Singles Night Get-Acquainted Games

[RainbowJingles]

We have a singles night about once a month or so at our church now.  I'm in charge.

In addition to food and devotion time, we usually play at least a couple get-acquainted games, but it can be difficult to find ones that are
age-appropriate,
interesting,
and not too active (we have some older people in the group that aren't as mobile as others).

Some games that I've used before include
-Pennies
Pass around a container of pennies, and everyone choose a few pennies.  Go around the circle and each person talks about something that what was going on in your life that year.
-Get-acquainted bingo

Many others, but they're not all coming to mind at the moment.

I've visited a lot of links, so I'd prefer not to be inundated with lists and links, but I'm looking for specific GAMES that would work for adults - preferably games that look fun to you, or games that you have tried before.
They don't *have* to be get-acquainted type games, but I would like to have a few of them be that kind of games.

We've played Apples to Apples as well.  The group seems to enjoy that.

[YooperYankDude]

A Risk Tournament... lol... you can find out A LOT about a person depending on how they execute their plan of attack!   


Ok... jk... Hmmm...

I think there is a game called Random Questions or something like that... I think I saw it at Walmart or something like that...

[SippinTea]

There's the Un-game, too. Check a christian bookstore for that one.

I'm not much help on this kind of thing, because I really don't like those kinds of games myself. I cringe when I'm at an event with people I don't know well, and that kind of stuff comes up. I think some personality types do better at that than others.

[Sis]

I'm with you, ST. I really don't like those kinds of games. I would guess that most people who do them are only going along with the program but don't want to.

We had one of those games where if you say a certain word, you lose a ribbon. I said it right away to be out of the game. LOL

[YooperYankDude]

Well if not a game, then how does a large group of people... in this case singles... get to know one another?

I have been to a few of these, and I am not a big fan of those games, that is why I suggested Risk... lol

I also do better in smaller groups myself, I tend to blend into the crowd when there is a large group...

Something that has talking involved, but not asking you to tell a life story...

RJ: Have these people ever met before? or is this their first meeting?

[TheGirl]

I sure would hate to blend in a crowd of singles      :grin:

[YooperYankDude]

LOL...

Well blending in isn't so bad at times... and it usually only lasts till there is a very uncomfortable silence... once everyone is sitting there looking at each other wondering what we should do... I usually pipe up with some random comment, that makes people laugh.. or fall off a chair... or something...

[TheGirl]

I could stand to watch someone fall out of a chair 

[The Cold Water Kid]

There's the Un-game, too. Check a christian bookstore for that one.

I'm not much help on this kind of thing, because I really don't like those kinds of games myself. I cringe when I'm at an event with people I don't know well, and that kind of stuff comes up. I think some personality types do better at that than others.

Agreed. One of the last things I want to do with a group of casual acquaintances is play a game, especially a competitive one.

[RainbowJingles]

Goodness.

I really WOULD like to have some game suggestions!  lol

To address a couple things:
Yes, the group mostly knows one another and sees each other at church.  We just don't know one another well.  If there were all kinds of people who had never met one another, I would come up with better ways of becoming acquainted.  As it is, I want to find out more about people that we THINK we already know, NOT make them feel stupid.  It's also a fairly small group for the most part.  I think we've maxed out at 10 so far, but we may have some college student visitors tomorrow evening.

The penny game was designed as simply a conversation starter, and it worked really well.  I try to find games that will allow people to be involved without having to put themselves out there so much as to feel intimidated or stupid.

I try not to have competitive games for the most part, but the popular demand for Apples to Apples is pretty intense.  lol

I'll have to look into the ungame and the random questions games.  Thanks for the suggestions.

[RainbowJingles]

I'm also not sure if the concept of "get-acquainted" games is being understood here...

For me, the point of a "get-acquainted" game needs to be getting to know other people better on some level... or meeting them, or learning their names (if it's a group of people who don't know one another well), or finding out about who they are... not about making them feel stupid.  That is why I'm searching so hard for the right games.  I limit competitive games to one or two simple, painless games (often paper based) a night, and offer a prize that most of them will want to play for (coffee last time; Godiva chocolate this time).

[Sis]

I guess that forcing information from people, even if it's minor to you, might make some feel put out. That's something that should come naturally through one on one interaction.

But if you want a site, http://www.youthwork-practice.com/games/get-acquainted-games.html

http://wilderdom.com/games/NameGames.html

http://www.christiancrafters.com/games_icebreakers.html

[SippinTea]

Whether or not getting information about someone seems "forced" really depends on how get-acquainted games are moderated and such. I don't mind a light-hearted question and answer session (at least, I don't mind it too bad *lol*), but I start getting squirmy when people try to insist on a detailed reply to something I've been vague about. And Elona isn't that kind of gal.

Elona, what about Cranium? It's not exactly a get-acquainted game, but you definitely learn a lot about people when you play it! And because it incorporated words, pictures, acting, etc, there's usually something that can be enjoyed by everyone. Even the shyer types.

[YooperYankDude]

Yea... what ST said... lol.

I guess I don't have any other good ideas... I enjoy games like Risk, Uno, Canasta, Chess, Checkers, and Apples to Apples, Stratego, even with complete strangers... just did it on Saturday after church, and after I finally got done grilling for 30 people..., it went over without any issues.

But that was a group of 7 teenagers..., and then we had 10 people playing "Investigator" or was it "Psychiatrist"... lol... and then 23 of us played Charades... lol... it was a hoot... 

Sorry I was unable to be helpful in this one...   

[Sis]

Whether or not getting information about someone seems "forced" really depends on how get-acquainted games are moderated and such. I don't mind a light-hearted question and answer session (at least, I don't mind it too bad *lol*), but I start getting squirmy when people try to insist on a detailed reply to something I've been vague about. And Elona isn't that kind of gal.

Elona, what about Cranium? It's not exactly a get-acquainted game, but you definitely learn a lot about people when you play it! And because it incorporated words, pictures, acting, etc, there's usually something that can be enjoyed by everyone. Even the shyer types.

I was saying what I've seen, when these games go on, how some people feel really put out and don't want to share certain information. "What's your favorite color" is a far cry from "What are you most afraid of." Some people even left before the food was served at some of the parties where these games were used, because they felt that way. I rarely only speak from my own personal experience. I'm a people watcher, and I see a lot going on that others don't even notice.

I've been in charge of adult parties for a lot of years, back home, and I avoided anything that would make people feel uncomfortable.

And BTW, I've "known" Elona for somewhere around ten years, from the boards, so I  KNOW she's not like that whatever that was.

One game I came up with that didn't make anyone feel uncomfortable was, well before the adult Christmas party the last year I was in charge,
I asked everyone who signed up, to give me a baby picture before the party. If they didn't want to, that was fine, they could play the game anyway. I told them they could take their picture home after the party, and I would do nothing that would harm the picture.

I got some colored construction paper, and assigned a picture to a piece. I slit the construction paper where the corners of the picture would fit in. That way I could pin the construction paper and not the picture. Each picture was numbered (Written on the construction paper)

Before the party I mixed up the pictures, and pinned them up around the room. When people arrived and checked in, they were given a numbered piece of paper and a pencil. They were told that they could walk around the room and guess whose baby picture they were looking at.

People were standing around pictures discussing the possibilities with each other. They all had a great time, they talked and laughtd, and they were all looking for the pastor's picture. A great time was had by all even if they didn't want to give a picture of their own.

They were given the answers after dinner, so they had all that time to talk about it, and go back and look if they wanted.

[YooperYankDude]

Well then...

Interesting idea Sis...   :grin:

Hopefully Elona was able to get some good ideas out of this...

Have Fun at Singles Night Elona... almost wish I was there... lol