Managing large teams in a virtual environment can feel like herding cats, but icebreakers designed for big groups make it easy to get everyone involved, have fun, and connect. Whether you’re hosting a team meeting, virtual event, or an onboarding session, these icebreakers are perfect for engaging larger teams and breaking the ice in a meaningful way.
Types of Icebreakers for Large Groups
Engaging large teams in virtual meetings can be tricky, but icebreakers designed for big groups help foster an inclusive and energetic atmosphere. Below are various types of icebreakers suited for larger teams, helping to keep everyone involved and building connections.
- Competitive Icebreakers: These activities involve friendly competition, either individually or in teams. Examples include trivia games, virtual tournaments, or fast-paced challenges like scavenger hunts. Competition fosters engagement and encourages participation in larger groups.
- Collaborative Icebreakers: These activities focus on teamwork. Whether it’s a digital puzzle challenge, collaborative storytelling, or creating a virtual mural together, these icebreakers are great for encouraging group interaction.
- Creative Icebreakers: These encourage team members to share more about themselves in fun ways. Examples include meme contests, emoji stories, or virtual talent shows.
- Quick and Easy Icebreakers: Perfect for large groups, these activities are fast and ensure everyone participates. Word clouds, emoji check-ins, and “Would You Rather” questions keep the mood light and engaging.
- Interactive Icebreakers: Using technology to engage participants, these activities often involve breakout rooms or digital tools like whiteboards and polls. They keep the energy high in large teams, with activities like speed networking or virtual escape rooms.
If you’re looking for even quicker options, check out our guide on 5-minute icebreakers for remote teams.
Icebreaker Activities for Large Groups
Managing large teams in a virtual environment doesn’t have to feel chaotic. Icebreakers specifically designed for big groups make it easy to get everyone involved, having fun, and connecting. Whether you’re hosting a meeting, virtual event, or an onboarding session, these icebreakers are ideal for larger teams.
1. Virtual Bingo
Create customized bingo cards with fun traits that apply to team members (e.g., “Has a secret talent for yodeling,” “Has been to more than three continents,” or “Prefers pineapple on pizza”). Call out traits, and team members mark their cards. The first to get bingo wins. This sparks conversation and helps team members discover new things about each other.
2. Team Pictionary
Using a virtual whiteboard tool, split the team into groups. One person from each group draws a random or work-related object like “a unicorn on roller skates” or “the boss juggling three laptops,” while the others guess. Rotate between drawers to keep everyone engaged. It’s a fast-paced game that usually leads to laughter, especially when drawings get a little abstract!
3. Guess the Emoji Phrase
Create a list of phrases or idioms represented only with emojis. Display them on screen, and have team members guess what each one means. You can divide the group into teams, and the group with the most correct guesses wins. Fun examples include “🦁👑” (The Lion King) or “👻🚫” (Ghostbusters). This activity is engaging for visual thinkers and pop culture fans.
4. Speed Networking (Breakout Room Edition)
It can be challenging to engage everyone in larger groups. Set up quick one-on-one or small group sessions in breakout rooms where participants introduce themselves in 30 seconds or share something unique, like “If you could have any superpower, what would it be?” Rotate participants every few minutes so everyone gets a chance to meet several people.
5. Virtual Escape Room Challenge
Set up a virtual escape room and split the group into breakout rooms. Each team works together to solve puzzles like deactivating a digital bomb or escaping a haunted mansion. At the end, teams come back to the main room to celebrate those who “escaped.” It’s ideal for teamwork and problem-solving under time pressure.
6. Collaborative Digital Mural
Using a shared digital canvas, invite everyone to contribute a small drawing, word, or symbol related to a fun theme like “our dream team vacation” or “what motivates us at work.” A collective mural takes shape, representing everyone’s input, making this a creative way to work together visually.
7. Name That Tune (With a Twist)
Play short snippets of songs from various genres, and have team members guess the title or artist. For extra fun, you can choose themes like “TV show theme songs” or “karaoke favorites.” To make it work-related, use jingles associated with brands or movies. This keeps the mood light and fun while encouraging participation.
8. Virtual Costume Contest
A themed costume contest gets the entire group involved. Ask everyone to come dressed according to a fun theme (e.g., superheroes, 80s fashion, or office movie characters like Dwight Schrute from The Office). Vote for the best-dressed team member, and offer a prize to the winner. It’s a lively way to start a meeting with humor.
9. Chain Reaction Questions
Start by asking one team member a work-related or personal question (e.g., “What’s your guilty pleasure TV show?” or “What’s the strangest job you’ve ever had?”). The person then asks a new question to the next team member, continuing until everyone has participated. This ensures that everyone in the group contributes and connects.
10. Virtual Talent Show
Host a virtual talent show where team members can show off a hidden skill, whether it’s singing, playing an instrument, or performing a magic trick. It’s an easy-going way to learn more about each other while having fun. The audience can vote for their favorite talent.
11. Crowdsourced Trivia
Create trivia questions related to your industry, company, or team member fun facts (like “Who won the office Halloween costume contest last year?” or “Who’s visited the most countries?”). Divide the team into groups, and run the trivia through a platform like Kahoot! or Quizizz. Trivia is a fun and interactive way to bring everyone together.
For more activities that strengthen engagement, check out our Ultimate Guide to Virtual Icebreakers.
Creative Icebreakers for a Fun Twist
Sometimes the most memorable icebreakers are those that get everyone laughing. Here are some quirky ideas that can make your meetings truly stand out:
32. Internet Deep Dive Show and Tell
Before the meeting, ask team members to find the weirdest fact, meme, or video online. During the icebreaker, they present their findings and explain why they caught their eye. It’s a great way to bond over random internet treasures and always results in unexpected laughs.
33. Wild Reddit Storytime
Invite team members to share the most outlandish Reddit post or thread they’ve recently seen. Whether it’s a crazy “AITA” (Am I the A**hole?) situation or a wild story from r/relationships, this is a fun way to share internet culture. Just remind everyone to keep it work-appropriate!
34. One-Minute Conspiracy Pitch
Each participant has one minute to invent and pitch a completely bizarre conspiracy theory. Examples: “Pigeons are government drones spying on us” or “The moon is hollow and made of cheese.” This lighthearted icebreaker encourages creativity and usually results in some funny and offbeat theories.
35. Choose Your Apocalypse Team
Ask each team member: “If the world was ending tomorrow, which three coworkers would you choose to be on your survival team, and why?” People can consider survival skills, humor, or creativity when making their picks, which usually leads to some funny explanations.
36. DIY Superpowers
Everyone must invent a bizarre, useless superpower (e.g., “I can turn apples into oranges, but only on Wednesdays” or “I can make people sneeze whenever I clap”). Afterward, the team votes on the most outrageous power.
37. Virtual Dumpster Diving
Give each person 2 minutes to find the strangest or most random object in their home. They must then explain its origins or why they keep it. This is a great way to learn surprising things about your coworkers!
38. Weird Skill Showdown
Instead of showcasing traditional talents, ask everyone to demonstrate their weirdest or most obscure skill (e.g., “I can peel a banana with my feet” or “I can recite the alphabet backward”). Everyone gets a turn, and the team votes on the most entertaining skill.
39. Alien Language Decoding
One person says a common phrase or movie quote in a made-up “alien” language. The rest of the team must guess what they’re saying. Encourage creativity with the alien dialects, and see who can figure it out the fastest.
40. Emoji Life Recap
Ask everyone to summarize their past week using only five emojis. The rest of the team has to guess what each emoji represents. This game allows team members to express themselves in a fun, visual way while prompting others to guess their recent activities.
41. Rebrand the Company
Challenge the team to come up with a totally ridiculous new brand for your company. Give them 3 minutes to create a new name, logo idea, and slogan. For example: “Superglue Games becomes ‘Office Fun Factory,’ with a cat juggling pens as the logo.” This encourages creativity and lots of laughs!
These icebreakers are perfect for large groups, offering plenty of variety and fun. They’ll help keep your virtual meetings fresh, engaging, and full of energy. For more quick activities, check out our 5-minute icebreakers for remote teams.