Have you ever asked someone their name, only to forget it minutes later? I sure have, especially in a room full of students! Playing name games can be very helpful. I always appreciate when people share interesting things about themselves so I can associate their names with what makes them unique. Most children love to share information on topics that interest them so incorporate these fun name-game activities to help unite the class!
1. Hickety Pickety Bumble Bee
Hickety Pickety Bumble Bee is a fun activity for young children. Students will sing the song along with the teacher while taking turns sharing their names. It is a basic name game that provides a fun opportunity for students to use to greet one another.
Learn more: Mrs. Stringer G
2. Magic Wall
Magic Wall is a fun team icebreaker that will allow students to get to know one another better. Divide the class into two teams that are divided by a blanket or board to form a wall in-between them. The wall will drop and the person to say their opponent’s name the fastest, wins!
Learn more: Ultimate Camp Resource
3. Johnny Plays the Drum Beat
This simple game is best to play with elementary-level students. Children will have the opportunity to take turns playing the drum together with their new friends. This is a fun way to introduce students to one another.
Learn more: Sing Play Create Educational Music Channel
4. Name Toss
Name toss is a team bonding game that will allow children to become familiar with the names of their peers. This fun activity will also keep children physically active by passing a ball to one another. This game works best with 4-5 people or more.
Learn more: Ultimate Camp Resource
5. Candy Conversation Game
This candy conversation game is best played with Skittles or M&M-type pieces of candy. Students will be asked questions that correlate with the color of the candy they pick and have the opportunity to answer. This is an effective way for students to learn about their classmates.
Learn more: Kids Play and Create
6. Left, Right, Both
Students will stand in a circle and take turns saying their names. Then, a student will be selected to stand in the middle of the circle. They will point to a friend and say “left”, “right”, or “both” and that friend will name the classmate in the corresponding position.
Learn more: Kids Play and Create
7. Guess Who
This game will require students to focus on each other’s voices. Students will take turns wearing a blindfold while classmates ask them to guess who they are based on their voices. You can add a fun twist by having students share their favorite color or another fun clue that relates to their personality.
Learn more: Bright Hub Education
8. Name Puzzle
To create name puzzles, you will need to print student pictures on a piece of paper and cut them into strips. The children will piece puzzles together by matching the names and faces of their classmates.
Learn more: Tot Schooling
9. Crystal Names
This is a fun activity that will have students learn each other’s names while doing a cool science experiment. They will create name crystals using borax, water, and pipe cleaners.
Learn more: Playdough to Plato
10. Name Art
Have your students create their own masterpieces with name art! You will prepare their names ahead of time using tape to spell them out on a piece of paper. Children will paint the paper and remove the tape to show their names.
Learn more: Learn with Play at Home
11. Name Ring Toss
Children will play this ring toss game to practice spelling their names. They will throw the ring to reach the letters in order. Once they master their own name, they can work with a partner to spell their name, and so forth. How fun!
Learn more: Hands On As We Grow
12. Birthday Line-Up
This icebreaker activity requires children to share their birthdays with their peers. Their task is to line up in order of their birthdays while speaking as little as possible. This game encourages team communication and problem-solving as well as a good memory!
Learn more: Go Kid Power
13. Extreme Rock Paper Scissors
Extreme rock paper scissors is a tournament-style game that can be used as a simple icebreaker activity. This activity can be used with adults or children at a school event or team meeting. Event participants will start off competing with a partner.
Learn more: Icebreakers
14. Bus Stop
This is a word association game that enables students to see what they have in common with one another. In addition to learning each other’s names, they will learn about individual interests.
Learn more: Mom Junction
15. Human Shapes
Students will work together to spell out their names using their bodies! This can be used as an icebreaker game to help students with team bonding. Students will work in small groups of 4-5 people to spell out each other’s names.
Learn more: Mom Junction
16. Name Bingo
Name Bingo is a classic icebreaker game for children of all ages. Students will have a bingo board that includes one name in each square. The facilitator will call out describing words and if the person fits the description, they will mark the card.
Learn more: Youth Group Games
17. Find Your Match
Students will write down a few facts about them on an index card. You can ask a few icebreaker questions to help the class get started. Students will need to communicate to correctly match the cards to their classmates.
Learn more: Thought Co
18. Describe Your Name
This activity works best with older students in middle and high school. They will share their name and an interesting fact about their first or last name. You will be surprised by how much there is to learn about the names of others!
Learn more: Thought Co
19. Name Letter Sorting
This name game is a great way for students to also practice their spelling. Students can work together to identify the letters that make up each name and the letters that appear in both names. The hope is that they will make new friends through this activity.
Learn more: Conversations in Literacy
20. Yes or No Game
Yes or No is a game where students ask each other closed questions to which the answer is simply yes or no. This is an awesome way to practice team communication with icebreaker questions.
Learn more: Team Building
21. Name That Tune
This is a fun icebreaker activity that will have students singing their favorite songs. Everyone will take a turn humming a song and the rest of the group will take turns guessing what song it is. This is fun for school or any type of team meeting event.
Learn more: Personal Creations
22. Telephone Game
Telephone games are always an entertaining activity for children. This game gets students talking to each other whether they are friends or not. It is great to start out by reminding the group of everyone’s name. Then, they will whisper a phrase down the line and see if it will end how it started.
Learn more: Personal Creations
23. Missing Name Card Game
An icebreaker activity to help with remembering names is the missing name memory game. You will include all the students’ names on a set of cards before placing them on a table, giving students a moment to look at them before removing one. Students will work in groups to identify the missing name.
Learn more: Icebreaker Ideas
24. Mermaid Name Game
What is your Mermaid’s name? Find out with the Mermaid Name Game! This is a fun activity to use as a team icebreaker or at a child’s birthday party. Participants will match the words together to find out their unique Mermaid name.
Learn more: Etsy
25. Who Is Here Today?
This is a song game for children to practice the names of everyone in the class. This is a fun way for little ones to greet their friends during morning circle time. You can make it more fun by having everyone share their favorite color when their name is called.
Learn more: Musically Minded
40 Cooperative Games For Kids