40+ Mixers & Ice Breaker Games That Your Students Will Love

I have spent so much time working with high schoolers and middle schoolers over the years. I’ve been a camp counselor, a school counselor, a Young Life leader, and a church small group leader… not to mention just a fun person who likes playing games (ha!). Through all of these, I’ve kept an ongoing list of mixer and ice breaker games I’ve collected, made up, and made work for me and my groups… and I’d encourage you to do the same.

ICE BREAKER GAMES

My “Games, Mixers, and Ice Breakers Pack” has more than 40 games included. I’ve played ALL of them before. I’ve tweaked things to make them work better for me in different settings, with different amounts of students, or with limited materials. This is my compilation of games from years of working with middle and high school students. Some games require random materials that are not included in this PDF, but they are divided up to clearly show you which need additional materials and which require NO additional materials. These games can be used with elementary, middle, or high school students or even faculty!

Ice breaker games promote team building in the classroom as well as in small group settings. Games are a great way to foster relationships between students while also just getting the students up and moving. My ice breaker games pack is suitable to be facilitated by high school counselors, middle school counselors, or teachers to use at school or in the classroom.

1- When should I use ice breaker games?

Ice breaker games are especially helpful on those first days of a new school year. Whether it’s the actual first day or the first week of school, we are all working to start building relational capital with our students as quickly as possible. Games are also a great way to get rid of some of those first-day jitters. So if you’re like me and feel a little skittish about googling a game (wondering if it will fall flat and having nothing else in your back pocket to revive the awkward situation), be sure to check out this PDF printable full of ideas.

2- How do I bring ice breaker games into the classroom?

Whether you share this resource with your teachers or personally running a classroom lesson with students, ice breaker games can be a great way to kick off a lesson. When students are feeling skeptical when they see you enter the room, give them a reason to move, smile, and laugh.

A quick preview of one of my favorite mixers that I made up and is SUCH a crowd favorite with students and included in this resource: Each player wears a party hat and holds a rolled-up sheet of computer paper. The object is to hit players’ party hats off their heads. Everyone runs around in chaos to be the last one standing. Does this promote social emotional learning skills? It doesn’t seem so outwardly. It get students laughing and excited, which, in turn, builds trust with you and begins to break down walls. I’d call that a win!

If students do a great job with a lesson you’ve prepared, you can have some ice breaker games and mixers in your back pocket. Teach until the bell rings! Trust me when I say this resource is inexhaustible!

3- Where else can I use ice breaker games?

The games in my TpT store lend themselves to multiple settings. Some work well for really large groups, while others are more tailored for intimate settings. Try using a game to kick off a counseling small group. And who is to say that this resource is limited to students? These can also be repurposed in a faculty meeting (adults like to have fun, too!).

If you like this resource, check out my smaller ice breaker pack or my Career Snowball Ice Breaker to pair with a career-related activity with your students. My Social Skills Building Blocks Game always gets students warmed up, and the School Counseling Department Ice Breaker is great to use with your school counseling team at the beginning of the year!

ICE BREAKER GAMES

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