10 Fun Online Icebreaker Games for Remote Employees

It’s been a good two years since the pandemic began. Many companies have undergone a complete transition to remote work during this time, and some have actively adapted hybrid options for visiting the office. Onboarding new employees in this current working environment demands fresh approaches for new hire adaptation.

A traditional way to introduce new employees to their team was good old team building. But with post-pandemic working conditions, good old-fashioned team building just isn’t what it used to be.

In this blog, we’re going to take a look at ten virtual ice breaker games that will help remote teams get to know each other better at a virtual team building event.

Top Icebreaker Games Online

The word “icebreaker” could rise a round of eye rolls and groans. Unfortunately, icebreaker games have gained a negative reputation because:

• They tend to be forced
• They don’t fit all personality types
• They can make people uncomfortable

However, when choosing the right activity, it doesn’t be the case. While organizing online events, online icebreaker games can help you spark a lively conversation and make anyone engaged. Below we share top fun online ice breaker games for your online party.

Virtual team building and ice breaker ideas to ignite your online party

1. Two truths and one lie
2. Mood barometer
3. Take a picture
4. What is the last picture?
5. Team photo
6. Quiz question of the day
7. Childhood dream
8. Draw your mood
9. Time machine
10. Mocktail icebreaker

Top Online Get to Know You Games

Basically, all the icebreakers are considered games to get to know each other online and offline. But there are some of them that could be named as the kings of online get to know you games, like 2 truths and a lie, Chidlhood dream, and a Mocktail icebreaker.

1. Two Truths and One Lie

Two Truths and One Lie is the most popular icebreaking game out there. Party.Space’s clients love to use this game at virtual parties online and during informal offline meetings.

How to Play 2 Truths and A Lie Virtually?

• Ask participants to write three statements, two of which are true and one is a lie.
• The first teammate then shares their statements.
• The other participants take turns guessing which is true while singling out the lie.

You can count points and reward those who guess correctly.

2. Childhood dream

This icebreaker is useful if you want your meeting to be more philosophical.

Ask participants to write down their childhood dream. During the discussion, everyone needs to compare their childhood dreams with the ones they currently have.

It’s good to discuss how our desires and goals change throughout life. Quite often, it is this game that brings out the best aspects of each other’s character. However, at times it can also worsen the moods of individual participants – not everyone likes to remember their childhood.

3. Mocktail icebreaker before meeting

This is one of the best online ice breaking games to get attendees excited about enjoying a delicious non-alcoholic cocktail.

You can teach your teammates how to make one or two new drinks. To do so, you need to send all the required ingredients to participants’ homes in advance.

There are many types of non-alcoholic drinks: lemonade, kombucha, cocktails, etc. In addition, you can choose drinks that correspond to the season, region, or product that your company deals with.

Each participant learns how to prepare a cocktail according to the recipe you provide and will enjoy tasting it. This is a great way to make a virtual cocktail team building party.

Virtual Ice Breaker Games for Work

The following list of icebreakers for virtual meetings can be used in teams of all sizes. They are scalable, flexible, and fairly low effort to organize and play. Whether you want to organize them for the whole company, or a smaller team, these virtual ice breaker games for work can fit any personality type and kick off a lively discussion.

Playing an ice breaker game online allows for bonding the team and having a fun time together. While a team actually becomes the team when they know each other and have awesome social time together. From quick virtual icebreakers to longer icebreaker online games – you can play any type of ice breaking games online with Party.Space!

4. Mood barometer

The typical “How are you?” type of small talk is not the best way to start an engaging conversation.

Instead, try letting your teammates rate their mood using a scale from 1 to 10. For example: “How do you feel today on a scale of 1 to 10” or “What is your energy level today?”.

After every participant has answered, you can directly determine the general mood of the group, which means you’ll have a better idea of how to continue the meeting.

5. Take a picture

This networking icebreaker game is best used when people first arrive at your virtual party, because it’s very facile:

• Ask participants to take a picture of a particular topic. It can be anything: objects on the table, the view outside their window, a desktop screenshot, and so on. A new popular trend is to photograph your socks during a virtual party.
• Give your group five minutes to take photos.
• Рost them for all participants to see.
• Let your teammates comment on their photos and then discuss the pictures you see.

You can use this icebreaker as a weekly challenge for your virtual coffee breaks. That way the themes and topics have a good chance of being completely different.

6. What is the last picture?

Like the previous challenge, this ice breaker online game is pure fun. Ask participants to pick up their phones and show the last photo they took. Images can be sent to the general chat or shown on their webcam. Have participants briefly describe the story behind their pictures.

This virtual activity is an excellent icebreaker that will encourage people to talk and get to know each other better.

7. Team photo

This icebreaker should complement every list of must-have virtual activities for your virtual party. People like to take group photos, both virtually and at meetings. Attendees can make this activity more interesting by making faces, bringing pets, taking exciting poses, and making funny gestures. Be creative.

You can use this icebreaker regularly. These types of photos are helpful content for your work chat and social networks.

8. Quiz question of the day

Everyone loves quizzes. Start your meeting with this icebreaker to get people emotionally charged and attentive.

At the beginning of your virtual meeting, ask participants an exciting question and give them some time to prepare a response. Discuss the answers. 

If you meet regularly, you can make this virtual icebreaker traditional.  And in case you’re having trouble with where to get good questions, read this blog.

9. Draw your mood

Instead of asking your co-workers how they feel and avoiding bland phrases, ask them to draw their current mood. All you need is your imagination, a pencil, a piece of paper.

Give your teammates five minutes to complete the picture. Then, look at each participant’s drawings and discuss their pictures in your group. This is a fun activity that effectively arouses your team’s creativity.

10. Time machine

This virtual training activity is a helpful icebreaker that develops creativity.

Ask participants if they had a time machine – where would they go in the past? Why? Who would they like to meet? What to change?

You can ask the same questions when assuming your teammates went to the future.

Give participants some time to think and prepare their answers. Then, ask them to share what they came up with.

Virtual meeting icebreakers to spark discussions

We hope you will include at least one of the ice breaker virtual team building activities mentioned above while organizing your next online meeting. Analyze your team’s needs, preferences, and personality types to choose what fun icebreaker games to play online at your next virtual meeting.