My Favorite Thing
Each person shares their favorite thing in a specific category (favorite book, favorite meal, favorite place). Simple, accessible icebreaker that reveals personality and creates shared interests.
10-20 min
3-40 people
low
None needed
About This Game
My Favorite Thing is a wonderfully simple icebreaker that works in virtually any setting. The facilitator chooses a category - favorite book, favorite food, favorite travel destination, favorite childhood memory, favorite way to relax - and each person shares their answer with a brief explanation of why. The magic is in the simplicity: no preparation required from participants, everyone can contribute something, and the chosen category can be tailored to the group and context. Food favorites create different conversations than book favorites. The explanations ("why") are where connection happens - people discover shared loves, get recommendations, and learn what brings teammates joy. Perfect for teams at any stage because it scales beautifully from 3 to 40 people and works equally well virtual or in-person.
Objectives
- Create easy entry point for sharing through accessible, non-threatening topics
- Discover shared interests and common ground among team members
- Learn what brings joy and meaning to teammates through their favorites
- Practice concise storytelling and active listening skills
- Build foundation for future conversations through revealed interests
How to Run This Game
Facilitator Script:
"We're going to do a quick round of My Favorite Thing. Today's category is: favorite place you've ever traveled - or dream of traveling. When it's your turn, share the place and tell us briefly why it's special to you. I'll start us off..."
Actions:
- Select category appropriate for your group and time available
- Introduce the category clearly
- Emphasize: share the favorite AND briefly why
- Go first to model the format and energy level you want
Tips:
- • Safe categories: favorite food, book, movie, place, way to spend Saturday, season, childhood game
- • Deeper categories: favorite life lesson, proudest moment, person who inspires you
- • Work categories: favorite project you've worked on, favorite part of your job, ideal work environment
- • Match depth to team's psychological safety - start safer with new teams
Facilitator Script:
"...That's mine! Who wants to go next? ...Great! Tell us your favorite place. ...[Listen actively, react]. I love that! Anyone else want to share? Let's go around..."
Actions:
- Call on people or go in order (circle, alphabetical, raise hands)
- Listen actively and react to each share with genuine interest
- Note common themes or connections: "Oh, another Italy fan!"
- Keep timing consistent - gently redirect if someone goes too long
- Ensure everyone who wants to share gets a chance
Tips:
- • For groups 10+, go in circle/order to keep things moving
- • For groups under 10, allow organic volunteering
- • React authentically: "That sounds amazing!", "I've always wanted to go there!", "Tell me more about..."
- • If someone passes, respect it: "No problem! Anyone else?" Come back to them at end if they're ready
- • Time guideline: 30-45 seconds per person for smooth flow
Facilitator Script:
"I noticed three people said Italy! And we have some serious foodies in the group. Before we wrap, anyone want to ask a follow-up question or make a connection?"
Actions:
- Identify and highlight common themes that emerged
- Invite 1-2 follow-up questions or connections
- Allow brief organic conversation if time permits
- Connect the activity back to the meeting purpose if relevant
Tips:
- • This step is optional - skip if time is tight
- • Great for smaller groups (under 15) or when building deeper connections
- • Prompt connections: "Who shares a favorite? How do yours compare?"
- • For virtual, use chat: "Drop in chat if you share someone's favorite!"
Facilitator Script:
"Thank you all for sharing! I learned so much - I have a reading list now from all your book recommendations! It's great to see what lights you all up. Let's carry that energy into our work today."
Actions:
- Thank the group for participation
- Mention one specific thing you learned or enjoyed
- Connect back to meeting purpose or transition to next activity
- End on positive, energized note
Tips:
- • Be specific in your closing - reference actual shares: "I'm adding James's cookbook to my list"
- • If relevant, tie to work: "This creativity we bring to hobbies? Let's bring that to our project!"
- • Keep it brief - 30-60 seconds maximum
- • Consider following up later: "I tried that restaurant you mentioned!"
Facilitator Tips
- Choose categories where everyone can contribute - avoid exclusive topics (not everyone travels, reads, etc.)
- Consider your audience: tech teams might love "favorite app," teachers might enjoy "favorite lesson"
- Time management: calculate 30-45 seconds per person, add 3-4 minutes buffer
- For large groups (25+), consider doing "popcorn style" - call on scattered people rather than going in order
- Write down interesting answers to remember later for 1-on-1 connection opportunities
- Virtual tip: use raise hand feature or go alphabetically by last name for smooth flow
- Have 2-3 backup categories ready in case your first choice falls flat
- Pair this with another activity - it's a great warm-up but may feel incomplete alone
Common Challenges & Solutions
Variations & Adaptations
Ask people to bring or show their favorite thing (or a photo of it). Could be favorite mug, favorite book, favorite souvenir. Visual element adds richness and prompts more conversation.
Do 2-3 quick rounds with different categories: favorite food, then favorite movie, then favorite childhood memory. Builds momentum and reveals multiple dimensions of each person.
Pair people up. Partners interview each other about their favorite thing, then introduce their partner to the group. Adds conversational practice and partner bonding.
Create cards with 10-15 different favorite categories. Each person draws a random card and shares that favorite. Adds variety and element of surprise.
teams have used this game