Preamble

Getting-to-know-you games can be used to ease the tension in a new group, or new situation, essentially to help participants learn each other’s names, do simple things together, or to create a positive feeling within a group at the first (forming) stage of its life. They are a good tool for breaking the ice in a non-threatening manner. The new facilitator may therefore also use these games to learn about the people in his/her group and establish communication with them, whether or not the members previously knew each other.

Games

A.2. Applies/Does'nt Apply

This game can be organized while sitting in a circle, or standing.

- Ask people to stand if the statement applies to them, and to remain seated if it does not.
- It can be made more mobile, if you place a placard on one side of the room for “Applies” and another on the opposite side for “Doesn’t Apply,” and ask the group to go over to whichever side is relevant.
Statements may be related to major issues / strong beliefs; or to facts about
the participants.

Some statement suggestions:
Factual: I am over 18.
I am from the East Coast of the U.S.A.
I have never been to Israel before.

Issues: The West Bank should remain in Israeli hands.
Peace Now is a sign of hope for the State of Israel.
Diaspora Jews lead meaningless Jewish lives.

A.3. Concentric Circles

This is an excellent introductory activity. It enables group members to introduce themselves to each other in a non-threatening manner.

Split the group into two equal circles. Have them form two concentric circles, with partners facing each other.

The facilitator or moderator explains these rules to the group:
When the moderator says “speak,” partners speak to each other either about a predetermined topic or any other.
When the moderator says “stop,” partners immediately stop talking - even if they are in the middle of a sentence.
The moderator says “switch”: the entire outer circle moves one space to the right. At the signal, partners begin talking.

The moderator allows about one minute (or less) for each pair, until every pair has spoken to each other.

A.4. Two-Minute Autobiogaphies

Ask group members to find a partner, preferably one they don’t know at all. They have two minutes to tell them what they would especially like them to know about themselves and their lives: past, present, hopes, plans, facts, etc.
After each has a turn, they join another pair to make a foursome, and introduce the partner to the new pair, by relating what they remember about the partner’s autobiography.
When each of the four has had a turn, they join the whole group and introduce their partners to them, doing a round of “I learned.”

Variation:
Stay with either the pairs, or the foursomes, and ask each other questions, letting the autobiographies go deeper.

A.5. Advertisments

The group should know each other a while before trying this exercise.

Pencils and paper are distributed.
Ask each participant to write an advertisement describing and "selling" himself/herself as a friend (25 words or less), bearing in mind why would someone want to "buy" (choose) you rather than another friend?
Fold and place the advertisements in a hat, pass around, so that members each pull out one in turn and read it aloud; have the reader guess who wrote that advertisement (giving a reason for the guess).
Do a round of “I noticed that…”

Variation:

1. Advertisement of oneself as a parent, teacher, pupil, son/daughter, brother/sister, sweetheart, etc.

2. Put large ads on the wall; write ads for other people.

3. Illustrate or make cartoons of the ads.

A.6. The Name of the Game

This name game requires the use of a ball.

A new group sits in a circle of not more than sixteen members.
One person is given a ball. The ball is passed around the circle and each person who receives it says his name very clearly (usually just the first name).
When everyone has been named and the ball returns to the first person, he or she throws it to any person. The receiver must say the thrower’s name.
The ball is then thrown to someone else who must say the next thrower’s name.
If a person cannot remember the name of the person who has thrown the ball to him/her, s/he must ask and repeat the name before proceeding with the activity.
The game continues until everyone can remember the names in their group.

A.7. Name That Game

Facilitator: say your name. Now make a movement to go with that name.
The group imitates the movement and says the name.
Turn to another group member and say, “And who are you?”
Continue the exercise with each person in the group.

Related Games