Kindergarten Get To Know You Activities

Fun Facts With Toilet Paper

What You Will Need: Just a roll of toilet paper and good attitude

Set Up: Everyone sits in a circe, and you pass around the toilet paper roll between the kids. Asking them to each take 1 to 5 squares, but dont tell them why just yet!

As the paper gets passed around and each kid takes a different amount, jokes starts rolling in

How to play: After everyone has their pieces of paper. Announce that each kid needs to share a fan fact about themselves based on the number of pieces they got. If you got only 1, just share one fact, if you have 5, you need to come up with 5.

This is a great ice breaker game to get the kids to share more about them in class.

What Is An Icebreaker

If youre not familiar with the idea of getting to know you icebreakers, maybe its simply because you havent used that term before.

Icebreakers are activities that are fun and built around loosening students up, helping them break the ice so to speak with you and other classmates who they might not know very well.

Maybe youve done your own fair share of icebreaker activities in staff meetings or during an orientation, but they were called openers or challenges that just so happened to kick things off? Then you know they can help give people something to talk about and help them quickly build up a rapport.

Best of all weve got plenty of fun icebreaker games and activities for kids from pre-school on up to middle school!

See our favorite teacher-created first day of school resources!

Who Stole The Cookies From The Cookie Jar

What You Will Need: A group of mixed aged kids and a plastic cookie jar or container.

Set Up: Gather everyone in a group close together. The adult should start by holding the cookie jar.

How to Play: The group starts singing Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar? The leader states and hands the cookie jar to the person named while everyone chimes in singing stole the cookies from the cookie jar. The child holding the cookie jar sings, Who me? The others sing, Yes, you! The child with the cookie jar says, Couldnt be! The others then sing, Then who? At that time the child holding the cookie jar passes it to another child and the song begins again with that childs name.

The game continues until everyones name is used. The kids love using the adults names too, so be sure and participate in this game.

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Get To Know You Games

Here is an extensive list of get to know you games for kids. These games will help break the ice for the group and get them interacting and participating. These games and activities will help the kids feel included in the program or activities.

An Introduction to this category: The following are Games and Activities that encourage cooperation show a fun way of looking at life help stay in touch with feelings explore ways of dealing with outside influences and increase trust and sense of kindness.

Community builders will get your children to feel more like they are part of your program or classroom community by interacting with each other They help children get to know each other and themselves!

NOTE: As with many social activities in school-age programs and classrooms, the activities should be open to children who choose to participateIT SHOULD NEVER BE MANDATORY. Some ideas are simple and some will take planning.

Where In The World

Ask students, If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Have each student write their name and three clues about their chosen destination on an index card, but not the name of the place. Collect all the cards, then one by one read the clues to the class. Allow three people to make a guess. If no one guesses correctly, have the person who wrote the card reveal the destination. Once the destination is revealed, have the student explain why that is where they would want to go.

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Getting To Know You Seat Assignments

Instead of making permanent seat assignments, try varying the seating each week. Code each desk with a number sticker, then make cards with the same number and place them inside a container. Every Monday, have each student pick a number from the stack as they arrive. Guide the child to his or her seat based on this number.

Once everyone is seated, do an introduction activity, like a song or chant from the desks, where everyone says their name. This weekly arrangement encourages kids to meet new friends, and work and play cooperatively.

Classroom Icebreakers For Students

Breaking the Ice / Introduction Games

Breaking the ice is useful for the beginning of a class period or toward the beginning of a semester when students dont know each other well! Introduction and breaking-the-Ice games can dramatically transform the dynamics of your classroom, making it easier for students to share their opinions or to get along with other classmates. Sometimes you just need a good sharing or introduction oriented game to help students break the ice. Try the following recommended activities and let us know how well they worked for your classroom:

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Web Students Know And Use A Deliberate Design Process For Generating Ideas Testing Theories Creating Innovative Artifacts Or Solving Authentic Problems

Web kindergarten grade 1 grade 2 grade 3 grade 4 grade 5 grade 6 grade 7 grade 8 grade 9 grade 10 grade 11 grade 12 programs, books & libraries. You can even connect your blog directly to google analytics. When you pull your finger out of the way, all seven mentos should fall into the bottle at the same time.

Key Takeaways: Fun Icebreaker Games Help Kids Feel Comfortable Socializing

The best icebreaker games help kids feel a little more at home in new situations. Instead of leaving them to socialize on their own accord, these planned activities ensure that kids dont get bored or nervous around new peers.

When choosing the best icebreakers for kids, remember to:

• Prioritize get-to-know-you games for kids: Everyone loves to talk about themselves, but kids are excited to express their interests to their classmates and peers. Get to know you games are the simplest way for children to warm up and find new friends that share their hobbies or favorite things.
• Keep it simple: Sometimes, the most basic activities tend to be the most fun. Ice breaker games with too many steps or rules may leave certain age groups confused or overwhelmed. When in doubt, pick icebreakers that are easy to explain and draw off familiar activities.
• Put a new twist on classic games: Almost every kid is familiar with Bingo, hopscotch, Jenga, Duck Duck Goose, or scavenger hunts. Use this to your advantage by putting a simple twist on the classics. For example, you can always add a conversation starter or about me question in the rules of these games.
• Emphasize laughter: Dont be afraid to get silly. As a chaperone or leader, your willingness to be goofy and embarrass yourself at the start of a game can open the door for kids to express their innate fun attitudes. Laughter is one of the most important

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Emotions Round The Circle

This is a good ice-breaker because it doesnt require any talking just a bit of drama.

The children sit in a circle, and have three emotion pictures that you simply draw on paper. Have a happy face, a sad face, and an angry face.

The adult could go first to demonstrate how to play. They are going to pretend to be one of these emotions.

For example, they might pick sad. They are going to walk around the inside of the circle in a sad way. For example, they might have a sad face, hunched shoulder, drooping arms, and a slow walk.

Then a child will go. You could quickly talk about body language after each go, but the main emphasis is on action without talk.

Where Do You Stand

What You Will Need: A large area and some chalk or masking tape.

Set Up: Make two lines on the ground using the chalk or masking tape.

How to Play: In a large area, line up the group on one of the marked lines, or divide them up on the two lines if it is a larger group.

This game will give the children the opportunity to make choices while meeting people with their same interests. The adult should call out things such as cat or dog while pointing to one line for cat and the other for the dog.

The children must decide which they like better and run to the proper line. You can also call out things like blue or purple? Hot dogs or hamburgers? and so on.

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My Favorite Get To Know You Questions For Kids

When youre the only adult amongst a group of children, sometimes it can be intimidating, especially if they dont want to pay attention to you.

It can also be super uncomfortable for them, being around new people who dont necessarily know that well.

And dont even get me started at how easily kids get distracted or bored with the activity they are doing.

Therefore, here are some of my favorite fun get to know your questions and icebreaker games that can help you break down that barrier between you and the little ones!

Icebreaker Games Tips And Advice

You know the situation all too well. You drop your kid at a new school, after school class or any other activity and you know how it is, because its the same with adults.

You dont know anyone, its nervous to start a conversation with someone you dont know. Thats why icebreaker games are the perfect solution to make kids feel more comfortable and get them in the mood to socialize.

Here are a few tips to help you plan the best icebreakers for kids possible:

There you have it, 23 fun icebreaker games for kids. Once all the kids are feeling comfortable another good activity would be some improve games and activities for kids.

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Introductions And Scavenger Hunt

You can have all students introduce themselves and talk about their favorite movies, pets, foods, etc. After that, you can start a scavenger hunt with the clues being the unique facts about each of the students. Your students can ask each other questions and find the right kid with the correct trait.

Ideal Age Range: 49 years

Things Needed: Traits/characteristics list

Virtual Happy Hour Trivia

In the last section, we mentioned how happy hours are a great way to help employees socialize and get to know each other better in a relaxed atmosphere. And virtual happy hours are no exception!

So, if youre looking to level up your happy hour with some getting to know you activities, weve got the perfect option for you.

This is no ordinary happy hour trivia game. In this activity, you and your team will take a trip to Hamish McDuffs virtual pub. This hilarious Scottish pub owner is the legendary host of a trivia game with more than 20 category options to choose from, including sports, food and drink, and even celebrity real estate. This virtual pub trivia game is guaranteed to produce plenty of laughs and lift team spirits. It might even include a few special surprises.

If youre looking for even more amazing online happy hour activities, check out our list of incredible virtual happy hour games for work teams.

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Candy Bowl About Me Game

What You Will Need: A bowl full of different types of candy or treats

Set-Up: Sit the kids in a circle and pass the bowl around. Ask everyone to take 1 to 5 pieces of candy. Dont tell them what they will do with it, but be sure they know not to eat it yet.

How to Play: Go around the circle again and tell each kid to share something about themselves for every piece of candy they took. You can assign a specific topic to each type of candy. For example, chocolate means they have to share something about their family, or jawbreakers mean they have to talk about their favorite things. After everybody has a turn to share, they can enjoy the candy together.

Kindergarten Ice Breaker Games

Are you thinking about Ice Breakers for the beginning of the school year? I love incorporating ice breaker games during the first few days of kindergarten to help ease some anxiety and develop classroom community right off the bat. These kindergarten ice breaker games can be played with your whole class and are ideal for younger students.

Kindergarten Ice Breaker Games #1: Barnyard Animals

Print out some small farm animals on paper and have each student draw one slip of paper from a bucket. Tell students to keep their animal a secret. When the game begins, students will start to make the sound of their animal. They then try to find classmates making the same animal sound. This sounds like such a fun game! Idea credit: Edmentum

Kindergarten Ice Breaker Games #2: Would You Rather?

I am sure youve heard of this one! This game has become quite popular so of course, it makes a great icebreaker game. Busyteacher.org suggests lining students up in two lines with each facing each other. At the start of the game you can come up with would you rather questions but then after some time, encourage students to come up with different questions for each other. After a few turns, have one line move down so students can interact with a new partner.

Kindergarten Ice Breaker Games #3: Survey Says

Surveys are such a fun way for students to share about themselves and learn about others. These surveys are definitely a favorite thing of mine when it comes to back-to-school activity ideas.

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Want To Learn How To Create A Playful Learning Environment

What Is A Getting To Know You Activity

The first weeks spent with a new group of students are so important in setting up your expectations for the year. We dont just mean your behaviour expectations even though they are crucial for classroom management. This is a time when your students will begin to understand the value of knowing a little bit about each and every other student in their class.

Getting-to-know-you activities sometimes called icebreakers are a great way for you to begin learning about the different personalities in your new class. They will help you to see which kids are leaders and which may prefer to sit back. You can also plan fun activities that help you to informally assess how each of your new students is faring in terms of specific knowledge or skill development.

Save time with a curated collection of teacher-created icebreakers for kids!

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Beach Ball Icebreaker Game

The Beach Ball Icebreaker game is another classic and fun way for you to get to know your students and for your students to get to know each other!

• Use a permanent marker to write a question on each panel of a blow-up beach ball.
• Standing or sitting in a circle, students throw or roll the ball to someone else in the circle.
• When students receive the ball, they answer the question that is facing them. Then they pass or roll the ball to someone else.

This game can be so easily tailored to suit the context of your classroom or the time of year. You could prepare a variety of beach balls to bring out for brain breaks too !

For example, with a new class, you may write some more basic getting to know you questions such as What is your favorite thing to do on the weekend? Returning from a break with a class you already know you may write different questions like If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Would You Rather Questions For Kids

There are also the types of questions that you can get as creative with as you want and are excellent for kids no matter their age!

Here are some of my favorite would you rather questions:

• Would you rather ride a scooter or a bike?
• Would you rather play in the snow or in the sunshine?
• Would you rather be able to swim really fast or run really fast?
• Would you rather be able to see things up close or far away?
• Would you instead go to the water park or to the amusement park?
• Would you rather be super smart or super funny?
• Would you rather eat something sweet or something sour?

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This Is Me Task Cards

PK – 2

A fun, getting-to-know-you game to play in the first days of a new school year.

To begin this icebreaker activity, students find a space of their own to work in. This game works well when the class stands in a large circle.

There are 20 This Is Me Task Cards. Each task card provides:

• a snippet of information that may or may not apply to an individual
• an instruction to move a particular way.

As each card is read aloud to the students, they respond appropriately if the information applies to them, e.g., jump up and down if you have an older brother. Students will find that there will be many cards that do apply to them, and many that do not. They simply stand still for those cards that are not applicable.

The aim of the activity is to encourage students to get to know more about their classmates at the beginning of the school year.

Use the drop-down menu to choose between the color or black and white PDF or the Google Slide version.