This icebreaker is a good way to practice using people’s names in a group.

Materials: A few soft balls or beanbags

Stand in a circle with enough room so that everyone can throw and catch. Explain that we are going to practice names while throwing and catching a ball.

Start by going around the circle and saying your first name, nickname, or the name you would like people in the group to use for you and answering a very brief question:

• Favorite food
• Favorite animal
• A country you would like to visit
• Etc.

After everyone says their name, make sure everyone heard the name clearly. If you didn’t hear clearly, model for the group and ask the participant if they could say their name again. Don’t move on until everyone hears clearly.

The group leader can now model the name, throw and catch activity. Find a participant across the circle. Make sure they are close enough that you will be able to throw the ball to them easily.

• Establish eye contact and make sure the other person is ready.
• Say, “Here you go, [name].”
• Throw the ball (gently!) underhand to your partner.
• When your partner catches the ball, they should say, “Thank you, [name].”

Before starting the activity, remind participants that they should make sure their partner is ready before throwing and they should throw the ball gently and underhand.

To start the activity with the whole group:

• Throw to your partner again (following the protocol above).
• After your partner catches the ball, they should choose another person in the circle and continue the protocol.
• A new person should be chosen to catch the ball each time, until everyone has caught the ball.
• When the ball gets back to the group leader, continue by throwing to the same person who caught the first ball originally. Everyone should throw to the same person they did the first round.

If a ball is dropped, it’s no big deal! It’s part of the fun.

For an additional challenge once the ball has gone around the circle a few times:

Once the ball has been thrown a few times, the group leader can add a new ball (or two) to the mix by throwing a new ball to the same partner across the circle.

Debrief:

• What was this activity like for you?
• What can we learn from this activity?