Drumroll Please

Name and Purpose

• Drumroll Please is a simple, energising name game played in a seated circle.
• Players celebrate one another’s names with a drumroll and a fun pose or shout.

a.k.a.

• Name Drumroll, Roll and Call

Age / Group / Time / Space

• Ages 5-12 | 8-30 players | 10-15 minutes | Circle space, seated or standing, indoors or outdoors

Materials

• No materials required

Quick-Run Card

1. Group sits in a circle. Everyone starts a drumroll by patting legs or the ground.
2. One person calls out the name of someone across the circle.
3. Drumroll stops. That person makes a funny pose or calls out something fun.
4. Drumroll starts again and that person calls the next name.
5. Continue until everyone has been called.

Setup and Boundaries

• Form a circle with enough space to pat legs or the ground comfortably.
• Signal: staff raises both hands to stop the drumroll.
• Check seated space for uneven ground or sharp surfaces if playing outdoors.

How to Play

1. Sit in a circle, on the ground or on chairs.
2. Everyone starts a drumroll by patting their legs or the ground in front of them.
3. One person calls out the name of someone across the circle.
4. Everyone pauses the drumroll.
5. The person who was named makes a funny pose, does a silly sound, or calls out a phrase like ‘Rock on!’
6. Everyone applauds or cheers.
7. The drumroll starts again and the person who just performed calls the next name.
8. Continue until everyone has been called at least once.

I-OPt Options

• A (Active): Choose a big, dramatic pose or shout when your name is called.
• S (Support): Keep the drumroll going with energy and cheer loudly for every reveal.
• Q (Quiet): Choose a small, simple gesture when your name is called. A smile and a wave counts.
• O (Observer): Join the drumroll from the edge of the circle and step in when you are ready to be called.

Inclusion Adaptations

• Players with limited hand mobility can tap the floor with one finger or a foot for the drumroll.
• Players who prefer not to make a loud sound can choose a pose only. Any response is a valid response.

Stewardship Moment

• No materials used. No cleanup needed.
• Reflection: ‘This whole game runs on people and rhythm. What else can we create with nothing but ourselves?’

Consent

• Pre-brief: ‘When your name is called, you get to make a funny pose or sound. For those not comfortable being in the spotlight, a small wave or thumbs-up counts as a great reveal.’
• Mid-game check: After a few rounds, ask how the group is feeling with a thumbs up or down.
• Opt-out/re-entry: Any player can pass when called and be picked again later.

Risks and Mitigation

• Overly vigorous drumrolling on hard surfaces: encourage patting lightly.
• Players feeling anxious about being singled out: normalise all sizes of response before the game starts.

Warm-Up Suggestions

• 10-second drumroll practice before the game starts to get everyone in rhythm.
• Ask the group to show their drumroll face (serious, silly, focused) before calling the first name.

Debrief Questions

• What? ‘What kinds of reveals made people laugh or cheer the most?’
• So What? ‘How did it feel to have the whole group stop and pay attention just for you?’
• Now What? ‘How can we give that kind of attention to people in everyday moments, not just games?’

Cleanup and Reset

• No cleanup required.
• Close by leading one final drumroll for the whole group together.