Age Group: Pre-K-2

# of Students: Minimum of 5 students, but more are welcome

Overview
Students will practice learning each other’s names in a fun and active game similar to Duck, Duck, Goose.

Materials
Open space

Duration: 15 minutes (or longer with repeated games)

Instructions
1. Gather students to form a large circle, seated, in an open space.
2. Explain the game.
Instructor: “We are going to practice learning each other’s names. This game is just like Duck, Duck, Goose. I will pick someone to be ‘it.’ That student will walk around the circle tapping each student’s head, but instead of saying ‘Duck,’ they will say the child’s name. Once they get to a student whose name they do not know, they will say ‘Goose.’ Just like the original game, the ‘Goose’ will chase the first student around the circle and try to tag them. The original runner will run around the circle and try to claim the Goose’s seat without getting tagged. If successful, the ‘Goose’ becomes the next ‘it,’ and the game continues. If not, then the first student starts again.
3. Play a practice round with the instructor as the original head-tapper.
4. Check for questions.
5. Begin game.

Reflection Questions:
1. Did you learn someone’s name?
2. Count how many new friends we have in this circle.
3. How do you know if someone is your friend? What do they do?
4. Are you a good friend? How do you know?

Age Group: Pre-K-2

# of Students: Minimum of 5 students, but more are welcome

Overview
Students will practice learning each other’s names in a fun guessing game.

Materials
Open space; students’ shoes required

Duration
15 minutes (or longer with repeated games)

Instructions
1. Gather students to form a large circle, seated, in an open space.
2. Have every student take off one shoe and place in the center of the circle.
3. Explain the game.
Instructor: “We are going to practice reviewing each other’s names in a fun shoe guessing game. I will choose one student to go first. The student (A) will come to the center of the circle and grab one shoe. The student will have to identify the shoe’s owner. Once they (A) identify the student (B) with the missing shoe, A will approach B and return their shoe, and A will also state student B’s name. Now student B gets to come to the center of the circle, grab a shoe, and find the shoe’s owner. Student B will return the shoe to student C, and B will state C’s name. Now C is the shoe finder. The game continues until all shoes are found and returned.”
4. Check for questions.
5. Begin game.

Reflection Questions:
1. Was it hard to remember who owns each shoe? Why?
2. How many new names did you learn? Did having the shoe help or make it harder?
3. How did it feel when your shoe was picked?

Age Group: 3-5

# of Students: Minimum of 6, but more are welcome

Overview
Students will practice learning each other’s names in a competitive, but cooperative game. One team member at a time must guess the name of their opponent. Whoever guesses correctly first adds a point to their team.

Materials
Open space; two chairs; something to cover and hide the students between the two chairs: blanket, tarp, butcher paper, etc.

Duration
15 minutes (or longer with repeated games)

Instructions
1. Split students into two teams as evenly as you can on opposite sides of the room.
2. Place two chairs in the center of the room facing each other.
3. Ask two instructors or two student volunteers to be in charge of keeping the chairs hidden in the center of the room with a blanket or cover.
4. Explain the game to students.
Instructor: “Each team will choose one person at a time to quietly come to take a seat in the center of the room. The ‘blanket holders’ will count down from three and pull the blanket down to reveal the two students facing each other. Whoever says the opposite student’s name first adds a point for their team.”
5. Do a practice round with two students.
6. Check for questions.
7. Begin game.

Reflection Questions:
1. Whose name was the hardest to remember?
2. Whose name was the easiest to remember?
3. Who thinks they remember the most names? Say them out loud.
4. Do you think this game helped you learn new names?

Age Group: 3-5

# of Students: Minimum of 5, more are welcome

Overview
Students will review each other’s names in a challenging ball toss game while memorizing and repeating a pattern. Variations can increase the difficulty and fun!

Materials 
Open space; large bouncy balls, like a basketball (easy); smaller bouncy balls, like a tennis ball (difficult)

NOTE: This game can be played with only one ball. However, three or more balls are recommended to increase difficulty and fun.

Duration
15 minutes (or more with repeated games)

Instructions
1. Gather students to stand in a circle in an open space.
2. Explain the game.
Instructor: “We are going to review each other’s names and work on memorization and patterns. I will choose one student to begin. They will bounce the ball to a player across the circle while also stating their name. That player will then bounce the ball to a different player across the circle while stating their name. This will continue until all students have received the ball. The last person will return the ball to the first student who started the game. The challenge is that you will have to pay attention to who sends you the ball and where you pass it. We will repeat the same order for each additional round. Remember to bounce the balls, not toss them!”
3. Important note: No one should receive the ball twice in one complete round. If a student bounces the ball to a student who has already received it, the game starts over from the top.
4. Do one small practice round with a smaller circle and group of five students to demonstrate.
5. Check for questions.
6. Begin game.
7. After the first round, repeat in the same order a few more times, faster. If someone pauses or forgets the pattern, restart.
8. Once the pace has quickened and the pattern is consistent, add another ball to the mix. Once the first student begins the game with the first ball, have the first student start again with the second ball. The same order will continue, but now two balls will be in play.
9. Once comfortable with two balls, add a third. Continue to add more balls until the game falls apart.

Note on difficulty: The game is easier with larger sized balls, like basketballs. This decreases the opportunity for the balls to escape and makes it easier for the students to catch the balls. To increase difficulty and to practice hand and eye coordination, use tennis balls.

Reflection Questions
1. What did you find most difficult about the game?
2. How did you feel when you knew the ball was coming to you?
3. Can you remember who passed the ball to you and who you passed it on to?
4. What did you enjoy the most out of the game?

Age Group: 3-5

TEKS: Health K.9(B); 1.9(C); 2.9(B); 3.9(D)[1]

Theater K.1(B); 2.1(D); 3.2(A); 4.2(A); 5.2(A)

# of Students: Minimum of 5, but more are welcome

Overview
In this activity, students will begin learning their classmates’ names by associating them with a particular movement. This will allow students to use motion to improve their memory and feel how other people move their bodies. Students will review each other’s names in a challenging ball toss game while memorizing and repeating a pattern. Variations can increase the difficulty and fun!

Materials 
Large open space (students will be in a large circle)

Duration
20 Minutes

• 2 minutes – Introduce the activity
• 15 minutes – Play the game
• 3 minutes – Reflect on the activity

Instructions
1. Gather students in a large circle.
2. Introduce the activity. Students will say their name and do some sort of movement that represents them and their personality (e.g., Maria has a big imagination, so she does an explosive starfish jump as she says her name).
3. Give students a minute or two to think of the movement they want to do for their name. Have them give you a thumbs up when they have their idea.
4. Once most students have their idea, begin the game.
5. Have the first student say their name while doing their motion.
6. Next, everyone in the circle will say the student’s name and do their motion.
7. Then, the second student will say their name while doing their motion.
8. Now everyone will say the first student’s name and do their motion, followed by the second student’s name and their motion.
9. This will continue to build as they go around the circle.
10. The circle should end on the teacher who will also participate.
11. To finish, work as a team to go around the entire circle doing everyone’s motion and saying their names.
12. Once completed, have student’s high-five their neighbor and sit down in the circle.

Activity Circle (Variation) Instructions
1. Gather students to form a large circle, standing, in an open space.
2. Explain the game. Instructor: “We are going to practice learning each other’s names and a little bit about one another. We will go around in a circle and state our name and say and ‘I like to. . .’ and we will connect our ‘like’ with a motion of doing said activity. For Example: My name is Alyson and I like to practice yoga (will act out a tree yoga pose).
3. Variation: To increase difficulty, you can require the student to have to name an activity that is the same letter of the alphabet as their name. For Example: ‘My name is Alyson and I like to act!’ (Will act out a dramatic face and pose).
4. Variation: This can simply be done for fun around in a circle for students to learn each other’s names OR to increase difficulty, and if you have the time, you can have students memorize everyone’s name and activity. Then they must repeat each person’s name and activity before they get to their own name and activity.
5. Variation: One person at a time can repeat and act out each person before them, or it can all be done as a whole group together.
6. Questions?
7. Begin game

Reflection Questions
1. How many names and activities do you remember?
2. Can you recite the name and activities that you remember out loud?
3. Did the activity make it easier to remember your friend’s name?

Age Group: All

# of Students: An even number of students, if possible, or there may be a group of 3

Overview
Students will practice learning each other’s names by combining their names to form one single name and create a fun handshake.

Materials
Open space

Duration
10 minutes

Instructions
1. Gather students in an open space and split students into partners
2. Explain the game.
Instructor: “With your partner, you will combine your names to create one single name and create a special partner handshake. For example, My name is Alyson, and this is Eunice. And together we are ‘Eunison.’ (Then show a fun handshake/dance).
3. Check for questions.
4. Begin the fun!
5. Give students about 5 minutes to create their handshake and combine their names.
6. Once everyone is finished, have each group share out, if they would like to do so.

Reflection Questions:
1. Was it difficult to combine your names? What made it difficult?
2. How did you feel when having to come up with the handshake/dance?
3. What did you like the most about the activity? What did you like the least?
4. Did this activity make it harder or easier to remember each other’s names?