most successful dance step? Do you dare to show it? What is an obscure TV show or movie that everyone should watch?

🤣 Funny icebreaker questions

These are the funniest ice breakers that will make you laugh out loud while reading. Prepare for some hilarious replies too!

What’s the weirdest thing in your fridge right now? If you were to travel to Mars and could only take one luxury item with you, what would it be? If you could become a supernatural being at night, what would it be and why? Which fictional character would you wish to have by your side during a zombie apocalypse? If you were a cocktail, which one would you be? If your house was full of golf balls, how would you remove them? Would you rather speak like Yoda or breathe like Darth Vader? Would you rather speak all languages ​​or be able to talk to animals? What would you do if you came home and found a penguin in your freezer? Which take-out dishes do you represent today and why? If you could invent a holiday, what would it be and what would you call it? If your car had vanity tops what would they say? What’s the best bird? Do you have a favorite dinosaur? You have been selected to represent your country in a global competition. What sport or activity do you do?

💼 Icebreaker questions for work

The questions in this section will help you bond more closely with your teammates, colleagues, or new people who have come on board! Consider using them in your weekly 1:1 conversations or as part of team meetings to build psychological safety and trust.

Icebreaker for meetings

These ice breakers are perfect to start any meeting at work.

If you had to describe how you’re feeling right now in terms of weather patterns, what’s your forecast? What is an underrated skill that everyone can benefit from? What are you worried about (professionally)? What caught your attention today and why? What was your favorite book or article and what inspired it? Have you heard any good tips lately? What color best describes your personality today? What project could you give up to focus more on yourself? What are you looking forward to this week? Do you have any routines that you use to improve your energy and focus? What is one thing you would like to automate in your job? What is one thing you have hesitated about and can’t finish? What’s the last thing you completed that you’re proud of? Have you learned any useful productivity hacks lately? What productivity tool could you not live without and what makes it essential? What is a recent thing or experience that exceeded your expectations? What are you thankful for today? What made you smile recently? Which fruit or vegetable represents your mood today? What little thing would make your day better today? What gets you in a flow state? What is one possession or tool that enriches your daily life? What is a simple lifehack that anyone can benefit from? What is one of the best ideas our company has come up with? What would you like to get better at? What’s your favorite song or soundtrack for focused work?

Icebreaker questions for virtual meetings and remote work

These questions make every virtual meeting a little less, hmm, zoomy?

Show us something in your space that you really like. What skill will help you work remotely successfully? Do you have a favorite mug? Let’s see it and explain why you love it. Take a look around and rate how happy you are with your physical workplace. What’s one thing you love about it? What limits have you set to ensure you disconnect from work? What is normal where you live but might seem strange to the rest of the world? What’s your favorite way to sit in a chair? let’s see What’s the weirdest thing that might unexpectedly appear on screen with you during this meeting? How Do You Avoid Or Recover From Zoom Fatigue? What’s the weirdest thing that’s ever happened to you during a virtual meeting? What is your favorite place for virtual meetings? What was the most interesting place you’ve ever hosted a virtual meeting?

Team building questions

If you want your team to get to know each other and connect, these are the icebreakers to get the job done.

What do you value in your next teammate? What help could you use most that you haven’t asked for? When was the last time you felt boundless optimism? Is there a topic that you would like to be mentored about lately? Are there aspects of your personality that are holding you back? How do you adapt? When you feel stressed, how do you deal with it? What criteria help you decide whether to say “no” to something or commit to it? Who has changed your life for the better lately? What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? What are you looking forward to and why? You cook for the whole team. What is your signature dish? Do you work better with or without music? What do you listen to while working? What was your very first job? What strategy have you found helpful in your recent work? What was one of the biggest risks you took in your career? How does it feel to have taken it? Would you rather receive a greeting from the CEO at a company meeting or a private word of thanks from him? Would you rather have someone cross a boring task off your to-do list or invite you to collaborate on a project you’re passionate about? When has someone done something you appreciated (at work or in another context) but you didn’t tell them? What was holding you back? Do you have a personal goal that you are currently working towards? What is it? Which organization or private company do you admire and why? What is our team good at? Who on the team would you like to swap jobs with for a day? Who is an ex-colleague from this or another job you are still thinking about? What brings you energy and joy? What do you admire about the people on our team? What is a signal you are looking for that indicates a good company culture? What makes you feel safe? What’s an employer red flag that you might not immediately recognize as one?

Informal and fun icebreaker questions for work

Here is a collection of icebreaker questions that are fun and suitable for work.

Which emoji represents you today and why? If you could be anyone else, who would that person be and why? If you could safely eat an inedible object, what would it be? If you could pick up a new skill right away, what would it be? What don’t people know about you? What’s the most useful item you’ve bought this year? What was the worst advice you’ve ever received? And why was it so bad? If you could teleport anywhere, where would you go now? What was the last book you stopped reading and why? If you could become fluent in another language immediately, which one would you choose and why? Name a TV show that you think is underrated. Describe it in one sentence. What’s next on your bucket list? What is your guilty pleasure when you have free time during the week? What do you like best about the place where you live? What is a hobby or side project that you wanted to take up? What do your family or other relatives think you do professionally? When you’re packing for a trip, what’s one thing (other than clothes) that you always take with you? If you had to put together a PowerPoint presentation about anything, what would it be about? What job did you have in a previous life? Which tea flavor represents you today? What would you do if you had a fully paid year-long sabbatical from work? What was the worst job you’ve ever had?

🤝 Getting to know questions

With these questions you can break the ice and also get to know each other a little better. They are perfect for one-on-one conversations or individual coaching sessions.

What is something new or interesting that you have learned recently? What was your last favorite meal and why? What is your favorite self-care activity? What was the last thing you fell in love with? Who did you last feel inspired by? What simple thing still blows your mind? Have you been pleasantly surprised by anything lately? What are you reading? Which country would you like to visit and why? If you had to give a talk about one thing, what would it be? What couldn’t you live without? what season would you be Winter, spring, summer or autumn? What’s the best book you’ve ever read? Why? Which item on the bucket list would you most like to check off this year? What is an unusual family or national tradition that you have? What was your favorite subject at school? Why? If you could only keep one part of your morning routine, what would it be? Have you ever experienced culture shock? Where was it and what happened? What is an adventurous thing you have done? Which TV show would you recommend to everyone? Where did you grow up and what was it like? What is the most useful thing you own? Would you rather spend a three-week trip with several interesting destinations or just one? Make a choice: Never listen to music again or lose the ability to read? What do you still love today from your childhood? What’s a favorite movie that you always recommend to people? why do you love it What do you value most in a friendship? what have you never learned Where do you feel most at home? What quality do you admire in others? What was the best concert you’ve ever attended? What was the first concert or performance you ever attended? What do you do to relieve anger or stress? What is one thing you do that strikes others as odd? What is your favorite self-care activity? What’s one of your pet nuisances? What is one of your earliest memories? What item do you never travel without? What is a common word or phrase that you don’t like/won’t use? What’s in your ideal sandwich? What is your favorite childhood book? What is a song or album that triggers nostalgia in you? What was the most memorable live music or theater event you’ve ever been to? What’s a popular movie you just can’t stand? What has improved your quality of life so much that you wish you had done it sooner? What have you changed your mind about lately? What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done? What musical instrument would you play in a band?

Funny introductory questions

A good laugh brings any team closer together. Here are some weird or funny questions to get acquainted with.

If you didn’t have to sleep, how would you spend the extra eight hours? What fictional world would you most like to live in? If you could live with any fictional character, who would you choose? What is your favorite scent and why? If you could describe your life as a film, what genre would it be? Name one healthy food you enjoy and one unhealthy one that you find difficult to resist. What age do you want to be permanent? If you were forced to watch reruns of a favorite show, which one would you choose? Would you rather take a cold shower every day or always sleep an hour less than necessary? What drink best describes you today? If you only had to eat one meal the rest of the time, what would it be? What recent fact about your life would most impress your five-year-old self? What is something you are longing for right now? What healthy food do you like as much as unhealthy food? What is an unusual skill that you would like to master? You are on a desert island and you can take a luxury with you – what is that? What’s one sauce, condiment, or dressing you couldn’t live without? What do you like to do when you travel to a new country? How would your best friend describe you? What will you never eat no matter how hungry you are? If you were on a reality show, what would your catchphrase be? What’s the title of a podcast you’d never hear? If you were an action figure, what two accessories would you come with? What question would you ask a psychic? What’s the best gift someone could bring to your housewarming? You can reincarnate as any living or historical famous person for a day. Who do you choose and why? What always gives you childlike joy? What is your culture’s most underrated food? If people came up with a warning sign, what would it be? If you were a kitchen utensil, which one would you be and why? What would the title of your autobiography be?

Do you ever have questions

“Have you ever…” is a surefire entry point for anecdotes, tips, and bonds. Here are some variations to consider as icebreakers. Don’t forget to add “why,” “what,” or “where” to avoid yes-or-no answers, a trait of bad icebreakers.

Have you ever done something extremely scary? What or why (not)? Have you ever successfully conquered a fear? Have you ever stayed up a whole night without sleeping? When or why not? Have you ever been away from home for more than a month? Why not)? Have you ever lost your phone and internet connection for more than 24 hours? How did it feel? Have you ever left your comfort zone? Tell us about it!

🎄 Questions about the holiday icebreaker

There’s nothing like a festive or seasonal icebreaker to lighten the mood in the room. Here are some of our best icebreakers for networking this Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Diwali, and the Lunar New Year!

Questions about the Christmas icebreaker

What is an unusual Christmas tradition that you or your family have? What’s the best Christmas present you’ve ever received? Why? If you could get anything for Christmas what would it be? What are your plans for this Christmas? Do you celebrate Christmas? Why not)? What’s the most annoying Christmas song of all time? You sing Christmas karaoke! Which song do you choose? Which Christmas carol would you choose if you had to listen to it for the rest of your life? If you were a Christmas present what would you be and for whom? If there’s one thing you could change about Christmas, what would it be?

Halloween Icebreaker Questions

What’s your scariest Halloween experience or one you’ve heard of? How will you dress up this Halloween? If you don’t dress up, why not? Do you celebrate Halloween and why (not)? What would you be or do if you could dress up as anything this Halloween (regardless of the cost or effort involved)? What’s your favorite Halloween movie? What’s the best treat you’ve ever received on Halloween? If there’s one thing you could change about Halloween, what would it be? What are kids getting at your door this Halloween? If you could replace the symbolic Halloween pumpkin with another fruit or vegetable, what would it be and why?

Thanksgiving Icebreaker Questions

What is an unusual Thanksgiving tradition that you or your family has? Do you celebrate Thanksgiving and why (not)? If there’s one thing you could change about Thanksgiving, what would it be? What’s your favorite Thanksgiving dish and why?

Diwali Icebreaker Questions

What is your favorite part of Diwali celebrations? How will you celebrate Diwali this year? Does your family have unusual Diwali traditions?

Lunar New Year icebreaker questions

Do you celebrate Lunar New Year and why (not)? What is your favorite Lunar New Year dish and why? If there’s one thing you could change about the Lunar New Year, what would it be? What has been your most embarrassing Lunar New Year moment so far? What is your best memory of the Lunar New Year? What was the furthest or longest journey you’ve ever taken to get home for the Chinese New Year?

🤔 Deep icebreaker questions

Once you’ve developed psychological security with your team, it’s nice to dig a little deeper. These questions are designed to help you take relationships with others to the next level.

What have you learned about yourself lately? What is a new habit or practice that you would like to cultivate? What’s the most important thing you need to remember every day that you haven’t been able to? What sparked your curiosity about what you’re most curious about now? If you could know the absolute and complete truth about any question, what question would you ask? What question can you ask to find out the most about a person? If you could do something you don’t do because it’s bad for you, but you could do it without consequences, what would you do? What is one small thing or practice that has vastly improved your quality of life? How do you go about learning something new? What is your favorite word and why? What do you find calming? If you had a time machine, would you travel back in time to meet your ancestors or forward to meet your descendants? What’s one thing a lot of people hate but you love? What would you change if you ruled the world? If you could rid the world of one thing, what would it be? What’s your favorite habit? What do you enjoy most about what you spend your time doing? If you could go back in time and make a small change in your childhood, what would you learn that would make you an expert at it today? What does friendship mean to you? Which book, video or poem means a lot to you? What do you do when you’re feeling most alive? How does it feel to be yourself right now? How have you changed in the last year? What quality do you value most in one of your closest friends? What is something that is considered socially acceptable today but will no longer be in 100 years? Who is one person who has changed your life but doesn’t know it? If you were given a megaphone and could send out a message for the whole world to hear, what would you say? If you walked into a room with everyone you’ve ever met, who would you look for? What have you learned the hard way over the past year?

💬 Icebreaker for small groups

Just can’t get enough icebreaker questions? We’ll cover you. Here are many more for small groups, adults, and a list of random questions if you’re undecided.

Icebreaker questions for small groups

What is your only advice to everyone here? Which question would you like to ask? What would we never guess about you? What do you want to do in life but don’t know where to start? What is one reason or purpose that you firmly believe in? Which book touched you so deeply (emotionally or intellectually) that you still think about it regularly? What’s something that doesn’t deserve the hate it gets? What is one piece of advice that has stuck with you? What would you like to understand better? What did your parents or guardians do right? And what would you have wished they had done differently?

Icebreaker questions for adults

These icebreaker questions are great if you want to learn about the past lives of your co-workers or teammates. Look back together on growing up, adolescence or past experiences.

What was your least favorite food as a kid? Why didn’t you like it? What did you want to be as a kid when you grow up? What was your favorite breakfast as a kid? What did you rebel against as a child? What were some of your favorite things to do as a kid? What is a landmark, favorite place to visit, or local hangout that you either visited or avoided when you were growing up? What are you nostalgic about lately? What really interested you as a child? What is one small act of kindness, once shown to you, that you will never forget? What would you like to have learned earlier in life? What was the last thing that brought you joy as a child? What is an activity that grants you pure escape? What cartoon did you get up early for as a kid? What is one food that always reminds you of childhood? What would you have liked to have taught yourself in school? What’s an adult problem no one prepared you for? What is one lesson you think you learned too late in life? What is a personal side project that you are working or would like to work on? How would you describe your job as a teenager? What factor in your childhood influenced you the most as a person? Who was your favorite teacher as a child and why?

☕ More icebreakers and meeting resources

…Your relationship is secure.

In a healthy relationship, open communication is crucial. If your partner is doing something that upsets you or makes you uncomfortable, you have the right to bring it up with them. If you don’t have security concerns and feel like your relationship is in a pretty healthy place, talking to your partner about breaking a boundary could be very helpful. Depending on the situation, you can address it right away or take some time to think about what you want to say. It can even be helpful to write down what you want to say before you talk to your partner. For example, let’s imagine you and your partner are hanging around the house and your partner slaps you on the butt as you walk past. If you’re uncomfortable with that, you could say, “Hey, I’m not okay with that,” in that moment, and take your conversation from there. But if you and your partner are going out to dinner with the family and your partner does something that makes you uncomfortable, you may think it’s best to wait until you’re both alone to bring it up. In any case, you have the right to say something to your partner. When discussing the situation, use “I” statements (e.g. “I feel this way when…”) and talk to your partner about why the line was crossed and what steps you can both take to change it to ensure this does not happen again. Being able to hold each other accountable is part of building a healthy relationship.

…Your relationship may not be secure.

If your partner repeatedly pushes your boundaries, isn’t willing to talk to you about boundaries, or you notice that your partner makes you feel guilty about having boundaries, your relationship is probably very unhealthy and could become abusive if the behavior of your Partners continue and escalate. If you’re in an unhealthy relationship and a line is being crossed, talking to your partner may not be a safe option for you. You have the right to be firm and clear about your boundaries because you always deserve to have your boundaries respected, but it’s also important to think about your safety. You could talk to a trusted friend or family member, or have a chat with a love is respect advocate, and try to think about whether or not this is a relationship in which you can feel safe and respected. It’s important to remember that someone who doesn’t respect you doesn’t respect your boundaries and vice versa. You may also consider documenting any instances of harmful or abusive conduct should you decide to file a protection order or seek legal assistance in the future. Writing down or storing your thoughts or feelings in a place where your partner doesn’t have access to them can also act as a reminder of times when you’ve been hurt or important boundaries have been crossed if you ever start to push yourself into it Questioning or believing that the abuse was your fault (hint: it never is).

…Their relationship is definitely not safe.

Boundaries protect a person’s personal or mental space, much like fences between neighbors. They contain the physical and emotional boundaries of appropriate behavior between people and help define where one person ends and another begins. People typically learn boundaries during childhood in their families.

Research shows that in families with healthy, flexible boundaries, each person can grow into a distinct individual with their own unique interests and abilities. This promotes well-being, self-control and self-esteem.

Read on to learn more about healthy boundaries and how to set them.

AJ Watts/Getty Images

what are limits

One theory holds that families have three types of boundaries. Families with clear boundaries tend to function better. You can switch between the three main types:

Clear Boundaries: Clear Boundaries are clearly defined, flexible, and adaptable. There is warmth, support and stability within the family, but each person is able to be assertive, communicate their needs and develop individual interests.

: Clear boundaries are clearly defined, flexible and adaptable. There is warmth, support and stability within the family, but each person is able to be assertive, communicate their needs and develop individual interests. Rigid Boundaries: Rigid boundaries are closed and inflexible, like a wall that doesn’t let anything in or out. There is less involvement and more isolation both within the family and in the outside world. Family members may find it more difficult to communicate needs and express individuality.

: Rigid borders are closed and inflexible, like a wall that doesn’t let anything in or out. There is less involvement and more isolation both within the family and in the outside world. Family members may find it more difficult to communicate needs and express individuality. Open Borders: Open borders are not that clear and can even be fuzzy or loose. Individual family members may find it difficult to meet their needs. Families with open borders can be entangled and exhibit more co-dependency traits.

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Boundaries

Boundaries can be both healthy and unhealthy. Certain signs can help you distinguish what is a healthy boundary and what is an unhealthy boundary.

Healthy Boundaries

Healthy boundaries allow each person in a relationship or family to share their wants and needs while respecting the wants and needs of others.

Some examples of a person with healthy boundaries include:

Being able to say “no” and accept when someone else says “no”.

Being able to clearly communicate both wants and needs

Acknowledge and respect your own needs and the needs of others

Respect the values, beliefs and opinions of others, even if they differ from your own

Feel free to disclose and share information where appropriate

While they can be flexible, they don’t make unhealthy compromises

Unhealthy Boundaries

Where there are unhealthy boundaries, the security of the relationship is at risk. This can lead to dysfunctional relationships where people’s needs are not being met.

Some examples of a person with unhealthy boundaries include:

I have a hard time saying “no”.

Difficulty accepting “no” from others

Not communicating your needs and desires clearly

Easily compromise personal values, beliefs and opinions to please others

Being compulsive or manipulative to get others to do something they don’t want to do

Excessive sharing of personal information

Unhealthy boundaries can quickly turn into abuse. Abuse—whether physical, sexual, or emotional—is a violation of boundaries.

People who were abused as children may not know healthy boundaries. They often grow up with a lack of control over their personal, physical limitations. The pattern can be repeated with abusive partners because it’s familiar and comfortable.

When Unhealthy Boundaries Become Abusive If you are currently in a relationship where your partner: Violates your physical safety

Exert excessive control over your life

Scares you all the time

Having excessive control and preventing you from doing sensible things that you would like to do

Forcing you to do things you don’t want to do This behavior is not healthy and can border on abuse.

If you or someone you care about is being abused, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text “START” to 88788.

types of borders

There are many different types of borders, including:

Physical: Includes your body and personal space. Healthy limits involve your body’s autonomy. An example of physical boundary crossing is teaching children to automatically hug relatives at family gatherings. This can result in them having weaker physical boundaries. A handshake or just a “hello” are polite alternatives.

: Includes your body and personal space. Healthy limits involve your body’s autonomy. An example of physical boundary crossing is teaching children to automatically hug relatives at family gatherings. This can result in them having weaker physical boundaries. A handshake or just a “hello” are polite alternatives. Sexual: Includes your sexual self and your intimate personal space. Sexual boundaries include choices about types of sexual activity, timing, and partners. These boundaries are crossed when someone pushes you into unwanted intimate affection, touch, or sexual activity.

: Includes your sexual self and your intimate personal space. Sexual boundaries include choices about types of sexual activity, timing, and partners. These boundaries are crossed when someone pushes you into unwanted intimate affection, touch, or sexual activity. Intellectual/Mental: Includes your personal ideas, beliefs, and thoughts. A healthy boundary respects that others’ ideas may be different. These boundaries are crossed when someone rejects, belittles, or invalidates your ideas or thoughts.

: Contains your personal ideas, beliefs and thoughts. A healthy boundary respects that others’ ideas may be different. These boundaries are crossed when someone rejects, belittles, or invalidates your ideas or thoughts. Emotional: Includes your feelings and personal details. These limits are violated when feelings or personal information that you have disclosed is disparaged, minimized, or shared without your permission.

: Contains your feelings and personal details. These limits are violated when feelings or personal information that you have disclosed is disparaged, minimized, or shared without your permission. Material/Finance: Includes your financial resources and property. These limits are crossed when you are pressured to lend or give away things, or to spend or borrow money when you’d rather not.

: Includes your financial resources and property. These limits are crossed when you are pressured to lend or give away things, or to spend or borrow money when you’d rather not. Time: Includes how you spend and use your time. When you have a job, relationships, children, or other commitments, it’s difficult to maintain healthy time boundaries. These limits are crossed when you have unreasonable demands or demands on your time, or when you overdo it.

How to set boundaries

Boundaries can be thought of as stop signs in a person’s life. Where you place your stop signs and what you consider crossing the line depends on your beliefs, values, cultural customs, and family traditions.

When setting limits, consider the following:

Goal Setting: Ask yourself what is the goal in setting a limit or the need to set a limit?

: Ask yourself what is the goal of setting a limit or the need to set a limit? Start Small: Setting boundaries can be uncomfortable. The key is to start small and focus on one thing at a time.

: Setting boundaries can be uncomfortable. The key is to start small and focus on one thing at a time. Be clear: Be as clear as possible about what you want.

: Focus on what you want as clearly as possible. Practice: If the thought of setting a boundary makes you nervous, write down what you want to say beforehand or practice in front of the mirror.

: If the thought of setting a boundary makes you nervous, write down what you want to say beforehand or practice in front of a mirror. Keep It Simple: This is a time when less is more. Rather than overloading someone with too many details, pick the main thing that’s bothering you and focus on it.

Benefits of Setting Boundaries Setting boundaries can create balance in a person’s life. Some of the benefits of setting boundaries are:

Avoid burnout: Doing too much for too many is an easy way to avoid burnout. Setting limits can prevent burnout.

: Doing too much for too many easily leads to burnout. Setting limits can prevent burnout. Less resentment: Giving and helping others is a strength, but when it causes you to do too much for others, you can start to feel resentment. Setting limits about what you can do can reduce or eliminate resentment.

: Giving and helping others is a strength, but when it leads to doing too much for others, you may start to get angry. Setting limits about what you can do can reduce or eliminate resentment. More Balance: Sometimes the boundaries we need to set are with ourselves. For example, while watching a favorite show can feel like a nice escape, staying up late at night can lead to exhaustion. Setting a limit for yourself to go to bed earlier can create more balance.

set relationship boundaries

Setting boundaries in relationships isn’t about keeping others out; It is about creating an environment in which the needs and desires of everyone involved are balanced. Setting boundaries with partners, parents, friends, and coworkers all present their own unique challenges.

Set boundaries with partners

Setting boundaries with your partner ensures a healthy relationship that supports both of you. It can also prevent a toxic relationship from developing.

Here are some tips for setting boundaries in an intimate relationship:

Resist Reactivity: Set the tone for the conversation by staying calm. Being angry, upset, and irritable can cause your partner to react. Choose a time when you are both relaxed and receptive to the conversation.

: Set the tone for the conversation by keeping quiet. Being angry, upset, and irritable can cause your partner to react. Choose a time when you are both relaxed and receptive to the conversation. Avoid saying “you”: Starting each sentence with “you have” or “you do” can sound accusatory and put your partner on the defensive. Think carefully about your choice of words and use a calm, even tone.

: Starting every sentence with “You did” or “You do” can sound accusatory and put your partner on the defensive. Think carefully about your choice of words and use a calm, even tone. Hang up the phone: be fully present with your partner. It might be best to put your phones on silent and turn them over for a few minutes. Incoming messages and notifications can be tempting to check. Give your partner your full attention and they are more likely to do the same.

Set boundaries with parents

Studies show that bringing up issues with parents can be stressful. Some suggestions for setting boundaries with parents include:

Be respectful: You have the power to set the tone of the conversation by being respectful. Consider it an opportunity to come out to them as a confident adult.

: You have the power to set the tone for the conversation by being respectful. Consider it an opportunity to come out to them as a confident adult. Start the discussion: One study showed that when adult children passively avoided or accepted a problem with their parents, their depression increased. Instead, it helps to sit down and have a calm, rational discussion.

: One study showed that when adult children passively avoided or accepted a problem with their parents, their depression increased. Instead, it helps to sit down and have a calm, rational discussion. Keep cool and calm: Your parents may react or get upset during the conversation. While you cannot control the decisions they make, you can control your own reaction. If you stay cool and calm, so can they.

: Your parents may react or get upset during the conversation. While you cannot control the decisions they make, you can control your own reaction. If you stay cool and calm, so can they. Keep it simple: pick a small number of things you want to address, e.g. B. Find the one that bothers you the most and focus on it.

Set boundaries with friends

Some ways to set boundaries in friendships include:

Set the tone: Remain calm and friendly when communicating. This sets the standard for the conversation and will hopefully lead to positive results.

: Remain calm and friendly when communicating. This sets the standard for the conversation and will hopefully lead to positive results. Avoid “ghosting”: While it can be difficult to deal with something directly, avoiding a friend (ghosting) prevents them from seeing the problem. Avoiding the problem entirely means you can’t grow from the experience, and it doesn’t give you an opportunity to practice healthy boundaries.

: While it can be difficult to address something directly, avoiding a friend (ghosting) prevents them from realizing the problem. Avoiding the problem entirely means you can’t grow from the experience, and it doesn’t give you an opportunity to practice healthy boundaries. Avoid gossip: While it can be tempting to share your frustrations in friendship with mutual friends, it can reflect back on your friend and potentially hurt them.

Set boundaries at work

When it comes to setting boundaries with coworkers, bosses, or bosses, here are a few tips:

Set Yourself Boundaries: Teleworking, telecommuting and the use of smartphones are blurring the lines between work and home. Set a distinguishable stop time, close your computer and take a break.

: With teleworking, remote working and the use of smartphones, the lines between work and home are becoming increasingly blurred. Set a distinguishable stop time, close your computer and take a break. Chain of Command: As you work, be mindful of the chain of command. If you have an issue with a colleague or manager and can’t speak to them directly, look up your organization’s chain of command, usually through Human Resources (HR).

: Pay attention to the chain of command at work. If you have an issue with a colleague or manager and can’t speak to them directly, look up your organization’s chain of command, usually through Human Resources (HR). Avoid gossip: It can be tempting to discuss the issue with other colleagues, but it can backfire. It’s better to address the issue directly but calmly with the other person. When possible and appropriate, involve a manager or supervisor.

limit exercises

When you set boundaries, you are letting others know how you want and expect to be treated.

Here are a few exercises that can help when you’re feeling speechless:

Use “I” statements:

I feel ______ when _____ is said to me.

When that ______ happens, I feel _____.

If you don’t feel respected:

I don’t like the way I’m being spoken to right now.

I would like to talk about it, but now is not the right time.

I’d prefer to talk about it when we’re settled about it.

Buy yourself some time:

I’m not sure right now. Can I come to you when I’ve thought about it?

I need more time to think, but I’ll get back to you.

If you want to say “no” with a little more explanation:

I’d love to, but my plate’s really full right now.

I would do it if I could, but I can’t help at the moment.

I am very happy about the invitation, but I am not interested in participating.

Finding Consent With Sexual Boundaries:

Do you agree?

Do you want to continue?

Do you feel comfortable if I ____?

summary

Boundaries are the boundaries of appropriate behavior between people. Personal boundaries define where one person stops and the other begins. Boundaries affect intimate relationships, families, and colleagues in a work environment. Setting relationship boundaries can be challenging, but boundaries ensure the relationship is healthy for everyone.

A word from Verywell

Setting boundaries is a key element to staying sane and maintaining positive relationships. You don’t have to do this work alone. It can be helpful for you and your loved ones to seek support and guidance on setting boundaries from a mental health professional.

The word “icebreaker” usually elicits groans and eye-rolls from employees. Unfortunately, Icebreaker games have garnered a negative reputation for a variety of reasons, including:

They tend to feel forced and awkward. They do not always include all personality types. You can make people uncomfortable

This need not be. When you match thoughtful icebreaker ideas to the right work situations, you can foster collaboration, increase employee engagement, generate energy across the organization, and even increase employee retention. Not to mention they’re a ton of fun when done thoughtfully. Below we share our favorite icebreakers for a variety of work situations.

Create an employee experience your employees will love. Learn more

Icebreaker games for work

This list of ice-breaker ideas can be used in most general work situations because they are flexible, scalable, and require relatively little planning. Whether you want to implement them for the entire company or a smaller group of employees, these Icebreaker games are perfect for catering to a range of work scenarios and personality types.

1. Scavenger Hunt

Most people have fond memories of scavenger hunts from their childhood. The good news is that you can make them as adults too! Scavenger hunts are an exciting activity that can take place in the office or outdoors. They require a variety of thinking styles and personalities to complete successfully. In addition, they give people who don’t usually work together a chance to work together.

2. Online Quiz

You can use workplace tools like QuizBreaker to encourage team bonding. It’s a weekly online quiz game that helps employees get to know each other by asking fun icebreaker questions and trying to guess their co-workers’ answers. This encourages authentic team bonding and can make for great conversation starters at lunch!

3. Jenga Questions

Who doesn’t love a good Jenga game? Write thoughtful questions in each pad to start conversations—whether it’s asking about a person’s career goals or what their favorite ice cream flavor is. As each person draws a block, they answer the question written on it.

4. Salt and Pepper

Think of pairs of things like salt and pepper, sun and moon, and so on. Separate the pairs and write only one of them on a piece of paper, and then tape one on each person’s back. Everyone has to walk around asking yes or no questions to find out which word they have. The next step is to find their pair and then sit down to learn three facts about each other.

5.BYOI

Host an icebreaker “happy hour” and ask everyone to BYOI (bring your own icebreaker). This is a great way to collect fun icebreakers for the future and encourage everyone to try different activities. If someone doesn’t feel comfortable with one of the icebreaker games, they can always choose to sit out and still join in for others.

Icebreaker games for new hires

Icebreakers can be an effective and fun way to meet new employees — and no, it doesn’t have to be awkward. These ideas are easy to implement with a group of employees who don’t know each other and promote stress-free personal exchange.

6. Two truths, one lie

A simple and classic game. Each employee shares three statements about themselves – two true and one false. Then everyone tries to guess what the lie is. The whole point is to learn facts about your colleagues while also inserting an element of mystery.

7. Whose story is it?

With this icebreaker everyone writes their stupidest or funniest (but true) story on a piece of paper. The stories are thrown into a hat, chosen at random and read aloud, and everyone has to try to guess which story belongs to whom. This is another way to learn fun facts about your new hires.

8. Find 10 similarities

Employees are assigned to groups and have to find ten things they have in common with every other person in the group. The turn? All similarities must have nothing to do with work. This helps everyone discover common interests outside of the office and gives new employees the opportunity to connect with their colleagues on a personal level.

9. “What if” questions

Have everyone make a list of “what if” questions to ask each other. This can be anything from “What if you woke up tomorrow as an animal – what would you be?” or “What if tomorrow it started raining desserts – which would you choose?” Even though these questions may seem trivial , they can actually teach you a lot about the likes, humor, and values ​​of others.

10. Share a joke

This is a rite of passage at Culture Amp. We let our new campers tell a joke at their first all-hands meeting. Not only does it embody one of our company values, “Have the courage to be vulnerable,” but it also raises a lot of laughs.

Meetings can become mundane over time. To shake things up, try one of these meeting icebreakers that are intentionally snappy, easy to execute, and specifically designed to get the creative juices flowing for a productive conversation.

11. Word association

Choose a prompt that is relevant to your meeting and ask participants to either write down or verbally share a word they associate with it. For example, if you are leading a meeting about your company’s culture, ask the group to come up with a word that they think describes the company’s culture – and then discuss the results. This icebreaker helps the group explore their thoughts on a common topic before moving on to the meeting agenda.

12. Exercise “I agree”.

Write down several statements, assumptions, or clichés about a topic relevant to your meeting. For example, let’s say you want to discuss “the definition of a great leader” and list items like “must be an extrovert” or “strong speaker.” You can then ask attendees to vote on the statements they agree or disagree with and have a discussion of the results before starting the meeting.

13. Mix purpose

This can be a constant icebreaker as it’s easy to do! Have everyone go to as many people as possible and share what they hope to contribute to the meeting. It’s a way for employees to hold themselves accountable for their goals for the meeting and also get others aware of their agenda.

14. Two sides of the same coin

For this meeting icebreaker, pair everyone up and have one person share a recent negative experience. Then have them discuss and identify something positive that came out of the experience. Switch to the other partner. This will help everyone think more optimistically and problem-solve ahead of the meeting.

15. Troubleshooting

Give everyone a few minutes to choose a handful of the biggest issues related to the upcoming meeting. Then let people freely share ideas – no matter how big or small – on how to solve them. This encourages new perspectives on problems that others may not have been aware of. Make it clear that this meeting is a safe zone where there are no bad ideas.

Icebreaker games for teams

These team icebreakers are ideal for people who work together regularly and want to further strengthen their bond. While they are most productive when participants know each other, they can certainly be used by newer team members as well.

16. Building Challenge

You may have come across variants of this popular activity. Whether it’s building the tallest structure possible using just noodles and string, or designing a damage-proof container that can protect an egg in a long fall, the goal of these building challenges is to practice compromise, communication, and collaboration.

17. Bumper sticker

Come to this team icebreaker with a problem. Divide everyone into groups and ask each person to create a bumper sticker that summarizes the challenge. By asking everyone to summarize the problem in one sentence, you simplify the problem and hopefully will be able to find creative solutions as a result.

18. Blind drawing

The game requires two people to sit facing away from each other, with a team member being given a picture of an object or word. Without directly stating what it is, the other person must describe the image without using words that clearly give the image away.

19. Prepay it

Have each team member look at the person on the right and write three positive attributes about them. This is a feel-good activity to bring out the best in each other, highlight strengths, and show appreciation for the team.

20. Don’t judge me

Have each team member anonymously write down something they felt guilty about during the week—be it professional or personal. Then let all the words of encouragement and forgiveness speak. By practicing vulnerability, your team builds trust in one another while taking the blame off themselves. A win!

Bring the team together with Icebreaker games

Contrary to popular belief, icebreakers don’t have to be an unpleasant experience. As long as you consider your employees’ needs, preferences, and personality types, Icebreaker games can enhance the employee experience and make a wonderful addition to any workplace environment—whether it’s a meeting, new employee onboarding, or an offsite team. If you’re looking for more ideas, check out this list of office games.

The question “How is everyone?” at the beginning of each meeting isn’t always the best way to encourage team bonding. Sometimes a fun icebreaker can help with that.

The best icebreakers have the power to strengthen employee bonds, encourage better brainstorming sessions, and create an atmosphere of inclusivity. To make the most of those team bonding moments, we’ve compiled a list of the best icebreaker activities and games for the workplace.

Next time you get together with your team, use one of these games instead of asking “how is everyone” and you’re sure to hear some better and more insightful answers than “I’m fine”.

Icebreaker Examples of Work Paint a Picture, Build a Story Guess the Drawing Alphabet Brainstorm Show and Tell Bucket List Share the Love Arts and Crafts What Do We Have in Common? Name That Tune Theme Meeting Guess Childhood Photo Zoom Photo Ops Hobby Webinar One Word Pop Quiz Birth Card Movie Pitch Stretch Break Rose, Thorn, Bud Frivolous Debate Would you rather be 18 and under? Two truths and one lie Your name backwards

Zoom Icebreaker

1. Paint a picture, build a story

Show off the artistry of your teammates and create a scenario of their masterpieces in this icebreaker. Gartic Phone gives you a short time frame to sketch photos based on other players’ prompts – and can result in hilarious works of art.

The more nonsensical the request, the funnier the drawings will be. You’ll also get brownie points if you save and share some of the funniest drawings, and then share them with the team on Slack.

2. Guess this drawing

Drawasaurus is one of my favorite online drawing games that I play with colleagues. Players can choose from three random prompts to quickly interpret and draw their vision. Other players can get more points by recognizing the word the quickest and taking turns playing until time runs out.

Featured Resource Free Corporate Culture Code Template Break the ice with this free corporate culture template.

3. Alphabet brainstorming

Thinking out of your head is a lot harder said than done in Scattergories. The game’s host can choose from topics as broad as foods and countries or as odd as “things grandma would say”.

During each game round, the game highlights a random letter of the alphabet and lets players find any noun or phrase that starts with that letter. Best of all, players can discuss answers among themselves to achieve victory. A perfect icebreaker for your overly competitive peers.

4. Show and tell

A pretty simple icebreaker, teammates can share an item they love via Zoom. Whether it’s a valuable collector’s item or an item that inspires nostalgia, there are many stories waiting to be told.

5. Bucket List

Outside of the workplace, your teammates are people with aspirations and goals that you wouldn’t know about over the average coffee chat. Have team members share some bucket list items they want to achieve in the future.

Not only can these be inspirational, but they also open up an opportunity for team members to encourage each other to achieve their dreams. It is a particularly uplifting team bonding activity that will bring your team even closer together.

6. Share the love

While distributed teams may not have the opportunity to shake hands or hug, you can still share love between one another in this icebreaker. Say something nice with another team member, and it could be anything you want as long as it’s respectful and uses good judgment.

For every person who receives a friendly message, they are the next to forward a message to a member of the group who didn’t receive one – this ensures that everyone is given equal praise. Praise them for helping out on a project, for the energy they bring to the team, or for their lovely smile.

7. Arts and Crafts

Doing something with your team can be a great opportunity to learn something new and keep decorative memorabilia in your space to remind you of your team. Have everyone follow the same instructions to create a craft like simple origami, a drawing, or a painting from a specific teacher on the Zoom call or YouTube tutorial.

8. What do we have in common?

This icebreaker is best for new hires who may feel more reserved about meeting the team virtually.

Find common ground and start the conversation with your team members. Have a manager or team leader start the conversation by sharing something they’re interested in like popular TV, music, food, or whatever they like to get everyone thinking. Give it to the most enthusiastic team member with the same interest and have them share a new one.

Typical icebreaker questions can get people to say a sentence or two on the subject, but if you get passionate about it, you’ll see that the most unexpected co-workers bring more personality to the call.

9. Name this melody

Music brings people together, and you might be surprised to see how many of your peers rave about the hottest song on TikTok or Spotify.

Take turns whistling, banging, or even playing an instrument (if you were given one) to the tune of a popular song and have your teammates guess the name. Find out who’s a fan of the classics by clapping and stomping to the tune of Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” or do whatever it takes to help your co-workers recognize your favorite songs.

10th theme meeting

Hosting themed meetings is the best icebreaker for the holiday season. Share a laugh and snap photos of you and your co-workers dressed up as elves with zoom backgrounds at the North Pole or in your spookiest costumes for Halloween.

Make sure you’ve chosen your theme wisely, as some holidays have cultural ties, keep this icebreaker for more commercial holidays.

12. Guess the childhood photo

Need a healthy icebreaker? At your next Zoom meeting, ask everyone to send the leader a cute (or funny) photo from their childhood and randomly throw them all into a slideshow.

When it’s done, the leader shares their screen and has the group guess which team member is in each photo. Try not to blush too much when they get to you.

13. Zoom Photo Ops

In this icebreaker, the first thing you should do is ask everyone involved if they’re okay with having their photos taken before the meeting starts (I know I’d like advance warning in case I was wearing an old band shirt instead of my usual business casual attire.)

You can try to get everyone to make silly or scary faces, or even try to mimic the Brady Bunch title sequence. There are many poses or facial expressions to capture, especially when you have a crazy team to work with.

14th Hobby Webinar

During weekly video chats, you can designate a member of staff to teach the team how to pursue a hobby they’re good at—something that doesn’t require you to be there in person.

This can range from showing you how to make quick origami, doing a magic trick, or even sharing a couponing tip or two from your colleague who is always on the lookout for the latest deals.

Icebreaker for meetings

15. A word

The one-word icebreaker is a great way to provide initial context on a meeting’s topic and get everyone in the right mindset for the discussion.

For playing, you should break the meeting participants into smaller groups. Then ask them to think for a minute or two, and then share a word that describes X with their group.

For example, let’s say you’re running a meeting about culture. Tell the groups to describe the work culture, or specifically your office culture, in one word. Once they’ve shared with their groups, you can invite them to share their word with the entire room.

This game encourages everyone to think about a certain topic in smaller groups beforehand, which could increase participation during the meeting.

16. Pop Quiz

To successfully loosen everyone up and get them in the mood for a meeting, you might consider putting a short pop quiz on the board.

If your goal is simply to encourage team bonding, your quiz can be more fun—like “Connect the lyrics to this ’80s song.” However, you can also use the pop quiz as an opportunity to introduce attendees to the topic of the meeting.

For example, when discussing company changes, you might start by asking team members about facts about the company’s history (e.g., “What year was this company founded?”).

17. Birth card

Before a large meeting, place a map and a row of pins at the front of a large conference room. As people come in, ask them to put a pin where they were born or grew up.

As the map fills with pins, people learn how different their teammates could be. At the end of the meeting, give your colleagues some time to come over and take a closer look at the map.

18. Movie Square

Perfect for larger groups and movie fanatics, this icebreaker is as crazy as you make it. Divide players into groups of four and give them 10 minutes to create the plot of the next award-winning film. You can give them restrictions by setting genres like horror, action, comedy, thriller and more.

When your organization meets to brainstorm ideas for specific projects, go ahead and incorporate the theme into their film presentation prompts to get the creative juices flowing.

19. Pause for stretching

Perhaps the week has been busy for you and your team, or you may have your fourth meeting of the day. If that’s the case, let everyone take a breather and stretch before the next big meeting begins.

Someone can either lead by example and do some arm and back stretches, or just let everyone freestyle. You’ll be amazed at how a little exercise can wake you up and help people get their jobs done.

20. Rose, thorn, bud

In meetings, it can be difficult to communicate or understand everyone’s perspective on a project unless everyone has the floor to say what they think. With the Icebreaker Rose, Thorn, Bud, team members can quickly convey what they’re thinking by sharing three pieces of information:

Rose: A recent positive event such as a personal highlight or a win

: A recent positive event such as a personal highlight or a win. Thorn: A challenge or obstacle that they need assistance with

: A challenge or hurdle they need on Bud: An idea for the future they want to share, or excitement about ongoing events

21. Frivolous Debate

There’s nothing like a light-hearted banter to warm everyone up before a meeting.

For this icebreaker, everyone will discuss a silly topic and chime in with an equally silly answer and reasoning. Make a statement like “cats are better than dogs” and “summer is better than winter” or create chaos by explaining that pineapple belongs on pizza (because it does).

Fast icebreakers

22. Would you rather

A classic game played at summer camps everywhere, Would You Rather be an excellent fast-paced icebreaker for the workplace. The next time you get involved in a meeting or team outing, take turns walking around the table and asking each person a “would you rather” question.

Here are a few “would you rather” questions to get you started:

Would you rather have only summer or winter for the rest of your life?

Would you rather hike or go to the cinema?

Would you rather never use social media websites and apps again, or never watch a movie or TV show again?

Would you rather have terrible short-term memory or terrible long-term memory?

23. 18 and under

18 & Under is an engaging and unique way to encourage team members to share fun or interesting stories with each other. Before a meeting, simply walk around the room and ask each person to share an achievement they had before they turned 18.

No doubt you’ll get some of minor importance, like “I bought a skateboard,” but you never know what hidden abilities you might discover in your peers.

24. Two truths and a lie

One of the more classic icebreakers on the list, Two Truths and a Lie can be used for anything from family gatherings to corporate events. To play, simply ask each person to collect three “facts” about themselves – two of the facts will be true and one will be a lie.

For example, I might say, “I auditioned for the TV show Zoom once. I have three brothers. I once rode a zipline in Switzerland.” Colleagues can take turns guessing what the lie is. (FYI I have two brothers not three so that’s the lie. Unfortunately I auditioned for Zoom.)

Two Truths and a Lie is a fun and engaging game, and more importantly, it can help your team learn facts about each other so they can start forming deeper bonds.

25. The handshake

One of the first ways to greet someone in the workplace is to shake hands.

With this icebreaker, individuals can relax and have a little fun without any hassles. It’s easy – divide the group into pairs of two and have them do the most creative handshake they can in a few minutes.

If you have more time, have the couples split up after showing off their super cool shake and get even more creative with new partners. It’s hard to play these games without laughing, something we could all use in the workday.

26. Bad Joke Contest

This icebreaker will not waste your team’s time at all if you give them advance warning to prepare. In the Bad Joke Contest, you have to have everyone recite the cheesiest joke they can come up with and have everyone vote on who was the worst.

Beware, some colleagues have been saving impressively bad dad jokes for these moments, so the competition will be tough.

Funny ice breaker games

27. Tall stories

This ice breaker game will make everyone think. In Tall Tales, each player invents three sentences that they add to a continuous story. The third sentence must have a plot twist beginning with “Suddenly…” before moving on to the next.

Each player has the opportunity to put their own spin on the budding story and can even try to mislead the next contestant with a crazy situation.

28. Say your name backwards

This game is pretty easy, or straight backwards.

Each player writes their name backwards on a piece of paper, folds it, and places it in a bowl. Once all the papers have been collected, someone pulls one out of the bowl and reads what the paper says to the other players. Whoever guesses the name of their colleague correctly gets a point, and whoever has the most points at the end wins.

29. Jenga

Jenga is considered a classic game for good reason, and because it’s easy to play and easy to put down. Have your team take turns pulling blocks of wood out of your Jenga tower and laugh as it all falls apart.

30. Frown king or queen

Make it a contest to see which of your teammates has the scariest frown and give them the title of Frown King or Queen. Bonus points if you really put an effort into making a paper crown.

You’ll be surprised how hard it is to keep a frown when you’re surrounded by your favorite co-workers, not to mention how funny they’ll look throughout the game.

31. The envelope please!

In this icebreaker game, have everyone write down 10 facts about themselves and put them in their own envelopes. The envelopes are shuffled and selected one by one by the leader to read to the rest of the group.

The rest of the players will then guess the identity of the envelope in hand – but they must be able to rely on their answer as each player only has one chance to guess per envelope.

32. Random Talent Show

A talent show is one thing, but a random talent show is another. Let your colleagues take turns showing off their cool party (or office) tricks. And let’s face it, you’ve been trying to find the right opportunity to show someone you can lick your elbow for a while.

33. Celebrity Impressions

In this icebreaker game, the leader puts a label on the back of each player with a famous or well-known name. Once that’s complete, each player will ask each other yes or no questions about their celebrity label’s attributes, latest news, or talent.

If a player can correctly identify their own celebrity, they can remove the tag from their back and continue mingling if they wish.

34. Quick portrait gallery

You don’t have to be a Picasso to take part in this icebreaker. Instructions are simple, each group member is randomly assigned a different person to draw in a few minutes. It’s a fun way to connect and chuckle here and there at everyone’s artwork.

35. Sound Ball

Sound Ball is an imaginative icebreaker that gives everyone the opportunity to move and recharge their batteries.

In this icebreaker, the leader holds an imaginary ball and “throws” it to other players, making whatever sound he thinks possible with the gesture. Whoever “catches” the ball next must repeat the sound and then throw the ball to another person, who will make their own unique sound. It sounds crazy, but it’s easy to get into the flow.

36. Beatboxing

This is probably one of the silliest icebreakers on this list, but it’s definitely worth trying for fun. Have one team member start making a sound you would hear in a song, such as percussion, and have others gradually add to the beat.

Who knows, if the beat sounds good enough, you might all consider forming an acapella group.

Large team icebreakers

37. Charade

Charades is a game suitable for large teams, both in person and remotely.

In this icebreaker, players must communicate with teammates to identify a noun of a specific category. Divide everyone into two teams and have one player each pantomime the topic to their respective teammates. Whichever team scores the most points wins.

38. Red light, green light

I bet everyone who watched Squid Games in 2021 is familiar with this game, and if not, the rules are simple (and the stakes are much, much lower).

Players in this icebreaker game line up on one side of a room and a designated leader is instructed to say either “red light” or “green light.” Players in line must attempt to move to the other side of the room when the leader says “Green light”, but once the leader says “Red light” everyone must freeze or be kicked from the game.

39. Guess who

Similar to Charades, Guess Who is a great icebreaker where you can impersonate famous people – or even your co-workers.

Have someone write familiar names on a piece of paper, and then give them to a team member one at a time. You’ll have to recreate Titanic’s behaviors, facial expressions, or even the iconic “I’m Flying” scene.

40. Icebreaker Bingo

Icebreaker Bingo is a great way to team up with large teams as it can include as many people as you like.

You can use a free Icebreaker bingo generator and personalize each of the squares with a topic that you’re all talking about that day or anything that everyone can feel involved with.

41. Hot shot

This icebreaker lets everyone take turns sharing their hot takes and either connecting with their peers who agree or discussing their naysayers.

Of course, you want the topics to be fun and light-hearted, so stick to topics that aren’t controversial and opt for statements like “cheese isn’t that great.” if you’re a madman

42. “Most likely ___”

Do you remember the high school superlatives? That’s the way it is, but a little less embarrassing. Have colleagues read through a list of titles that are most likely and match them to each other. During the game anyone can chime in or justify why someone deserves the title and the group consensus will be the final decision.

It’s important to note that no two people have more than one tile to ensure everyone is included.

43. Whisper down the alley

Whisper Down the Lane is an icebreaker game where team members form a larger circle and share a random message that is whispered into someone’s ear on their left. This game can get funny pretty quickly as a whisper down the alley can always be misinterpreted.

44. Simon says

Simon Says is a game as old as time, but it never stops being fun. The leader of the group instructs the players to perform an action that begins with the words “Simon says…” e.g. B. “Simon says touch your knees” or “Simon says grab your elbow”. Anyone who does not follow the announced actions will be booted from the game.

The real trick for the leader is to confuse the players by giving quick Simon Says commands and then giving them a command without saying the keywords. It might work like this: “Simon says touch your hips, Simon says hop on one leg, Simon says touch your nose – touch your ears!” Whoever performs the action (e.g. touches your ears) will Booted out of the game as there was no action Simon says.

45. Similarities

This simple icebreaker is suitable for groups of people who are meeting for the first time. All that needs to be done is mingle with each other to find common ground and try to form groups based on those attributes. Bonus points if you can learn the names of people you are related to, and plus points if you can give all of their names on demand.

46th Team Puzzle Competition

For this game you need to prepare by buying two identical puzzles. Divide your large group into teams of two and set a timer to see which group can work together to make the most progress on their respective puzzles.

47. Lump

In a large, open space, have team members run around and mingle. The leader of the icebreaker then calls out a random number under 10. Each person mingling must then quickly form a group the size of the number called.

Gradually, people are tricked into leaving the mingling room or finding a seat until the last person standing wins.

Icebreaker games for small groups

48. Funny questions

Asking Funny Questions is a simple and effective ice breaker game. To play, just walk around the room and have each person answer a fun question. The questions are up to you, but if you get stuck, here are a few ideas:

If you were stranded on a desert island and could bring three items, what three items would they be?

If you could be any animal, which one would you be and why?

What was the first concert you ever attended?

If you could invite any celebrity to dinner who would it be and why?

These questions serve two purposes – first, they allow your co-workers to shift into a sillier, more creative mindset. Second, they encourage conversations on topics typically reserved for outside of the office, allowing members of your team to get to know each other on a deeper level.

Meg Prater, Sr. Marketing Manager of the HubSpot blog, says, “When I started including icebreaker questions in our weekly team standup meetings, the experience was… terrifying. It felt exactly like what it was: organized fun. But we stuck to it. I listened to the feedback and tried to incorporate it into better icebreakers.”

She continued, “For example, some people on our team don’t watch much TV and felt a little left out when we fell down a rabbit hole with shows we banned. Keeping the icebreakers inclusive keeps everyone busy. Now, our icebreakers can take 15+ minutes to get through and pull off some of our biggest laughs and revelations of the week.”

49. Personality Quiz

This icebreaker can promote team bonding and is one of the easier options on the list. Just pick a short personality quiz on your phone or computer (if you get stuck, here’s a list) and drag it onto a projector or send the link to everyone.

After everyone has completed the personality assessment, have each colleague mention one thing they agree or disagree with in their findings. This game allows your team members to gain a new perspective on their colleagues, and it’s also a fun and easy way to start an interesting conversation.

50. Who is it?

Have everyone write a unique, strange, or unexpected fact about them on a piece of paper. Then place the pieces of paper in a hat and shuffle them around. Take off your hat and read each fact.

Have the team try to guess who wrote it. After they guess, ask the staff member who wrote the fact to identify themselves and provide further context if necessary. This could be a great way to learn surprising new things about your teammates.

51. Marshmallow Challenge

Business visualization expert Tom Wujec debuted his Marshmallow Challenge at TED. To play, simply divide your team into groups of four and give each group 20 spaghetti, a meter of duct tape, a meter of twine, and a marshmallow. Whichever team can build the tallest structure wins – the trick is that the marshmallow has to be on top.

There are a few reasons why this game works as both a great icebreaker and a team building exercise. First, the most successful teams are the groups of people who don’t spend time fighting for power.

The game forces your colleagues to work together to brainstorm possible solutions. Second, the Marshmallow Challenge encourages people to think fast and come up with alternative solutions when their original idea fails.

With the marshmallow challenge, you can strengthen your team’s brainstorming and problem-solving skills, and your team can also have fun. A win, a win.

52. Scavenger Hunt

At HubSpot, we run a scavenger hunt for new hires on the first day of their apprenticeship. It’s fun and collaborative, but it can also help employees find their way around the office.

Luckily, you can set up a scavenger hunt for your team, even if they’ve been working in your office for years.

Simply split your team into groups and give each group a pick list of items to find – if you’re working in a smaller space, you might be able to hide some fun items around the office beforehand. You can even offer an incentive to the winning team, e.g. B. A $50 Amazon gift card.

A scavenger hunt is also an exceptional opportunity for cross-departmental exchange. Erwägen Sie, sich an Manager aus anderen Abteilungen zu wenden und Gruppen von Mitarbeitern zu bilden, die nicht oft zusammenarbeiten.

53. Kein Lächeln

Dieses Spiel ist einfach und soll Ihr Team anregen. Bringen Sie Ihre Kollegen in einen Kreis und bitten Sie einen Freiwilligen, sich in die Mitte zu setzen oder zu stellen. Sagen Sie dem Freiwilligen, dass er nicht lachen oder lächeln kann, egal was passiert. Lassen Sie dann die Kollegen abwechselnd dem Freiwilligen einen arbeitsgerechten Witz erzählen.

Das Ziel des Freiwilligen ist es, von jedem Kollegen im Kreis einen Witz zu hören, während das Ziel der anderen Teammitglieder darin besteht, den Freiwilligen zum Lachen zu bringen.

Dieser Eisbrecher kann bei der Schulung neuer Mitarbeiter oder Führungskräfte hilfreich sein, um den Druck beim Start einer neuen Stelle zu verringern. Es kann auch hilfreich sein, um die Stimmung in Teams aufzuhellen, die regelmäßig mit stressigen Projekten oder Situationen zu tun haben.

54. Das ist besser als das

Abgesehen davon, dass dies eine unterhaltsame Teamaktivität ist, könnte dies eine großartige Energiequelle für Vertriebsmitarbeiter oder andere sein, die regelmäßig Produkte bewerben, vermarkten und verkaufen.

Bitten Sie Ihr Team, vier bis sieben Gegenstände im Büro zu finden und sie in einen Raum zu bringen. Diese Gegenstände könnten etwas sein, das sie täglich benutzen, wie ein Stift oder ein Stuhl. Sie sollten sie jedoch ermutigen, seltsamere oder einzigartigere Gegenstände zu finden. Dadurch wird das Spiel anspruchsvoller.

Ordnen Sie die Gegenstände an und teilen Sie die Gruppe in Unterteams auf. Beauftragen Sie jedes Team mit der Auswahl eines Gegenstands, mit dem sie überleben würden, wenn sie auf einer einsamen Insel gestrandet wären.

Sagen Sie den Teammitgliedern, dass sie nicht mehr als einen auswählen können und davon ausgehen müssen, dass dies der einzige Gegenstand ist, den sie auf dieser Insel haben werden. Geben Sie den Teams Zeit zum Nachdenken und bitten Sie sie dann, das von ihnen gewählte Element und den Grund vorzustellen.

Virtuelle Eisbrecher für verteilte Teams

55. Wählen Sie Ihren Favoriten

Für diesen Eisbrecher musst du nur die Frage nach deinen Lieblingsdingen beantworten. Sie bitten Ihr Team, seinen Lieblingsfilm, sein Lieblingslied, seine Lieblingsfernsehsendung usw. auszuwählen. Die Frage kann sich jede Woche ändern.

Dieser Eisbrecher hilft Ihrem Team, sich kennenzulernen, auch wenn sie remote arbeiten, und kann Gespräche darüber anregen, was jeder mag oder nicht mag.

56. Trivia-Spiel

Wenn Sie nach einem Remote-Eisbrecher suchen, der eher ein Spiel und weniger diskussionsbasiert ist, können Sie ein Quizspiel veranstalten.

Kahoot ist eine Trivia-Plattform, die Sie kostenlos nutzen können (für bis zu 10 Personen). Um loszulegen, müssen Sie sich lediglich für ein kostenloses Kahoot-Konto anmelden.

Dann können Sie ein vorgestelltes Trivia-Spiel zum Spielen auswählen. Um dies remote auszuführen, sollten Sie Ihren Bildschirm mit Ihrem Team teilen. Jeder benötigt ein separates Gerät, das er verwenden kann, damit er am Spiel teilnehmen und seine Antworten einreichen kann.

57. Teile ein peinliches Foto

Dies ist einer meiner Lieblings-Eisbrecher, weil es eine unterhaltsame Art ist, Ihr Team kennenzulernen. Lassen Sie für dieses Spiel alle ein peinliches Foto mitbringen und die Geschichte dahinter erzählen.

Lassen Sie Ihre Teammitglieder ihren Bildschirm freigeben oder senden Sie eine Datei an den Teamleiter, um sie mit allen zu teilen.

Um dies interessanter zu gestalten, können Sie die Leute raten lassen, wessen Foto es ist, bevor Ihr Teammitglied seine Geschichte erzählt. Dieser Eisbrecher ist eine großartige Möglichkeit, Verbindungen aus der Ferne aufzubauen.

58. Ein-Wort-Impulsprüfung

Lassen Sie für diesen Eisbrecher alle in Ihrem Team herumgehen und ein Wort oder einen Satz teilen, der darstellt, wie sie sich an diesem Tag gefühlt haben.

Sr. Managerin Christina Perricone sagt, dies sei ihr Lieblings-Eisbrecher.

„Die Person, die das teilt, entscheidet, ob sie näher darauf eingeht oder nicht, und alle hören zu, ohne zu antworten. Der Zweck der Übung ist es, den Menschen die Möglichkeit zu geben, emotionale Rückschläge, Hindernisse, Siege, Höhepunkte oder alles andere, was passieren könnte, loszulassen und/oder offenzulegen beeinflussen, wie sie an diesem Tag zur Arbeit erscheinen. Es bietet den Teilnehmern einen Raum, in dem sie sich voll und ganz zur Arbeit einbringen können, und es gibt dem Team einen Kontext dafür, wie es dieses Teammitglied an diesem Tag unterstützen kann”, fügt Perricone hinzu.

59. Triff mein Haustier

Nichts erfüllt ein Meeting so mit einem Lächeln wie Fotos der pelzigen Freunde von Kollegen. Zeigen Sie abwechselnd die süßesten Bilder und Videos Ihres Haustieres.

Für diejenigen, die keine haben, können sie entweder ein lustiges Haustier (den berüchtigten Haustierfelsen) machen oder ein Traumhaustier teilen, das sie haben würden.

60. Lass uns ein Mixtape machen

Dieser Eisbrecher funktioniert, indem er Ihre Kollegen bittet, einen ihrer Lieblingssongs aus einem bestimmten Genre auszuwählen. Sobald jeder seinen Song im Kopf hat, lassen Sie jemanden entweder eine Youtube- oder Spotify-Playlist mit den Auswahlmöglichkeiten aller zusammenstellen und teilen Sie den Link anschließend mit allen in der Gruppe.

Im Moment macht es nicht nur Spaß, sondern jeder hat die Chance, neue Künstler und Melodien zu entdecken, von denen er noch nie gehört hat.

61. Emoji-Stimmungsschätzer

Mit diesem Eisbrecher würden Sie alle in Ihrem Team bitten, die genauesten Emojis ihrer aktuellen Stimmung oder ihres Gemütszustands in ein Chatfeld zu schreiben (vorausgesetzt, sie verwenden Zoom, Microsoft Teams usw.). Jeder kann erraten, welches Adjektiv jemand hat versucht zu vermitteln, und kann sogar mitteilen, warum, wenn sie das möchten.

Würdest du lieber Eisbrecher

62. Essen würdest du lieber fragen

Sie werden überrascht sein, wie leidenschaftlich einige Ihrer Kollegen über das Essen hinwegkommen können. When asking “Would You Rather” questions, ask about various savory or sweet food staples and which they would prefer to eat forever.

Example: “Would you rather eat only cake forever or eat pasta forever?”

63. Travel Would You Rather Questions

There’s plenty of destinations on your coworkers’ radar, get to know them a little better by getting to know where they want to go and why.

Example: “Would you rather travel to only island destinations or mountainous destinations?”

64. Talent Would You Rather Questions

Explore more uncommon talents and see which your coworkers would like to have in this type of questionnaire.

Example: “Would you rather your special talent be opera singing or in playing the banjo?”

65. Super Hero Would You Rather Questions

There are hundreds of superheroes from Marvel and DC, and chances are your coworkers are familiar with them, too. Ask which hero they would like to be and why based on their stories or abilities.

Example: “Would you rather be Ironman or Captain America?”

66. Super Power Would You Rather Questions

On a similar note to heroes, find out what powers your coworkers would rather have and why. Bonus points if you ask them whether they’d label themselves as a hero or villain.

Example: “Would you rather have super speed or super strength?”

67. Sport Would You Rather Questions

Your coworkers may be involved in sports outside of work, and maybe they’re fans of different leagues and teams. Ask which sports they’d rather play and see which they’d prefer and why.

Example: “Would you rather play basketball for the rest of your life or football?”

68. Fashion Would You Rather Questions

Even if your coworkers aren’t tuned into NYFW, they’re sure to recognize some of the most popular clothing brands. Ask them which they’d prefer to dress in and why.

Example: “Would you rather wear only Louis Vuitton or Gucci?”

69. TV Would You Rather Questions

With tons of streaming services to choose from, your coworkers are bound to have some favorite TV shows. Ask questions like which shows they’d rather watch, or be a part of.

Example: “Would you rather be a cast member in Euphoria or Ozark?”

70. Movie Would You Rather Questions

Movie fanatics across any team or department will enjoy questions about them. Ask coworkers which genres they’d rather watch, or which they’d want to be in.

Example: “Would you rather be cast in a comedy movie or action movie?”

Break the Ice and Get to Business

Icebreaker activities can seem cringeworthy but are actually a great way to build trust within your team. We hope you found some good ice breakers to incorporate in your future meetings with our list of favorites. And even if you work remotely, team bonding is an important part of running a productive, effective team.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in September 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Team building icebreakers are designed to loosen people up in social situations. They are designed to speed up familiarization with the group and facilitate the socialization process in a new environment. In short, an icebreaker in a group gives people a chance to engage and get acquainted with each other.

We’ve all experienced our fair share of great and not-so-great icebreakers, so remember that not all are created equal when it comes to team building icebreakers. Some require extensive preparation or intricate building materials. Add social distancing and varying levels of social comfort, and an icebreaker can get too complicated and not help people get to know each other — and get to know each other again.

In general, your team building icebreakers should appeal to the majority of employees and be easy to follow and participate in.

Here are some general tips for a successful icebreaker reboarding:

not make participation compulsory. Encourage your employees to get involved by offering activities that are fun and engaging, but don’t insist that they participate. Especially since people may not be comfortable just yet, it’s important to give your employees the ability to suspend any activity.

Encourage your employees to get involved by offering activities that are fun and engaging, but don’t insist that they participate. Especially since people may not be comfortable just yet, it’s important to give your employees the ability to suspend any activity. Consider hosting events over multiple days. This makes planning and administration easier and employees do not feel overwhelmed. This also works better if you don’t have all employees come on the same days so everyone has a chance to contribute.

This makes planning and administration easier and employees do not feel overwhelmed. This also works better if you don’t have all employees come on the same days so everyone has a chance to contribute. Designate one or more people as hosts. Having someone accountable for explaining all activities and keeping track of time will help things run more smoothly.

Host a welcome lunch

A simple but effective team building icebreaker is hosting a lunch for employees to enjoy. There is no better way to reach people’s hearts than through their stomachs. It’s also a great opportunity to support a local restaurant or catering company and order some staff favorites.

While everyone is eating, you can initiate some icebreaker activities or just let everyone chat casually.

fun and funny questions

This icebreaker is easy to peel off with minimal preparation. Using the internet, you create a list of fun and thought-provoking questions for groups to discuss. The pre-selected questions are intended to facilitate discussion and debate. Some examples:

If you were a vegetable, what vegetable would you be?

If you woke up tomorrow as an animal, which animal would you choose and why?

If you could live anywhere on this planet and take everything you love with you, where would you live?

Are you sunrise, daylight, dusk or night? Please share why you chose your time of day.

If you could choose to stay an age forever, what age would you choose and why?

If you could act in the movie of your choice, which movie would you choose and what character would you play?

If you could meet any historical figure, who would you choose and why?

If you were a candy bar, which candy bar would you be and why?

If you were to change your name, what name would you take in the future? Why?

The internet (especially Reddit) is full of fun and tricky questions for you to explore. The hardest part is choosing which questions you want to include.

10 similarities

Divide everyone into pairs and give each pair a piece of paper. Each pair is responsible for finding 10 similarities. Remember to tell everyone that simple evasive maneuvers like “we have both hands” aren’t allowed. Once they have found 10 things they have in common, they share their discoveries with the group.

Splitting the group into pairs allows your teams to disperse so not everyone is gathered and people can more easily maintain social distance. The point of this icebreaker is to have direct conversations and find similarities between you and your partner. You can repeat this a few times to get people chatting to someone new.

scavenger hunt

It’s likely that many of your employees have been out of the office for more than a year and a half and that many of them were hired during that time and have never been there. A scavenger hunt is a great way to orient people to their workplace.

You can split people into teams or they can play individually. If you have time beforehand, you can come up with clues and hide things (like stickers or candy) for people to find, or it can just be a free quest.

baby photos

This activity requires a little preparation. Submit a request for baby photos of each person beforehand. Either have them scan the photo or just snap a photo of their baby photo and email it in. Once you have the photos together, place them all on a board and number each one.

The game itself is simple. Guess which photo belongs to which employee by writing a name next to the corresponding number. The person who guesses best takes home the grand prize – it can be a gift card, branded item or just a bragging rights.

First/worst job

First/Worst Job is a remix of the Icebreaker baby photo. Have everyone write down their first or worst job beforehand. The leader then reads out each job and the group tries to figure out who had which. Alternatively, this can be made even easier by simply going around in circles and sharing your first or worst work experience.

This is a great way for employees to get to know each other, but may not work if you have a large team. If so, you should consider breaking up into smaller groups for such activities.

This is better than that

This team building icebreaker is a fun twist on the classic desert island scenario. To prepare, get about eight random items from the office. It can be anything from a stapler to a chair. Try your best to pick as many interesting or weird items as possible to get more absurd results. Lay out the objects and number the people in groups. The goal of this icebreaker is for groups to choose the item they would take with them to a desert island to help them survive. After the teams have considered, regroup and have each team present what item they chose and why.

Super specific office trivia

Super specific office trivia is designed to test everyone’s awareness of their surroundings. The organizer’s task is to come up with a game of trivia using super specific details about the office and organization. For example:

How many company logo coffee mugs do we have in the break room?

What color is the sticker on the table in meeting room number 4?

How many gadgets does the boss have on his desk?

In what year/month did the organization move to the new office?

How many people work in customer support?

The more specific the questions, the better. The whole idea is for teams to debate and debate facts about the place they work. Who knows, they might even learn something new.

Team building icebreakers are great at bringing people together and speeding up the socialization process. Of course, there will always be a backlash to icebreakers, so you might as well make yours easy and fun. Your employees are likely both excited and concerned about “going back to normal,” so let them participate at their own comfort level.

PS Still not sure what your office opening should look like? Download our Phased Office Reopening Checklist: A Guide for Canadian Employers to learn how best to support your employees when restrictions are lifted and workplaces reopen.

We all need boundaries. Borders protect us. Boundaries distinguish me from you. Boundaries help us focus on what matters most to us. And boundaries improve relationships by creating clear expectations and responsibilities. But figuring out what boundaries to set can be difficult.

What limits do you need? One way to recognize your limitations is to think about the areas of your life where you are struggling. Do you constantly feel exhausted? Do you feel uncomfortable around your colleague Kevin? Do you feel angry about your mother’s interventions? Each of these problems tells you that you lack boundaries in that area of ​​your life. I have identified seven common types of borders. Understanding each type can help you clarify the specific boundaries you may need.

1) Physical Boundaries Physical boundaries protect your space and body, your right not to be touched, your privacy, and the ability to meet your bodily needs such as rest or food. They tell others how close they can get to you, what kind of physical touch (if any) is okay, how much privacy you need, and how to conduct yourself in your personal space. A physical boundary clearly defines that your body and personal space are yours. Examples: If someone is sitting uncomfortably close to you, you walk away or say I need a little more space. We do not keep or consume alcohol in our home.

2) Sexual Boundaries Sexual boundaries protect your right to consent, to be asked what you like sexually, and to be honest about your partner’s sexual history. You define what kind of sexual touch and intimacy you want, how often, when, where and with whom. Examples: I want to be touched like this. Thuy has a personal policy of not having sex on a first date.

3) Emotional or Mental Boundaries Emotional or mental boundaries protect your right to have your own feelings and thoughts, not to criticize or invalidate your feelings, and not to have to concern yourself with the feelings of others. Emotional boundaries separate your feelings from other people’s, so you are responsible for your own feelings but not for how others feel. Emotional boundaries also allow us to create emotional security by respecting each other’s feelings and not overly sharing personal information that is inappropriate for the nature or level of closeness in the relationship. Examples: I don’t feel comfortable discussing this. I feel embarrassed and powerless when you discipline me in front of our children. I want you to stop.

4) Spiritual or Religious Boundaries Spiritual boundaries protect your right to believe what you want, worship how you wish, and practice your spiritual or religious beliefs. Examples: I will take a moment and say a silent prayer before we eat. Paul goes to church alone because his partner doesn’t share his faith.

5) Financial and Material Limits Financial and material limits protect your financial resources and possessions, your right to spend your money as you wish, not to give or lend your money or possessions if you do not want to, and your right from one Employer to be paid as agreed. Examples: I’m on a budget so I brought my lunch from home and won’t be ordering lunch today. Please do not borrow my car without asking.

6) Time Limits Protect time limits on how you spend your time. They protect you from doing things you don’t want to do, from wasting your time and from getting overworked. Examples: I reserve my evenings for family time. I will reply to all business emails first thing in the morning. Dad, I don’t have time to go shopping with you this week. I’ll place an order for you at the grocery delivery service.

Effective boundaries keep your relationship strong and healthy. Boundaries refer to boundaries you set to protect your well-being. When boundaries are clearly communicated, along with the consequences of crossing them, your partner understands your expectations. In a previous post, I discussed ways to establish healthy boundaries in your relationship. This post identifies some types of boundaries that you should consider in your couple relationship to keep it running smoothly.

To set effective personal boundaries, you must know yourself, communicate your boundaries to others, and learn the consequences. Boundaries are for you and about you. It’s about respecting your needs in your relationship. If you feel uncomfortable about something in your relationship but don’t talk about it and tell your partner, resentment can build up. Below are some relationship boundaries to keep in mind to keep your relationship strong.

1. Physical Limits

Physical boundaries relate to your body, privacy, and personal space. You may enjoy or be uncomfortable with public displays of affection. If your partner kisses you in public and you are uncomfortable, you need to tell them. It may be difficult to share your preferences and expectations, but if you don’t share them, you can feel disrespected. It might be easy to draw a line around your partner without hitting you. Perhaps the limit and consequence are quickly defined in this case. If you hit me, I’ll leave. In other areas, however, it could be more difficult.

Sharing your personal boundaries can improve your relationship. Know what you are comfortable with and what you are not comfortable with and share that with your partner. If you need time after work to relax before meeting with others, set a boundary around them. This way you will not feel drained as it allows you to get your needs met. You could say something like, I need 15 minutes to relax after work before we invite the neighbors over. If you invite her before I’ve relaxed, I’ll relax in private and you’ll have to entertain her until I come down.

2. Emotional Boundaries

To set emotional boundaries, you need to be in touch with your feelings. Healthy emotional boundaries require you to know where you end and your partner begins. When your partner is upset and you realize you share that emotion, a boundary may be needed. Notice when you’re feeling guilty, ashamed, angry, and undervalued. Boundaries may be needed if you find these feelings popping up about certain topics or situations.

When you’re upset and your partner is trying to make it right, you might feel like your partner doesn’t hear you. Your partner may try to help you, but it only makes you angrier. This is where a boundary might be helpful. You could say when I’m upset I want you to listen to me without trying to fix it. I just need to breathe sometimes. When you try to fix things I don’t feel heard. If I need your advice, I’ll let you know.

3. Sexual Boundaries

Sexual boundaries relate to your expectations regarding physical intimacy. What’s sexually okay for you and what’s not. Boundaries regarding frequency, sexual comments, unwanted sexual touching, expectations regarding the involvement of others in your sex life, and what sexual acts are preferred and taboo should be discussed. Healthy sexual boundaries involve mutual consent, consent, and an understanding of each other’s sexual boundaries and desires.

If you have a history of sexual abuse and are triggered at certain positions, a sexual boundary is required. You may want to avoid sexual contact with your partner when you are reminded of a traumatic experience. Setting a boundary around what is comfortable for you can help keep your sex life healthy and happy. You could say I find it difficult to enjoy a certain sexual position because it reminds me of a difficult experience. In order for me to enjoy sex, I need to avoid this position. I’ll let you know if I’m being harassed so we can switch positions.

4. Intellectual Limits

Intellectual boundaries include ideas and beliefs. Boundaries to show respect for different views and ideas can help prevent your feelings from being hurt. Talking down to someone or treating them like they aren’t smart enough to understand what you’re trying to say can damage your emotional intimacy. If you feel like you can’t discuss certain topics with your partner because you think they don’t respect your opinions or belittle you, a boundary may be needed.

If your partner’s responses make you afraid to share your views or opinions, you may feel hurt or upset. If your partner scolds you when you have a different opinion or political affiliation, you may feel that he doesn’t value your thoughts or beliefs. A boundary around these can allow you to honestly express your opinions. You might say, “It hurts me when we disagree politically and you tell me my opinion is wrong. I feel like you don’t respect my views. If you say my opinion is wrong, I will remind you not to do so and will end the discussion if you continue to say so.

5. Financial limits

Financial limits are all about money. Boundaries between joint and separate accounts, how much goes into savings, what purchases you want to make, and how much disposable funds you will each have can keep you both on the same page when it comes to your finances. Different rules and plans regarding where and how you spend your money can put a lot of strain on your relationship. If you feel like you fight over money often, boundaries are probably needed.

Discussing your financial goals up front can keep finances from becoming an issue. If you agree to put money into a separate fund to pay for a vacation and you feel like your partner isn’t contributing, this could upset you. It can be helpful to have a border around these. You could say I want to go on a nice holiday with you, but for that we both have to pay into the holiday fund. If you tell me when you pay into the fund and how much you pay I will adjust it.

Boundaries help your relationship function effectively. If you find yourself feeling disrespected, taken advantage of, or hurt, consider how setting a boundary might improve this. Knowing and respecting your personal boundaries and needs can enhance your couple relationship and keep it healthy and strong.

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What comes to mind when you think of a border? You might think of something like a property line or the defining lines of a shape. Boundaries show where one ends and the other begins. Boundaries in a relationship are something like this; they help each person figure out where one person ends and the other begins. In short, boundaries help you define what you’re comfortable with and how you want others to treat you. They apply to any type of relationship you have—whether with a friend, family member, partner, or anyone else in your life.

where are my limits

Even though we’re talking about it in relation to other people, in a way, boundaries are really about your relationship with yourself; They help you respect your needs, goals, feelings, and values. Boundaries can be emotional, physical, or even digital. Some examples of personal boundaries could be: I think it’s cool to follow each other on social media, but not to share passwords

I’m comfortable kissing and holding hands, but not in public

I can text regularly, but I don’t want to text multiple times in an hour

I want to spend time with my friends/family at the weekend

I need rest for myself every day

I’m comfortable with some touching, but I’m not ready to have sex. It can be helpful to think through your own boundaries, no matter what your relationship status is. First, pay attention to how you feel and react to situations around you, whether in real life or in shows or movies you watch. What makes you uncomfortable? What is important to you? What would you like to keep private? Is there a type of behavior or trait that you would never like (sometimes referred to as a “deal breaker”)? It may be helpful to write down some of your thoughts.

communicate boundaries

How can you and your partner know each other’s boundaries? By talking about it! Communication really is key to a healthy relationship, and boundaries are an important part of an ongoing conversation between you and your partner. Talking about borders can happen anytime and anywhere! If your partner is doing something you like or dislike, let them know. A simple “Hey, I really like it when you…” or “I don’t feel comfortable when we…” let them know what’s going on. In a healthy relationship, partners respect each other’s boundaries once they have been communicated. And if you’re not sure about your partner’s boundaries, just ask! Questions like “Is that okay?” or “Are you okay with that?” can help stimulate conversation. Remember, if you don’t want to talk about your boundaries with your partner because you’re afraid they’ll react with anger or violence, it’s a red flag that your relationship might be unhealthy or abusive.

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Boundaries

How do you know if a border is healthy…or not? It’s important to realize that healthy boundaries help keep you safe and respected. An unhealthy boundary is trying to control or harm someone else. A healthy boundary would be, “I need space to hang out with my friends and do things I enjoy.” But if your partner says, “I want you to stop talking to other guys/girls, because you might cheat/I’ll ​​get jealous’, that’s not a healthy limit; It’s a warning sign that your partner may have trust issues and are trying to control who you date. Here are some more great examples of healthy/unhealthy boundaries!

Can borders change?

Would you like to get to know someone on a deeper level? The classic game 21 Questions has the right questions to help you get to know someone better, whether it’s your best friend or your crush. We’ve rounded up the most interesting questions to have great conversations about anything and everything. You’ll literally never run out of things to talk about with fun questions like these. (If you’re looking for other fun things to keep you busy, we’ve got you covered with these game ideas.)

How to play the 21 questions game

Playing 21 Questions is super simple and straightforward. You can play with two or more people. I When playing in pairs, you and the other person take turns answering questions. You can also change this by having one person answer multiple questions in a row (or all 21 questions) before switching roles and having the other person answer questions.

When playing in a group, the first player can choose a question and then the group can go in turn and answer that question (with the person who asked the question going last). After everyone has answered, the next player chooses a question and everyone answers again, and so on.

You can set rules that allow any player to skip a round (or rounds) if they don’t feel comfortable with the question – or you can play on hard mode and make answering every single question mandatory.

Now for the list of questions! Up front you’ll find 21+ questions (must factor in those potential jumps) including additional flirty questions perfect if you happen to be playing with a crush.

21 list of questions

1. What is the strangest dream you have ever had?

2. If you could travel to any year in a time machine, which year would you choose and why?

3. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

4. What is one of your fondest childhood memories?

5. If you could have dinner with any famous person (living or dead), who would you choose?

6. What is your favorite movie to watch over and over again?

7. What is your favorite season?

8. Who is your celebrity crush?

9. What is your biggest fear?

10. What was the wildest thing you’ve ever done?

11. What is the best advice you have ever received?

12. What bad habit did you have that you were able to break?

13. What is your dream destination for a road trip?

14. What is your favorite food of all time?

15. What three items are on your bucket list?

16. What do you regret most?

17. What do you like most about yourself?

18. What’s the weirdest thing in your closet?

19. If you had to guess what people appreciate you most, what would you say?

20. What is your dream job?

21. If you could be part of a family on any TV show, which family would you choose?

22. Of all the personal questions I could ask you, which ones would you not want to answer?

Asking fun questions in your repertoire is a must!

why do you need them

The first impression remains.

That’s why you wear your best clothes to an interview, scrub every inch of your body before a first date, and freak out before you meet her parents for the first time.

The key to a good first impression? Know fun questions to ask the people you meet.

When you step into a new situation with a stack of interesting questions, allow the people you meet to talk about their favorite topic: themselves.

Asking someone questions about themselves is an even better way to make a positive first impression than focusing on your own charm or sociability. Use these fun questions to help new people open up, feel good, and remember how good you made them feel.

99 Fun Questions to Ask – Spark Exciting Conversations (Animated)

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contents

10 fun conversation starters questions to ask

There’s nothing more embarrassing than meeting someone and panicking to find something to talk about.

Small talk takes a minute or two, but what you need right now are conversation starters that lead you to a fun, engaging conversation. Before you know it, you and your new friend will be comfortable and open, and the conversation will flow naturally.

Here are 10 fun questions to ask at the start of a conversation:

1. On a scale of 1-10, how strict were your parents?

At both ends of the scale, parents are a great source of stories.

2. Who was your worst teacher? Why?

Bad teachers are the stuff of nightmares.

3. Who was your favorite teacher? Why?

Great teachers can change a student’s life forever.

4. What was your favorite toy growing up?

Children’s toys retain their sentimental value for a lifetime.

5. If you could time travel, when would you go?

First stop: wherever Mary McFly has his Nikes.

6. What is your fondest childhood memory?

Tapping into childhood memories is a great conversation starter.

7. What is your favorite annoyance?

People can be annoying, but venting helps.

8. What personality trait has you found most difficult?

Everyone has a natural tendency that has caused them problems in the past.

9. What is the best piece of advice you have received?

Good advice works best when shared.

10. If you had to choose a new name, which name would you choose?

Some names seem to fit certain personalities.

The 10 best funny questions to ask

What fun questions can you ask? Well, the best funny questions all have a few things in common: they focus on positive ideas and memories, they’re great transitions for funny stories, and they show your interest in the person you’re talking to.

Use these questions the next time you’re in the car with someone, sitting down to lunch, or going out for a drink.

Here are the top 10 funny questions:

11. What achievement are you most proud of?

Everyone loves to brag a little.

12. Which of your friends are you most proud of? Why?

A person who can see greatness in others is the kind of person you want to keep around.

13. What was the most beautiful place you’ve ever been?

This is a great way to start a conversation about travel.

14. Do you feel like a leader or a follower?

All societies need both types.

15. What was the bravest thing you’ve ever done?

Moments of true courage are rare and inspiring.

16. What do you do to make yourself feel better when you’re having a bad day?

Everyone needs a feel-good ritual.

17. What would be harder for you to give up: coffee or alcohol?

Which method of self-medication is the most important?

18. What is your favorite Wikipedia article?

No matter what your teachers said, Wikipedia is the ultimate repository of human knowledge.

19. What’s your favorite cheesy pickup line?

It might be time to try this old favorite again.

20. Can I get you another drink?

Everyone’s favorite question.

5 fun “would you rather” questions

Would you rather questions are like the multiple choice portion of a test. You still have to think about your answer, but you have options to choose from.

The best part about these questions is that there are no wrong answers and the questions are all fun.

Here are 5 fun “would you rather” questions:

21. Would you rather burp every time you lean in for a kiss or drool every time you speak?

Either way, good luck on the dating scene.

22. Would you rather never brush your hair or your teeth?

Some of us already make that choice when we’re running late.

23. Would you rather sleep with handcuffs or a bike helmet?

I think the answer depends on what else is going on in bed.

24. Would you rather embarrass yourself at a party or get caught making out with your best friend’s sister?

Both will seriously affect your social life.

25. Would you rather laugh uncontrollably or cry uncontrollably for the rest of your life?

Laughing requires less cleaning, but can land you in hot water in the wrong environment.

7 incredibly fun questions to ask

There’s something about weird people. They are magnetic. They lift the spirits of everyone around them. You make a great first impression.

Whether you’re a naturally funny person or someone with comedic skills could use a little work, this list of fun questions to ask will make your conversation partners smile and laugh, and endear you from the first encounter .

Here are 7 incredibly fun questions to ask:

26. If you could ask your pet 3 questions, what would they be?

You always ask who is a good boy, but what about a good boy?

27. What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever seen a stranger do?

People watching is the new national pastime.

28. Do you think cats have regrets?

Do these idiots have remorse?

29. How many days in a row do you wear the same pants before it becomes a problem?

Pants: the napkin you wear.

30. What are your cinema popcorn habits?

How many previews before you need a refill?

31. Which room at Hogwarts would you most like to have sex in?

What happens in the Chamber of Secrets stays in the Chamber of Secrets.

32. Are you putting down the toilet paper roll properly or murderously?

Yes, there is a right way.

10 fun questions to ask a girl

There’s a time for deep questions, there’s a time for serious discussion, but there’s also a time for fun.

This list of fun questions to ask a girl is designed to keep your interactions with the ladies light and interesting.

It’s the kind of questions answered with a laugh and a light touch on the arm that lets you know things are going well. Choose your favorites from this list before a night on the town or a date with your lady and prepare for the sparks to fly.

Here are 10 fun questions to ask a girl:

33. What would your perfect Saturday look like?

Take notes and plan accordingly.

34. Which movie episode would you like to erase from history?

Sequels are notoriously disappointing.

35. What would your perfect vacation include?

Mountains, beaches or exotic countries?

36. What is a great book you read recently?

Literary preferences are a good signal of personality traits.

37. What is the one food you could never bring yourself to eat?

Do you remember the show Fear Factor?

38. What is your dream job?

Imagine if money wasn’t an issue, what would she want to do?

39. Cake or Pie?

Yes.

40. Who is the nicest person you know?

Just the thought of the person will likely bring a smile to their face.

41. Which fictional character would you like to meet?

It’s amazing how much an imaginary person can affect real life.

42. What is the first thing you do when you get home from a trip?

After taking off her shoes, of course.

10 funny questions to ask a man

Men’s minds work differently than women’s. We can argue whether that’s a good thing or not, but the truth is that we tend to think about different things in different ways.

What are some fun questions to ask guys? Well, the following list of fun questions to ask a guy is designed to hit the topics that men think about and talk about and is sure to come in handy whether you’re meeting someone or with depend on the crew.

Here are 10 fun questions to ask a man:

43. What was the funniest way you got hurt?

Stupid injuries are just part of being a man.

44. If your life was a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?

This question will tell you something about his musical tastes and personality.

45. What is your favorite TV catchphrase?

Catchphrases might be a sitcom thing of the past, but they’re still hilarious.

46. ​​What horrible movie do you love?

There’s a certain pleasure in terrible movies.

47. What song do you have to sing along to when you hear it?

Get the answer and find a karaoke bar, stat!

48. What game are you really good at?

Drinking games, card games, board games…each one is excellent somewhere.

49. What movie do they need to make a sequel to?

So many great movies left you wanting more, what would he like to see?

50. What is the right age to get married?

It’s amazing how much the answer varies from person to person.

51. What is your favorite childhood book?

Berenstain Bears conspiracy aside, these books were great.

52. If you could choose your own nickname, what would it be?

People usually have no say in their nickname, give him the power to choose his own.

7 fun questions to ask to get to know someone

Getting to know someone, really getting to know them, can be challenging.

It’s a process that takes time and commitment, but as you know from the close relationships you already have, getting to know people is worth the effort.

These getting-to-know-you questions are a fun and easy way to start your friendship journey. Just because it takes some effort doesn’t mean it can’t be fun.

Here are 7 fun questions to ask to get to know someone:

53. What are your 3 favorite movies?

Sharing a taste in movies is a surprisingly good basis for a friendship.

54. If you had to live in another state, which would it be?

Every state has something to offer, it just depends on what you’re looking for.

55. What did you want to be as a kid when you grew up?

So few people actually become who they wanted to be, but it’s fun to remember.

56. What extracurricular activities were you involved in during high school?

This question gives a glimpse of what someone was like during the most embarrassing time of their life.

57. Are you spiritual or religious in any way? If so, how?

Spirituality can be central to a person’s identity.

58. Do you consider yourself naughty or nice?

The price of fossil fuels is going down, but some people are still embracing the naughty lifestyle.

59. Are you old fashioned?

This question is pretty broad, feel free to interpret it however you like.

9 fun questions to ask a new friend

Asking your new friend questions shouldn’t feel like an interview. You should also have some fun questions to ask a new friend to create a more relaxed environment for your friend.

Here are 9 fun questions to ask a new friend:

60. What songs have you completely memorized?

And then get ready for them to sing the whole song.

61. What movie title best describes your life?

Would it be as dramatic as The Notebook or as crazy as The Hangover?

62. What would you do if you were the only person on earth?

There are endless possibilities what they can do as the only person on earth. This is definitely a fun question to talk about.

63. What is one of your favorite scents?

With the abundance of smells in the world, it’s impossible not to choose one.

64. Have you ever tried putting a bunch of glue in your palm and then peeling it off?

The real question is… who doesn’t?

65. If you had to change your name, what would your new one be?

You might get some ideas on how to name your child in the future.

66. What’s the funniest joke you’ve ever heard?

let her share it with you It could also be the funniest thing you’ll ever hear.

67. Who would you swap places with for a day and why?

If you want a fun question, it should be in your options. Dive into why living a person’s life is so interesting.

68. Do you love pineapple on pizza?

The endless debate.

9 fun random questions to ask

This list of fun random questions to ask hits all sorts of topics.

Regardless of the context of your conversation, here’s a question to get things flowing in a fun, positive direction.

Here are 9 fun random questions to ask:

69. If you could have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be?

History is full of people who would make great dinner dates.

70. Who would play you in a movie of your life?

Be sure to ask if this casting decision is based on looks or personality.

71. If you could shop for free in one store, which one would you choose?

Whether the person chooses pragmatically or

72. What was the worst thing you did as a kid?

We do terrible things before we know better, and those things make great stories.

73. If you could marry any fictional character, who would it be and why?

Everyone has fallen in love with someone who doesn’t really exist.

74. Which TV show do you plan your day around to watch live?

We live in the golden age of television

75. Which is better – a novel or a movie?

Both mediums offer something that the other cannot.

76. If you could read minds, whose would you like to read?

The girl in the cafe? The boss at work? So much to sniff!

77. If you were told you only had one week to live, what would you do?

What dreams would he or she fulfill with this ultimate motivating factor?

7 fun interview questions

When selecting candidates for your team, you’ll need some fun interview questions in addition to the regular interview questions.

Here are 7 fun interview questions:

78. What is true that almost nobody agrees with you?

We all have something that we take seriously and firmly believe in, and it’s the rest of the world that needs to wake up to our brilliance.

79. If you were to start a business tomorrow, what would be the 3 most important core values ​​for your business?

How well can the candidate articulate their core values?

80. How do you feel about sharing your password with your partner?

It depends on the type of information available behind the passwords, how balanced the partner is, and how much trust the two people feel secure in each other.

81. Do you judge a book by its cover?

Do not we all do this? And don’t we feel better when we know exactly how others are doing?

82. If a genie in a bottle would grant you 3 wishes now, what would you wish for?

Wildest dreams or practicality? Selfish desires or manifestations for the world and cessation of suffering? This shows how far your candidate is willing to go beyond their own survival.

83. What is something that people think looks cool but actually has the opposite effect?

How strong is your candidate’s sense of irony and ability to choose authenticity over disguise? When someone’s trying to be cool and it backfires, there’s definitely some masking and insecurity. Can the candidate sniff out these things?

84. How does one politely end a conversation with a person who keeps talking?

Tact is one of the most valuable talents out there.

10 fun icebreaker questions

Make everyone giggle with these hilarious icebreaker questions. Make everyone feel friendly with some next level ice breaker games.

Here are 10 fun icebreaker questions:

85. What wastes the most time in your everyday life?

A person’s time-wasting limits say a lot about their emotional distress and self-discipline. On the other hand, what one considers a waste of time is not a waste of time for another. And some people are really hard on themselves and see self-care as a waste of time because they have trouble valuing themselves.

86. Why do they call them “freebies”? Aren’t all gifts free?

There’s an oxymoron to wade through like quicksand and toffee. Hopefully the responder enjoys this kind of dilemma.

87. If a criminal turns himself in, shouldn’t he get the reward money?

This is a gauge of compassion. Many criminals are not inherently bad. Wouldn’t those who don’t find employment quickly enough or be driven to steal because of discrimination to feed their beloved child?

88. Why does a round pizza come in a square box?

If you’ve seen the octagonal boxes that some pizzas come in, you’ll realize they’re more complicated to construct than a square box…

89. Do they bury people with their braces?

This shows that most people with braces are not of the typical age to die, which actually makes this question sad.

90. Why is the man who invests your money called a broker?

What exactly went wrong here?

91. Why are dog noses always wet?

Do they come up with something funny or do they go the nerdy path of science?

92. Can you cry underwater?

Has a tree still fallen when no one hears it crack?

93. How old are you before it can be said that you died of old age?

Is old age a way out? Does that just mean that no devastating disease was present?

94. If I had my legs amputated, would I need to change my height and weight on my driver’s license?

With available prosthetics, this is an interesting question.

5 fun I never ask

If you’re ever hanging out and the connection hits a lull you might want to play the game, I never ask.

It’s sure to make room for everyone to feel comfortable sharing.

Here are 5 fun questions I’ve never had before:

95. Never have I ever tasted cat food

The high-quality organic stuff is no different to people than canned meat, although not everyone realizes that.

96. Never have I ever believed there was a ghost under my bed

You will get an idea of ​​how anxious they were as a child.

97. Never have I ever eaten anything past the expiration date

This data is for legality only. If you want to know if food is good or bad, smell it. Moron.

98. I have never tasted Himalayan salt

I’m not sure why this marginalizes people, but this salt is pink and beautiful and has healing properties.

99. Never have I ever eaten anything uncooked

Salmonella is serious, but there’s a lot of paranoia about it.

How to ask fun questions

You know the importance of making a good first impression, and you now know dozens of fun questions to ask to ensure you’re remembered positively.

While it’s hard to go wrong with these questions, I have a few tips to help you get the most out of them.

How to ask fun questions:

1. Customize

Although this list includes questions for every scenario, not every question is best for every setting. Choose the questions that make sense for the context you are in.

2. Listen

If you want people to open up about themselves, you have to show them that you’re listening. Ask follow-up questions and show interest in the person you are speaking to.

3. Be open

Fun conversations thrive on equal participation. Be prepared to answer your own questions and tell your stories when asked.

Downloadable and printable list of fun questions

Here is a downloadable and printable JPG/PDF list of fun questions to ask (right click on the image and choose save image as…):

More fun questions to ask

Looking for even more fun conversations to ask? Check out these great posts.

Finally

Meeting new people can be intimidating, especially if you’re not prepared with fun questions to ask the people you strike up conversation with.

Keep this list of 90 fun questions handy and you’ll have the ultimate resource for making a great first impression, whether it’s with new friends or new romance.

You can use team building questions almost anytime, provided of course they don’t get in the way of important work.

Icebreakers are a good idea when convening new groups of people, whether teams or simple groups, attending workshops, conferences, or seminars. Humorous questions can be a welcome change in times of stress or just to recharge. Problem-solving questions work best when your group is away from regular workspaces, especially at retreats or picnics. Questions about values ​​and purpose can set the tone to recognize and appreciate colleagues’ efforts. Finally, you can use questions about preferences, hobbies, and pastimes to get to know each other when your co-workers have a few minutes, e.g. B. commuting or having lunch.

Team building questions work best when used in face-to-face interactions. Managers can use them to open sessions or integrate them into games like Icebreaker Bingo or Circle of Questions. If it’s too difficult to get everyone together in the same place at the same time, you can post a daily question on a wall where everyone can see it, or, if all else fails, email questions to co-workers once a week and Incentivize answers. You can distribute the answers to keep the circuit going.

Unfortunately, sometimes we consider team building questions a fun but forgettable activity. To counteract this tendency, try using questions that encourage people to talk about intellectual or skill-based interests (these interactions have more staying power). Good topics for discussion include favorite books, hobbies, and talents (eg, playing an instrument, dancing, running long distances, etc.).

Occasionally, team builder questions reveal things about teams that a manager can use to improve the workspace or team dynamics over the long term. For example, there’s evidence that making music in the workplace is positively correlated with changed moods and improved work quality — if your team building questions show that half the people on your team enjoy piano jazz, it may be worth checking out the Office playlist To update. If you find that some members of your team genuinely love their goldfish, it might be time to reconsider the office’s pet policy. And if someone wants to try hiking a trail after being told about it by a teammate, that’s a valuable idea for their next office retreat. Travel is a great way to connect people, and physically challenging travel can do wonders for strengthening team bonds.

Finally, you can link people’s responses to team building questions to the results of their personality assessments, such as the Strength Deployment Inventory (SDI). This exercise helps teammates understand how the answers to problem-solving and values-based questions indicate personality types and thinking styles. Some personality classifications can be quite abstract and difficult to relate to behavior, so questions help contextualize how personalities affect the way people fill roles and functions at work.

25 Icebreaker activities for each group

Posted by Stacey Whitney

Planning a group event or meeting? Avoid the awkward silence and add an element of fun with one or more of these icebreaker activities!

Icebreaker fact finding activity

1. Two truths and a lie

Participants name three things about themselves, two are true and one is a lie. Others have to guess which is which.

2. The envelope please!

Group members write 10 facts about themselves on strips of paper and then put them in an envelope. The group leader reads the facts aloud one at a time while other group members guess the person’s identity.

3. People BINGO

Create bingo cards with a attribute like “has played Unisport” or “has at least three siblings” in each square. Everyone mingle and ask each other questions to get a BINGO.

4. The TP game

Pass a roll of toilet paper around the room and tell each person to take as much as they need. Then, for each square they took, they must share a fact about themselves.

5. 10 similarities

Split into partners with instructions to discover 10 things you have in common.

Organize book club meetings and snacks with online registration. Check out an example

Fun Icebreaker Activities

6. Would you rather…

The group leader tosses a ball to someone in the group and asks a question such as “Would you rather be an astronaut or a zookeeper?” After answering the question and explaining why, that person tosses the ball and asks the next question. Check out these 100 Would You Rather Questions.

7. tall tales

One person starts with “Once upon a time” and tells a small part of a story. When the group leader hums randomly to decide that time is up, the next person must continue the story.

8. Object Stories

This adds a twist to the Tall Tales game and requires each storyteller to pull an item out of a paper bag and quickly incorporate it into the story.

9. Who am I?

Group members get a name tag for a famous person, real or fictional, placed on their back. As they mingle, they ask others “yes” or “no” questions and try to guess who they are.

10. Charade

It’s a classic and always makes people laugh! You can even add a theme like Movies, Songs, or Books.

Organize a potluck with friends and neighbors with online registration. Check out an example

Competitive Icebreaker activities

11. Lineups

Divide the group into teams of about 10 people. Give each team a kazoo, whistle, or other noisemaker. The group leader announces a constellation category, e.g. B. from oldest to youngest or alphabetically, and the teams compete for the lineup in that order. The first to complete the line-up announce it with their noisemaker!

12. Survival

Each person pulls a piece of paper out of a hat with an object written on it. Objects can be anything from a pizza to a pitchfork. Players then mingle and try to form teams with others whose objects would help the team survive in the wild. The group leader listens to each team present their case of who has the best objects to survive and chooses the winning team.

13. Superhero Wars

Divide the room into teams of two to four people. Each person must choose a fictional character like Batman or Katniss and embrace their powers. The teams then go into battle – verbally, of course! The group leader decides which team of superheroes will win the war.

14. Random Talent Show

This can be a team or individual competition, with talents ranging from pantomime to moonwalking. The more random the better!

15. Song Scramble

This icebreaker requires the lyrics of several popular songs to be written down and then cut into single-spaced strips. Each participant chooses a line and then searches for others with lyrics to the same song. The first team to line up in lyric order wins!

Recruit volunteers from your group with one signup. Check out an example

Thought-provoking icebreaker questions

Just walk around the room and ask each person to answer the same question! Some ideas to get you started:

16. If you were a brand, what would your slogan be?

17. If you could be any animal, which one would you be?

18. If you could have a conversation with any famous person, dead or alive, who would you choose?

19. If you were given a million dollars to spend in a week, what would you buy?

20. What was your favorite game or activity as a child?

21. What is your biggest fear?

22. What super power would you like to have?

23. What are your greatest talents?

24. What is your idea for the next big invention?

25. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

For more ideas see:

100 questions to get to know 25 Icebreaker activities for adults

20 fast icebreakers for meetings

100 Would You Rather Ice Breakers For Youth Groups

50 minutes to win it

Icebreakers are a quick way to help strangers become friends, co-workers, or co-workers. Whether the goal is to work together or play together, an icebreaker gets things started!

Stacey Whitney is a mother of two teenagers and the owner of WordsFound, a content company.

At the start of a new semester, teachers around the world turn their attention to the very first grade. With a new group of students to integrate and get comfortable, icebreakers are an activity that’s essential during those early days. But what makes a good activity? Ideally, teachers need icebreakers that are low in social risk, matched to your class’s ability level, and maybe just a little silly. A good activity promotes bonding, participation, and motivation, and allows students to relax both mentally and physically. Of course, it’s an added bonus if they can be easily adapted as warm-up or speaking activities throughout the year. Here are 13 adaptable icebreakers we love…

moving activities

1. Blobs and Lines

This activity is simple, fast, keeps students moving and talking, and helps them discover common ground. The idea is that students listen to their teacher’s prompts and organize themselves in a row (e.g. in alphabetical order of surnames) or in blobs according to a commonality (month of birth).

Try these prompts:

Arrange your birthdays in chronological order

Put yourself 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 colored clothes as you

Arrange your fathers names in alphabetical order

Collect into four blobs: those who drove to class, those who went by bus, and those who drove a different route

2. This or that

Similarly, in this activity, students move to a specific side of the room to express their views on a specific topic. For this icebreaker to work, “Yes/No”, “True/False” or “Would you rather have X or Y” questions work best. (A quick Google search will reveal dozens of websites with Icebreaker questions that can be used or customized.) Examples include:

True or false (teacher indicates sides of room that correspond to each answer): I had breakfast this morning.

Would you rather be invisible for a day or be able to fly for a day?

Yes or no: Do ​​you speak more than three languages?

Tip: If you want multiple-answer questions, you can assign each question to a specific corner of the room.

3. Signatures

Ask the students to invent a “characteristic” movement or sound. It can be very simple: a clap, cough, turning in a circle, a bow, a word, a facial expression or a gesture. Show yours first and walk around the class (student signatures should not be repeated). Then it’s time to remember them, starting with yours and circling again.

mixes up

4. Classmate Bingo

An oldie, but a goodie. Create bingo cards with prompts that students can use to ask each other questions. The idea is to cross out all the squares. Use simple prompts like the following, or try more complicated ones for higher classes:

Was in Vietnam

Prefers Vegemite to Marmite

Likes snakes

Currently reading a book in English

Has more than four siblings

Has no middle name

Up late today

Is allergic to something

Had a coffee this morning

5. Who is in your circle?

Ask your students to draw three concentric circles on a piece of paper. Give them a topic (food, seasons, sports…) and ask them to write it in the center circle. The students write “love” in the second circle, “like” in the third, and “I don’t like” outside of the circles. Under the theme, students individually select a specific example to focus on (e.g., bananas, spring, tennis). The students then mingle and ask their classmates how they feel about the item they have chosen, and write the students’ names in the circles that correspond to their opinions. Repeat with another subject.

Talking activities in small groups

6. Toilet paper roll

Produce a roll of toilet paper and ask students to take as many sheets as they want without telling them why. Once the class has their sheets, show that each sheet corresponds to a question their small group will be asking them. You can also do this with candies.

7. Two truths and a lie

Students write three sentences of information about themselves, but one must be a lie. Other students then ask them follow-up questions to find out which statement was a lie.

_Tip: This is a great way for teachers to provide information about themselves on the first day of class. Ask students to think of follow-up questions in pairs.

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8. Three similarities

Small groups need to recognize three similarities – the stranger, the better. Post prompts on the board if you wish, and then give students time to speak. Later, the students report and vote on which group has the three strangest things in common.

Talking activities in the open class

9. Time Bomb Name Game

This is a fun, quick activity for students to remember each other’s names. Ask your class to form a circle and say their name. Then throw a tennis ball to one of your students. They have two seconds to say someone else’s name and throw the ball to them before it “explodes” and they’re out of the game. Continue until there is only one student left.

10. Water polo throw

Before class, write icebreaker questions with permanent marker over a beach ball. Standing in a circle, the students throw the ball to each other. If caught or if the teacher says “stop,” the student with the ball must answer the question closest to their left thumb. Repeat until each student has answered at least one question.

11. Candy pass

Give each student a small handful of colorful candy (e.g. skittles). Tell the class that each color of candy has a question associated with it. Write these on the board and consider a mix of serious and humorous questions such as:

Blue: Would you rather be a little horse or a giant chicken? Why?

Red: What is your ideal job and why?

Green: Tell the class about your house and who lives in it.

Yellow: Which three countries would you like to visit and why?

Students are then asked to eat all of their candy except for one piece. This way they can choose the question they will answer.

12. Sit down when…

With the class in a circle, the teacher asks a series of whimsical yes/no questions. Students sit if they can answer yes, and the last student standing is the winner.

13. Speed ​​dating

This activity allows students to talk to a maximum number of classmates in a short amount of time. To begin, have your class form two concentric circles, facing each other. Ask an icebreaker question and tell them they have a minute to talk about it. After one minute, the outer circle rotates one position counterclockwise – and the activity is repeated with another student and another question. Continue until students have returned to their original partners.