2 Icebreakers for Kids—With Lively and Calm Options

At the start of any lesson, what better way to create and maintain classroom connections than with icebreakers? There are countless options out there for primary school kids, including quick and easy exercises that encourage meaningful communication, collaboration, and creativity.

One important factor to consider is volume control. A classroom can be lively, calm, or somewhere in between, and each tone has its place. Knowing when to turn up the energy or dial it back allows students to truly tune in to each other and maintain an inclusive learning environment for everyone to connect.

Both verbal and nonverbal communication play key roles in building and maintaining connections:

Verbal communication — fosters clear expression of thoughts through oral, written, and sign language

Nonverbal communication — enhances understanding and emotional connection in the classroom through cues such as gestures and body language.

Meaningful interactions in any first or second language require a combination of both, and it’s best not to presume that everyone understands all types of communication. For primary English language teaching (ELT) educators, understanding the impact of verbal and nonverbal communication can significantly improve both comprehension and engagement in the language classroom.

In this post, I explore how actions can speak just as loudly as words through the introduction of two types of icebreakers with both lively and calm options for kids. Subsequently, each icebreaker is designed to target specific language skills. I hope these give you ideas on how to adjust the volume of your new and old icebreaker favorites. 

Focusing on Movement and Creativity

Activities that encourage students to stand up and use the entire space in the room are often favorites. These icebreakers are ideal for large, open spaces where students can run from one end to another, adding a game-like challenge through physical activity.

Volume control also becomes a fun aspect, as students and teachers can choose to respond loudly or quietly with their voices or notes, and use movements like raising hands or running from one side to another, to communicate meaningfully. The best part is, depending on the lesson and how our students are responding, we can pick and choose the language focus through volume control.

Activities that spark creativity are another classroom favorite! Whether students are coloring, cutting paper, or drawing everything from stick figures to self-portraits, these activities can foster connections through creation.

Activity 1: This or That?

In the This or That icebreaker, you provide two options for students to choose and talk about, like “books or movies?” Icebreaker Spot provides detailed instructions for fostering open conversation, but in an ELT classroom, we can adapt This or That for reviewing vocabulary related to hobbies and interests, and different volumes. For the example below, you can prepare a slide deck or simply list out three to four options, like “apples or oranges?” This icebreaker takes about 10 minutes.

Lively option: Create a line in the middle of the large space to divide the two sections and invite students to stand up and get ready. Call out the options and give them 10–15 seconds to skip, hop, or jump to their preferred side for each option. Between each option, allow time for students to share their reasons with three different classmates and then invite a few students to share with the entire class.

Calm option: Invite students to sit in groups and raise their hands to respond. After calling out one option, have students count the number of hands raised, and write their responses (and reasons) down in their notebooks/devices. Finally, encourage them to share with three different people.

And depending on how students respond, dynamic movements can be incorporated into both for extra fun or challenge. Different footsteps — hopping, tiptoeing, or stomping — can add additional variety and purpose to the lively option. Similarly, different actions like “hands on your head if...” or “stand up if...” can also create fun listening comprehension challenges for both options. As for responses, consider whether you would like students to focus on verbal or nonverbal communication — miming responses can be a fun way to get students to focus on meaning. 

Activity 2: Alphabet Art

Combining lively and calm responses can create more dynamic interactions. For example, inviting students to draw pictures related to themselves is a fun way to get them to interact meaningfully. The Alphabet Art icebreaker blends both language and art into one engaging activity for self-introductions within the language classroom. This activity can be adapted as either a short or extended activity; for our example below, we will focus on a 15-minute icebreaker in which the teacher invites students to draw a picture for 5 minutes, based on the first letter of their name. For an extra challenge, you can also pick a theme for word associations (easy) or specify the number of letters to focus attention on spelling (advanced).

Lively option: In a larger space, invite students to stand up and listen to the specific prompts to find another two to three students within a fixed timeframe. For example, “find two classmates who used the same colors as you in 2 minutes.” Play upbeat music or add a timer while they search and talk about their drawings. When the music/timer stops, they must freeze with their new partners. After each round, provide a new prompt to encourage meaningful discussions.

Calm option: Divide students into smaller groups and invite them to share their drawings without talking for 5 minutes. Give students 1 or 2 minutes to arrange the drawings alphabetically. When the time is up, invite students to share their drawings and check if the order is correct.

You can also include additional movements to encourage students to interact in different spaces or desks around the room. Of course, these are only a couple of options, and the possibilities can vary based on class preferences, group dynamics, and specific icebreaker activity.

The exciting part is reading the room and making volume adjustments to truly tune in. Every classroom is unique, so our ability to adapt is key.

Happy Teaching and Learning!