Sharing Fun Facts About Me

Whether your child is shy, anxious with new people, introverted, or just takes a while to warm up, using kid-friendly ice breakers can get the conversation juices flowing. Once those walls come down, becoming more comfortable with new people and new situations over time can help kids make friends, boost confidence, excel academically, take risks, and try new things.

Fun Facts About Me: My Favorites

This is the easiest way to share something about yourself, ask something about a new friend, and get the conversation started. Ask "What's your favorite..." and give your own answer!

1. What's your favorite color?

2. What's your favorite hobby?

3. What's your favorite sport?

4. What's your favorite team?

5. What's your favorite school subject?

6. What's your favorite animal?

7. What's your favorite book?

8. Who's your favorite superhero?

9. What's your favorite movie?

10. What's your favorite TV show?

11. What's your favorite video game?

12. Who is your favorite singer/band?

13. What is your favorite song?

14. What's your favorite app?

15. What's your favorite holiday?

16. Who is your favorite teacher of all time?

17. What's your favorite food?

18. What's your favorite time of day?

19. What's your favorite restaurant?

20. What's your favorite drink?

21. Who is your favorite cartoon character?

22. What's your favorite summer activity?

23. What's your favorite candy?

24. What's your favorite dessert?

25. What's your favorite season?

Fun Facts About Me: Easy Prompts

Getting to know you, getting to know all about you... Getting to like you, getting to hope you like me!

26. Do you have siblings? Are you the youngest/middle/oldest?

27. Do you play an instrument?

28. Who is/are your hero(es)?

29. Do you have a pet? What's your pet's name?

30. What do you want to be when you grow up?

31. If you had superpowers, what would they be?

32. If you could go anywhere in the world, where?

33. What would be in your ultimate ice cream sundae?

34. What's the weirdest thing about you?

35. Do you have a special talent? Can you demonstrate it?

36. What's the bravest thing you've ever done?

37. If you could meet anyone, who would it be?

38. Can you or your family members speak another language?

39. If you could set a world record, what would it be?

40. If you had $1 million, how would you spend it?

41. If you could change your name, what would it be?

Name, Name Goose is an all-season game to get to know the names of new friends.

Cool as Ice Breakers for Kids: Activities

These ice breakers are activities that get kids talking and sharing. Parents or another adult might need to get kids started but for shy kids, playing can lead to talking!

42. Would You Rather

Gross-out games get everyone laughing. Pose these Would You Rather questions, and let kids giggle it out.

43. Actual Ice Breaker

Put your hand in a bucket of ice and say as many things about yourself until you can't handle the freeze. [older kids]

44. 20 Questions

Come up with a noun and give each child a chance to ask a yes/no question to guess what you're thinking. Have kids work together and pay attention to responses so they can brainstorm as a group. 

45. Two Truths and a Lie

Children come up with two truths and one lie about themselves; the rest of the group has to figure out which is the lie.

46. String Throw

Have the group sit in a circle and one person starts with a ball of yarn. After she says a fact about herself, she then tosses the yarn ball across to someone else who does the same thing. Eventually, the group is tied up in a fun web of yarn!

47. Scavenger Hunt Bingo

Use pre-made bingo cards with various prompts like "born in another state" or "has curly hair." Each child must get the name of one kid that fits those parameters. Whoever finishes first, wins!

48. Name, Name, Goose

Classic game with a twist! Instead of saying "duck" around the circle, have the chooser say each child's name as they pat them (use name tags to assist). Once they get to their intended target, they say "GOOSE!" and play as normal.

49. Likes and Dislikes

One corner of the room is reserved for the "likes" and one corner is for the "dislikes." Start kids in the middle of the class and have the teacher/adult name various items (foods, musicians, etc.). Kids run to the corner they agree with then head back to the center to start again.

50. Adjective Fun

Similar to Picnic Playtime, each child says his or her name and a word that describes them that starts with the same first letter ("Melanie is marvelous"). End it with each kid's adjective or make it even harder by having kids repeat the names of everyone else and their descriptive words. 

51. Heads Up, 7 Up

Choose seven kids (or however many you want) to stand and pick; everyone else sits with their heads up and their thumbs up. Each picker silently chooses one child with his head down by pushing down his thumb. When all seven kids have made their selections, those children with their thumbs down stand up and guess who chose them. 

52. Never Have I Ever

Everyone stands in the class and listens as the teacher/adult asks a series of questions -- for example, "Never have I ever...eaten sushi." Any child who has eaten sushi sits down and those who haven't stay standing. Kids learn about what they have in common with each other and what's different.

53. Artsy Fun

Draw a self-portrait and write 3 things about yourself on the back. Present artwork and info to the whole class or small groups.

54. Telephone

This game is great for younger kids! Have the adult/teacher start with a phrase and whisper the phrase through the group. The last child gets to announce the phrase...usually jumbled and always good for a laugh.

55. Musical Chairs

Get kids moving around and interacting with each other in this classic game!

56. Tell a Story...Together

Sit in a circle and everyone contributes one word at a time to tell a silly story 

57. Human Knot

Have 4-8 kids stand in a circle. Everyone sticks out their left hand and reaches out to hold the left hands of two different people in the group (no one standing next to you). Repeat with the right hand. You now have a human knot, and it's up to the kids (...and probably the adults) to untangle the mess without letting go of each other's hands.

58. Charades

Split the group into two teams. Write various words on paper scraps (can draw the word if younger kids are playing); each team selects a paper at random and must act out the clue without using any words.  

59. Pictionary

Like charades but instead of acting, kids draw out the clue and hope their artistic skills are up to the task for their team to guess correctly.

60.Picnic Playtime

Children sit in a circle together. One child says what food they will bring to the imaginary picnic (the food should start with the same first letter of the child's name). For example, "Melanie is bringing marshmallows." The next person says his or her food and then repeats the previous child's name and food, and so on, until the last child attempts to repeat every single child's name and picnic food.