Name Tag Games

Name tags help people learn a new person’s name, but you can also use name tags to play games. Name tag games help people get to know each other as they engage in the activity. Not every name tag game involves groups of people who do not know each other well.

Name tag grab helps get people moving among the group and learning other people’s names. The leader of the group organizes everyone into a circle and passes out name tag stickers and pens. The stickers must still have the backing on them, so the sticky side is not exposed. Each person writes his name on the tag. After everyone is done, the leader collects all the name tags and shuffles them. The leader gives everyone a name tag, then tells everyone to peel off the backing and place the name tag on the back of the person sitting to their right. The members of the group must then mill around and search for the name tag with their name, then peel it off when they find it. The game becomes extra entertaining if someone’s name tag ends up on their own back. After everyone gets their name tag back, everyone takes a moment to introduce themselves.

Whoever is organizing the event gives each person a name tag and a pen. Everyone writes their names in the middle of the name tag, but leaves room for other things. In the upper left portion of the name tag, everyone writes four activities they enjoy, such as running, seeing movies or dancing. In the lower left portion of the tag, everyone lists out four movies they enjoy (old or new). In the upper right portion of the tag, everyone puts down their four favorite musicians or musical groups. In the lower right portion of the tag, everyone lists four words they think describes them. After everyone finishes filling out their name tags, they wear them and mill around the room. For several minutes, the guests do not talk, but only read the upper left portion of other people’s name tags. Then everyone has five minutes to talk to one of two people whose name tags looked interesting. Do this once for each portion of the name tag.

The baby shower name tag game provides a start to the baby’s first savings account before he is ever born. The person putting on the baby shower fills out objects the baby needs on name tags. When the guests arrive, each one receives a name tag. Throughout the baby shower, the guests must call each other by the name on each other’s tags, not by their real names. Anyone caught calling someone by a name other than what is on the other person’s tag must place a quarter in a piggy bank. When the mother-to-be has finished opening the presents, the baby shower hostess presents the piggy bank with the quarters inside. The hostess needs to warn the guests ahead of time about the game so everyone brings quarters to contribute. Guests are encouraged to make others slip up and call other people by their real name so the baby has a good start on a savings account.