Dating games at camp for children 7-12 years old
Snowball
This game can be considered a classic version of introducing children to camp. It already has several varieties. Traditionally it is played as follows.
All participants stand or sit in a circle. The presenter says his name. The next player says the first player's name and then introduces himself. The third participant already calls the two previous guys by name, then says his name. The game continues, the first player ends, calling everyone in turn by name.
Another version of the same game assumes that the players name not only a name, but also some quality of theirs, further characterizing themselves. According to the terms of the game, the quality must begin with the same letter as the name. For example: Sergey, brave. The game is also played in a circle, completed by the first player who repeats everything he heard.
The conditions can also be supplemented by the fact that in addition to the name and quality, one must also name the vehicle, country, product. For example, “I am Daria, kind, I will fly on an airship to Denmark for a melon.” This option is, of course, more difficult. Most likely, it will be suitable for middle and older schoolchildren.
For younger children, the game can be diversified by the fact that the participants, saying their name, perform some movement, which everyone then needs to repeat.
Hurricane!
This game is one of the first to be held. The more a person plays it, the more fun and dynamic it is.
The players form a circle. The adult gives the command for those who have something in common to swap places. For example, a blue T-shirt, brown eyes, height 150 cm. The task can be complicated, for example, by giving a command to change places to those who have an older sister, or those whose name begins with the letter “C” - it all depends on the imagination of the counselor .
Participants on the team change places, fulfilling the given conditions.
At the command “Hurricane!” all players stand in a new place.
It is important that during the game children behave carefully and try not to bump into each other.
Say hello!
In this game, children try to remember someone's name while completing an adult's task. It is required that all participants in the game greet each other by shaking hands with the largest number of players in a limited time (for example, a minute). Special instructions: when the guys shake hands with another person, they must demonstrate a friendly attitude towards the players, look into each other's eyes and say their names. You can complicate the conditions by asking children not only to remember the names of other children, but also to count how many people they managed to say hello to. As a result of the game, the counselor finds out who met ten or twenty players, and then can reward with small souvenirs those children who greeted the largest number of players and remembered their names.
Animals
One of the options for games for getting to know children at camp.
Participants take turns standing in the middle of the general circle and using facial expressions and gestures to show the hidden animal, and the first letter in its name must be the same as in the player’s name. Everyone else guesses the hidden animal and the name of the person who is driving. During the game, the guys guess the names of all participants.
We believe - we don’t believe
Players stand or sit in a circle. In turn, each person says his name and reports three facts about himself: two true, and one fictitious. The counselor conducts a vote, based on the results of which it is determined what the guys believed and what they didn’t believe. The player then says what he made up.
Important! During this game, the adult needs to pay attention to the fact that the children treat each other kindly and do not react very emotionally to inventions.
It's me
A great way to overcome your fears of strangers. The exercise also helps you pay attention to your own strengths, which gives you self-confidence.
Seminar participants are given a piece of paper and a pencil. The task is to write 10 answers in a column to the question: “Who am I?” Every phrase begins with “I”. Then everyone takes turns reading out their list. As an experiment, you can fix the list in a visible place. For example, on the chest. It is advisable not to take off such a unique badge until the end of classes.
Dating games at camp for teenagers 14-17 years old
Scroll of names
This game will help to introduce and make friends with the guys in the squad.
Everyone is divided into two teams and sits in a row. The first player is given a paper scroll tied with a beautiful ribbon or braid 2 meters long. The first teenager takes the ribbon in his hands, calls himself by name, passes the scroll to the next player, who repeats the name of the first and says his own. Thus, the scroll passes from the first player to the last, the ribbon unwinds, and all the guys hold on to it. The last player fills out the scroll, writing down the names of everyone he remembers. The team with the most names written on its scroll wins.
Symbol
The counselor suggests introducing each child in the squad using some symbol. For example, he points to the child and says: “Guys, imagine that Katya is the day of the week. What day is it? Think, imagine it some day of the week and say what you imagined. Try to explain why you think so, how Katya is similar to the day with which you associate her.”
You can choose any general concept as a symbol: “transport”, “product”, “animal”, “plant”, “clothing”, “month”, “game”, “lesson”, etc.
Such a game helps to unite and make friends, because while thinking about another person they have to analyze his behavior, try to understand why the person is interesting, and as a result, get to know each other better.
Fairy-tale heroes
This game in an original and dynamic form will help introduce teenagers to each other. The task for the players is to introduce themselves, but to do this use the names of literary, fairy-tale heroes or characters from films and games.
Each player must come up with a fictitious name and movement, a gesture that matches his character. For example, Princess is a curtsey; Bird of Happiness - waves its arms like wings; Scarecrow - frightening facial expression, Spider-Man - jump, etc.
The game takes place in a circle according to the “Snowball” principle, when subsequent players repeat everything that the previous ones said and did. In this case, the chain of repetitions begins from the beginning if any player gets lost and mixes up names or movements.
Getting acquainted in this form will be fun and dynamic.
We were born under the same star
The game is played on the first day of the shift; it will help children get to know each other faster.
The presenter announces that each child must find among all those present a person who was born on the same (or as close as possible) date. To this end, guys can ask each other loudly about their birthday or conduct a quick survey. As soon as pairs (or groups) are formed, their participants need to quickly tell each other everything they consider necessary about themselves. The main thing is to have as much information as possible. The winners are those guys whose date of birth is the same or the difference is the smallest (August 1-August 5), or those who can tell as much as possible about their partners from what they learned during the game.
Guess who
With the help of such a dating game, you can check how much the guys learned about each other during their communication.
All participants write on pieces of paper three characteristics that characterize them. For example:
- I love playing chess;
- I have a twin brother;
- I want to become a designer.
The slips are signed and given to the presenter. He takes turns reading out the written characteristics, and the players name the people who, in their opinion, wrote such information about themselves. (Alternatively, players can write down their answers on separate pieces of paper.) In the end, you can choose the person who guessed the best and those who were easier to guess than others. You can also mark a person who could not be guessed based on the information received.
Guess what my name is
The participants of the game sit in a circle. The presenter announces that everyone needs to introduce themselves so as not to directly say their name. Everyone can give two clues, which everyone else will use to guess the names of the participants in the game. In the tips you can talk about historical or literary characters who have the same name as the player, or give other associations.
For example.
- My name denotes a woman's jewelry. (Earring - Sergey).
- The hero of Goncharov’s novel “Oblomov” bore my name. (Ilya).
- The heroine of Pushkin's novel bears my name. (Olga, Tatyana).
- My name translates as “winner.” (Daria).
- My name comes from the ancient Greek goddess Demeter. (Dmitriy).
Middle-aged and older schoolchildren easily cope with this task: encrypt their name and guess the names of other children from the encryption.
It's like a fairytale
The game allows everyone to introduce themselves in an unusual way. Exercise helps you open up, show creativity and leave a vivid impression of yourself.
Everyone is given the task of choosing a fairy-tale character, under whose name they will need to introduce themselves. And not just introduce yourself, but show it clearly. To do this, everyone is given everything they need for drawing. You will need to draw your business card on a piece of paper. This is, in fact, the character himself and his symbol. For example, a fairy and a magic wand, a queen and a crown, etc.)
Come up with a motto for the business card. It is also necessary to highlight at least one advantage of the fairy-tale hero and present it to the seminar participants.
Personal life project
The entire project fits into one small business card. Interesting, isn't it? A powerful technique to once again understand yourself.
The trainer gives those present blank business cards on which they will need to write:
- the name of the project (what the author would call his life);
- Full name of the director (author);
- slogan (life motto);
- range of advantages;
- address, telephone.
You will also need to come up with and draw a logo.
Remember, a business card has two sides. Everything will fit.
Then everyone presents their business card.
I recommend
Many people are embarrassed to talk about themselves. There will be no problems with this in this game. After all, the participants will get to know all those present through an intermediary. How? Details below.
The large seminar group is divided into several small subgroups. For example, 4 people each. In their mini company, participants tell several facts about themselves. The players’ task is to present one of the members of their subgroup to everyone present. The presentation is prepared based on the facts just told and presented in the form of a recommendation.
The speech is structured approximately as follows:
- FULL NAME.
- Advantages.
- I strongly recommend accepting your full name into our group/any closed club, etc.
Clew
The exercise is ideal for round table participants. The first player says his name, picks up an ordinary ball of thread, asks a question and throws the skein to any member of the group. Before sending the ball to the next player, you need to hold the end of the thread with you. The next participant says his name, answers the question and throws the ball, also holding the thread with one hand. Thus, a kind of web of yarn is formed in the middle of the table, which will mean weaving/unifying the group.
Questions must be correct and purely for informational purposes. For example:
- What do you expect from the seminar?
- Do you feel comfortable around strangers?
- Where do you work?
On behalf of another person
An unusual presentation about yourself that can be turned into humor. And laughter will only bring the team together more. The task of each participant is to present himself on behalf of another person. For example, a grandmother represents her grandson, a wife represents her husband, etc. The player temporarily transforms into his grandmother, wife, etc. (you can even become a dog).
Improvise, show creativity and mental abilities in order to leave only a pleasant impression of yourself in a large team. This will make your time at the seminar even more enjoyable. And perhaps you will make new friends.
Author: Yulia Doronina.
