As a teacher, building a strong relationship with your students is key to creating a positive and effective learning environment. One way to accomplish this is by incorporating fun and engaging meet-and-greet activities into your daily routine. These activities not only help students get to know each other but also allow them to feel comfortable with their teacher and build trust with their classmates. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of 21 meet-and-greet activities for students from various sources that are sure to add some excitement to your classroom.
1. Human Knot
This is a classic icebreaker where students stand in a circle and hold hands with two different people across from them. They must then untangle themselves without letting go of each other’s hands.
Learn More: Icebreaker Ideas
2. Personal Trivia
In this activity, each student shares three personal facts about themselves, and the class must then guess which fact is a lie. This game encourages students to share personal information in a fun and lighthearted way while also helping them to learn more about each other’s personalities and experiences.
Learn More: Games for ESL
3. Name Game
Students stand in a circle and say their names with an accompanying gesture or movement. The next student must repeat the previous names and gestures before adding their own.
Learn More: Musically Minded
4. Bingo Icebreaker
Create a bingo card with various characteristics such as “has a pet”, “plays a sport”, or “loves pizza.” Students must find classmates who fit each description and fill out their bingo cards.
Learn More: Literacy Learn
5. Would You Rather?
This activity involves presenting students with two options and asking them to choose which one they would rather do. This simple game can spark interesting conversations and debates- helping students to get to know each other’s personalities and perspectives.
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6. Memory Lane
In this activity, students bring in a photo from their childhood and share a story about it with the class. The activity encourages students to reflect on their personal histories, bond over shared experiences, and build stronger connections with each other.
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7. Scavenger Hunt
Make a list of items for students to find around the classroom or campus. Students can work in pairs or small groups to finish the hunt. This practice fosters teamwork and problem-solving skills and helps pupils become familiar with their surroundings.
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8. Pictionary
Students will work in teams for this activity during which they will be asked to sketch and determine the meaning of a variety of words and phrases. Students can get to know one another in a way that is both enjoyable and stimulating by playing a game that simultaneously fosters abilities in teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving.
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9. Jigsaw Puzzle
Give each student a piece of a jigsaw puzzle and have them find the person with the matching piece. Once all the pieces are found, students can work together to complete the puzzle.
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10. Find Someone Who…
Create a list of statements such as “find someone who has the same favorite color as you” or “find someone who has traveled to a different country.” Students must find someone who fits each description and have them sign their piece of paper.
Learn More: Kate Languages
11. Marshmallow Challenge
Students work in small groups with the goal of constructing the highest tower possible out of marshmallows, tape, and spaghetti noodles. This practice encourages working together as a team, communicating effectively, and finding solutions to problems.
Learn More: Laugh Eat Learn
12. Interview
This activity involves having students pair up and interview each other using a set of provided questions. They can then introduce their partner to the class. This activity helps students learn more about each other, build communication skills, and gain confidence in speaking in front of others.
Learn More: Faculty Focus
13. Creative Collage
Provide learners with a sheet of paper and a few magazines or newspapers for them to use in the creation of a collage that reflects who they are. Creativity, self-expression, and introspection on one’s own identity are all encouraged by participation in this activity.
Learn More: The Art of Education
14. Speed Friending
Students participate in this exercise by going around the room in a circle and getting to know one another for a specified duration before moving on to the next individual. Students will quickly get to know one another, improve their social skills, and strengthen their ability to work together thanks to this activity.
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15. Group Charades
This activity involves dividing students into groups and acting out various words or phrases for their teammates to guess. This activity promotes teamwork, creativity, and communication skills while providing a fun and engaging way for students to get to know each other.
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16. Chalk Talk
Give each student a piece of paper and instruct them to write a question or statement on it. Then, have them pass the paper around the classroom so that others can answer it or add to it. This practice promotes attentive listening as well as communication with a courteous tone.
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17. Collaborative Drawing
Give each student a piece of paper and have them draw a small portion of a larger picture. Once all the pieces are complete, they can be put together to create a collaborative masterpiece.
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18. Guess Who?
In this activity, students create a list of clues about themselves and post them on the board, while the class tries to guess who each list belongs to. This game encourages students to share personal information while also promoting teamwork, critical thinking, and deductive reasoning skills.
Learn More: Resilient Educator
19. Balloon Pop
Several icebreaker questions are written on small pieces of paper and placed inside balloons. Students must pop the balloons and answer the questions contained within them. This entertaining and interactive game encourages kids to think creatively while also promoting collaboration and communication skills.
Learn More: Top Floor Teachers
20. Sentence Starters
In this activity, students are provided with sentence starters such as “One thing I’m really good at is…” or “I feel happiest when…” and are asked to finish the sentence and share it with the class. This activity helps students to express themselves while promoting positive communication and socialization.
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21. Random Acts of Kindness
Each student writes down an act of kindness they can do for another kid in the class, executes the deed secretly, and writes about it in a diary. This game encourages students to think about others and their needs while also promoting empathy, kindness, and positive behavior.
Learn More: Teach Starter
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