Hobbies And Interests
Autograph Bingo
Bingo is a popular game that you can use to get teens mingling. The Bingo cards can be made by drawing 5-inch-by-5-inch square grids on sturdy pieces of paper. Write the letters "B-I-N-G-O" above each vertical set of squares. In each square, write an interesting fact that each person is likely to have in his background. Facts might include statements such "I traveled outside of the United States" and "My favorite ice cream flavor is vanilla." Make sure that these statements are located in different squares on each Bingo card. Give each teen a card and have them start up conversations with one another as they look for people whose backgrounds match the squares. A person who matches a square signs that particular square. The first person who achieves a straight, five-square line wins the game.
Quick Name
This icebreaker game helps teens learn names while having some laughs. All the teens sit in a circle. One person receives a soft ball. She states her name and introduces a category, such as "Food" or "Movies." She then throws the ball to a random player in the circle. That person must also state his name and then quickly state the previous person's name, as well as a word that has something to do with the category the first person introduced. He passes the ball on to the next person, allowing the ball to move around the circle. People are disqualified if they fail to think of the previous person's name and/or a word that falls under the category. The last remaining person wins the game.
Famous Pairs
This game allows teens to mingle as they play detectives and learn about each other. This game involves writing down the names of famous pairs, like Sonny and Cher, on several different cards, with each name on an individual card. Each card is taped to a teen's forehead. Teens walk around asking only "yes" and "no" questions to figure out what name is written on their card and find their partner. The first pair to discover that they are pairs wins the game.