SET UP: Prepare a list of questions pertinent to all players, such as the following:
• What is your partner’s favorite book?
• What would your partner say is his or her best trait: smile, personality, or ability to listen?
• What would your partner say is the best part about getting older?
• What movie has the most important message your partner has ever seen?
• What issue means a lot to your partner?
• What does your partner think people spend too much time worrying about?
• Would your partner choose pizza or hamburgers?
• What color are your partner’s eyes?
• What type of music does your partner like best?
• How many siblings does your partner have?
• What subject in school is your partner’s best?
• Which superhero would your partner say he or she is most like: Batman, Spiderman, Superman or Wonder Woman?
Provide enough questions to over two rounds of play, with four or five questions for each round. If the group is large, ask some group members to play the role of spectators, designate some to keep score for each time, and ahve a couple keep watch at the door to tell the other group when to come back into the room.
THE GAME: Tell players they’re going to find out just how well they know each other. Teams that answer the most questions correctly win. Divide the group into pairs. Ask each pair to determine who in teh pair will stay and who will leave the room. Consider asking another leader to wait with the players who temporarily have to leave while the other players get ready.
Ask remaining players to answer questions one at a time the way they think their partner would respond. Have each person answer aloud and write their answer on the paper. When everyone has answered, call their partners back to the room. Ask the returning players to sit in front of their partners with their backs to them to aboid facial communication. Ask returning players to answer aloud each question asked of their partners. Partners reveal their written responses. Award one point to pairs for each matching answer. Switch roles and go through a second round with a new set of questions. The team with the most matches wins the “Friendship Award.”
GOING DEEPER:
> What did you like best about this activity?
> Were there any surprises?
> How well did most pairs know each other?
> Once you get to know someone pretty well, in what ways do you actively continue to learn more about each other?
> How can you apply the lessons of this game to your family?
> What questions could you ask to get to know your family better?
ASSET CATEGORIES: Social Competencies, Constructive Use of Time, Support, Empowerment
Source: Great Group Games: 175 Boredom-Busting, Zero-Prep Team Builders for All Ages
© 2007 Search Institute
