Icebreaker Questions for Students

Ready-made icebreaker questions for students, for the first day of school, a new semester, a homeroom morning meeting or a college orientation. Teachers can project the card and call on students by name.

How to play Icebreaker Questions for Students

• Choose the decks you want with the chips above the card: First Day of School, Classroom and College & Campus.
• Show the card on a shared screen or hold up a phone and read the question out loud, at the start of class or on the first day of school.
• Add names with Players and the card shows whose turn it is to answer first. Everyone else can answer too, or move straight on.
• Set the timer (10 to 60 seconds) to keep answers short in a big group.
• Press Next question, swipe the card or press Space. Nothing repeats until every question has been shown.

Controls

• Space, Enter or →: next question
• ←: previous question
• Swipe the card on a phone

Tips

• Add your class list with Players so turns go round the room fairly.
• Use the First Day of School deck in week one, then switch to Classroom for morning meetings.
• For college orientation, split into tables of six and give each table its own phone.

Icebreaker questions for students

A sample of the 66 questions on this page.

First Day of School:

• What name do you like to be called?
• What is one thing you are excited about this year?
• What is a fun thing you did over the break?
• What is one thing you hope to learn this year?
• What is the best thing to pack in a lunch?
• Which school supply do you love the most?
• What is one goal you have for this school year?
• What is something you could help classmates with?
• What is one word for how you feel today?
• What would make this the best school year ever?
• What is a book you read recently that you liked?
• What is something new you want to try this year?

Classroom:

• Do you learn best by listening, reading, or doing?
• Which subject makes the time fly by?
• If you could have any class job, which would you pick?
• Where would you like to go on a field trip?
• Do you like to work alone, with a partner, or in a group?
• What is the best part of the school day?
• Would you rather do a science experiment or an art project?
• What is a topic you could teach the class about?
• Where in the room do you like to sit, and why?
• What is your favorite thing to read about?
• What should our class reward be when we reach a goal?
• What is a question you would love to know the answer to?

College & Campus:

• What are you studying, or thinking about studying?
• What is one thing you want to do before the end of this year?
• Which campus club would you join first?
• Where is your favorite place to study on campus?
• Do you study in long sessions or short bursts?
• What is the best dining hall meal so far?
• What is one tip you would give a new student?
• Early classes or late classes?
• What is something you brought to your hall or dorm room that you love?
• What is a class outside your major you would like to take?
• If the campus got a new mascot, what should it be?
• What is one study habit that really works for you?

FAQ

What are good first day of school icebreakers?

Low-pressure questions everyone can answer, such as a favorite subject, something they did over the break or a goal for the year. The First Day of School deck is written for that.

Do these work for high school and college?

Yes. The Classroom deck works from upper elementary to high school, and the College & Campus deck is for orientation, dorm floors and clubs.

How can teachers use this page?

Project it on the board, paste in your class list with Players, set a 30-second timer and press Next. It remembers where you stopped.