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Communication Learning Games

Communication is often a thing that people take for granted. Because so much communication happens in daily life, people often forget that it is a skill that needs to be practiced. When learning the theories behind communication become a chore, try making a game out of them. Games are a great way to teach communication between people and can be enjoyable at the same time.

Telephone
- Telephone, a great game for groups of all ages, teaches the importance of listening and illustrates the problems that can occur with a lack of clear communication. To play Telephone, form a circle with all participants. One person will think of a sentence, then whisper it into the ear of the person to his right. Each person will take turns listening to the whispered message from the person on his left, then whisper that same message to the person on his right. The last person in the circle will say the sentence out loud. The larger the group, the further off the end message usually is from the orginial.
Feelings
- Another game to teach communication is the game of Feelings. To play this, attempt to hold normal conversations about everyday topics. The only rule is to start each sentence with "I feel that.." This game puts an emphasis on how people tend to place blame on certain situations or people, confusing emotions with objective occurences.
Taboo
- When planning for a learning game dealing with communication, an easy approach is to use an already existing board game, such as Taboo. With this game, you are on teams. Each team member takes turns describing a word on her card, while her teammates try to guess the word. On each card, there is a list of other words that the speaker cannot say while describing the word. This game demonstrates the possibility of describing ideas in multiple ways. In the real world, people that you communicate with might have a different way of describing something; playing Taboo will allow you to recognize this and communicate outside of your perspective.
Charades
- Charades is another traditional game that can teach communication skills. To play, take turns acting out a word or phrase that is drawn from a hat. Your teammates will have a limited time to guess what you are acting out. This game teaches nonverbal communication. In the real world, nonverbal communication is potentially more important than verbal. You use distinct gestures when you talk or wait, such as folded arms or a slouched stance. This game helps you build awareness of these nonverbal cues and read the emotions of others better.

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