15 Fun Spanish Icebreakers for High School Students
Starting a new school year can be daunting for students, especially if they are taking a new language class and especially if they are in high school.
It might surprise you, but it takes longer for teenagers than smaller kids to feel comfortable in a new environment and get to know each other.
Icebreakers for high school students are a great way to engage them and create a positive classroom environment.
As the name suggests, these activities help break the ice, encourage interaction, and create a sense of community among students.
This article will explore 15 exciting Spanish fun icebreakers, usually around 10-minute activities, that teachers can use with their high school students.
It doesn’t matter if you are a teacher looking for new ideas for icebreakers for large groups or smaller private classes, these activities will make learning Spanish enjoyable and memorable.
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Benefits of Icebreakers for High School Students
Icebreakers are not only games to get to know each other. They offer numerous benefits for high school students.
Icebreakers help to create a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, allowing students to feel more comfortable and open to learning.
Additionally, they promote teamwork, communication skills, and cultural understanding.
Icebreaker games in language classes allow students to practice the language in a fun and interactive way.
15 Spanish Ice Breakers for High School Students
Here are 15 good icebreakers for Spanish classes you can use with your high school students.
We have divided them into two categories: smaller and bigger groups, but with some adaptations so you could easily use all of them in both scenarios.
Smaller Group Icebreakers for High School Students
1. Me llamo/Se llama (My Name Is / His/Her Name Is)
Number of Participants: Any
Instructions: Each participant introduces themselves by saying Me llamo or Se llama, followed by their name in Spanish.
They can adopt new Spanish names or use translations of their original names.
This activity gives an insight into the culture and can be combined with a posterior short introduction to the most common Spanish names.
2. ¿Dónde vives? (Where Do You Live?)
Number of Participants: Any
Instructions: Participants take turns saying vivo en (I live in) followed by a city or a country name.
You can display your location map, and the students stand up and show the exact spot.
If you have an international crowd in class, this is a great activity to help students learn about each other’s cultures.
If your students have enough language level, they could ask follow-up questions about climate, local attractions, and others.
3. Dos verdades y una mentira (Two Truths and a Lie)
Number of Participants: Any
Instructions: Each participant shares two true statements and one false statement about themselves in Spanish. The rest of the group guesses which statement is the lie.
This activity is a fun way to get to know students’ interests and personalities. It also encourages conversation!
4. The Three Questions Game
Number of Participants: Any
Instructions: Participants form a circle. Each participant asks three questions in Spanish to the person on their right.
Then, the person who answered will ask the next person in the circle three questions.
This activity promotes conversation and learning about each other’s interests.
5. Simon Dice (Simon Says)
Number of Participants: Any
Instructions: One participant takes the role of “Simon” and gives commands in Spanish, such as Simon dice toca tu cabeza (Simon says touch your head).
Participants must follow the command only if it is preceded by Simon dice. Those who follow a command without Simod dice are out.
The last remaining participant becomes the next “Simon.”
This classic game is a great way to get students up and moving!
6. Charades
Number of Participants: Any
Instructions: Participants take turns acting out Spanish words, phrases, or vocabulary without speaking while the rest of the group guesses what is being portrayed.
This game is a great way to practice Spanish vocabulary and grammar. It encourages creativity, non-verbal communication, and vocabulary recall.
You can also play this game in large classes. You can divide it into groups that will play separately to ensure the participation of every student.
7. Guess Who I Am
Number of Participants: Any
Instructions: Assign each participant a famous Spanish-speaking personality, either historical or contemporary.
Participants ask each other questions in Spanish without revealing their identity to guess who they are portraying.
This activity encourages conversation and cultural knowledge.
8. Spanish Tongue Twisters
Number of Participants: Any
Instructions: Challenge your students to pronounce Spanish tongue twisters. Write a few on the board, start with simpler ones, and gradually increase the difficulty.
You can also provide a printed list and have the students take turns saying them correctly.
9. Speed Friending
Number of Participants: Any
Instructions: Divide the students into two groups and sit them in two rows in front of each other. They have 5 minutes to ask each other questions in Spanish.
Encourage them to learn interesting facts about everybody.
After the allotted time, you can have them speak about each other or write down things they remember, depending on what you want to practice more.
You could also use it in new groups to make them decide on a seating arrangement.
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Larger Group Icebreakers for High School Students
With more extensive classes, you can divide and look for activities that are performed in groups at the same time.
Simply divide the class, and assign them a task, such as 5-minute icebreakers.
10. Scavenger Hunt
Number of Participants: Ideal for larger groups
Instructions: Create a list of items related to Spanish or Latin American culture or language. You can write the names on paper or get real stuff.
Students can work in teams to find these items within a specified time frame.
You should give them tips on where to look for and what to expect to ensure they don’t pick up the wrong item.
You can limit the game to the class space or take it to the school corridors and campus.
11. Human Bingo
Number of Participants: Ideal for larger groups
Instructions: Students create bingo cards that say Busca una persona que (look for a person who) and fill it with Spanish statements such as
- Tiene un perro
- Tiene dos hermanos
- Habla tres idiomas
This activity is a great way to review basic Spanish vocabulary and ask questions in Spanish.
12. Find Your Pair
Number of Participants: Ideal for larger groups
Instructions: Write Spanish vocabulary words or phrases on individual cards, ensuring that each word has matching pair.
Distribute the cards randomly among students. They must find their pair by speaking the Spanish word or phrase. Once they find their match, they can sit down.
You can use this activity to revise vocabulary and grammar by pairing sentences by the name of the tense they are written in, for example.
13. Spanish Karaoke
Number of Participants: Ideal for larger groups
Instructions: Why not start each lesson with a different Spanish song? Later you can use it to study vocabulary, grammar constructions, or cultural aspects.
You can distribute lyrics on handouts or display them on an interactive board and have students fill in the blanks.
Or you can sing them to create a lively atmosphere and enjoy Spanish music!
Check out Learn Spanish with Music for Middle and High School
14. Sentence Building Relay
Number of Participants: Ideal for larger groups
Instructions: Divide the group into teams and provide each team with sets of Spanish word cards.
Each student in each team grabs a word card. Then each group has to make a grammatically correct sentence in Spanish using all the words.
According to the rules, they could or not add up to three additional words to make the sentence more logical. The first team to use all the words or complete 5 sentences wins.
Once again, you can use this activity to revise vocabulary or grammar concepts studied before.
15. Spanish Jeopardy
Number of Participants: Any
Instructions: Create a Spanish-themed Jeopardy game with categories such as vocabulary (you can divide it into subcategories here), grammar, and culture.
You can also add categories like famous Spanish people, such as singers, writers, or celebrities your students might know.
Have your students work in teams to answer questions and earn points.
You will need to prepare questions in advance and set up a Jeopardy-style game board or use online tools such as Jeopardy Labs, for example, to simulate the game.
These are just a few of the many Spanish icebreakers for high school students.
They allow students to have fun, interact with their peers, and practice their language skills.
If you need more resources for your Spanish High School classes, check out these Editor’s picks of ours:
- Read in Spanish I: Free Spanish Texts for High School Students
- 7 Simple Study Methods for Middle and High School Students
- 20 Free Spanish Books, Novels, and Stories in PDF and Printables
- Beginner Spanish Books for Middle and High Schoolers
Take Your Class to the Next Level with Spanish Icebreakers for High School Students
Try to incorporate some of the icebreakers presented in this article into your teaching and set the stage for an exciting and successful academic year.
Don’t be afraid to step out of the traditional teaching methods and create memorable experiences for your students.
Remember, learning Spanish and any other language should be enjoyable and effective.
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