Eldrbarry's Active Games:
Favorites and Getting Acquainted List
KEY: (Activity Level - low, +high, Area Needed - Small Medium Large)
While it is not necessary for people to know each other's name to enjoy playing group games together, there are times when games can facilitate people getting acquainted. Some games break the ice and allow people to trust and play more freely together as well. Here are some name games:
INSTANT REPLAY: (-,S) A good get acquainted game. Taking turns, each person announces their name and does something. Everyone repeats the name and gives back an "instant replay" of the action.
FIND YOUR MATES: (M) Divide the players into Cows, Ducks, and other distinctive barnyard animals. Have them close their eyes and find their fellow animals by sound alone.
PAIRS Assign names of things associated in pairs like: "Ham and eggs" "Beans and Franks" "Needle and Thread", etc, by passing out cards with half of the pair written on each "Ham", "egss", etc.. So then the players will go around looking for their "pair-partners" by saying what they are to one another. Be sure no two people have the same names.
I SIT IN THE GRASS WITH MY FRIENDS Seat everyone in a circle with one empty seat. The two seated on either side of an empty chair are to try to occupy the empty seat, the winner saying "I sit ...". His or her vacated seat is then taken by the person awho was next to them saying "...in the grass...". Next the next in line to that person moves to that vacated seat saying "...with my friend _________" (Either supplying the name of someone in the circle, or pointing at someone in the circle.) The selected person moves to the empty seat, and the whole process begins again over a new vacated chair. Keep things moving fast.
CHOO CHOO or Name Train Leader "chuga chuga's" up someone and asks their name. Then he hoots and toots, raising each of his arms and legs saying the person's name. That person becomes the caboose. They "chug" to another person, repeating the hooting, arm and leg movements and name, then (reversing the line by each turning around), the second person (the caboose) now becoming the engine, the third added as the caboose, and the first now in the middle, a train car. This continues, everyone being first a caboose and then the engine, before becoming part of the train.
Some of the above games were found in The New Games Book, & More New Games, ed. Flugelman and Tembeck, and New Games for the Whole Family by Dale N. LeFevre (New Games Foundation) and some are from The Outrageous Outdoor Game Book by Bob Gregson (Fearon Teaching Aids)
Thanks for visiting! Your comments and games suggestions are most welcome!
Please E-mail me at: eldrbarry@eldrbarry.net
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