Questions · Icebreakers for kids
Icebreaker questions for kids who just met each other
For the first night in a camp cabin, a new scout den, a sports team’s first practice or the birthday party where the kids come from three different schools. Silly, concrete questions that get kids laughing at each other’s answers instead of standing in a quiet line.
- 18 questions
- EN + TL on every card
- Free in the app
Kumustahan is a bilingual conversation card app: 1,200 questions in English and Filipino across 7 decks, with a short reflection on the back of every card.
If you could spend a day as any animal, which would you choose?
Kung puwede kang maging hayop nang isang araw, anong hayop ang pipiliin mo?
Imagine your first meal as that animal. Where would you look for it?
Isipin ang unang pagkain mo bilang hayop na iyon. Saan mo ito hahanapin?
The questions
18 icebreaker questions for kids
Every question in English and Filipino/Tagalog, word for word from the Kumustahan decks. Open “Back of the card” for the reflection printed on the other side.
Make-believe for the first five minutes
6 questions
Animals, shops and party plans. No wrong answers.
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If you could spend a day as any animal, which would you choose?
Kung puwede kang maging hayop nang isang araw, anong hayop ang pipiliin mo?
Back of the card
Imagine your first meal as that animal. Where would you look for it?
Isipin ang unang pagkain mo bilang hayop na iyon. Saan mo ito hahanapin?
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If you could understand one kind of animal, which would you choose?
Kung maiintindihan mo ang isang klase ng hayop, ano ang pipiliin mo?
Back of the card
Imagine the animal gets to ask you something too. What might it ask?
Isipin na may tanong din sa'yo ang hayop. Ano kaya iyon?
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What comic-book hero name would fit something you are good at?
Anong comic-book hero name ang bagay sa talento mo?
Back of the card
What problem would your hero solve?
Anong problema ang kayang ayusin ng hero mo?
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If you could open a tiny shop just for fun, what would it sell?
Kung magbubukas ka ng maliit na tindahan for fun, ano ang ibebenta mo?
Back of the card
What would you call your shop?
Ano ang ipapangalan mo sa tindahan?
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Design a celebration just for you. What would make it feel special?
Magplano ng celebration para sa sarili mo. Ano ang magpapaspecial dito?
Back of the card
Which part of the celebration would you happily repeat the next day?
Aling bahagi ng celebration ang masaya mong uulitin kinabukasan?
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Pick one snack you would still accept even when you're already full.
Pick one snack na tatanggapin mo pa rin kahit busog ka na.
Back of the card
Some cravings stay charmingly powerful. The snack you still make room for usually knows exactly how to find your soft spot.
May cravings talaga na malakas pa rin kahit busog. Yung snack na yan, alam kung saan ka mahina.
Wild ideas
6 questions
Islands, jungles and inventions. Good with a ball toss.
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Which everyday invention from the future would you most want to see?
Anong pang-araw-araw na gamit mula sa future ang gusto mong makita?
Back of the card
Give the invention a name people could remember.
Bigyan ang imbensiyon ng pangalang madaling tandaan.
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You wake up on a peaceful island with food and shelter ready. What do you do first?
Nagising ka sa tahimik na isla na may pagkain at matutuluyan na. Ano ang una mong gagawin?
Back of the card
Imagine you find a path across the island. Would you follow it or stay where you are?
May nakita kang daan sa isla. Susundan mo ba ito o mananatili ka muna sa kinaroroonan mo?
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For one afternoon, would you explore a peaceful village, a future city, or a jungle with a guide?
Saan mo gustong magpalipas ng hapon: tahimik na village, siyudad sa future, o gubat na may guide?
Back of the card
Bring home an imaginary souvenir from your visit. What is it?
Mag-uwi ng souvenir mula sa pagbisitang iniisip mo. Ano iyon?
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If you and your friends had just one free hour, how would you spend it together?
Kung isang oras lang kayong lahat libre, ano ang gagawin ninyo?
Back of the card
Save a few minutes at the end for one thing you would not want to rush.
Puwede kang maglaan ng ilang minuto sa dulo para sa bagay na ayaw mong madaliin.
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Plan a hangout that a friend could bring a new friend to.
Kung magsasama ng bagong friend ang kaibigan mo, anong bonding ang ipa-plano mo?
Back of the card
Imagine the newcomer knows none of your old jokes. Your activity can still work.
Isipin na hindi alam ng bagong kasama ang dating mga biro ninyo. Puwede pa ring maging masaya ang activity.
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Choose a nearby place you would like to explore with a friend.
Pumili ng malapit na lugar na gusto mong puntahan kasama ang friend.
Back of the card
Imagine finding an unexpected favorite corner there.
Isipin na may makikita kang sulok doon na magiging paborito mo.
Getting along
6 questions
For once the group has played together for a bit.
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Give yourself a funny award for something you are surprisingly good at.
Bigyan mo sarili mo ng funny award para sa bagay na surprisingly magaling ka.
Back of the card
A funny award makes small talents official. Some skills may not belong on a resume, but they still deserve a ceremony.
Ginagawang official ng funny award ang small talents. Hindi man pang-resume, deserve pa rin ng ceremony.
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Name the song that should play when you enter a room.
Sabihin yung song na dapat tumugtog pagpasok mo sa room.
Back of the card
An entrance song is mostly about energy. It says what kind of moment you want everyone to feel.
Yung entrance song, energy talaga ang usapan. Sinasabi niya kung anong moment ang gusto mong dala.
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Group photo starts. What is your automatic move?
May group photo na. Ano ang automatic move mo?
Back of the card
Group photos bring out instant instincts. Some people arrange everyone, some disappear behind others, and some are ready before the camera is.
May automatic instinct kapag group photo na. May taga-ayos, may nagtatago sa likod, may ready bago pa yung camera.
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You and a friend want different snacks. What would you do?
Magkaiba kayo ng friend mo ng gustong snack. Ano ang gagawin mo?
Back of the card
Same choice every time, or would it depend on the day?
Pareho ba ang gagawin mo palagi, o depende sa araw?
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What makes a game with friends fun even when no one wins?
Ano ang nagpapasaya sa laro kasama ang friends kahit walang nananalo?
Back of the card
What would be a funny prize just for joining?
Anong nakakatawang premyo ang puwedeng ibigay sa lahat ng sumali?
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When doing something with friends, which small job do you enjoy helping with?
Kapag may ginagawa kayo ng friends, anong parte ang gusto mong akuin para makatulong?
Back of the card
Would you still enjoy that job with a much bigger group?
Gusto mo pa rin ba ang gawaing iyon kung mas marami ang kasama?
How to use them
Before you ask
The best icebreakers for kids are silly, concrete and quick to answer, so a shy eight-year-old can say “a penguin” and be done. Kids who don’t know each other rarely open up from a question about themselves. They open up when someone else’s answer is funny and they want to top it.
Most kid icebreakers go wrong in the same way: the group sits in a circle and one child at a time talks while everyone else waits. Kids drift after the third answer. Keep them moving instead. Toss a soft ball to whoever answers next, have them line up by their answer, or let pairs whisper an answer and then shout it together.
Start with the make-believe questions, move to the wild ideas once the giggling starts, and save the getting-along questions for later in the day, when the group has played together and has something to talk about.
Good for
Tips
- Give your own silly answer first. Kids copy the energy of the first answer.
- Keep a few questions in your pocket for the pause while pizza arrives or the bus is late.
- Pair a quiet kid with a talkative one for the partner round, and let the quiet one choose the question.
- Never ask about vacations, presents or what parents do. Not every kid has an answer they want to share.
- End the round before anyone gets bored, ideally right after a big laugh.
Decks for this
What works at each age
| Age | Format | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| 5 to 7 | Ball toss, answer in one word | Read the question aloud and give an example answer first. |
| 8 to 10 | Line up or move to a side of the room | They love defending their pick. Give each side ten seconds. |
| 11 to 12 | Pairs, then share your partner’s answer | Nobody has to talk to the whole group about themselves. |
Icebreakers for kids
Frequently asked questions
What are good icebreaker questions for kids?
Silly, quick ones that every child can answer equally: which animal you’d be for a day, what your tiny shop would sell, what you’d do first on a peaceful island. They get kids laughing at each other’s answers, which is how strangers become friends at that age.
How do you break the ice with kids who don’t know each other?
Get them moving while they answer: toss a ball to the next speaker, line them up by their answers, or have pairs answer together. A circle where one child talks and the rest wait loses them fast.
What icebreakers work for shy kids?
Pick a format where they can answer by pointing, moving or whispering to one partner. Let them go later in the round, after they’ve heard a few answers and know what kind of answer is okay.
Bring a better question to the table.
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