Remember my name. A starter game to learn participants' names with fun

There has never yet been a man in our history who led a life of ease whose name is worth remembering.
Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919)
US-President

Participants will learn and remember the other participants’ names. The starter game Remember my name also very active and very good fun!

You can speed up - and also get more fun - by putting two or even three toys in the game. — *You can speed up – and also get more fun – by putting two or even three toys in the game.*

Objective of Remember my name

Familiarizes the participants with each other and focuses concentration on something apart from the workshop topic. This energises the group.

*Also by choosing a funny toy participants are more inspired to humor compared to a simple ball.*

Resources

Softball or soft toy like a teddy bear.

Time

10—15 mins.

Task

Participants stand in a circle. You instruct them to throw the ball and call their name while doing so. The next person to receive the ball repeats the first name and adds their own name while throwing it to a third person.

The third repeats the first two names and adds his or her own and so on and so forth. The final participant will have to remember all the names. As this won’t run smoothly the first time, do several rounds.

If you want to increase difficulty, but also the fun — start a second memory chain by throwing in a second softball or teddy bear, or even a third.

Phase

Remember my name is best at the beginning when it will be the most challenging and interesting.

Flashlight

You freeze a current moment of the workshop by doing a quick round of all the participant to know the current emotion or opinion.

Newspaper Interview

Newspaper Interview is an ice-breaker activity to familiarize your participants with each other. Create teams of two participants who interview each other. It’s advisable to mix gender, organisation, and age groups.

Wanted Poster

This is an ice-breaker activity to familiarize participants with each other. The form of the wanted poster reduces information to the relevant and the time needed.Make teams of two who interview each other and draw a Wanted Poster. It’s recommended to mix gender, organisation, and age groups.

Facts of My Life

Often so-called facts are presented to us, which we accept without further questioning. This excellent game teaches people to question further.

Animal

Participants will learn and remember the other participants’ name. It’s also very energising and great fun.Present yourself with name plus animal name, e.g. I am Anita and I am a cat because I love the independence and self-reliance of cats.

Icon – I can

Icons are visual symbols, which are very important in our everyday lives. We are all familiar with symbols for toilets, exits, or restaurant logos etc. But have you ever thought of symbolising yourself in a single sign? Icon - I can!

Invisible Friend

Write the name of each participant on the back of the cards and let each participant pick one. Now, they have to find their ‘invisible friend’, i.e. ask around which person belongs to the name of the card.

Alliteration

Alliteration means using the same starting letter of words as a rhetorical tool. Here, we use alliterative epithets together with participants’ names, e.g. Ali the Attractive, Laila the Lunatic, or Jim the Jealous.

Treasure Hunt

There is a treasure in each workshop participant. Find it and let find the participants in each other. This game sets a positive atmosphere when everybody is new - and perhaps a little insecure - in the workshop. It builds confidence and relationships.