All grades · General

Back to School Games & Icebreakers

The first week is about learning names and lowering the temperature in the room, and almost nothing does that faster than a low-stakes team game where the content doesn't matter yet.

Students decide in the first few days how much they're willing to speak up in your class for the rest of the year. A game on day two is a cheap way to make that answer 'quite a lot'.

Play one right now

Free, ready to run, and yours to edit. No student accounts needed.

What these games cover

How to run this well

  1. 1Use random teams so students meet people they didn't walk in with.
  2. 2Keep the first game entirely non-academic — the goal is participation, not assessment.
  3. 3Run a survey-style round; students learn about each other and you learn about them.

Common questions

Are these back to school classroom games free?

Yes. Every game here is free to play and free to clone into your own account. There's no trial, no card, and students never need an account to join.

Do my students need to create accounts?

No. You project the game and students join with a code on any device, or play in teams from their seats with no devices at all.

How long does a general review game take?

A full quiz board runs about 20–30 minutes. A buzz-in or lightning round works as a 5–10 minute warm-up or exit activity.

Can I change the questions?

Yes — clone any of these all grades games into your account and edit every question, answer, and point value. It's usually faster than starting from scratch.

Can I use this with no projector?

Yes. Any screen the class can see works, including a TV or a shared laptop screen for small groups.

Build your own in about ten minutes

Clone any game above and swap in your own questions, or start from a blank board. Free for teachers, and your students never need accounts.

Start free

Related

ClassArena has free classroom review games for Elementary Math Review Games, Middle School Math Review Games, Algebra 1 Review Games, Middle School Science Review Games, Biology Review Games, Chemistry Review Games, U.S. History Review Games, Civics & Government Review Games, World Geography Review Games, Vocabulary Review Games, ELA Grammar & Usage Review Games, Literary Devices Review Games, Spanish Class Review Games, Health Class Review Games, Back to School Games & Icebreakers, End of Year Review Games, Test Prep Review Games, Games for Substitute Teachers.