{"id":2955,"date":"2026-02-02T13:43:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T20:43:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/?p=2955"},"modified":"2026-03-17T13:07:28","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T19:07:28","slug":"esl-icebreakers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-icebreakers\/","title":{"rendered":"13 Easy ESL Icebreakers to Get Your Students Talking"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div>\n<p>Whether you <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/teaching-online-vs-classroom\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">teach in a physical classroom or a virtual one<\/a>, the first day of English class is crucial for setting the tone for the whole term, so you need to start with a bang. ESL icebreakers help you do that, and they also get students moving and build confidence. However, icebreakers are not just for day one. Throughout the term, English students might come to class tired after a long day, so you want to get them engaged and energetic, and you might need a little creative ice-breaking to do that. Let\u2019s take a look at some of the best ESL icebreakers out there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>If you\u2019re new to teaching, you\u2019ll want to get initial training and qualification with a <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TEFL certificate<\/a>. You can explore our <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/online-tefl-certification\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">online TEFL courses<\/a> to get started!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-ub-table-of-contents-block ub_table-of-contents\" id=\"ub_table-of-contents-fb52e7e9-852d-420e-b46b-6b5ab9c65954\" data-linktodivider=\"false\" data-showtext=\"show\" data-hidetext=\"hide\" data-scrolltype=\"auto\" data-enablesmoothscroll=\"false\" data-initiallyhideonmobile=\"false\" data-initiallyshow=\"true\"><div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-header-container\" style=\"\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-header\" style=\"text-align: left; \">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-title\">Table of Contents<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-extra-container\" style=\"\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-container ub_table-of-contents-1-column \">\n\t\t\t\t<ul style=\"\"><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-icebreakers\/#0-why-are-esl-icebreakers-important-in-the-classroom-\" style=\"\">Why are ESL icebreakers important in the classroom?<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-icebreakers\/#1-what-makes-an-esl-icebreaker-effective-for-students-\" style=\"\">What makes an ESL icebreaker effective for students?<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-icebreakers\/#6-what-esl-icebreakers-work-best-for-in-person-and-online-classes\" style=\"\">What ESL icebreakers work best for in-person and online classes?<\/a><ul><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-icebreakers\/#7-1-would-you-rather%E2%80%A6-\" style=\"\">1. Would You Rather\u2026 ?<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-icebreakers\/#8-2-two-truths-and-a-lie\" style=\"\">2. Two Truths and a Lie<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-icebreakers\/#9-3-positive-negative-crazy\" style=\"\">3. Positive, Negative, Crazy<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-icebreakers\/#10-4-continue-the-story\" style=\"\">4. Continue the Story<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-icebreakers\/#11-5-the-hot-seat\" style=\"\">5. The Hot Seat<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-icebreakers\/#12-6-open-ended-questions\" style=\"\">6. Open-Ended Questions<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-icebreakers\/#13-7-one-beep\" style=\"\">7. One Beep<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-icebreakers\/#14-8-interview-and-introduce\" style=\"\">8. Interview and Introduce<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-icebreakers\/#15-9-balderdash\" style=\"\">9. Balderdash<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-icebreakers\/#16-10-find-someone-who\" style=\"\">10. Find Someone Who<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-icebreakers\/#17-what-are-the-best-esl-icebreakers-for-online-teaching\" style=\"\">What are the best ESL icebreakers for online teaching?<\/a><ul><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-icebreakers\/#18-11-show-and-tell\" style=\"\">11. Show and Tell<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-icebreakers\/#19-12-scavenger-hunt\" style=\"\">12. Scavenger Hunt<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-icebreakers\/#20-13-roll-the-die\" style=\"\">13. Roll the Die<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"0-why-are-esl-icebreakers-important-in-the-classroom-\"><b>Why are ESL icebreakers important in the classroom?<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>First, let\u2019s talk about how ESL icebreakers benefit many classroom situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wcb-button cb-common check-button\">\n<li>Teachers often use them on the first day of class to get students comfortable with one another and to establish a relationship between the teacher and the students.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ESL icebreakers also build confidence and trust, and they allow students to see the classroom as a safe space for practicing English, asking questions, and even making mistakes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Icebreakers are a lot of fun, and teachers can also use them to give students a break from more structured class activities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Teachers can implement them at the beginning of class or anytime during the lesson to boost energy levels and recapture students\u2019 attention.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you find you have a few extra minutes, icebreakers can also fill the time in a good, productive way.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Teachers can use ESL icebreakers to create routine and build rapport, which helps students take more risks with speaking. Teachers can also adapt most icebreakers to online classes, so the activity stays useful across teaching contexts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-games-activities-kids-young-learners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Need more ideas? Get game and activity suggestions for your kids and teens in the online classroom.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-what-makes-an-esl-icebreaker-effective-for-students-\"><b>What makes an ESL icebreaker effective for students?<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-it%E2%80%99s-fun\">It\u2019s fun!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A good ESL icebreaker is, first and foremost, fun, which means it should appeal to your students. One of the main ideas behind icebreakers is that they get students out of their shells and make them more comfortable with speaking in class, so you need to use an icebreaker that interests them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/tefl-speaking-activities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Check out these fun ESL speaking activities to get students talking in no time.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-it%E2%80%99s-level-appropriate\">It\u2019s level-appropriate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure you choose a level-appropriate icebreaker, and make sure you do not go overboard as you push students to share more, because you can make them uncomfortable by asking them to share too much or things that are too personal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4-the-rules-are-simple\">The rules are simple<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, ESL icebreakers that have only a few rules are typically easier for English learners to understand, and they ensure that you spend less time going over instructions and more time conducting the activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"5-it%E2%80%99s-easy-to-prepare\">It\u2019s easy to prepare<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, a really good icebreaker does not require too much preparation or additional materials, and it focuses instead on oral participation and fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-games-teaching-online\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Is your time short? Try these low-prep ESL activities are great for teaching online.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"\"><div class=\"content-advertisements template1\"><div class=\"thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/online-tefl-certification\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" \"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/TEFL-Courses-1.png\" class=\"\"><\/a><\/div><div class=\"txt\"><h5>Begin your ELT journey or take the next step in your career with<\/h5><h3>Accredited Online TEFL\/TESOL Certification<\/h3><p><\/p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/online-tefl-certification\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"btn-ads\">Explore Courses<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"6-what-esl-icebreakers-work-best-for-in-person-and-online-classes\">What ESL icebreakers work best for in-person and online classes?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Each of the following icebreakers requires little to no preparation, is easy to explain, and adapts well to all levels and ages. These activities <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/what-is-ttt-when-teaching-english\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reduce teacher talking time<\/a>, encourage student talking time, and encourage students to become more comfortable with speaking up in class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Teachers can use these ESL icebreakers as warm-ups, mid-lesson energizers, or quick speaking practice when a lesson needs a reset. Teachers can also adjust timing, grouping, and prompts to make the same activity work for beginners, teens, or adult learners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized alignnone wp-image-11128\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1190\" height=\"592\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Icebreakers-img1-1190x592.jpg\" alt=\"A teacher using a Bridge icebreaker with his groupf of young adults.\" class=\"wp-image-41465\" style=\"width:600px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Icebreakers-img1-1190x592.jpg 1190w, https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Icebreakers-img1-980x488.jpg 980w, https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Icebreakers-img1-480x239.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1190px, 100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>A teacher plays ESL icebreaker games from the <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\/specialized\/teaching-english-to-young-learners\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bridge Teaching English to Teenagers TEFL\/TESOL course<\/a><\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"7-1-would-you-rather%E2%80%A6-\">1. Would You Rather\u2026 ?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In this game, students think about two scenarios and choose the one they would rather do. The \u201cWould you rather\u2026 ?\u201d questions (a variety of which you can find online) can range from goofy to serious, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wcb-button cb-common arrow-alt-button\">\n<li>Would you rather be poor and happy or rich and unhappy?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Would you rather have a missing finger or an extra toe?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Would you rather find your soulmate or find a billion dollars (and never find your soulmate)?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Would you rather eat your favorite meal for every meal for the rest of your life or never be able to eat your favorite meal again?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Would you rather speak all languages fluently or be able to speak to animals?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Would you rather lose your wallet or lose your keys?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You can play this as a whole class, or you can put students in groups and give them a stack of cards with questions, and they take turns asking each other. Either way, you can follow up by asking \u201cWhy or why not?\u201d and you can spark some fun discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wcb-button cb-common idea-button\">\n<li><b>How to adapt this activity to the virtual classroom:<\/b> You can simply ask your student(s) the questions, or you can keep your own stack of cards in front of you and draw a card for each student, reading it aloud to the class. Alternatively, you can have student(s) write down their own questions before class and come prepared to ask you or their classmates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"8-2-two-truths-and-a-lie\">2. Two Truths and a Lie<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This can work as a good ESL icebreaker for the very first class, or it can work as a warm-up later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One student thinks of three statements about themselves that they will share with the class. Two are true, and one is a lie. For example, the student may say something like, \u201cI have five dogs, I\u2019ve lived in three countries, and I\u2019m a ballet dancer.\u201d Then, the other students must guess which statement is a lie, and they can explain why they think so if they can. At the end, the student will reveal whether the others guessed correctly or incorrectly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you use this on the first day, the teacher can start by demonstrating the game as a good getting-to-know-the-teacher activity!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wcb-button cb-common idea-button\">\n<li><b>How to adapt this activity to the virtual classroom: <\/b>Teachers can easily play this game in a virtual setting by having everyone take turns making statements. Students can either raise their hand when they want to guess which statement is the lie, or they can type their guess into the chat box.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-warm-up-activities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Check out these ESL warm-ups for students of all ages<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"9-3-positive-negative-crazy\">3. Positive, Negative, Crazy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Write a discussion topic on the board (for example, food, pets, social media, or dating), and then start passing a ball or \u201chot potato\u201d from student to student. As students pass the hot potato around, they must stop when they hear you say the words positive, negative, or crazy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you say, \u201cpositive,\u201d the student holding the potato must stop and make a positive statement about the topic. For example, if the topic is food, their statement might be \u201cMy favorite restaurant is Ichiban Sushi.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you say \u201cnegative,\u201d the student must make a negative statement about the topic, e.g., \u201cI\u2019ve never eaten Chinese food!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And, if you say, \u201ccrazy,\u201d the student can create any sentence they like, such as, \u201cOne time I ate a whole pizza myself!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wcb-button cb-common idea-button\">\n<li><b>How to adapt this activity to the virtual classroom: <\/b>Instead of passing around a ball, you can assign each student a number and then roll a die (either physical or virtual) to see who has to make the next statement. I.e., if the die lands on six, then the student assigned to the number six has to make a positive, negative, or crazy statement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/tefl-discussion-questions-adults\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Strike up a conversation with these TEFL\/TESOL discussion questions for adults.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"406\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Rachel-Cordova-teaching-online.jpg\" alt=\"online English teacher\" class=\"wp-image-42022\" style=\"width:600px;height:405px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Rachel-Cordova-teaching-online.jpg 600w, https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Rachel-Cordova-teaching-online-480x325.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 600px, 100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> EFL teacher Rachel Cordova offers positive feedback to students online.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"10-4-continue-the-story\">4. Continue the Story<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In this creative game, first think of several half-sentences and write each one on the top of its own piece of paper. Write the half-sentences so that students can easily finish them to start a story, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wcb-button cb-common arrow-alt-button\">\n<li>As soon as I woke up\u2026<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ana was walking to school when suddenly\u2026<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The teacher came into class with a\u2026<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Alternatively, put these examples on the board and then have students each think of a half-sentence and write it on a piece of paper. Then, collect the papers and mix them up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Students will then work in groups (or you can do this as a whole class). A group receives a paper with a half-sentence at the top, and the first person in the group must read the half-sentence out loud, then finish it with whatever they like to continue the story (they will write it down and say it aloud). Next, the student passes the paper to his or her right and writes another sentence to continue the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When everyone has had a chance to contribute to the story, a representative of each group can read the completed story to the class. Not only can the stories be very funny, but this icebreaker also gets students used to being more spontaneous with English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wcb-button cb-common idea-button\">\n<li><b>How to adapt this activity to the virtual classroom: <\/b>Skip the paper and simply tell the student(s) the half-sentence they\u2019ll be working with. Alternatively, have students prepare a half-sentence before class and then assign the prompts to one another. You could also have them email the sentences to you prior to class, and you could assign them to the other students in class.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/storytelling-for-young-learners-in-esl-classroom\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learn about the importance of storytelling in the ESL classroom for young learners.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"11-5-the-hot-seat\">5. The Hot Seat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This ESL icebreaker is a fun vocabulary guessing game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Put a chair at the front of the room with its back facing the board, and make it the hot seat, and have a student volunteer sit there. Then, write a word on the board (for beginners, tell them the category or theme of words, such as jobs or food \u2013 ideally, vocabulary they are already studying). Then, the other students try to prompt the hot-seater into guessing what the word is by describing it without saying the actual word (and they can have fun with famous people, too!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, if you tell your beginner class that the category is fruit and you write pineapple on the board, the students can say things like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wcb-button cb-common arrow-alt-button\">\n<li>It\u2019s a big fruit.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It grows in tropical places.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It\u2019s yellow inside.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It has spines.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>With guessing games like this one, students are really enthusiastic about trying to get their peers to guess correctly and win the game. The desire to guess takes over, and formerly reserved students forget that they were ever afraid to speak up in English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wcb-button cb-common idea-button\">\n<li><b>How to adapt this activity to the virtual classroom: <\/b>Choose a student to be the guesser (in the \u201cvirtual\u201d hot seat). Then, have the student close their eyes as you hold a whiteboard up to the camera with the word written on it. Once the other students have seen the word, hide the whiteboard and have students take turns describing the word to the student who is guessing. Alternatively, if your online software allows it, you can type the word and send it via chatbox to the students who aren\u2019t guessing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-vocabulary-games\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Get even more ESL vocabulary games for teaching online and in-person.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"12-6-open-ended-questions\">6. Open-Ended Questions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Have students each write down an open-ended question on a piece of paper. The questions could be something like \u201cWhat is your favorite holiday?\u201d or \u201cWhat kind of movies do you like?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Students then either fold their papers or crumple them up into balls and drop them in a box as you pass it around. Then, go around the room and have students take turns drawing a paper from the box and answering the question. (Just be sure that students answer questions from their classmates, returning their own papers if they accidentally draw them.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ask follow-up questions if time allows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can easily tweak this activity for smaller classrooms with fewer students by having them each write three questions that have to be answered. You can also impose a speaking time limit, so students know how long they need to talk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wcb-button cb-common idea-button\">\n<li><b>How to adapt this activity to the virtual classroom: <\/b>Have students come to class prepared with one or two open-ended questions. Students can take turns asking their classmates their questions, or you can ask the students to submit their questions to you ahead of class, and you can ask the questions yourself.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter is-resized alignnone wp-image-6721\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/BFITS2.jpg\" alt=\"BFITS Thailand teacher with class\" class=\"wp-image-6721\" style=\"width:601px;height:337px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/BFITS2.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/BFITS2-980x552.jpg 980w, https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/BFITS2-480x270.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1000px, 100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>An English teacher works with BFITS, Thailand<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"13-7-one-beep\">7. One Beep<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a very simple ESL icebreaker that works well for any age and is a great way to practice English numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Traditionally, students alternate between saying a number and the word \u201cbeep\u201d as they go around the room counting. For example, the first student would say, \u201cone,\u201d the second would say, \u201cbeep,\u201d the third would say, \u201cthree,\u201d the fourth would say, \u201cbeep,\u201d and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, you can make this game as complex as you want, such as choosing to insert \u201cbeep\u201d for odd or even numbers, on numbers divisible by three, etc. You can also bring it to the next level by creating other sounds or words that students have to say for certain numbers. For example, every number divisible by three must be replaced by \u201cbeep,\u201d and every odd number must be replaced by \u201cboop.\u201d For numbers that fall into both categories, students must say both (\u201cbeep boop\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Be creative and establish the rules based on your students\u2019 level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wcb-button cb-common idea-button\">\n<li><b>How to adapt this activity to the virtual classroom: <\/b>If you play in the virtual classroom, you should probably do this game with just one student, because the game is supposed to be fast-paced, and it might lag online if you have multiple students. The teacher and student can take turns saying the numbers and sounds with one another.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><i><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/pop-culture-esl-classroom\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Need more creative TEFL\/TESOL activities? Here&#8217;s how to use pop culture to teach English.<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"14-8-interview-and-introduce\">8. Interview and Introduce<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is an easy ESL icebreaker that you can incorporate on the first day of class (or later on if you feel students could get to know one another better). This activity offers one big benefit: it removes the pressure of students introducing themselves at the start of class, which can sometimes cause stress for new students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Simply break students into pairs and have them interview one another. To help students get started, give them a list of things to find out about their partner, such as where they\u2019re from, how many siblings they have, or what their summer plans are for the upcoming year. Then, students will introduce their partners to the rest of the class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wcb-button cb-common idea-button\">\n<li><b>How to adapt this activity to the virtual classroom: <\/b>Instead of breaking students up into groups, you can take turns interviewing students yourself. If your classroom platform supports a public discussion forum, you can also assign students a partner and have them complete the interview for homework by using the forum or simply emailing one another the interview questions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"15-9-balderdash\">9. Balderdash<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This ESL activity is based on the game of the same name, and it works well for older and more advanced students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Introduce a strange word that you\u2019re sure they\u2019ve never heard before (ask them to be sure that no one knows it, and make sure nobody looks it up!). Have each student write down a definition that they believe fits the word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Collect all of the definitions and insert your own \u2013 the correct one \u2013 into the mix. Read the definitions and have students vote on which they believe to be the correct one. Give points to students who guess correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\/specialized\/teaching-english-to-young-learners\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">teaching young learners<\/a>, you can use this same idea to teach new, level-appropriate vocabulary or even to review past words that you\u2019ve taught them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wcb-button cb-common idea-button\">\n<li><b>How to adapt this activity to the virtual classroom: <\/b>Have students submit their definitions privately to you via chatbox (i.e., don\u2019t let the other students see who sent which definition). Then, read the definitions (adding in yours) randomly. Have students vote on the one they think is correct.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"16-10-find-someone-who\">10. Find Someone Who<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This activity gets students up and moving around and asking their classmates questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Create a list of traits, such as someone who has a birthday in July, someone who owns a cat, someone who has traveled abroad, etc. Then, have the students mingle with one another to find someone who fits each category. Students can write down the names of their classmates next to each trait to keep track of who fits which one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you add the rule that students can only use someone\u2019s name for one category\/trait, you will ensure that they speak with each of their classmates instead of simply talking to the one person who meets all the requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wcb-button cb-common idea-button\">\n<li><b>How to adapt this activity to the virtual classroom: <\/b>Assign the task as homework and have students use a public discussion forum to ask each other questions and find out which of their classmates fit each trait. Students can share their findings in class.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\/micro\/teaching-online-games-adults\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Need help to engage your older ESL students? Take Bridge&#8217;s Micro-credential course, Games and Activities for the Online Classroom (Adults), and have fun while learning.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"\"><div class=\"content-advertisements template4\"><div class=\"thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/ebooks-21st-century-skills\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" \"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/ebook-Teaching-21st-Century-Skills-in-the-ESL-EFL-Classroom-1.png\" class=\"\"><\/a><\/div><div class=\"txt\"><h5>Make transferable skills a part of every ESL lesson with the free<\/h5><h3>Guide to Teaching 21st-Century Skills in the ESL\/EFL Classroom<\/h3><p><\/p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/ebooks-21st-century-skills\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"btn-ads\">download<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"17-what-are-the-best-esl-icebreakers-for-online-teaching\">What are the best ESL icebreakers for online teaching?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"18-11-show-and-tell\">11. Show and Tell<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ask your student(s) to bring a meaningful object to class and share the story behind it with you and\/or their classmates. If your student is a beginner, you can have the student describe the object instead. E.g., \u201cIt is purple. It is big.\u201d If you only have one student, consider asking the student to bring in two or three objects total.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To get students comfortable with speaking and sharing, demonstrate the activity with an object of your own first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/use-realia-esl-classroom\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Want to bring real-life into the classroom? Get more ideas for using realia with your students.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized alignnone wp-image-11129\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1190\" height=\"662\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Icebreakers-Img4-1190x662.jpg\" alt=\"Teacher using an icebreaker to teach an online class.\" class=\"wp-image-41468\" style=\"width:750px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Icebreakers-Img4-1190x662.jpg 1190w, https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Icebreakers-Img4-980x545.jpg 980w, https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Icebreakers-Img4-480x267.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1190px, 100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>&#8220;Describe a Toy&#8221; online activity from the Bridge Micro-credential course: <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\/micro\/teaching-online-games-young-learners\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Games and Activities for Teaching Young Learners<\/a><\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"19-12-scavenger-hunt\">12. Scavenger Hunt<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This activity works in both the physical and virtual classrooms, and it gets students up and moving, which is sometimes hard to achieve in an online classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Provide students with a short list (3-5 items) of types of objects they need to find. E.g., something purple, something cold, something that starts with the letter B, something that makes you happy, something that was a gift, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can then see who can collect the objects from around their house or the classroom the fastest. Have students take turns sharing what items they found. If you\u2019re teaching just one student, set a timer for five minutes (or whatever time you choose) and see if the student can collect all of the required items before time runs out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This activity is well-suited to younger students, and it helps energize everyone at the start of class (or awaken everyone if the class starts to get a bit sleepy).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-games-for-adults\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Looking for some online ideas? Try these adult ESL games and activities for the online classroom.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"20-13-roll-the-die\">13. Roll the Die<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a great icebreaker activity, but teachers can also use it to <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-pronunciation-games\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">practice pronunciation<\/a> or review a group of vocabulary words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before class, you need to create a special die for this icebreaker. You can repurpose a large plush die from a craft store, use a small, square-shaped cardboard box, or get creative here. Print off images that represent a certain action you want students to take, such as saying a word three times, saying it fast, saying it slowly, saying it loudly, whispering it, saying it in a low voice, saying it angrily, etc. For example, a picture of an angry emoji could represent saying the word in an angry voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cut the images out and glue or tape them to each side of your cube. You now have your die!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In class, have your student(s) say a word or set of words that you choose. Roll the die and direct them to follow the instructions shown. This is a fun and silly way to get students out of their shells while helping them practice their English-speaking skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Teachers can use online ESL icebreakers to reduce camera shyness and build interaction from the first minutes of class. Teachers can also reuse these activities across a course by swapping prompts, themes, or language targets to keep speaking practice fresh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"21-why-are-esl-icebreakers-useful-in-any-tefltesol-classroom-\"><b><strong>Why are ESL icebreakers useful in any TEFL\/TESOL classroom?<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>ESL icebreakers are a great way to boost students\u2019 energy, get them excited about the class, and build an atmosphere that makes them feel comfortable. Many icebreakers are also adaptable, and teachers can use them in both physical and online classes. While there are tons of icebreakers out there, the best ones are fun and engaging, promote speaking in English, and foster confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Icebreakers help teachers create engaged, communicative classrooms where students feel confident speaking English from the start. Teachers can use icebreakers to boost energy, lower anxiety, and increase student talk time in both in-person and online classes. When teachers choose level-appropriate, low-prep activities, ESL icebreakers become practical tools that support language development, classroom rapport, and consistent learner participation throughout a course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"22-boost-your-teaching-and-earn-what-you-need-to-succeed-today-quickly-and-with-purpose-by-taking-one-or-some-of-bridge%E2%80%99s-micro-credentials-\"><em>Boost your teaching<em> and earn what you need<\/em> to succeed today,  quickly and with purpose, by taking one (or some) of <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\/micro\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bridge\u2019s Micro-credentials<\/a>.<\/em><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Whether starting the first day with a bang or re-energizing students throughout the term, ESL icebreakers get students moving, build confidence, and set the tone for the class. We share how to effectively use these ESL icebreakers in your class. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":41470,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,10],"tags":[645,615,649,302,350,354],"post-language":[685],"popular_posts":[],"class_list":["post-2955","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-classroom-games-activities","category-pedagogy","tag-elt-games","tag-free-resources","tag-icebreakers-and-fillers","tag-teaching-adults","tag-teaching-teens","tag-teaching-young-learners","post-language-english"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Icebreakers-Featured-Image.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Camille Turner","author_link":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/author\/camille-turner\/"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2955","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2955"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2955\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42025,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2955\/revisions\/42025"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41470"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2955"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2955"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2955"},{"taxonomy":"post-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-language?post=2955"},{"taxonomy":"popular_posts","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/popular_posts?post=2955"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}