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As teachers and coaches, we all find ourselves in a situation where we must engage and connect with the kids in our care.
Here are a few questions that will help as icebreakers when we need to get to know others.
1. In your opinion, what animal is the most beautiful?
2. If you had to eat only one food for a whole week, what would you pick?
3. What is the hardest thing about growing up?
4. If you could be a grown-up for a day, what would you do?
5. When is your birthday?
6. What is something that you like to do on a hot summer day?
7. If someone gave you a $25 gift certificate as a present, what would you want to buy?
8. What is one thing you might want to do for a job when you grow up?
9. Pretend it is a day on the weekend and you can do anything you want to. What would you do?
10. If you could switch lives and be another person for a day, who is someone you would like to be?
11. If you could talk to an animal and it could talk back, what animal would you want to talk to?
12. What is your favorite dessert or “treat” food?
13. What is your favorite time of day?
14. What is one of your favorite holidays?
15. What is your favorite place in your home or neighborhood?
16. What is your favorite TV show or movie?
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