The First Impressions Game

The first impressions game is an activity that creates a non-threatening environment, promotes laughter, and makes it easy for each person on the team to introduce themselves.

Pass out large sheets of paper and writing utensils. Ask each person to write their name at the top of a sheet of paper.

Tape each person’s sheet to their back so that they can’t see it. Instruct everyone to mingle with each other and to converse.

Tell everyone to say hello and to introduce each other for a few moments. After a minute or so, ask each person to write an adjective (their “first impression” of the person they just spoke with) on each other’s papers.

Then have each person continue mingling with new people, repeating the process. After 10-20 minutes each person should have several adjectives and descriptive words listed on their backs.

Go around the room and introduce each other, reading the words writen on your neighbor’s paper. This should be pretty humorous, and if people did this activity correctly, there should be lots of kind things said about each other.

Important note: instruct everyone to write nice (or encouraging) words ONLY! Do not allow any mean, rude, or critical words to be written.

For example, one can write words such as “beautiful smile,” “great sense of humor,” “smart and witty personality,” “gifted listener,” etc.

The topics of this publication: integration, interactions, self