Icebreaker: Name Juggle

Icebreaker: Name Juggle


Purpose

If you are running a course with many people who don’t know each other, it can take a while for everyone to learn everybody’s name. To make everyone feel more comfortable with each other, you can use this exercise to accelerate the name learning process. It is quite upbeat so it can also energise people and prepare them for the rest of your course.

Objective

State the name of a person and pass a ball to him or her and keep passing the ball.

What You Need

  • 4 to 6 balls for a group of 8 to 12. These can be tennis balls or small stress balls. Anything that is safe to throw at someone else is ideal.

Setup

  • Ask the delegates to form a circle. Include yourself in this circle.
  • Explain that you are going to throw a ball at someone.

Phase 1:

  • Pick someone.
  • Ask their name. For example, she responds, “Jane”.
  • Say, “Hi Jane, I am Peter. Catch the ball!”
  • When Jane gets the ball she should say, “Thanks Peter.”
  • Jane should select another person, ask his or her name and repeat the process.
  • Continue until everyone has participated.

Phase 2:

  • Next, explain that you want to make it more challenging.
  • State the name of a person and throw the ball at him or her. Say, “Mary, catch the ball!”
  • This person should thank you by name and follow suit: “Thanks James. Robert, catch the ball!”
  • Take it easy and allow mistakes. Simply expect everyone to master the names as they keep throwing the ball.

Phase 3:

  • While the ball is still been thrown, casually take out a new ball from your pocket, pick a person and say “X, catch the ball!”, and throw the new ball. Expect a pleasant surprise. Now there are two balls to juggle. After a while add another ball. Use as many balls as half the number of people in the group.
  • Stop the ball throwing exercise when you think the group has learned enough and there is nothing more to gain.

Timing

Explaining the Exercise: 2 minutes.

Activity: 10 minutes

Group Feedback: 0 minutes.

Discussion

N/A

 

 


Comments

Yohanes Purnomo

By Yohanes Purnomo @ Friday, March 12, 2010 8:58 AM



I am glad coming across this training materials free.
In my educational activities, this will help me a lot to improve my professionalism.
Many thanks


Ehsan Honary

By Ehsan Honary @ Friday, March 12, 2010 9:05 AM



Yohanes, glad to know that you liked our free training materials. All the best.


Christanti Gomulia

By Christanti Gomulia @ Wednesday, March 17, 2010 4:52 PM



Your free training material has given me the best ideas to train our teachers and motivate them bring about their best potentials, thanks a million. Keep oin becoming a blessing...


alpana

By alpana @ Monday, May 17, 2010 9:32 AM



now i dont ve 2 think how 2 make d class fun filled n energetic.thnk u so much


pradeep

By pradeep @ Saturday, July 24, 2010 5:17 AM



ur free trg materials are highly effective and useful


R.M.V. Naga Raj

By R.M.V. Naga Raj @ Friday, February 1, 2013 4:44 PM



Firstly, a big thank you to Skills Converged. Your material has been of great help to me in training my associates and students by and large. Your contribution to the trainers fraternity is invaluable. Let this noble service continue for ever and ever. Good Luck and thank you very much once again.

Rajah Manuri Venkata Nagaraj, India


Ehsan Honary

By Ehsan Honary @ Saturday, February 2, 2013 8:27 AM



Thanks for the positive comments. We will continue to do our best...


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