Fun Icebreakers for Adult Groups

Planning a successful party takes a lot of thought, especially when you want to make sure every one is having a good time and no one is feeling isolated or uncomfortable. Icebreakers are a good way to focus on helping people grow comfortable enough to talk and to listen. While the shyest adults are the most willing to participate in these active formats, the most boisterous hesitate to play “those weird games”. While there is no magical cure to meet everyone’s needs, these basic get-to-know-you activities gently break down barriers between people so they can begin to build amicable friendships. In this article I will provide icebreakers I have used at my own parties that were very successful.

GROUP GOAL: Adults will have fun answering “getting-to-know-you” questions posted on each other’s backs.

Type out a list of questions such as: What job or activity takes up most of your day? What would be your idea of the perfect house? What do you like about living in this community? What are the names of your family members? What do you like to do when you have free time? Which part of the newspaper do you read first? What is the best gift you received as a child? What is your favorite day of the year and why?

As each person arrives, tape one question to his or her back. Make sure people do not know which questions have been taped to their back. People will then have to go up to someone, introduce themselves and answer the question on that person’s back without revealing the question. Have them do this to as many people as possible in the amount of time you have allocated. At the end of the allotted time, each person has to try and figure out the question on his or her back.

GROUP GOAL: Adult will quickly share birthday memories with those whose birthday are closest to theirs.

GROUP GOAL: People will work with teammates to guess the titles of Christmas songs.

Have everyone write on a slip of paper their favorite Christmas carols. Write down as many as they want on separate slips of paper. Divide the room in 2 teams. Have everyone put their slip of paper in a bag. Each person will have to take a turn in their group drawing out the Christmas carol on paper with out using words and their team will try and guess what the carol is. Play until all the slips of paper are gone. The team with the most right answers wins a door prize.

GROUP GOAL: People will learn more about each other by answering questions they draw from the “hot potato” sack.

Type out a list of questions for people to answer. What was your favorite childhood activity? What is your earliest memory as a child? What was your favorite subject in elementary school? What was the best present you ever received as a child? What was your first crush or infatuation like? What was your favorite room in the house your grew up in? What is your earliest Christmas memory? What was the best thing about your family? Who was your best friend when you were ten? What was the first job you every got paid for?
Place all the individual questions in a bag. Seat all your guests in a circle and then start some fun music. When the music starts, everyone has to pass the bag around the circle. When the music stops, whoever is holding the bag has to draw a question from the bag and answer it.

GROUP GOAL: People will go on a scavenger hunt to learn more about each other.

Before the party, write a list of interesting phrases on a piece of paper such as; 1)Favorite meal is breakfast 2)Has lived in an apartment 3)Owns more than five pairs of shoes 4)Has 2 or more children 5)Was born in September 6)Plays a musical instrument 7)Has lived out of the country 8)Has more then 1 pet 9)still plays records on a turn table 10)Has gone mountain climbing. Each guest will receive the list. After everyone has arrived, the guests will have to interview everyone and try and find someone who has accomplished the phrase written on their list. The first one done is the winner.

GROUP GOAL: People will use memories to tell stories about themselves.

Ask guests to form 2 groups. One group will be “pack rats” and the other group will be the “throw it out” group. Allow several minutes for people to introduce themselves and explain why they like being a pack rat or a throw it out type of person.

GROUP GOAL: People will identify similarities, uncovering connections they already have but may not be aware of.

Before the party, write the following sentence across the top of a sheet of paper: _________ and I are similar because we….” Then list the following sample similarities below the sentence. 1)are from the same home state 2)laugh the same way 3)like the same book or type of books 4)drive the same car 5)like the same dessert 6)have the same color of eyes 7)wear the same style of shoes 8)have the same number of siblings 9)have the same middle initial 10)have the same number of children 11)work at the same type of job 12)have children the same ages 13)like the same kind of sandwich 14)enjoy the same music

As people arrive, hand them several copies of the sentence and list of questions. Ask each guest to pick someone they don’t know and interview them using the questions handed to them. After they have finished with one interview, pick another person to talk to and so on.

I hope I have given you some great icebreakers that are fun for everyone. You can not only use these at parties, but at informal meetings, church groups, bridal showers or baby showers. Everyone feels more comfortable when they have someone to talk to a party and this truly is a perfect way to make that happen.