Ice Breaker Games 10 Things in Common
Pair up and dig past the obvious. Finding shared passions, childhood memories, or weird food preferences builds genuine bonds faster than any team meeting.
Group Size:
6-40 people (even numbers)
Duration:
15-20 minutes
Difficulty:
Easy
How to Play:
- 1
Pair up randomly - ideally people who don't know each other well
- 2
Set a timer for 8-10 minutes
- 3
Each pair must find exactly 10 things they have in common
- 4
Ban obvious answers: same company, same city, same department
- 5
Go deeper: hobbies, travel stories, food preferences, childhood memories
- 6
Each pair picks their most surprising commonality to share
- 7
Reconvene and let pairs share their discoveries with the group
Your quietest colleague once backpacked through South America solo. The new hire shares your weird habit of eating pizza crust first. 10 Things in Common surfaces these hidden connections by forcing pairs to dig past surface-level small talk. When two strangers discover they both hate cilantro, grew up with the same obscure cartoon, or survived the same embarrassing concert phase, something shifts. They’re no longer just coworkers - they’re people with shared histories. Examples that actually work: “We both have a habit of reading before bed,” “Neither of us likes pineapple on pizza,” “We’ve both visited at least three countries,” “We both played an instrument as kids but quit.” The magic isn’t in reaching 10 - it’s in the surprising discoveries along the way.
Best For:
New team formation, cross-department meetings, and networking events - an ice breaker game that creates genuine connections
Pro Tips
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Give examples upfront: 'We both play guitar' counts, 'We both breathe air' doesn't
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For large groups over 20, cap sharing to top 3 most surprising discoveries
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Reduce target to 7 if pairs struggle - depth matters more than hitting 10
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Keep a running leaderboard for the most unexpected commonality discovered
Variations
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Speed Round: 5 minutes, 5 commonalities - fast-paced energy
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Competitive Mode: First three pairs to find 10 verified commonalities win
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Topic Focus: Restrict to travel experiences, food preferences, or childhood memories only
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Trio Challenge: Groups of 3 finding 5 things all three share
FAQ
- What counts as a valid commonality in 10 Things in Common?
- Specific shared experiences or preferences. 'We both visited Japan' works. 'We both like food' doesn't. The more specific, the better the conversation.
- What if a pair can't find 10 Things in Common?
- Lower the target to 7. Some pairs naturally click, others need prompts. Suggest categories: travel, hobbies, family, food quirks, childhood memories.
- Can we play 10 Things in Common virtually?
- Yes. Use breakout rooms in Zoom or Teams. Pairs can share screens with a doc to list commonalities. This ice breaker game works great for remote teams.
- How do I pair people for 10 Things in Common?
- Random pairing works best. Pair people from different departments or who rarely interact. Avoid pairing close friends - they already know their commonalities.
- Is 10 Things in Common good for large groups?
- Great for 6-40 people. For 40+, limit sharing time to top 3 discoveries per pair to keep energy high.
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