Zoom breakout rooms enable hosts to divide meeting participants into smaller virtual groups for focused collaboration, discussions, or activities. This feature is particularly useful for educators, team leaders, and facilitators looking to enhance engagement in large virtual meetings. Breakout rooms can be configured in advance or during a session, with options for automatic or manual participant assignment. Hosts retain control over room management, including monitoring activity, broadcasting messages, and setting time limits. The tool supports a wide range of activities—from icebreakers and team-building games to structured group work and peer reviews—making it adaptable to various goals.

• Breakout rooms support up to 100 separate sessions, with hosts able to assign participants automatically, manually, or via pre-uploaded CSV files ^[6]
• Participants can share screens, use chat, and collaborate in their assigned rooms while hosts monitor progress and provide support ^[2]
• Effective use requires clear objectives, structured tasks, and defined roles to maximize engagement and productivity ^[3]
• Activities range from quick icebreakers (e.g., "Top Three" or "Group Haiku") to complex collaborative projects using tools like Google Docs ^[9]

Implementing Zoom Breakout Rooms for Group Activities

Setting Up and Managing Breakout Rooms

To use breakout rooms effectively, hosts must first enable the feature in their Zoom account settings and configure room parameters. This involves accessing the Zoom web portal, navigating to Settings > Meeting (Advanced), and toggling the breakout room option ^[6]. During a live session, hosts can initiate breakout rooms by clicking the Breakout Rooms icon in the meeting controls, where they’ll choose the number of rooms and assignment method (automatic, manual, or participant choice) ^[4]. Pre-assignment is also possible by uploading a CSV file with participant emails and room allocations, which is useful for recurring groups or structured activities ^[7].

Key setup and management features include:

• Room Configuration: Hosts can create up to 100 breakout rooms, with options to rename rooms for clarity (e.g., "Group 1 - Brainstorming") ^[6]. Rooms can be reconfigured during the session by adding or removing participants as needed ^[4].
• Participant Assignment: Automatic assignment distributes participants evenly, while manual assignment allows hosts to curate groups based on specific criteria (e.g., skill level, project roles) ^[8]. Participants can also self-select rooms if the host enables the "Let participants choose room" option ^[2].
• Host Controls: Hosts can join any room to observe or assist, broadcast messages to all rooms simultaneously, and set time limits (e.g., 5–15 minutes for icebreakers, 30+ minutes for complex tasks) ^[2]. The host dashboard displays which rooms are active, who is speaking, and whether participants are sharing screens ^[5].
• Closing Rooms: Hosts can end breakout sessions at any time, prompting participants to return to the main room. A countdown timer (e.g., 60 seconds) can be enabled to notify participants before rooms close ^[2].

For asynchronous or hybrid settings, hosts should communicate breakout room expectations in advance, such as required tools (e.g., Google Docs for collaboration) or alternative participation methods for students unable to attend live sessions ^[4].

Designing Effective Group Activities

The success of breakout room activities hinges on clear objectives, structured tasks, and intentional group dynamics. Research from Indiana University’s Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning emphasizes avoiding "busy work" by aligning activities with broader meeting or course goals ^[3]. For example, a marketing team might use breakout rooms to brainstorm campaign ideas, while educators could assign case study analyses or peer reviews. Defined roles (e.g., facilitator, note-taker, presenter) ensure all participants contribute, and deliverables (e.g., a shared Google Slide deck) create accountability ^[3].

Examples of structured activities include:

• Icebreakers and Team Building: Short games like "Two Truths and a Lie" or "Top Three" (where participants share their top three favorite books, travel destinations, etc.) help groups bond quickly ^[9]. For remote teams, "Desk Yoga" or breathing exercises can reduce stress during long meetings ^[9].
• Collaborative Projects: Groups can co-create documents (e.g., Google Docs for brainstorming, Miro boards for mind mapping) or prepare presentations to share in the main room ^[8]. For example, a history class might divide into groups to analyze primary sources, with each group responsible for summarizing a different document ^[4].
• Discussions and Debates: Structured debates (e.g., "Burgers vs. Pizza") or role-playing scenarios encourage critical thinking. Hosts can assign discussion questions in advance or use prompts like "What’s one thing you learned today?" for reflection ^[8].
• Feedback Sessions: Peer reviews or "plus/delta" exercises (listing positives and areas for improvement) work well in breakout rooms. For instance, a design team could rotate feedback on prototypes in 10-minute intervals ^[3].

Timing is critical: shorter sessions (5–10 minutes) suit icebreakers, while complex tasks may require 20–40 minutes. Hosts should allocate time for groups to report back to the main room, reinforcing accountability and shared learning ^[3]. Tools like shared documents or whiteboards (e.g., Zoom’s built-in whiteboard or external apps like Jamboard) can enhance collaboration, but hosts should test these in advance to troubleshoot technical issues ^[6].