Get Acquainted Games for a Large Group of Kids

Scavenger Hunt

• Design a scavenger hunt in which players seek people who fit certain descriptions. For example, players might be asked to find a person with a birthday in November, a person born in another country or a person with two sisters. First, pass out a survey to the group to find out where the children were born, what their birthdays are, how many siblings they have and other information. Then compile your list of scavenger hunt items for the children to seek; read the items aloud or write them on a board where everyone can see them. Have the children mingle and ask their peers questions. When a child finds a person who fits a description on the scavenger hunt list, she must get that person̵7;s signature.

Student Dictionary

• Divide students into pairs and have them ask each other questions. Recommend a few basic questions, such as the person̵7;s name, hometown, siblings or pets, but ask the students come up with additional questions of their own. Students might ask a peer about her favorite movie, book, sport or ice cream flavor. Then ask each student to write a brief dictionary entry about his partner. Provide a dictionary entry for yourself for students to use as a guide. Your entry might look like this:

  Smith, John. Proper noun. 1. Born in St. Louis, Missouri. 2. Enjoys sailing. 3. Has an identical twin brother. 4. Loves "To Kill a Mockingbird."

  Compile all the students̵7; dictionary entries into a packet to distribute to the class.

Fact or Fib

• Have children sit in a circle and take turns telling their classmates two facts and one fib about themselves. Begin by giving the class two facts and a fib about yourself as an example. Include surprising facts about yourself that are true, and a fib that seems plausible. Your facts might be that you were born in Australia and have swum with sharks, and your fib might be that you have a brother. The group has to guess which of the three facts is the fib.

Adjective Name Game

• This game will help a large group of children to get to know everybody's name. Ask the children to sit in a circle. Each person should say his name along with an adjective that describes him and also begins with his name̵7;s first letter. For example, a boy named Charlie might say, ̶0;Cheerful Charlie.̶1; Each player also must recite the names and adjectives of all the players who came before him before announcing his own name and adjective. At the end of the game, give the child who went first a chance to name everybody in the group.