Do you find the soft skills training needs of traditional and non-traditional students to be different, and if so how do you manage their different needs in a mixed class?

I am preparing to teach for the first time and would appreciate some examples of “ice breakers” for the first day of class. I am particularly interested in ways to get the students talking and comfortable with each other and the class environment.

I am a new instructor and I am looking for advice and or comments on being a motivator and not becoming a “friend” or crossing the line and fraternizing with a student. Good or bad examples of past experiences would be appreciated.