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Keep your classroom lively and engaged with fun icebreakers and energizers
Remember those first days of school when everyone seemed a bit shy and awkward? Or those times after lunch when students seem to be in a food coma? Yes, we’ve all been there! This is where classroom energizers and icebreakers come to the rescue. Let’s explore why these little activities can make a big difference in your teaching experience and how to incorporate them despite possible challenges.
Let’s say you’re starting a new school year with a fresh batch of 7th graders. The first day is always a mix of excitement and nerves. You start with a simple icebreaker like “Two Truths and a Lie.” Suddenly, the room is buzzing. Students laugh, share fun facts, and discover they have things in common. By the end of the activity, the ice is broken, and your class feels more like a community.
Here are a few favorites to get you started:
Have each student jot down two truths and a lie about themselves on a piece of paper. Collect them and whip up a quick quiz on Quizizz. Share the code, let everyone guess the lies, and enjoy some laughs while getting to know each other better. Perfect for day one!
This is great for building teamwork. Get everyone to stand in a circle, grab hands with two different people, and then work together to untangle without letting go. To make it even more exciting, you can use a Quizizz poll to determine which team untangled the fastest.
This one’s a classic that never gets old! It’s perfect for younger kids to practice listening skills and following directions. You can make this game even more interesting by using a Quizizz game where each question's answer includes a physical action (e.g., "Simon says, touch your nose if the answer is B")
Divide the students into teams and have them draw something related to the lesson. The first team to guess the drawing wins! It's a great way to make learning fun and reinforce the material. Plus, you can try using Quizizz's Draw question type to make it even more interactive.
Here, students pass a ball around the room while music plays. When the music stops, the student holding the ball answers a question. This game is great for any classroom, requiring only a ball and music. Kids love passing the ball around while learning.
Icebreakers and energizers really jazz things up in a class. But, like anything fun, they come with their own set of challenges. Balancing these activities with a packed curriculum, helping shy students join in, and switching gears back to study mode can be tricky. Plus, it’s important to keep everyone feeling welcome and work with what we've got in terms of resources.
For instance, you can kick things off in a history class with a quick round of "Historical Charades" where students act out famous Historical figures or events. This keeps things on topic and lively without eating into too much class time.
In a literature class, for example, you can offer students the option between a brief literary quiz and a group storytelling exercise to energize the classroom. Giving your students the choice helps everyone, especially our quieter friends, dive in when they're ready.
If you're covering plant growth in a science classroom, for instance, discussing traditional farming methods from different cultures — followed by a hands-on planting activity — can be enriching for everyone.
Suppose you're teaching an art class and you don't have enough art supplies for everyone for an energizer activity. You could get creative by using recycled materials or found objects. For example, students could create collages using old magazines and newspapers or use sidewalk chalk to draw on the pavement outside.
In this situation, playing the Tibetan singing bowl can help! It acts like a bell and eventually exudes a soothing sound, which can help over-energized students calm down and move to a mental space conducive to learning.With a bit of planning, you can make your classroom the place to be — where students are energized and willing to learn every day.
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