You've heard about the importance of warming up properly before intense physical activity, especially if you want to increase your performance. Well, it turns out that mental warmups and ice breakers are equally important to prepare for tasks that can tax your mind.

When used before a meeting, college class or work event, ice breakers can lead to self-improvement through better peer-to-peer communication and improved work performance.

The good news is that these mental warmups aren't difficult to practice. With a smartphone or a tablet, you can download a variety of apps to help you engage in some team-building activities. Check out these 12 fantastic ice breaker apps that are a combination of educational and fun.

1. Icebreakers

icebreaker app

Available for your iPhone or iPad, the Icebreakers app provides unique ideas for "starter" activities to prepare for meetings, workshops and classrooms.

The app includes everything from games and puzzles to coaching exercises and even workout routines to pump you up. You can organize the ice breakers by type, situation and size of your group, and the app is also designed for any age—so if you have kids, they can use the program, too.

For even more games and puzzles, which include worksheets and a timer, you can download the pro version of the app.

Download: Icebreakers for iOS (Free)

2. Let's Talk

Let's Talk app

Need to prepare for a tough and long meeting? Let's Talk provides a variety of interesting questions that can help you initiate the conversation.

The questions are designed for small groups of 4 to 20 people—so teachers can also use the app to stimulate discussions in the classroom as well.

The free version of the app has four different categories of questions. If you like one question in particular, you can click a heart button at the bottom of the screen to "favorite" it for later.

The premium version includes nine categories of 1,100 questions—so it'll definitely come in handy at that next awkward meeting.

Download: Let's Talk for iOS (Free)

3. Wealthy Walrus

wealthy walrus

Wealthy Walrus is another fun app that can help you get to know your co-workers or peers better.

The premise of this app is creative. The "wealthy walrus" has $11 billion dollars to give out, but only if you perform ridiculous acts you'd normally avoid.

For example, one question is: "For $14 million, would you press a button that blows up an uninhabited planet outside of our solar system?"

You choose either "yes" or "no," and then compare results with your co-workers or fellow students.

Download: Wealthy Walrus for iOS | Android (Free)

4. Trivia Crack

Trivia Crack

A little bit of trivia can be an effective mental warmup—and a great ice breaker if you play with co-workers or peers.

Trivia Crack lets you spin its colorful spinning wheel, Willy, to select trivia questions from six different categories. You can even create your own questions in the app's "factory" to really challenge your teammates.

The app also includes a chat window, so you can communicate with your co-workers even if you're stuck at your desk.

Trivia Crack is free, although you can make in-app purchases, such as extra lives if you're losing the game.

Download: Trivia Crack for iOS | Android (Free)

5. QuizUp

quizup

QuizUp is another fun trivia app you can use to stimulate your brain before work or to interact with your teammates in the office.

You simply choose the category in which you want to compete, and the app will enter you into a quick, real-time match—so it doesn't require a heavy time commitment.

The app even lets you challenge (and chat with) people around the world, in case you want to brush up on your interpersonal skills when it comes to meeting new people.

QuizUp is free, although you can choose from a variety of in-app purchases to boost your score.

Download: QuizUp for iOS (Free)

6. Crossly

Crossly app

If trivia isn't your thing—or you just can't hold your own against your co-workers—consider trying your hand at crosswords.

Crossly is a multiplayer crossword app that lets you challenge an opponent in a race to fill the board. You earn one point per letter, although you can steal points along the way if your opponent misses a word.

"Peeking" also allows you to reveal one letter per turn if you're having a hard time with the clue.

The app is highly accessible, too, fully integrating Apple's VoiceOver technology during gameplay.

Crossly is a free app, but once you've snagged the program, you can upgrade within the app to turn off ads or purchase extra peeks.

Download: Crossly for iOS (Free)

7. Words With Friends

Words With Friends app

You're probably already familiar with this popular word game app, but if not, Words With Friends is basically the online version of Scrabble.

Consider creating a quick match against your office buddies or classmates when you can grab a break. You can even meet new people and practice your interpersonal skills by challenging someone across the world.

The app lets you track and improve your performance with detailed stats. You can also expand your vocabulary by checking out the built-in dictionary and the word of the day.

There's an even a new winter-themed version to celebrate this festive season.

Download: Words With Friends for iOS | Android (Free)

8. Fitocracy

fitocracy app

Exercise can be a great way for you to bond with your teammates. Fitocracy lets you monitor your fitness goals, track your workouts and motivate people in your network. You can even participate in various fitness challenges with your co-workers or peers.

The app provides hundreds of workout routines designed by fitness experts, and you and your office mates can try them together.

Fitocracy is free, but you can purchase in-app "hero" status to unlock platform features.

Download: Fitocracy for iOS (Free)

9. Headspace

headspace app

When you're feeling fatigued or overworked, don't underestimate the positive power of meditation.

Headspace can give you a mental warmup by providing meditation and mindfulness exercises. These guided and unguided lessons focus on a range of topics, such as stress relief, happiness and improving mental health. You don't have to invest too much time in the practice, either. The Take10 protocol will teach you these techniques in only 10 minutes per day.

You can use this tool as an ice breaker to connect with your co-workers or peers, too. The app includes a "buddy system" where you and your network can motivate each other, track each other's progress and give each other advice.

With the calm that comes from meditation, you may just do a little less venting when you can initiate that water-cooler conversation.

Download: Headspace for iOS | Android (free trial, the $12.99/month)

10. Bounden

Bounden app

If you're in mood for dance, then Bounden will be your choice for an ice-breaker app. In brief, the app makes two players dance together through a single phone.

It makes use of your phone's gyroscope to help you dance synchronously with another person. Just get standing to your opposite, put their thumb on, and start moving together.

The app is available for both Android and iOS.

Download: Bounden for iOS | Bounden for Android (Free)

11. Kahoot!

kahoot! app

Kahoot! makes socializing easy by group discussions, quizzes, or surveys for specific topics.

Start by creating a Kahoot!, which can be anything from a fun presentation to a gun game, and use it for your interactive sessions in your business meetings, birthday parties, game nights, and other social occasions.

Apart from a great ice-breaking tool, the app also helps you learn things in a very interactive way.

Download: Kahoot! for iOS | Android (Free)

So What Are You Waiting For?

You're busier than ever at your job, and you've probably already begun to experience that old, familiar feeling of mental strain. Next time, beat the strain before it happens, and improve your ability to collaborate with teammates. Give your brain a warmup and practice a few energizing ice breakers.

By downloading these apps and following the techniques they recommend—even for only a few minutes per day—you'll reap the benefits of extra focus, better workplace communication and maybe even increased knowledge and intelligence.

Apart from these apps, we'd also recommend keeping a list of fun ice-breaker questions that you use on your meetings. You never know when you might have to rescue everyone out of a boring, dead-end meeting.