New class? Build connection
New class
Playful, low-threshold activities that build safety, learn names and loosen the mood.
Things to keep in mind early on
- • Start small. Pick something short and playful — never invite exposure before safety is in place.
- • Join in yourself. You set the tone: allow clumsiness, laughter and mistakes.
- • Say names out loud — yours first, then the students'. Repeat them many times per session.
- • End before it dies. Leave the group wanting more rather than bored.
Name games
The first step in a new group — learn each other's names in a playful way.
Quick name call
Creates presence and collective tempo.
Name caller
Quick name recall under pressure.
Name clap
Learns names fast without pressure.
The story of my name
Creates recognition and respect.
Getting to know each other
Activities that reveal who the students are without demanding personal disclosure.
Active listening in threes
Trains deep listening and accurate reflection.
Alphabet line
Builds collaboration + learns names at once.
Appreciation Rounds
Closes a session with connection rather than content — students leave feeling seen.
Thank-you ball
Surfaces what actually works in the group.
People bingo
Forces conversation with many different peers.
Blind walk
Builds trust and responsibility.
Closing circle
Clear ending — the group knows it's done.
Circle of acknowledgement
Raises warmth in the group without awkwardness.
Three things in common
Builds bridges between students who rarely talk.
Common Ground Web
Makes the invisible visible — students see the connections that already exist between them.
Compliment Circle
Trains students to speak directly to each other — and to receive acknowledgment without dismissing it.
Compliment relay
Trains giving and receiving directly.
Energy dial
Diagnostic + acknowledgement in 30s.
Expert interview
Builds safety in saying 'I don't know but…'.
Eye-contact swap
Creates calm presence and clear contact.
Favourite — fast
Quick personal start without pressure.
The silent leader
Sharp focus and invisible collaboration.
Freeze frame
Builds shared understanding through embodiment.
Gibberish Interpreter
Separates words from expression — students learn that how you speak matters as much as what you say.
Group portrait
Surfaces the group's mood.
Stand up together
Visible synchronisation builds team feel.
High-five hunt
Brief, physical, social warm-up.
Human knot
Creates joint problem-solving with body contact.
If you only knew…
Builds deeper trust without pressure.
Interview a Character
The mask of a character gives students permission to speak freely — they're not being judged, the character is.
Introduce someone else
Removes self-presentation pressure.
Room as map
Visualises diversity and shares background.
Mirror
Builds non-verbal attunement and genuine attention to another person — hard to fake.
Name and Gesture
Makes name-learning active and memorable — the gesture creates a physical anchor for each person.
One Word Check-In
Makes the emotional temperature of the room visible — students feel heard without having to explain themselves.
The object in my pocket
Personal detail opens the group.
Personal Timeline
Creates genuine intimacy quickly — students share something real without it feeling forced.
Postcard from Me
Written expression lowers the barrier for students who find verbal self-disclosure difficult.
Secret handshake
Creates small bonds through physical play.
Pair drawing
Surfaces leading and following in collaboration.
Shared story pairs
Strong exercise in listening and trust.
Speed meet
Many micro-meetings in short time.
Stand Up, Stand Down
Normalizes shared experience without requiring verbal disclosure — students realize they're not alone.
Status walk
Surfaces body language and power dynamics.
Step into the circle
Surfaces shared experience without words.
Pass the story
Reveals shared ground naturally.
Talking stick
Regulates conversation in chatty or tense groups.
The Gift
Encourages students to pay real attention to each other — and to feel seen.
This or that
Quick personality map, lots of movement.
Thought Weather
Names emotional states without requiring vulnerability — the metaphor creates just enough distance.
Three Things in Common
Breaks down assumptions students have about each other — creates genuine moments of recognition.
Trios find three
Builds bridges across natural social lines.
Easy lean
Builds physical trust without awkwardness.
Two truths and a lie
Builds safety and curiosity about each other.
Two Truths, One Lie
Gives students a structure to share personal information — reduces the blank-page fear of self-expression.
The wind blows
Builds recognition through quick reveals.
Yes, but → Yes, and
Shows how blocking vs building feels in real time.
Yes circle
Trains clear contact and accepting gestures.
Play
Energy, laughter and movement. Lowers thresholds and builds relationships fast.
All Aboard
A physical challenge in inclusion and creative problem-solving — the group must protect every member.
Emotion walk
Opens expression and releases physical tension.
Four Corners
Mixes choice, movement and conversation — students immediately have something in common with the people around them.
Human Bingo
Gets students physically moving and talking to people they wouldn't normally approach.
Invisible Object
Lets students express and communicate without the pressure of words — great entry point for quieter students.
Silent line-up
Forces non-verbal communication.
Spectrum Line
Physical positioning makes opinions visible — students discover unexpected similarities with people they don't usually talk to.
The Human Knot
Forces genuine cooperation and communication — impossible to solve without listening to each other.
Focus
Gather the group and prove you can work together — important from day one.
Build the room
Visualises and collaborates without pressure.
One Word Whip
Lowers the stakes of speaking by making every contribution equal and tiny.