A simple classroom activity for Social comfort among Kids

Activity Goal

To learn everyone's name and increase social comfort.

Before You Start

Skills Practiced: Public speaking Skills

• Gather the group and demonstrate the greetings with a volunteer.
• Make sure all students can repeat back to you greetings. 

How to Play

• At a given signal everyone goes around introducing themselves to one another. Students go up to each other and they shake hands. Four exchanges happen while shaking hands:
  • The first person says, “Hi, my name is _________.” 
  • The second person says, “Hi, my name is _____________”
  • The first person says, “Nice to meet you.”  The second person repeats this back to his partner.
  • The first person says, “See you later.”  The second person says something similar in response, “See ya!”  or “Bye!”
• Once that four-part exchange happens, the partners split up and find someone else to introduce themselves to.
• Players go around trying to meet as many other players as possible in one minute.

Variations

• Students can use signals or sign language to develop nonverbal communication.