#  >> K-12 >> Elementary School

Icebreaker Games for First-Graders Through Fourth-Graders

When teaching first through fourth grade, get the students acquainted with one another on the first day of school by playing a variety of icebreakers. Icebreakers give the children a chance to meet and make new friends. With a few activity ideas and a creative imagination, you have everything you need to break the ice for new and old students.
  1. Puzzle Games

    • Divide the students into groups of three or four and give each group a puzzle. Tell the students to work together to assemble the puzzle. Ask the students to share interesting facts about themselves while they put the puzzle together. Another idea is to cut a large tag board into puzzle pieces, giving one puzzle piece to each student. Have the students draw their picture and words that describe themselves on the puzzle pieces. After everyone is done, assemble the puzzle and tell the students the puzzle symbolizes the importance of everyone's contribution to the class.

    Name Games

    • Ask the children to sit in a circle and select one student to go first. He must say his name and a rhyming name with his name. For example, he could say "Mad Brad" or "Pistol Crystal." To make the game more difficult, ask him also to say the name and rhyming name of each student that went before him. Alternatively, have the children say a name that starts with the same letter as their names. Some examples include "Silly Sally" or "Funny Fred."

    Sticker Games

    • Give each student a sticker to put on his hand when he walks into the classroom. Each student should have a matching sticker of another student in the classroom. Tell each student to find the person with the same stickers that he has. They have 10 minutes to interview one another. After 10 minutes, have each student stand in front of the classroom and introduce his partner to the class. For a variation, give two or three students the same stickers and have them interview one another in groups.

    Candy Games

    • Have the students sit in a circle and hand one student a large bowl of colored candies. Tell the students to take as many pieces as they would like. After everyone has candy, tell the students they must tell something about themselves for each piece of candy they took. Another idea is to make up questions corresponding to each color of candy. For example, for a blue piece of candy the students have to name a favorite book, and for a red piece of candy they have to name a favorite hobby.

Learnify Hub © www.0685.com All Rights Reserved