3 Get to Know You Games

Everyone can afford to get to know their teammates or friends better, which is why it is always great to have a few Get to Know You games that you can play. Games like these help deepen relationships, form new bonds, and create new connections. Here are 3 get to know you games to play with friends and teammates alike. 

Concentric Circles

For this game, start by splitting the group into two subgroups. One-half of the group is to make a circle while facing out. This group will be called the “Inside Circle”. The other half is to make a circle surrounding the inside circle of participants, standing in front of someone so that they are facing a team member one on one. This group will be called the “Outside Circle.” 

In this formation, you should ask a question that the two people facing each other have about 30 seconds to reply to. When the time is up for the conversation, you should stop the group and ask the Inside Circle to step X amount of spaces to the left. The X number can be any amount (1, 2, 3, etc). 

A new question is asked and an additional 30 seconds allows the new pair to discuss the answer. When this has been completed you should stop the group and ask the Outside Circle to step X amount of spaces to the right. At each new interaction, participants introduce themselves before continuing to the question. This continues, alternating the circles’ movements to mix up the participants for as many questions as you have.

Comfort Zones

For this activity, create 2 circles on the ground using rope, cones, or hula hoops. There should be one very small (2′ in diameter) and a second much larger (20′ in diameter) around the smaller circle in a bullseye formation. 

Have everyone stand around the larger circle facing inward and explain to them the 3 zones (comfort, growth, and panic zones). Give the group a scenario and ask them to move to the appropriate place for themselves within those 3 circles. 

Use examples of scenarios that would be very comfortable for all such as ‘riding in a car’, then something that should panic everyone like ‘jumping out of a plane with no parachute’, then begin to ask a series of questions that will elicit mixed responses so the group can learn about one another. Examples include ‘giving a speech to 1,000 people’, ‘picking up a snake’, ‘skydiving’, and ‘going off a 60′ high zip line’. After you ask 5-6 questions, you can let the group begin to ask questions as well.

Have You Ever

This is an excellent activity for groups who already know each other pretty well. It will help the group learn more unique facts about one another in a fun, easy-going manner. 

First, have the group make a circle. Give each person 1 object that they can readily identify that is not identical to other objects. Each person should drop their object in front of them thereby creating a ‘game board’ for the group. The objective of the game is to move as far around the game board as possible before the game ends. 

Explain to the group that they will be taking turns sharing TRUE facts about themselves that they think are not true of any/many other people in the group such as traveling to exotic places or participating in obscure activities. When they share they will phrase it like this… “Have you ever traveled to Australia?” or “Have you ever shaken the hand of the President of the US?” Once a person shares they will move one space to the right as well as anyone else who can say “Yes, that is true of me as well”. 

Each person will take turns sharing unique facts about themselves and they must share in order, therefore before the activity begins it’s important that they identify the person on their left and remember that they will always share after that person. Repeat until someone makes it back to their original spot, or until every person has shared twice, or until you get bored.