Training games represent an important part of a trainer’s toolkit that allows the trainer to foster communication, enhance interaction, creativity and learning, and energize group formation.

Getting To Know People Games are best used at the start of the session and should take no more than 5 - 10 minutes depending on the size of the group.

Objectives

To allow people know each others names and some information about each other.

Method

There are many variations to this game but with some thought and imagination you will be able to build your own variations to meet the requirements of your training session.

A few will be outlined here to indicate how they work.

The Animal
Each person picks the name of an animal name that starts with the first letter of their own name. To illustrate, ‘I am Aardvark Alan’.

Then the next person continues by stating ‘that was Aardvark Alan and I am Bettle Bob’. And so on …

The Name
Ask each person to state their name and to give a little more information about their name. Why are they called that name? Is there any history associated with the name? Do they have a nickname? What other name do they like? And so on …

The Magical Ball
Every stands in a circle and the trainer introduces a magical ball (imaginary if none is available). When you receive the ball, you state your name and who you received the ball from. To illustrate, ‘I am Alan and I received the ball from Bob’. And so on …

When members receive the ball for a second time they have to also state where they are from - ‘I am Alan from Los Vegas and I received the ball from Bob’. And so on …

You can continue this game with many variations.

The Hobby
Ask participants to write their name on a blank name card and to draw something to do with their favorite hobby or past-time. Each person then has to state their name and describe the image that they have drawn detailing

- What they like about what their hobby?
- How long they have doing this?

Participant then use their name card for the rest of the session.

The Color
Ask participants to write their name on a blank name card using their favorite color. Each person then has to state their name and describe

- What they like chose the color?
- How the color relates to them?

Participant then use their name card for the rest of the session.


Discussion Questions To Be Used With Games

1. Did anyone feel uncomfortable doing this exercise? Is so, why?
2. Can anyone explain why it is good for us to know each others names?