Getting to know you: activities for learning names

Camping Magazine, May-June, 1998 by Deb Jordan

Name games encourage quick learning of names by campers, as well as leaders or counselors. The leader may wish to play these activities quite often until everyone feels comfortable with their fellow campers' names. The activities are light in tone, range from semi to very active, and once going, move fairly rapidly. A program leader's enthusiasm is the key factor in the success of these activities.

Most name games are played with the group in a circle formation to bring people physically close together in a nonthreatening way; to minimize subgrouping by allowing everyone to see everyone else in the group; and to involve the counselor or leader in the game while still allowing for adequate supervision. Circles are preferred because they bring people together on an equal footing; one individual isn't sitting or standing higher or behind another. With a minimum of adaptations, these name games are accessible to all potential group members.

Bop

Bop is a fast-moving activity in which group members stand shoulder to shoulder in a circle facing the center. A group of ten to eighteen people works well for this game. A larger group should be broken into two or more small groups. This size makes it easier to remember names and allows full participation by everyone.

The game begins with players in the circle saying their name loud enough for all to hear. Go twice around the circle saying names. One camper is selected to stand in the center of the circle. This person is the bopper and is given a sock stuffed with soft material. The leader then begins Bop by calling the name of one of the group members. The bopper must find the person and "bop" him gently with the sock before that person calls out another name. Make sure campers bop one another gently and do not allow them to hit on the head or in the face.

If the bopper tags the wrong person, that person bops the bopper. If the correct person is identified by the bopper, that person trades places with the bopper and the game continues. If time allows, all campers and counselors should be given an opportunity to be the bopper.

Sock Toss

Similar to Bop, Sock Toss teaches names through rapid and repetitive naming of group members. In the same formation as Bop, the group stands shoulder to shoulder in a circle, facing the center. Group members go around the circle twice saying their names loud enough for all to hear. The leader then calls a name and tosses a sock, stuffed with soft material, to the named individual. That person calls out another group member's name and tosses the stuffed sock to that person. Each group member quickly becomes involved as names are called and the sock is tossed to those individuals.

As campers and staff become more proficient and naming and tossing speeds up, the leader may introduce another sock so that two names are being called out and two socks are tossed simultaneously. The leader may add as many socks as desired to maintain a level of challenge and excitement. The program leader may use a Nerf foam ball as an alternative to the stuffed socks.

Name Charades

In this game, group members combine some type of nonverbal gesture with their name and share it with the group. Once again, the group is shoulder to shoulder in a circle, facing the center. One at a time, campers or counselors step into the circle, say their name, and make a gesture. The gesture may be small or involve the entire body. Encourage campers and staff to add style, vivacity, and flair to their movements but to make sure they are tasteful and nonoffensive. The entire group then mimics the motion and repeats the name.

This naming, gesturing, and imitating continues around the circle until all members have shared their body gesture. A grand finale is then done with everyone saying their name and gesturing at one time. For a variation, each person in the circle can repeat all of the previous names and motions before doing their own.

Name Jingle

Yet another activity for learning names is to incorporate camper and staff names into a musical jingle. Name Jingle starts with people in small groups of three to five people. A time limit of five to six minutes should be placed on the group to enhance speedy creativity. The leader may wish to suggest jingle tunes from popular commercials, show tunes, or top-forty hits. Once developed and practiced, individual teams share their jingles with the entire group.

Guess Who

Campers stand in a circle and take turns saying their names. Then the group is divided into two teams. Two people hold a blanket or sheet between the teams. Team members should stand behind the blanket so campers on the other side cannot see them. One member from each group comes forward and stands in front of the blanket. The people holding the blanket drop it down, and the campers must try to identify the person on the other side. If one person is identified, that person joins the other team. If both are correctly identified or neither are named, campers return to their own team. Play continues until all campers are on one side of the blanket.