14 Easy Games For Getting to Know Teens

Contact work means going to where kids are, and sometimes (or... usually) that means that we encounter conversation gaps and awkward silences. But take heart - we have put together a list of smooth, fun ways to bridge the gap between meeting new kids and getting comfortable with each other! Here goes:

1. M&M’s - mini packs - Ahead of time, write out a question for each color. Kids have to answer the questions for whatever colors of M&Ms they have (one at a time).
2. Toilet paper sharing - each person tears off however many squares they want. Then everyone tells one thing about themselves for each square they have.
3. Put all the names in center of table. Each person picks a name, and then draws a picture of that person (provide paper and pencils). Collect the drawings and then guess who each picture is of!
4. Dice Roll - Bring a set of dice for each person. Simultaneously, everyone tries to roll 2, then 3, then 4, etc. The first person to roll all the way to 12 is the winner!
5. Pass the Pigs game (you will need to buy this). It's funny!
6. Picture Telephone: Give a paper and pencil to each person, and sit down in a circle (at a table is best). Everyone draws an item, folds it over, and passes their paper to the person on their right. The next person writes down what they see in the picture, folds the paper over, and passes the paper to their right. This person draws a picture of the phrase they see, folds the paper, and passes it to their right. Keep going until the papers have gone around the group. When they get back to the original person, see if it stayed the same item until the end! (An alternative is to start by writing a phrase and have the second person draw it).
7. Buzz Blast game - (you will need to buy this) Pull some of the cards from the game and use to start conversation!
8. Truth or Lie game - each person names two truths and one lie and we all guess which one is the lie.
9. Baby Shower game - print a baby shower game off from Pinterest and play during lunch or another time when you have some time to kill.
10. Would You Rather - buy or print off game cards.
11. Try to find three things that everyone in the group has in common!
12. Mom tips - have everyone write down a "mom tip" on paper, put them in the middle of the table, and read them aloud one by one. 
13. Mad Lib games - there are actually teen versions or mom versions you can find.
14. Two questions - What would you spend $100 on if you had it? What would you do if you had a day to do anything? Write on paper and put in the center of the table. Try to match each response to the person who wrote it!

What other ideas have you used to fill possible awkward silence when meeting a new mom or a group of new moms?

Thanks to Julie VonGunten, YoungLives Coordinator, for submitting this list!