Ice breakers for teacher training sessions

Here are some fun and engaging icebreaker activities that you can use for teacher training sessions:

  1. Two Truths and a Lie: Each participant shares two true statements about themselves and one false statement. The others have to guess which one is the lie. This game is a great way to get to know each other and can lead to some interesting conversations.

  2. Human Bingo: Create bingo cards with different traits, characteristics, or interests in each square (e.g. "has traveled to another country", "speaks more than one language", etc.). Each participant has to find someone who fits each of the characteristics and get them to sign the corresponding square.

  3. The Name Game: Have each participant introduce themselves and share a unique fact about themselves that starts with the same letter as their name (e.g. "I'm Sarah and I love sailing"). Then, have the others try to remember each other's names and facts.

  4. Scavenger Hunt: Create a list of items or challenges that participants have to complete during the training session (e.g. "find someone wearing the same color shirt as you", "take a photo with a colleague", etc.). This activity encourages participants to mingle and interact with each other.

  5. Word Association Game: Have each participant write down a word on a piece of paper, fold it up, and pass it to the person on their right. Then, each participant has to say a word that is associated with the word they received. This game is a great way to get to know each other's thought processes and can lead to some interesting conversations.

  6. Would You Rather: Prepare a list of "Would You Rather" questions (e.g. "Would you rather go on a hot air balloon ride or go skydiving?", "Would you rather have the ability to fly or be invisible?", etc.). Have each participant discuss their answers with the person next to them and then share their answers with the group.

  7. The Human Knot: Have each participant stand in a circle and put their hands in the center. Each participant should grab the hand of someone across from them, not next to them. Then, they have to work together to untangle themselves without letting go of each other's hands. This activity encourages teamwork and communication.

  8. Show and Tell: Ask each participant to bring an object that represents something about themselves (e.g. a favorite book, a piece of jewelry, etc.). Then, have each participant explain the significance of the object to the group.

  9. Collaborative Mural: Provide a large piece of paper or whiteboard and some markers. Ask each participant to contribute to a collaborative mural by drawing or writing something that represents their thoughts, feelings, or goals for the training session.

  10. Speed Friending: Inspired by speed dating, this activity involves having each participant talk to the person next to them for a set amount of time (e.g. 2-3 minutes). Then, ring a bell and have each participant move on to talk to someone new. This activity encourages participants to be concise and focused in their communication.

Remember to keep the icebreaker activities short, fun, and relevant to the training session. The goal is to help participants feel comfortable and build connections with each other, not to waste valuable time.