17 icebreakers for Zoom meetings

Promote teamwork and encourage open conversation during your next meeting with these 17 Zoom icebreaker activities.

1. This or that

This or that starts with Person A asking Person B to choose between two options, such as cookies and ice cream. If Person B chooses ice cream, they then ask Person C to choose between ice cream and a new option, such as cupcakes. This continues until everyone in the group has answered.

To keep this game short, give each answer and question a time limit. You can also ask participants to stick to a category or incorporate twists, such as requiring answers related to desserts or limiting responses to those that start with the letter S.

2. Two truths and a lie

To play this game, have each person say three things about themselves. Two of their answers must be facts, and one must be a lie. 

The other players guess which statement is a lie and earn a point if they guess correctly. Continue until everyone in the group has answered and a winner is revealed.

3. Emoji of the day

Have each member summarize their week or day with a series of emojis. You can choose a minimum or maximum number of emojis or give teams a series of questions with emojis, such as:

• What was the best part of your week?
• What was the worst part of your week?
• What was your favorite meal this week?
• How did you spend your free time today?
• What was the funniest thing that happened this week?

4. Deserted island

For this classic game, ask each person to pick what they would bring to a deserted island. You can add variety by incorporating restrictions, such as limiting the number of items they can bring or asking for items within certain categories, such as books, films or food.

5. Glows and grows

This activity presents a lighthearted way for team members to talk about their successes and struggles with work that week. A “glow” can be any positive experience, achievement or moment of pride, while “grows” refers to moments or experiences that create an opportunity for improvement.

For example, your glow might be that you ran a fun virtual icebreaker meeting for your team, but your grow could be that you didn’t communicate the meeting time to members effectively. Consider asking employees to share how they might approach their grow situations differently in the future.

6. Would you rather?

“Would you rather?” is a great game that can show employees’ personalities through the questions and answers they offer. This game is best when the options present tough choices. For example:

• Would you rather receive $1 million or never listen to your favorite musician again?
• Would you rather be stuck underground or on a Ferris wheel?
• Would you rather live in the middle of a busy city or a remote cabin?
• Would you rather wear only pajamas or only formal wear?

You can ask your team to answer the questions or invite them to brainstorm their questions before the meeting.

7. Fun facts

Sharing a fun fact is one of the simplest ways to get to know someone. To keep the subject from getting too broad, ask employees to stick to a theme, sharing questions relating to work, hobbies or professional backgrounds.

You could also ask team members to answer questions privately. The group can then guess which answers belong to each person. Sample questions include:

• What was your favorite childhood movie or book?
• What’s your hidden talent?
• What was your most recent Google search?
• What was your first job?

8. Photo sharing

This icebreaker is a straightforward way to help your employees get to know each other. It can be as simple as asking participants to share any photo they want and explain why they chose it.

For a twist, you can make specific criteria or themes, such as a funny childhood photo, a picture of a pet or a photo from a favorite travel destination.

9. Personality tests

Comparing and discussing personality test results can help build connections within your remote team. Ask team members to complete tests before the meeting and share their results during the icebreaker. Popular personality tests include:

• Cube personality test
• Myers-Briggs type
• 16 Personality types
• Big 5

The results of these tests can also be informative and useful for the workplace. Some people may prefer leadership, while others can highlight their communication styles and needs.

10. Virtual scavenger hunt

To host a virtual scavenger hunt, list objects for team members to find. These items can range from specific household objects, such as kitchen utensils or office supplies, to general objects with certain colors or shapes. Set a time limit for people to gather the items. Whoever collects the most objects wins the scavenger hunt.

11. Media clubs

Many in-person employees catch up on their favorite books, movies or television shows during spare moments at work.

To create a similar experience, establish a virtual club or catch-up period for remote workers to discuss updates on their favorite reality shows and more. You can also ask people to suggest their current or past favorites for others to enjoy.

To facilitate ongoing connections and conversations, create a chat thread dedicated to the topic, where employees can talk about their interests after the icebreaker.

12. Music bingo

Music bingo is a crossover of musical trivia and a game of chance. Make a playlist, provide participants with PDF bingo sheets and organize prizes for winners.

Play 10-15 seconds of each song, and award a prize to the first three people who mark off five songs in a line. Keep playlists interesting by asking employees about their song preferences or picking a themed playlist from a music streaming service.

13. Costume party

For your next meeting, ask team members to dress up in a costume. Leave costume requirements open-ended, or set a theme that asks people to get more creative.

For example, have everyone dress up as a professional inspiration or wear a silly hat.

14. Background check

This icebreaker is ideal for teams who work around the country or even the world. If they’re comfortable, ask participants to show off their remote office space.

You might find some people work in cafés or unique home offices. Alternatively, ask employees to choose a Zoom background that shows their ideal workspace.

15. Coffee order

If you have coffee or tea lovers on your team, schedule a coffee break, have each team member show off their favorite mug and take turns describing their ideal coffee or tea order.

16. Board games

You can play many board games over video conferencing tools, which can provide fun competition and team-building opportunities. For example, “Codenames” is one board game adapted to virtual play. Players use word association clues to correctly guess their cards before the other team.

Scattergories, Battleship and Pictionary can also be played virtually.

17. Trivia

Office trivia is a classic way to connect teams with friendly competition and teamwork. In a virtual trivia game, designate one person as the trivia captain and have everyone else answer questions as a team. The trivia captain asks a series of questions on a themed topic, and each team tries to correctly answer as many as possible.

10 virtual icebreaker questions

Games can be a fun way to help your team loosen up before a focused discussion, but sometimes, a simple question or two is enough to make the group comfortable. Here are virtual icebreaker questions that help get people talking:

1. What’s the top item on your bucket list?
2. As a kid, what was your dream job?
3. Which three celebrities or historical figures would you invite to a dinner party?
4. What’s your proudest achievement?
5. What was the last thing you tried for the first time?
6. What’s your favorite inspirational quote?
7. What’s the best piece of feedback you’ve received?
8. What was one item on your last New Year’s resolution list?
9. What would be the title of your biography?
10. If you could instantly perfect any skill, what would it be?

Understanding Zoom icebreakers

Remote, flexible work arrangements are the norm for many modern organizations, calling for new ways for teams to bond and strengthen each interaction.

Zoom icebreaker questions and games can help employees de-stress, get creative and forge connections. Here are some positive effects you might see after incorporating icebreakers into virtual meetings:

• Improved relationships: Whether you’re an established or brand-new team, icebreakers can forge and strengthen relationships and create a sense of community.
• Higher employee morale: Social activities and games can break up monotonous workflows and build positive associations with virtual meetings.
• Stronger company culture: Building relationships and community helps develop a positive and inclusive company culture .
• Better trust: Icebreakers can help team members feel comfortable with each other, making them more likely to offer meaningful contributions to discussions and tasks.
• Increased productivity: Games and activities can boost creativity and excitement, leading to a more engaged and innovative workforce.

FAQs about Zoom icebreakers

When should I use virtual icebreakers?

Icebreakers are especially useful when a group is getting to know each other or when you’re integrating a new hire. However, their value goes beyond the introductory stage.

You can incorporate Zoom icebreakers into a meeting to lighten the mood or set the tone before delving into company matters. They can also spark creativity and create deeper connections between peers.

How do I make my icebreakers more effective?

Being intentional in how you incorporate icebreakers for Zoom meetings makes them more effective. Whether you’re playing a game or just asking questions, keep these best practices in mind:

• Set a time limit: Short icebreakers may better engage employees, so keep activities between 5 and 30 minutes.
• Avoid crowding: Icebreakers are generally more successful in smaller groups. Limit icebreaker groups to 15 people or fewer, or separate large teams into smaller groups.
• Assign a leader: Designating one person as the activity leader or taking on the role yourself can help keep the icebreaker on track and productive.
• Keep it light: Activities should stick to lighter topics to keep the mood easy and collaborative.