Description
Looking for an icebreaker activity for teens? Your new students will love these ice breaker questions for older students! These 36 get-to-know-you questions are perfect for a “speed-meeting” icebreaker game, for group discussions, or as daily attendance prompts. Includes editable templates to make your own question cards!
Included with this Icebreaker Questions:
- 36 unique, engaging, and age-appropriate icebreaker questions for teens – Color & Grayscale
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- These ice breaker questions are formatted to be printed as individual handouts for a stations activity
- They can also be cut and laminated to use as a card deck
- Editable icebreaker templates – PDF, Microsoft PowerPoint®, and Google Slides®
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- Create your own icebreaker questions for your students!
- Editable templates provided in individual handout and card deck format
- Includes both color and grayscale options
- Icebreaker Question Slideshow – Microsoft PowerPoint® and Google Slides®
- “Attendance Prompts” Activity – Color & Grayscale
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- Use these question prompts to turn your daily attendance roll-call into a get-to-know-you activity
- Teacher Instructions for using this resource
How to use this Icebreaker Questions for Teens:
This icebreaker activity includes 36 icebreaker questions for older students! There are two suggested icebreaker games included with this resource:
- “Speed-Meeting” – For this high-energy, fast-paced game, set up different stations around the room. To determine how many stations you need, you will need to take account of how many students are participating and divide that number into two. These stations can be set up in a circle, and each station will have one icebreaker handout. Each handout includes three questions, and you can allow 2-3 minutes for students to discuss the questions at each station. Once the time is up, you can rotate the stations by instructing either the students within the inside or on the outside of the circle to all rotate in the same direction.
* If you have more than 24 students, you can repeat the icebreaker questions at different stations. Since the pairings will change each time, the activity won’t feel repetitive. You can also use the editable templates to create more icebreaker questions.
*For virtual learning, this resource can be used as a digital icebreaker by using breakout rooms in Zoom. Instead of pairs, group students in larger groups. You can make new groups at the start of each class and use this activity over the course of two weeks, assigning a new activity sheet each day. - Attendance Roll-Call Prompts – Introduce these icebreaker questions at the start of each class. You can read one question per day, and instead of having students respond with “here,” they can respond with their answer to the question. This is a great icebreaker activity for English Language Learners as it encourages conversation in a low-risk environment!
Another simple icebreaker game is to split your students into groups and have them discuss some of the prompts featured on their icebreaker question handout.
These ice breaker questions are formatted to be printed as individual handouts or to be cut and laminated for use as a card deck!
Editable templates for these icebreaker questions have also been provided. For more community-building, you can brainstorm question prompts together as a class.
This resource is provided in three formats:
- Vibrant Color
- Printer-friendly
- Grayscale
Using icebreaker questions at the beginning of the year—or any time you’re forming new groups—is a great way to establish trust and build community. This resource is designed to support that goal while offering maximum flexibility and ease of use. Whether you’re teaching in person or online, these icebreaker questions can help students connect, spark conversations, and feel more comfortable in your classroom environment.
What makes these icebreaker questions especially effective is their adaptability. You can revisit the resource throughout the school year and reuse the questions in different formats. Use them for morning meetings, advisory periods, or even as writing prompts for short journal responses. These questions aren’t limited to first-day use—they can help maintain classroom culture throughout the entire year.
Each set of icebreaker questions is thoughtfully crafted to be age-appropriate for older students, encouraging meaningful conversations without putting anyone on the spot. Students often surprise teachers with the insights they share during these activities, and that’s part of what makes them so valuable. Even the most reserved students are more likely to engage when prompted with fun, low-pressure questions.
You’ll also find that these icebreaker questions are an excellent way to gather informal data about your students. Their answers can give you a better sense of their personalities, learning preferences, and social dynamics within the classroom. Whether you’re learning about who prefers working independently or who thrives in groups, you’re gaining knowledge that can inform future instruction.
For teachers who support social-emotional learning, icebreaker questions are a natural fit. They promote self-awareness, empathy, and positive communication. When students see that their voices are heard and valued, they are more likely to feel safe and supported, which increases overall classroom engagement.
You can also use these icebreaker questions as part of your classroom management strategy. By starting class with a light, conversational prompt, you help ease students into academic tasks. It’s a simple way to create consistency and routine while also encouraging participation.
This resource makes it easy to integrate icebreaker questions into any lesson plan, with minimal prep and maximum impact. Whether you’re working with a small group or a full class, the variety of formats provided ensures you’ll be ready to go—no matter your teaching setting.
By incorporating these icebreaker questions into your class culture, you’re doing more than just filling time—you’re building relationships, fostering communication, and creating a positive environment where students feel they belong.
✨ Kindly note that due to copyright restrictions, this resource is not editable, except for the files specifically labelled as editable. This is a common practice within the online marketplace in order to protect the clip artists and software providers that have authorized their intellectual property for the development of this resource.
See what other teachers are saying about these Icebreaker Questions:
“My students really enjoyed this. They were hesitant to come out of their comfort zones at first, but soon there was lots of laughter and chatting. They started to meet new people and to connect in ways they wouldn’t normally have. I love this resource!”
– Jordynn G.
⭒ For classrooms utilizing Google Classroom® ⭒
To access the digital version of these worksheets, simply follow the instructions within the resource to copy the files directly to your Google Drive®.
Verified owner
Christina T. (verified owner) –
Fun way to start off the year! I might choose to use these for the first two weeks as they might take up a lot of instructional time, but in the lower secondary grades (7-9) I think the community building is so important.
Jenni K. (verified owner) –
Great questions for students to be able to answer while hanging out in the digital classroom.
Jenni K. (verified owner) –
Great questions for students to be able to answer while hanging out in the digital classroom.
Mathterful (verified owner) –
Nice back to school resource.
Mathterful (verified owner) –
Nice back to school resource.
Amy K. (verified owner) –
thank you for the great resource
Amy K. (verified owner) –
thank you for the great resource
Angela H. (verified owner) –
This made prepping for back to school so much easier. Lots of practice opportunities and the graphics are bright and engaging!
Mark S. (verified owner) –
Thank you!!
Carmichaelfa321 (verified owner) –
I LOVE these!!
Lauren S. (verified owner) –
A lot of my summer school students have never met each other. It was important for me to get them talking in order to have a productive environment, and these did the trick!
Lauren S. (verified owner) –
A lot of my summer school students have never met each other. It was important for me to get them talking in order to have a productive environment, and these did the trick!
John A. (verified owner) –
These have been nice to get conversation going as the energy winds down near the end of the year
Christina F. (verified owner) –
This was a fun rotation in our orientation for new students
Priscilla S. (verified owner) –
My students requested we do more activities like these 🙂 thank you
Catherine A. (verified owner) –
These were great question prompts!
Lisa M. (verified owner) –
My students had fun with the icebreaker questions, especially during attendance.
Lisa M. (verified owner) –
My students had fun with the icebreaker questions, especially during attendance.
Lisa M. (verified owner) –
Good first day activity
Carolyn K. (verified owner) –
My students loved this!
Carolyn K. (verified owner) –
My students loved this!
Kate A. (verified owner) –
These were great questions to get my students chatting.
Kate A. (verified owner) –
These were great questions to get my students chatting.
Jeff W. (verified owner) –
The attendance prompts are a fun way to build positive relationships with my students
Jeff W. (verified owner) –
The attendance prompts are a fun way to build positive relationships with my students
Gwen C. (verified owner) –
My high schoolers loved this!
Gwen C. (verified owner) –
My high schoolers loved this!
Tara M. (verified owner) –
Fun warmup!
Tara M. (verified owner) –
Fun warmup!
Sithembile N. (verified owner) –
This resource helped a lot. Thank you
Elizabeth A. (verified owner) –
This was a great way to take a break with my students and build classroom community!
Bonita H. (verified owner) –
This was used the very first day of an AP class and two upper-level elective classes. They were certainly highly engaged and I had to put the breaks on the conversations! They were given a different set of questions for each new partner they engaged (shoulder partner, face partner). These worked well to help break the ice and make for a more comfortable experience for my students. Thank you.
Julia P. (verified owner) –
Good resource to get to know your students and get them talking.
Jordynn G. (verified owner) –
My students really enjoyed this. They were hesitant to come out of their comfort zones at first, but soon there was lots of laughter and chatting. They started to meet new people and to connect in ways they wouldn’t normally have. I love this resource!
Pam K. (verified owner) –
I am always liking for ways to have a getting acquainted activity. I used this one this year an I think the students had a great time! I will use it again!
Labrini R. (verified owner) –
Fun and versatile
Meghan H. (verified owner) –
This was a great resource to get students talking to one another on the first day of school! I used this in an ESL class with high school students and it encouraged students to practice their conversation skills while getting to know their classmates.
Bethanie F. (verified owner) –
I purchased these as a back to school activity and tested them on my yearbook editorial staff and they LOVED them! I’ll be using these for years to come!
Sarah M. (verified owner) –
Useful resource for community building.
Sarah M. (verified owner) –
Useful resource for community building.
Kelly H. (verified owner) –
High school students can be reluctant to engage in activities to which they do not see a point. These are fun and the kids enjoyed doing them.
Kelly H. (verified owner) –
High school students can be reluctant to engage in activities to which they do not see a point. These are fun and the kids enjoyed doing them.
Carole W P. (verified owner) –
Used this on the second day of classes to get conversations starting. They had a great time.
Carole W P. (verified owner) –
Used this on the second day of classes to get conversations starting. They had a great time.
Rin H. (verified owner) –
fun icebreaker questions for the first week of school
Rin H. (verified owner) –
fun icebreaker questions for the first week of school
Gretchen T. (verified owner) –
Exactly what I needed for my very social groups of 5th graders. I loved that the cards came with an editable version so I was able to tailor it to my needs. Definitely will be using these time and time again to start the year from now on!
Gretchen T. (verified owner) –
Exactly what I needed for my very social groups of 5th graders. I loved that the cards came with an editable version so I was able to tailor it to my needs. Definitely will be using these time and time again to start the year from now on!
Elizabeth V. (verified owner) –
a great activity for the start of the school year.
Elizabeth V. (verified owner) –
a great activity for the start of the school year.
Angela B. (verified owner) –
Great way to start the school year. Community building is so critical.
Angela B. (verified owner) –
Great way to start the school year. Community building is so critical.
Patricia D. (verified owner) –
These are so fun! I have a lot of the same students from last year and these prompted a lot of discussion where I got to learn a lot more about my students. I’ll be using them throughout the year.
Patricia D. (verified owner) –
These are so fun! I have a lot of the same students from last year and these prompted a lot of discussion where I got to learn a lot more about my students. I’ll be using them throughout the year.
Ellie D. (verified owner) –
My students have enjoyed this icebreaker activity! I appreciate that I am able to edit the PDFs and customize questions.
Ellie D. (verified owner) –
My students have enjoyed this icebreaker activity! I appreciate that I am able to edit the PDFs and customize questions.
Rachael C. (verified owner) –
My students loved doing this on the first day of school. It was a great way to break the ice and get them talking to me and each other.
Rachael C. (verified owner) –
My students loved doing this on the first day of school. It was a great way to break the ice and get them talking to me and each other.
Gay S. (verified owner) –
This was perfect for the first week of school and gave me a model for using the same format with other questions. Loved it!
Gay S. (verified owner) –
This was perfect for the first week of school and gave me a model for using the same format with other questions. Loved it!
Jackie F. (verified owner) –
My students has a ton of fun with this! I also used them at summer camp!
Jackie F. (verified owner) –
My students has a ton of fun with this! I also used them at summer camp!
Nicole S. (verified owner) –
This worked very well as a get to know you activity with my sophomores.
Nicole S. (verified owner) –
This worked very well as a get to know you activity with my sophomores.
Heidi A. (verified owner) –
I have used these to open the year as well as throughout the quarter to continue to build community in my classes. These are a favorite!! Thank you:)
Heidi A. (verified owner) –
I have used these to open the year as well as throughout the quarter to continue to build community in my classes. These are a favorite!! Thank you:)
Stuff by Sam (verified owner) –
My students loved this resource. They were engaged the whole time
Stuff by Sam (verified owner) –
My students loved this resource. They were engaged the whole time
Britt M. (verified owner) –
A great resource to get my 6th graders talking. They loved it!!
L M. (verified owner) –
We used these during a school exchange and they worked really well! The students definitely knew more about each other and were much more comfortable for the rest of the day. Awesome resource!
Howdy History (verified owner) –
Such a fun first day of school activity! We have a lot of new kids enter our school for this grade so it’s awesome at bridging that gap.
Language and Lace (verified owner) –
These ice breaker questions were great to get to know my students. The speed meeting aspect didn’t go as expected but the questions themselves create a lot of discussion and smiles in class!
Tiffany C. (verified owner) –
This was a great way for the students and me to get to know each other at the beginning of the year.
Tiffany C. (verified owner) –
This was a great way for the students and me to get to know each other at the beginning of the year.
Emily S. (verified owner) –
I used this with my homeroom students as ice breakers. Students loved that these were not the same old questions everyone asks! Will use again!
Emily S. (verified owner) –
I used this with my homeroom students as ice breakers. Students loved that these were not the same old questions everyone asks! Will use again!
Jennifer H. (verified owner) –
This was part of my first week of school activity and it was awesome! I used it in stations and this gave the kids an opportunity to move and let me know more about them.
RF Resources (verified owner) –
a great way to have kids get to know each other at the beginning of the year
RF Resources (verified owner) –
a great way to have kids get to know each other at the beginning of the year
Kinsey M. (verified owner) –
This is such a fun activity for the start of the year/semester. The questions are easy icebreakers and also easy to expand on for the less-shy kiddos.
Kinsey M. (verified owner) –
This is such a fun activity for the start of the year/semester. The questions are easy icebreakers and also easy to expand on for the less-shy kiddos.
Mikelle S. (verified owner) –
A fun way to get students talking openly, my students were engaged and enjoyed the prompts.
Karen M. (verified owner) –
This was a very fun way for my students to get to know each other. I had them line themselves up in different ways (alphabetical, birthdays, etc.) and chat with the people around them. I really dislike most ice breakers, so this was a good option with low stakes and little pressure.
Karen M. (verified owner) –
This was a very fun way for my students to get to know each other. I had them line themselves up in different ways (alphabetical, birthdays, etc.) and chat with the people around them. I really dislike most ice breakers, so this was a good option with low stakes and little pressure.
Taylor B. (verified owner) –
This helped me get to know one of my new distance learning students!
Taylor B. (verified owner) –
This helped me get to know one of my new distance learning students!
Sassy in Social Studies (verified owner) –
This was so easy to use and allowed my students to really begin to get to know each other! Thanks!
Sassy in Social Studies (verified owner) –
This was so easy to use and allowed my students to really begin to get to know each other! Thanks!
Tsadok P. (verified owner) –
My students loved getting to know me and the other students in our grade level.
Ana G. (verified owner) –
My students enjoyed asking and answering the questions. Recommended!
Jamie W. (verified owner) –
My students loved this activity! It was very fun and engaging!
Christina S. (verified owner) –
I love using this during the 1st week of school – it was great to get them up and moving and meeting each other.
Andrew F. (verified owner) –
Thank you for your hard work and dedication. I loved getting to see the interaction of my students during the first day of school. It was awesome to see the barriers broken down due to having a card with three simple get to know you questions on it.
Bethany D. (verified owner) –
Thank you for such a great resource! Highly recommend!
DI teacher (verified owner) –
Good resource for back to school. Some of the questions were ok for my 5th graders and some weren’t as relevant.
Tracey H. (verified owner) –
This is a fun activity to get students moving and talking with each other at the beginning of the year.
Flavia T. (verified owner) –
Great resource. I have used this multiple times – both online and in person.
Barbara S. (verified owner) –
These icebreakers were a great way to build classroom community!
Jamie R. (verified owner) –
It was a great resource thank you! We enjoyed using it!
Jamie R. (verified owner) –
It was a great resource thank you! We enjoyed using it!
Paige N. (verified owner) –
This was very helpful in my classroom. I highly recommend this resource.
KLFasching (verified owner) –
This worked perfectly for what I wanted to do in my classroom.
KLFasching (verified owner) –
This worked perfectly for what I wanted to do in my classroom.
Anna T. (verified owner) –
I used these as part of my ice breaker activities during the first week of school for my advisory class. It worked well for all ages (7th-12th grade).
Teachhistory (verified owner) –
Very helpful in getting my beginning of year classroom setup.
CompTON of Resources (verified owner) –
I used this resource during team bonding for volleyball this fall. My girls enjoyed it!
Diane M. (verified owner) –
A great getting to know you activity that I was able to incorporate immediately!
Maegan S. (verified owner) –
This is a great resource! I would use it again and recommend it to others
Maegan S. (verified owner) –
This is a great resource! I would use it again and recommend it to others
Pajama Mama Homeschool Teacher (verified owner) –
This was a fun way to get the class to get to know one another. Enjoyed this resource.
Webb’s Wonder Emporium (verified owner) –
The kids had so much fun with this! A great way for me to get to know them!
Cassandra G. (verified owner) –
My students loved these cards for getting to know each other!
Alyssa D. (verified owner) –
This was such a fun activity to do with my students at the start of the school year! It kept students moving and engaged and provided an opportunity for students to get to know each other better.
Abigail M. (verified owner) –
My students loved using this as an ice breaker. With 30 students this helped them leave their comfortable peers and have a nice conversation.
Marisa S. (verified owner) –
This is an excellent resource that has greatly enhanced my program!
Joan J. (verified owner) –
Very engaging resource! Students like talking and moving around answering questions. I laminated the sheets and use them at the beginning of each semester.
Ms. LS (verified owner) –
A lot of great things here to help students have conversation and build connection. Appropriate for high school level which is hard to find. Thanks!
Coffee and Junior High (verified owner) –
This was a fun resource to start our school year. Thank you for sharing!
Meredith M. (verified owner) –
This was great for my cotaught classes. Thank you!
Kaycee M. –
Loved that these were a print and use option to getting to know each other. I separated students into small groups and how them answer the questions, then 1 student from each group had to rotate at the end of the time. Provided some movement and got them talking!
Maryann R. –
Loved this assignment for the beginning of school.
Mindy B. –
Kids enjoy choosing questions to ask and to get to know each other.
Rachel L. –
My students loved using this resource! They were engaged the entire time.
Natalie J. –
This is a perfect set for the lottery. Makes it very easy to understand
Aimee W. –
I used this in my ELA classes at the beginning of the year. The students thought it was fun and I plan to continue to use it next year.
Teacher’s Library –
Students found this fun and engaging, a new way to get to know their peers.