Name and a gesture
Stand in a circle. Say your name and do a move, like a jump or a wave: “I’m Leo!” Everyone says “Hello, Leo!” and copies the move.
Ice breakers
ESL ice breakers and warm-ups for the first lesson, a new group or a Monday morning.
For the first lesson, a new group, or a Monday morning. Get everyone talking in English within five minutes.
376 cards
Two truths and a lie
Write three sentences about yourself. The class guesses which one is the lie.
Name chain
Say your name and a food with the same first letter: “I'm Daniel and I like doughnuts.”
Would you rather…?
Would you rather live by the sea or in the mountains? Why?
The story of my name
In pairs, tell the story of your name: “My grandmother chose it. It means ‘light’.” Do you like your name? Would you choose a different one?
Desert island
You can take three things to an island. What do you take, and why?
Idioms about me
Choose an idiom from the board that sums you up: a night owl, a couch potato, a social butterfly, a bookworm, an early bird. Explain with a real example. Does your partner agree?
Explain it to a child
Explain your job, studies or hobby so that a seven-year-old would understand it. The class plays the child and keeps asking “But why?”
Mock-heroic introductions
Introduce your partner in the grandest epic style you can muster: “Behold Tom, vanquisher of the 7.15 to Reading, keeper of the office kettle!” Then they return the favour.
Stand up if…
The teacher says “Stand up if you like ice cream!” Children who like it stand up, then sit down. Then children take turns to say a new “Stand up if…”
Colour corners
Give each corner a colour: red, blue, green, yellow. Say “Go to your favourite colour!” In the corner, children say “I like blue!” Then play with fruit or animals.
Catch and ask
Make a soft paper ball. Throw it gently to a child and ask “What’s your name?” They answer, throw it to a new friend and ask “How old are you?” or “What’s your favourite animal?”
Name echo
Children say their name in a funny voice: big, small, happy or sleepy. The class echoes it in the same voice: “Mia!” “Mia!”
Clap your name
Say your name and clap each part: “Ol-i-ver” is three claps. The class says it and claps it back. Who has the longest name?
My hand
Draw round your hand on paper. On each finger, draw or write one thing about you: name, age, colour, food, animal. Show a friend: “I’m seven. I like pasta.”
Draw your family
Draw your family on paper, with pets too! Show a partner: “This is my mum. This is my brother. He is five.”
My dream pet
Draw a funny pet you want. Show the class: “This is my pet. It’s a pink dog. Its name is Fluffy. It can fly!”
Guess my animal
One child acts their favourite animal with no words. The class guesses: “Are you a cat?” “No, I’m not!” “Are you a frog?” “Yes, I am!”
Colour twins
Walk and ask: “What’s your favourite colour?” Find a friend with the same colour and hold hands. Find more! How many colour teams do we have?
Yummy or yucky?
The teacher says a food: “Carrots!” Children rub their tummy and say “Yummy!” or make a face and say “Yucky!” Then children say a food for the class.
Freeze and answer
Children walk or dance while the teacher claps. When the clapping stops, everyone freezes. The teacher asks one frozen child a question: “What’s your favourite colour?”
Name picture
Write your name big on paper. Draw things you like all around it. Show a friend: “I like football and cats and rainbows.”
Three-line drawing
A child draws their favourite thing on the board with only three lines. The class guesses: “Is it a banana?” “Is it the sun?”
Fruit salad
Children sit in a circle. Each child is an apple, a banana or an orange. The teacher says “Bananas!” and all the bananas change seats. “Fruit salad!” means everyone changes.
About these ice breakers
376 ESL ice breakers and warm-up activities, Kids to C2. For the first lesson, a new group, or a Monday morning. Get everyone talking in English within five minutes. Pick a level, search the cards, or open one (or a whole level) in present mode for the projector.