Silent Introductions

Name and Purpose

Silent Introductions is a getting-to-know-you activity that builds empathy and listening skills.
Participants practise creative communication and learn something real about a partner without using words.

a.k.a.

Age / Group / Time / Space

Ages 8-16 | 8-30 players | 10-20 minutes | Any open indoor or outdoor space with room for pairs to move

Materials

None required
Optional: paper and markers for participants who prefer to draw rather than mime

Quick-Run Card

Pair everyone up, mixing people who don’t know each other well.
Allow 30 seconds of verbal introduction (names only).
Silence begins: each partner mimes three things about themselves (not physical traits).
Partners pay close attention and remember what they think they learned.
Reconvene in a circle; each person introduces their partner and shares what they discovered.

Setup and Boundaries

How to Play

Staff pairs participants deliberately, connecting people who don’t know each other yet.
Partners say their names out loud. That is the last speaking allowed until the debrief.
Each partner mimes three facts about themselves: a hobby, a favourite, a place they love, anything they choose. Physical characteristics are off the table.
No whispering, mouthing words, or making sounds. Drawing on paper is a valid option.
When all pairs finish, everyone gathers in a circle.
Each person introduces their partner and shares the three things they believe they learned. Their partner confirms or gently corrects.

I-OPt Options

A (Active): Full mime performance with movement and expression
S (Support): Draw clues on paper for your partner rather than miming
Q (Quiet): Use minimal gestures; point to objects or locations in the environment
O (Observer): Watch one round before pairing in for a second pass

Inclusion Adaptations

Paper and markers let participants who find miming uncomfortable express themselves through drawing instead
Staff can pair with a participant who needs a familiar anchor, modelling the activity alongside them

Stewardship Moment

If paper is used, collect and recycle all sheets after the activity
Reflection: “We just communicated without using a single word. What does that tell us about how many ways there are to understand someone?”

Consent

Pre-brief: “In a moment we’re going to communicate without words. For those not comfortable with physical performance, drawing on paper is another great option.”
Mid-game check: After pairs finish their first mime, staff can quietly check in with any pair that looks stuck or uncomfortable.
Opt-out/re-entry: Participants can step to the side, observe, and join the circle debrief at the end.

Risks and Mitigation

Participant feels embarrassed miming in front of a partner: normalise it by having staff demo a silly mime first
Pairs finish at very different speeds: have an early-finisher prompt ready (“Try miming a memory from this week”)
Misunderstanding in the debrief causes awkwardness: frame it as “what you thought you saw” not “right or wrong”

Warm-Up Suggestions

“Emotion Mirror”: partners face each other and mirror each other’s facial expressions for 30 seconds
“Object Relay”: staff mimes an everyday object; whoever guesses first goes next

Debrief Questions

What? “What three things did you learn about your partner?”
So What? “What was hard about communicating without words? What surprised you?”
Now What? “How might paying closer attention to someone’s actions (not just their words) help you in everyday life?”

Cleanup and Reset