Physically Distant Name Games

COVID-19 has made me really grateful that one of my interests is activity variations. The saying right activity-right group-right facilitator-right time has always resonated with me. Now, however, I am able to add another right – the right circumstances. What activities are physically distant yet still provide the outcome I am hoping to achieve?

Physically distant activities seem to fall into one of two big categories – zoned and person-to-person. Of the two, zoned activities are easier to lead and manage. As their name implies, during zoned activities each person has their own area that they remain in at all times. That area can be designated by a spot marker, piece of tape, hula hoop, etc. laid out ahead of time. During the activity itself, there is little to no need to monitor whether or not folks are maintaining spacing because they aren’t moving relative to one another.

Let’s start with some name games…

Peter, Paul, and Mary. Arrange your spot markers in a circle. Then, invite each person to stand on a spot. Have people introduce themselves. The premise of the game is repeating a pattern correctly:

The first motion is above the head. Point either to the person directly to your left or right by placing your arm above your head – so that pointing left uses the right hand.

The second motion is across the chest. Point either to the person directly to your left or right by placing your arm across your chest – so that pointing right uses the left arm/hand).

The third and last motion is pointing to anyone in the circle other than the people directly on either side of you.

When you point, you must say the name of the person you are pointing to. That person then does the next motion. After the third motion the pattern re-starts. Folks get a new role as heckler if they either get the pattern wrong or the name of the person wrong or take too long. Hecklers should stand behind their spot or sit down or place both hands on their hips so that there is a visual signal the person is out of the pattern. Let your group choose the visual indicator or use your favourite. Hecklers try to get the folks still in the pattern to make a mistake and join them as hecklers. Hecklers may not move off their spot but create distractions in all sorts of ways. The last round will consist of just four people (I call them the Final Four).

Bumpitty Bump Bump Bump. Arrange your spot markers in a circle. Use a boundary rope to create a circle 6 ft inside the circle of spot markers (like a bullseye). Invite group members to stand on their spot. The person inside the rope circle is the “Pointer” – initially that’s the person leading the activity. The “Pointer” is going to point to a person and say one of four things:

Left – which means the person being pointed to needs to say the name of the person on their left.

Right – say the name of the person on the right

You – say their own name

Me – say the “Pointer’s” name

The person has as much time as it takes for the Pointer to say “bumpitty bump bump bump”. If the person takes too long or makes a mistake, they become the Pointer. Surprisingly, “You” seems to have the best odds for getting someone to make an error.

Peek-a-who. For this activity you will need two spots 6 ft apart and a tarp or bedsheet that hangs between them. Usually two people hold the tarp in position – one at either end. Divide your group into two equal size grouplets. Send each grouplet to one side of the tarp where there are spaced hula hoops or spots for them to sit on – be sure to have extra spots laid out. Each grouplet sends one person to the spot on their side of the tarp – remember to stay low so that the other group doesn’t see you. When the tarp is dropped, the goal is for the person on spot A to name the person on spot B before the person on spot B names the person on spot A. The winner brings their opponent to their side and so it goes until you get tired of playing or everyone ends up on the same side. Who? is a variation where anyone in the grouplet (not just the person on the spot) can yell out the name of the person on the opposite spot.

Written by Kathy Haras, Ph.D.