Find Someone Who Bingo Cards (Free Printable Icebreaker)

The word list

These prompts are friendly and low-pressure, so nobody has to reveal anything uncomfortable. Replace any that do not suit your group, and add prompts about your own workplace, class or club to make it your own.

How to run a find someone who icebreaker

Human bingo works because it gives shy people a reason to start a conversation. Nobody has to think of an opening line, since the card supplies one: "Do you play an instrument?" The goal is to fill squares by finding a different person for each prompt, so the room must keep moving.

1. Give everyone a card and a pen. Explain the rule: each square needs a different person's signature or initials, and nobody may sign more than once on your card.
2. Set a timer for ten or fifteen minutes. Music in the background helps the room feel relaxed.
3. Guests walk around, ask the question, and sign each other's cards when the answer is yes.
4. Ask for one extra detail whenever possible. "Which instrument?" turns a signature into a short chat.
5. The first person to fill a row, a corner set or a whole card calls out. Check a few signatures at random, which is part of the fun.
6. Finish by asking a few people to share the most surprising thing they learned.

Tips for hosts, teachers and team leads

Think about the group. A new class of adults who have never met needs the simple prompts at the top of the list. A team that has worked together for years will enjoy something harder, like "has a talent nobody here knows about."

Watch for the quiet guest standing against the wall. Walk over, ask them a prompt and send them toward someone who might match. A little prompting at the start can turn a stiff room into a loud one.

Keep the prompts positive. Avoid anything about age, health, income or family situations that could embarrass someone. The 'has never broken a bone' style prompt is lighter than it sounds, but remove it if your group might find it awkward.

Offer a small prize or just a round of applause. Winning matters less than the buzz of conversation.

Variations for different gatherings

• Team challenge. Divide into teams and let each team fill one card together. The team that covers a full row first wins, and everyone has to talk to the other team members.
• Names only. In a new group, ask players to write the name of each person who matches instead of a signature. It forces them to learn names.
• Two truths round. After the game, each person picks a square from their card and tells two true things and one false one about it. The group guesses the false one.

Printing signature cards

Choose the one per page layout so there is room to sign inside each square. Print on regular paper, as these cards are single use, and hand out pens or pencils at the door.

For outdoor events, print on heavier paper and provide clipboards. Keep a few spares in a folder for late arrivals.