25 Icebreaker Ideas for Middle School
School starts back soon… And you’re going to have your hands full. In the old days, we’d have introduced ourselves during an ice cream social… Maybe had some tea cakes, a few cookies…. But have you seen the price of ice cream lately?
Since that’s not an option right now, here are some quick ways to get your kids introduced to one another.
Two Truths and a Lie
Students share two true things and one false thing about themselves. Others guess the lie.Would You Rather...?
Ask silly or thought-provoking “Would you rather…” questions. Let students explain their choices. Just make sure you’re the one making up the questions!Name That Emoji
Each student creates three emojis to describe themselves. Others guess the meaning.This or That
Stand up/sit down or move to different sides of the room based on choices like “Cats or Dogs?”What’s in a Name?
Students explain the story behind their name or nickname. This one is good for remote students.Draw Your Mood
Students sketch a quick doodle showing how they feel today. This is also a good way to get an idea of what you’re working with if you’re running an art class.Backpack Show & Tell
Pick something from their backpack to share (with a story, if they want). If your school doesn’t have backpacks, you might try having them describe something that they have in their room or house.Superhero Identity
Create a superhero name and power based on their personality or hobbies.My Life in a Meme
Students draw or describe a meme that represents their life right now.Emoji Self-Portrait
Draw themselves using only emojis or symbols.Find Someone Who…
Scavenger hunt-style game where students mingle to find classmates who fit certain descriptions.Human Bingo
Bingo card with traits like “Has a pet snake” or “Has traveled out of the country.”Common Ground
In small groups, students list as many things as they all have in common.Four Corners
Ask a question with four possible answers. Each corner of the room represents one, and students move accordingly.The M&M Game
Students take M&Ms (or colored objects), each color corresponds to a question they must answer. Actual M&M’s will disappear… Possibly before the school day even begins… (definitely before the school day began, in my case.)One Word
Each student shares one word that describes them and explains why.Desert Island Picks
What 3 things would they bring to a desert island and why? This is a great critical thinking one.Classroom Time Capsule
Students write one fun fact or hope for the year to include in a time capsule. This one ties back in nicely to end of the year activities!Pass the Ball
Toss a soft ball around the room. Whoever catches it shares their favorite food, song, etc.Story Chain
One student starts a story with one sentence. Each student adds a sentence to continue it. This one is great for English classrooms. See who your creative writers are!Silent Line-Up
Line up by birthday (or height, shoe size, etc.)—but no talking allowed! But let’s be real… You know they’re going to talk. For extra fun though, try having them line up by shoe sizes in the standards of another country.Speed Friending
Like speed dating, but students rotate and talk to many classmates with a fun prompt for each round.Stand Up If...
The teacher reads fun statements ("Stand up if you like pizza") and students respond. My personal favorite: “Stand up if you like sitting down!” Followed by: “Stand up if you enjoy a paradox!”Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament
Quick rounds with winners progressing. Adds energy and interaction. Alternatively, you can teach them “Hunter, Ninja, Bear”.The Compliment Game
Students write anonymous compliments or kind notes and drop them in a jar to be read aloud. This one is really good if you’ve got a class that seems predominantly introverted.
And remember, if you need some word searches to keep them occupied, there’s a free pack of 20 Holiday themed ones in the free stuff section.
And if you need a planned out weekly vocabulary set for every week of the school year, just click on the grade level button you want and hit the links there! Each year’s book has word lists, flash cards, sentence challenges, crossword puzzles, word searches, matching tests, and four cumulative 9 weeks tests!