Virtual communication might not be new to you. But sometimes, people and groups might need a little push to get the conversation going. It’s normal. But how?

One word: Icebreakers! There are virtual icebreakers for every occasion: team building icebreakers, icebreakers for meetings, icebreaker games for virtual interactions, icebreakers for students, icebreakers for dating, etc! In this article, we are focusing on remote team-building icebreaker questions. ✨

Virtual icebreakers are for everyone.

Remember, icebreaker questions and games are not just for shy people. If you want to create social and work dynamics that are productive, cohesive, and that feels safe, you will need to have lots of entertaining icebreakers up your sleeve.

All communities, regardless of how formal they are, benefit from more casual moments and off-topic/off-the-cuff conversations. And when we say “community” keep in mind that communities come in all shapes and sizes. It can be a classroom, a work team, a book club, a community of animal lovers, a community of community managers, whatever!

But what is a virtual icebreaker?

If you are like us we bet that the first thing that comes to your mind is this. (Click it! you won’t regret it, we promise!) Now that you got some boogie in you let’s move on. Ice breakers are activities or conversations that are aimed towards reducing awkwardness and anxiety between people or among members of a group. Virtual ice breakers, on the other hand, are activities and conversational topics for online and virtual interactions and ecosystems.

Remote team-building icebreaker questions

Lots of companies have in-person team-building activities. But if like us at Toucan, your team works mostly remotely, icebreaker moments can help your team members form valuable bonds. And people that feel more comfortable around each other will naturally cooperate better. Win-win!

The sense of community doesn’t necessarily come from playing ping pong in the office, challenging each other to games on the PlayStation, or having an office kitchen, it takes some effort to get it off the ground. And making that investment in a virtual community is not difficult, it just takes dedication. The opportunities for conversation and community building are endless but here are a few of our favorite virtual ice breakers for remote teams:

- What was your first job?

- How often do you work from bed?

- If you could choose, what mundane superpower would you have?

- If you could live in any sitcom universe, which would it be?

- Show something that's on your desk and tell a story about it!

- What is your cellphone wallpaper?

- Did you have any imaginary friends when you were growing up?

- What is a trait that you have picked up from your parents?

- What is your favorite kitchen appliance?

- What was the last movie you watched that made you cry?

- Describe your setup for the perfect nap.

- If you were running for president, what would your campaign slogan be?

- What's your favorite place to go on vacation?

- Are you an early bird or night owl?

- Where did you grow up?

- Do you like square or triangle pizza?

- Where do you consider “home”?

- Which web browser do you use most?

- The zombie apocalypse is coming - who are the 3 people you want on your team?

- What would you want to do if you retired today?

- What is something that takes a lot of time, but is definitely worth it?

- If you were in the wrestling ring, who would be your opponent?

- Do you have any guilty pleasure shows that you watch?

- If you could choose your own nickname, what would it be and why?

- What food do you love that others typically do not?

- What is your favorite physical activity?

- What is your typing speed?

- What would the title of your autobiography be?

- Who in your life inspires you the most?

- You have two minutes to give a speech on anything! What would your topic be?

- What is something that you feel proud of this week?

- If you could live the life of any historical figure, who would you choose?

- Have you ever left a 1-star review online?

- What is your WiFi name?

- What is a common thing that you have never done? Fly in an airplane, change a tire, etc.

- If you were featured on the news, what would the reason most likely be?

- What smell do you hate that others seem to like?

How to ace the icebreaker

Icebreaker questions might sound boring (or scary) sometimes - but they really don’t have to be. When these are properly executed they can help with team anxiety a lot.

But we get it, it is hard to do rounds of icebreaker questions on virtual meeting platforms. But it doesn’t have to be. On Toucan, you can get the real-life feeling. Everyone can move among various groups, just like you would in real life. You can literally react to other people's answers. And you will always know what order you are in in the circle (which often doesn’t happen on other video platforms). Truth is, if you use the right tools, you will nail any kind of virtual event or activity!

Our tips and best practices:

🙋 Volunteer to go first - you gave the idea so you better move forward with it!

🏁 Get the ball rolling with easy questions so you can let people get comfortable.

🧊 No amount of icebreakers is too many - they’re great to have as a backup, too.

🫂 If you have a bigger team, try to split into smaller groups. This will make people feel more open to sharing.

🖥️ If you are on Toucan, make sure you use all the features you can to make the experience flow even better.

Conclusion

Now that you have a good repertoire of virtual icebreaker questions, you have no excuse for having awkward silence on your video calls. Remember, make every moment and connection count! You can always come back to this blog post or have it open in the background. And if you have any ideas that you would like to share with us, just send us an email.