If we’re certain about anything in 2024, we can predict a lot of remote team meetings popping up on our calendars in upcoming months. The tricky part about meeting remotely is that it can be awkward to kick off conversations, develop relationships, and generally socialize when you’re doing so over the phone or during a Zoom meeting.
That’s why virtual team building activities and virtual ice breakers have become so popular in the past year, and we don’t see that changing any time soon. Plus, in order for a meeting to be productive, there has to be an open and clear line of communication between participants. And part of fostering that remote team communication is developing a personal rapport with the other meeting attendees.
Virtual ice breakers are one of our favorite ways to encourage that personal connection. You might think these are totally old school, but they work. Especially when you’re meeting a new teammate, an external party, or a new partner that you’ve never come into contact with before.
So why are remote team building activities like icebreakers so important? Because social connection is important to your bottom line. With increased social connection comes higher employee engagement, less stress, and a generally healthier outlook on work and business.
Here are some of our favorite virtual ice breakers for fun team meetings. Don’t believe us? Try one of these in your next virtual meeting and let us know how it went in the comments below.
1. Tell Us Your Most Used Emoji
This is a fun one because it’s easy and everyone uses emojis. For this icebreaker, everyone will go around in alphabetical order and tell the meeting participants what their most-used emoji is. If you don’t want to highlight your most used emoji for any reason, simply state your favorite emoji. I’ll go first — mine is the ghost. It’s cute and spooky, perfect for Halloween.
Connecting with team members by sharing light personal information is a great way to forge bonds between team members and give everyone something to talk about once the meeting is over. Trust us on this one.
2. Two Truths And A Lie
This is a game most of us know and love, and helps teammates learn some interesting fun facts about each other. For this game, everyone goes around in a circle and shares three statements: two truths and one lie. Then, everyone else tries to guess which statement was the lie.
Even if you think you know a co-workers or external partner well, this game will probably reveal something that you never anticipated or would have guessed. Just one note here: try to keep things PG. No need to get wild.
3. Virtual Vacation
Don’t we all wish we were on vacation right now? So this virtual ice breaker should be a piece of cake. For this game, everyone goes around and tells all meeting attendees where their top choice for a vacation destination is. In the time of COVID, actually going to these places is near impossible, which is why we’ve claimed it’s a “virtual vacation.”
Even better, instruct all Zoom attendees to think of their dream vacation spot before the meeting and add a background that represents their virtual vacation selection. P.S. if you’re using Hive, you can easily enter a Zoom meeting with a group by using the “/zoom” command in all meetings.
4. Mood Check-In
This is something that has recently become a trend with managers who are practicing increased emotional intelligence at work, and is a great virtual ice breaker for closer teams, or those that are meeting internally. For this ice breaker, everyone goes around and rates their overall mood on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the best and 1 being the worst.
A mood check-in is great because it has a dual purpose — it allows teams to connect on an emotional level, and it also helps individuals better understand where teammates are at in the moment. For example, if you receive a short Hive or Slack message from a teammate that you might find terse, but know that they’re at a 2 for their mood check-in, you’re much less likely to take offense to that. This is one of our favorite virtual ice breakers for new teams.
5. Myers Briggs Test
This icebreaker involves spending 5-10 minutes before the meeting taking the Myers Briggs test, but it’s a great use of time — you won’t regret it. The Myers Briggs test helps identify individual’s psychological types as initiated by C. Jung, and defines personalities based on four key indicators. There are a total of 16 different Myers Briggs personality types, and sharing yours can be a fun way to find someone who has the same personality type as you. It can also help you better understand how your teammates operate and think — which is super helpful and helps enhance team productivity.
6. Show and Tell
A simple and very straightforward virtual ice breaker, this option is great for internal or external meetings, as you don’t need much preparation and it can be done on the fly. For this ice breaker, everyone will be tasked with sharing one item from the room they are in, explaining the backstory, and why you own it. This is a fun way to tell a cool or unique story you might never tell otherwise!
7. Take A Picture Of Your View
With so many people working remotely, this is a fun and easy way to start conversation about where people are located and what their current work environment is like. Ask everyone to take a photo of the view from their closest window. Each person can take their turn showing off their photo and explaining their circumstances. This is also a great way for team mates to learn about each other and get more context about everyone’s situations.
8. Guess My Hometown
Everyone loves talking about where they came from. That’s why this ice-breaker is a fun way to get people engaged and excited to share a personal tidbit (and bonus points, it has nothing to do with work). To do this ice-breaker, everyone should choose an image that represents their hometown, and set it as their virtual background or take turns sharing the image in the chat.
This can be a photo of a sports mascot, city skyline, or even a notable person who is also from that place– whatever comes to mind when you think about your hometown. Then it’s up to everyone else to guess the place! You can organize this ice-breaker in advance by sending out an email to participants or providing details in the meeting agenda. You can also do it on the spot, giving people a minute or two to search for an image at the beginning of the meeting.
This virtual ice-breaker is especially great for teams who have met before, but might not know every detail about the other meeting attendees. I guarantee people will finish this activity with a new connection or sense of understanding. You never know who else is from your same part of the country, state, or even your same hometown.
9. Scavenger Hunt: Categories Edition
We know what you’re thinking… a solo scavenger hunt in your house? But before you write it off, think about all of the different ways that this concept can be used as a fun virtual ice breaker. Instead of planned out, hidden items, ask everyone on the video call to find something that fits in a specific category. Everyone then has to go around and tell the story behind their item. You can get as creative as you want, but here are some ideas:
- Your favorite book
- An object you bought on vacation
- The condiment in your kitchen you couldn’t live without
If you want to make it more playful, turn this activity into a competition by giving people a set amount of time to find more obscure/unique items. Who can muster up a stamp from their junk drawer? Who still has a Holiday card laying around? Out of everyone who was able to find something in the given amount of time, participants can then vote on which object is the “best fit” for the category. Whichever option you choose, this is sure to be a fun one.
10. Choose One Word
This one is easy — and everyone can take part in it. Ask everyone this question: “If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be and why?” This is a short, easy and fun way of getting to know a teammate’s motivations, personality, quirks and sometimes even their silly side. It’s a no-brainer.
Overall, virtual ice breakers are a fantastic way to foster deeper emotional, personal connections to teammates. If you’re not doing them regularly, it is definitely something to consider adding to each Zoom meeting you host.
11. Share your favorite TV series
Another great virtual ice-breaker is to ask your team about their most recent TV series obsession. This exercise is especially good for newly-formed teams, as it encourages people to share their interests and preferences. It’s fun to find out that a colleague is watching the same show as you, just be careful with spoilers! You might be surprised by what you learn about some people’s interests, and also discover tons of shows that were not on your radar yet.
This game creates opportunities for other bonding moments with your teammates. Plus: it’s inclusive and democratic. No risk of creating an uncomfortable situation to anyone. If someone on your team is not watching any show at the moment, they can share their favorite series of all times. Bonus points: It has nothing to do with work!
Caution: This ice-breaker has the potential to take over your entire meeting (people love to talk about their favorite shows!). A great solution can be creating a unique channel on Hive chat or Slack and move the conversation somewhere else.
12. Random Trivia Fact Game
One way to make the icebreaker moment less awkward or tense is to remove the focus from the people, make it about something else. For example: ask each person in the meeting to share a random fact they know. We call this game Random Trivia Fact.
Did you know that bats are the only mammal that can actually fly? You might impress a colleague by sharing the fact that unicorns are the national animal of Scotland!
This icebreaker activity requires no preparation, but if you are the host of the meeting you might want to research or share first your random trivia fact. After the last round, make it even more engaging by asking people their favorite random fact. This activity is definitely fun and easy to play, plus at the end everyone learns something new!
13. Guess Who
For this Ice-Breaker you will need to send a survey to the attendees before the meeting asking some light-hearted questions. During the meeting, the host will be responsible for sharing the answers one-by-one without identifying the person. The rest of the team gets to guess whose response it is. In case you get the same response to a question, just group them together and let your team know they have more guesses. Pro tip: You can use Hive Forms to send the questionnaire.
Here are some examples to add to your survey:
- “What’s something you want to learn or wish you were better at?”
- “What’s something you know/have or used to do that surprises people?”
- “What is your favorite memory as a child?”
- “What was your greatest high school accomplishment?”
- “If you had a pet chinchilla, what would you name it?”
- “If you could live anywhere, where would you live?’
14. Invite a furry guest to the meeting
Here’s a creative ice-breaker activity for your next virtual meeting: invite a furry animal to attend your call. How? You can use the Goat-2-Meeting service to take you on a virtual tour to Sweet Farm, a non-profit organization that supports rescue farm animals. A tour guide briefly introduces the farm, introduces your team to the animals on your virtual tour, and your team can ask questions or hang out. Goat-2-Meeting has corporate packages starting at $140 for a 10-minute-visit, but you can also schedule a VIP experience and customize your package. Having a llama or a goat at your virtual meeting will definitely give people what to talk about!
15. Play a virtual board game online
We all know the kind of fun we had playing board games or classic games as a kid. We can have the same fun with remote team members spread across the world by inviting them to play multiplayer and collaborative games like Hearts and Cribbage
16. Discover what makes your team groove
What are songs or sounds that you listen to stay focused? We can easily get distracted when there’s a lot going on at work. Silence can be nice — but is rarely possible and not always what we need. Whether you are working from home or at the office, headphones with the right type of music can be lifesavers.
How about discovering what makes your team groove with a music discovery ice-breaker? Go around the room asking your teammates what type of music or sounds they listen to while working and why these rhythms hit their spot. That’s also a great way to learn new tunes and win a new favorite playlist — someone on your team might enjoy long-form music. You can let them know about Music for Programming, a free project “series of mixes intended for listening while ${task} to focus the brain and inspire the mind.”
Be advised: this activity might engage people in longer conversations, make sure you stay focused to run a productive meeting. Pro-tip: Add people’s suggestions to a playlist and share with them later.
17. Share a good podcast to check out
Icebreakers usually start with some talk to disrupt any awkward silence before a meeting. How about starting your next icebreaker with listening? Ask your colleagues to share: “What have they been listening to recently?,” make sure that you clarify that they can share some good podcasts, audiobooks or albums.
You can be creative on how to start the conversation. You might want to ask: “What do you listen to while on a long commute or while exercising? Are you learning about fun facts, catching up on history, figuring out finances or just listening in on a group of voices talking about current events with human insights?.” There’s likely a podcast, audiobook or album that will help you and your co-workers to bond. ! If you’re new to podcasts and need some good places to start, check out these productivity podcasts to help you work better with your new team!
18. Show off your favorite mug
I don’t know how else to put it, but I LOVE MUGS! There’s just something about a mug that brings me a feeling of warmth besides the drink inside of it. Mugs have a delightful way to infuse a bit of personality and fun into the moment. So how about inviting your team to share their favorite coffee mug or tea cup (or tumbler,water bottle, etc) and tell the story behind it? It’s amazing how something as simple as a custom mug can hold so much meaning and create a sense of camaraderie among colleagues.
Each person’s chosen mug can be like a gateway to their world: it can reveal their unique interests, memories, and sometimes even their sense of humor. As everyone takes turns showcasing their mugs, we get to learn more about them beyond work-related roles. It’s these small moments when we connect on a personal level, find common ground and celebrate our differences that make a big impact on team dynamics and foster a positive and inclusive work culture. So, let’s raise our mugs and create an environment where everyone feels seen and appreciated!
19. Use the This or That question generator
Spice up your virtual meetings and team bonding sessions with This or That – the AI-powered question generator that makes games easy and fun! Simply adjust how fun and difficult you want the questions to be and enter a theme, then watch as creative, hilarious, and thought-provoking This or That pairs are generated. If you have a certain theme or purpose for icebreakers, add it to create a more tailored set of questions.
Each option comes with a unique, witty explanation so you’ll never run out of things to talk about. Bring This or That to your next virtual hangout if you’re seeking more laughs, surprises, and meaningful interactions with colleagues and friends!
20. Wheel Decide
This is a fun game that can get everyone engaged. Someone needs to set the input with random activities or questions, and spin the wheel. You can use this virtual Picker Wheel. Here are a few prompts suggestions:
- Write a poem using only emojis.
- Draw a self-portrait using random objects around you.
- Design a new product or service based on a random word.
- Give one team member a compliment.
- Ask a question to a random team member.
- What is your biggest professional goal?
- What is one skill you wish you had?
- What is the best way to make coffee?
You can get creative and add options such as “spin again” or “direct the activity to the person to your left” to add an element of chance. You can also set a timer to get the activity completed within a deadline. Most importantly: be flexible, have fun!
