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Group Size: 11 to 30
Time Needed: 15 to 20 minutes
Goal: To introduce members of the group and energize the group
Audience: Couples, Teens, Parents, Singles
Special Considerations: This is very loud and works best in a large space.
Resources Needed: One chair for every participant minus one

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Make a circle of chairs, having one less chair than the number of your participants.
  2. One person is chosen to be "it."
  3. The person who is "it" goes into the middle of the circle. The rest of the group sits in the chairs.
  4. The person who is "it" states something about himself or herself and applies it to the group. For example, if the person has blond hair, then he or she will say, "Everyone with blond hair!" If he or she likes cats, he or she will say, "Everyone who likes cats!"
  5. All participants who fit the statement, including the one in the middle, must run to another seat. Instruct participants that the new seats must be at least 3 seats or more away from their current seat.
  6. One person will be left without a seat. This person then moves to the middle of the circle and states something about him or herself (or a like). The process then starts over.
  7. Repeat until many people have had turns being "it."

Tips for Discussion and Processing

This very active exercise gets people awake and moving. It is a great way to help group members find commonalities and get to know one another.

Note: These activities can be modified to reflect a variety of skills.