12 (Not Cheesy) Virtual Ice Breakers For Work
In the world of work, ice breakers have become an increasingly popular tool for team building. They can be used in many different contexts, but the common goal is to help people step out of their comfort zones by exploring common interests and learning new things about one another.
There are a lot of ways to break the ice and get to know people - you can go out for drinks, have a party or get together, or you can do some kind of activity. But how do you get the conversation started, and how do you keep it flowing?
For that, there are virtual ice breakers. These are quick games and fun prompts that you can use with someone else on your computer or smartphone that help you get to know each other better in a short period of time.
What are virtual ice breakers?
Teams are becoming more distributed and virtual. The need to interact and collaborate is ever-growing, especially in the virtual world. That’s where virtual ice breakers for work come into play.
Virtual ice breakers are a fun way to break the ice in a team meeting. They can be used to get people talking, help with introductions, and make your virtual meetings more exciting.
A good virtual ice breaker has to be interactive, fun, and engaging. It should also be a great way to help the team members to know each other better.
12 (Not Cheesy) Virtual Ice Breakers For Work
There are a lot of good ice breakers out there that can be used for team building activities. Here are some of the best and popular ice breaker virtual team building activities to try at your next virtual meeting.
12 (not cheesy) virtual ice breakers for work:
Virtual charades
“Three unforgettable moments”
Tell a terrible joke
Show and Tell
“Caption this” challenge
Name that tune
Guess the childhood photo
“Guess the emoji” challenge
Two truths and a lie
Would you rather?
Read more below.
1. Virtual charades
Virtual charades is a game where players on the same team try to guess what another player is pantomiming with their hands and body movements. This game can be played in teams or as individuals. The first person on a team has to make the gesture that the other players need to guess what they are trying to say. They can do this by making gestures with their hands, head, feet, or any part of their body. If they can guess correctly, they get to go next and create another gesture for the next player on their team.
Remote teams can play the game via video chat, and access it through a web browser or mobile app. It’s a great way for remote teams to feel more connected with each other, while also having a good time.
2. Virtual trivia game
This game is a virtual version of the classic trivia game. The aim of a virtual trivia game is to answer several questions, which can range in anything from food and science to geography and pop culture. Players are given a set time for each question to add a challenge to the competition.
A virtual trivia game is a great way to break the ice and brainstorm during meetings with remote teams. It is also an easy and fun way to connect with your fellow remote team members, get to know each other better, and enjoy some friendly competition.
3. “Three unforgettable moments”
Asking your team to share Three Unforgettable Moments in their lives helps to create a shared understanding and spark a meaningful conversation. Participants need to think of three things they will never forget and then share them with others in the group. Some examples include:
The time when I first met my spouse
The time when I won a championship game
When I moved out of my state/country for the first time
4. Tell a terrible joke
A terrible joke is a type of joke that usually is a little cheesy or has an obvious punchline - think classic “dad jokes.” To start, gather your team over Zoom, and choose someone to start the game by telling an awful joke. The next person in line has to tell another awful joke that they have heard before or make up their own terrible joke. Keep going around until everyone has had their turn telling an awful joke. This ice breaker is a fun way to break the ice and hopefully get people laughing. Bonus points to the person that comes up with the worst joke!
5. Show and tell
Show and tell is a game that is played by a group of people, and this version is a work from home spin of the classic. One person will pick an object from their home or office and show it to the rest of the group. The other members of the group will then take turns describing what they think the object is and why they think it might be in the person’s home or office. A lot of remote teams use this game to help them get to know one another better.
6. “Caption this” challenge
The “Caption this” challenge is a great way to get your remote team collaborating on a topic, while having some fun. This is another great way to break the ice and help get your team more comfortable with each other. In this game, each team member has to submit one caption for a given image. The team members have to vote on who they think has the best caption. The best caption becomes the winner!
7. Name that tune
“Name that tune” is a game where you listen to portions of songs or instrumentals of songs and try to guess what they are. You can play it with your remote team by having them call in and take turns playing songs for each other. The person who guesses the song correctly wins. This game is a perfect way to engage your remote team and help them to feel like they are part of the company. It can also be a great way to break the ice during team meetings and learn a little more about everyone’s personal music taste.
8. Guess the childhood photo
In this virtual activity, team members will be given a childhood photo of one of their co-workers and they need to guess who it is. This game is an icebreaker that can help remote teams get to know each other better, and it will also help team members build relationships and trust with one another.
9. “Guess the emoji” challenge
This activity helps remote teams to build teamwork skills and boost morale as they compete against one another in a fun game that doesn’t take up much time or resources.
This is a fun activity you can use to build camaraderie in your remote team. In this activity, teams will need to find emojis that represent words or phrases. One player will start by choosing an emoji from the list, and then each player will have one minute to guess what the emoji is representing. If a team member guesses correctly, then they go next. If not, then their turn ends, and it goes back to the next player. For example, if you were to make up an emoji for the word “sushi,” you would show the sushi emoji. If you were to make up an emoji for the phrase “I am sleepy,” you would show the person with their eyes closed and cartoon “Zzz”s above their head.
10. Two truths and a lie
The idea here is exactly as it sounds - you’ll have to tell two truths and one lie about yourself in a row. The rest of the group will have to guess to see if they can find which one is the lie. You can play this game as a quick icebreaker, or as a longer team building activity. Either way, it’s bound to bring some fun to your workday!
11. Would you rather?
“Would you rather” is a game that is played between a group of people with a series of questions. The object of the game is to choose between two options for each question, with one being something that you would prefer and the other being something that you would not prefer. However, the key is to make the choice as challenging as possible. For example: “Would you rather give up social media or eat the same dinner for the rest of your life?” The participants will then discuss which answer they would prefer and why.
12. Virtual scavenger hunt
A virtual scavenger hunt is a game in which players search for and find items, usually called “treasures,” by following clues. These objects can be physically located in your remote team’s home office or they could be virtual objects or answers on the internet. If you are looking for a way for your remote team members to get more acquainted with each other, this game might be just what you need.
Exciting virtual ice breakers for work
Remote teams can have a hard time getting to know each other. Often, they are just strangers that are working together on a project. It’s important to offer ice breakers and team building activities that will help the team get to know each other better in a fun and exciting way.
Whether you’re looking for quick virtual ice breakers or a full team building experience, Bar None Games has all the trivia, games, and virtual activities you’ll need to host a memorable and enjoyable virtual event for your team.