interpersonal communication activities for students

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

4 Practical and Fun Interpersonal Communication Activities

We all know that authentic communication goes both ways, as an ongoing dialogue between two or more people.

But so often, we struggle to teach language in that way. That’s why it’s necessary to stress the importance of interpersonal communication.

Keep on reading to find out about 4 fun interpersonal communication activities that you can do with your students!

4 Effective Interpersonal Communication Activities

1. post-presentation q and a session, 2. conversation around the circle, 3. student-generated surveys, 4. random object improv, what are the 3 modes of communication, 1. interpretive communication, 2. presentational communication, 3. interpersonal communication, why your students need interpersonal communication activities.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

This is a clever way to inject some interpersonal flavor within the presentational mode.

Next time your students give a prepared presentation , follow up with a spontaneous question-and-answer session.

Provide some brief coaching on the vocabulary and sentence structure needed for asking questions, and then let the students ask whatever comes to mind related to the information presented. For this activity, make sure students know they will not be penalized in any way for incorrect grammar or pronunciation. If they feel free to make mistakes, it can lead to a truly uninhibited, two-way conversation.

Here’s a fun activity to do with your class.

Arrange your students to sit in a circle. Then, move the conversation in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction as each student asks a question. Depending on their level of proficiency, these questions may be improvised on the spot or prepared ahead of time. You can choose to have each student ask a question of the peer sitting next to him/her; or you can have 3-5 different students volunteer answers to the question, depending on the group and their comfort level.

This activity can be adapted to different seating arrangements, and works well in a game format (i.e., have students compete to see which ones give the most answers.)

This is a survey activity that encourages short, structured responses. It can be adapted to any level and gives students structured practice with two-way communication.

Students must create survey questions based on a topic that you’re covering in class. For example, questions about their favorite leisure activities work well if you’re working on a unit about hobbies and pastimes. These can be presented in:

• Open-ended questions: “What is your favorite sport?”
• Yes/no questions: “Do you like to draw?”

Students then circulate around the room, asking their peers questions and compiling the results. At the end, the class regroups so students can share these results, using the target language. Common results shared include sentences like: “Four students like to play baseball,” “Six students like to draw,” and so on.

Jot down the names of a few random objects (i.e., “guitar,” “tree,” “pencil,” etc.) on slips of paper and put them in a hat. Students then walk up in pairs or small groups, pick an object out of the hat, and then improvise a short dialogue around that item. This activity can be loads of fun, getting even the shyest students out of their shell.

It’s widely accepted that we use three different ways to express ourselves, depending on the situation. For a language learner to become fluent in their target language, they need to first understand the different modes of communication and when to use them.

So, what’s the difference between the three? Let’s take a look.

This is a type of one-way communication where students use their listening and/or reading skills to comprehend spoken and written language. Some examples would be listening to a podcast or reading a book  and answering questions.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with interpretive communication activities in the classroom. In fact, they are invaluable for providing language exposure that can lead to fluency. And reading and listening are both crucial skills for effective communication.

But the awkward fact remains that real-life encounters with the language are usually about holding conversations  rather than one-sided listening or reading activities.

This is yet another instance of one-way communication—but in the other direction.

Presentational communication occurs when your students use their writing and speaking skills to present information or knowledge on a topic. Examples include performing a prepared skit or dialogue, or presenting a slideshow.

This type of communication is also valuable to your students. They need to learn how to organize and express their thoughts clearly.

But real conversations are spontaneous. You don’t get a chance to prepare a speech ahead of time. Rather, it’s a give-and-take of listening and responding.

This is two-way communication in which both sides actively negotiate meaning through a process of observing, monitoring and clarification.

Needless to say, this describes most authentic conversations in daily life . All parties spontaneously build meaning together.

But it’s tough to achieve this level of spontaneity within the constructs of a classroom, among students who may only have a basic vocabulary at their disposal.

Despite the challenges, though, interpersonal communication is essential for your students to learn how to use the language effectively.

Below are some reasons why you should be adding interpersonal communication activities in your lessons.

But first, if you want to maximize classroom communication and help your language learners speak more naturally,  FluentU   can help.

FluentU offers a unique learning experience not found in most language-learning curriculum—authenticity.  FluentU enables educators to teach language using a mixture of tried-and-true exercises and real-world material. As a result, students learn the mechanics of a language and practice communicating like a native speaker.

Now that we’ve covered the basics, here are some reasons why language learners should be actively building their interpersonal communication skills.

1. Interpersonal communication helps them build confidence and overcome anxiety about speaking

Let’s be honest; many students find it terrifying to speak up in a language class. They’re accustomed to carefully phrasing their communication via social media comments or text messages. Spontaneous, face-to-face communication feels unnatural and scary.

But by providing plenty of opportunities for interpersonal communication within your classroom, you can build your students’ comfort levels so they can go forth and communicate with confidence.

2. It develops a more natural understanding of language and how it works

As we constantly express ourselves and negotiate meaning with others, we develop an intuitive understanding of the language.

One example is grammatical rules. You can teach grammar in your lessons , but it won’t really make sense until someone has a chance to hear the rule in action so that they can recognize when something just doesn’t sound right.

3. It taps into the emotional, affective side of learning

What makes knowledge memorable? Often it’s the emotions we associate with it.

That’s why we often use songs, pictures,  stories and literature to make a lesson stick in our students’ minds.

The spontaneous interactions of interpersonal communication force us to dig a little deeper for our responses—tapping into that rich emotional landscape where true learning happens.

4. Interpersonal communication is the whole reason for studying a language

You know your students are not in your class because they want to learn how to prepare scripted dialogues or to read passages from a text.

They want to be able to listen and speak in their target language.

How many people do you know who studied a language for years in school, yet are unable to speak it? How sad and disappointing. The students in front of you dream of being able to converse fluently in the target language. That’s the whole reason they’re in your class in the first place.

And guess what. Interpersonal communication is the only way to get them there.

By now, you’re probably sold on the benefits of interpersonal communication— that is, if you weren’t already.

But when it comes to incorporating spontaneous, two-way communication in your classroom, you may feel that your creativity is quickly stretched to the limit. That’s where we can help! Read further to learn how to prepare interpersonal communication activities that you can easily incorporate in your classroom routine.

Communication truly is a two-way street—and the foreign language activities above can help you walk down it.

Enter your e-mail address to get your free PDF!

We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe

10 Interpersonal Skills Games & Activities For Students And Adults

Interpersonal skills are the foundation of effective communication, and they play a vital role in our personal and professional relationships. Whether it’s in the classroom, the boardroom, or at home, the ability to connect with others and make our voices heard is an essential tool for success. However, developing these skills takes practice and effort. That’s where interpersonal skills activities come in.

For adults, they can help to sharpen existing skills, refresh forgotten ones, and offer new perspectives on the importance of interpersonal communication. But what makes these activities so significant? Well, think of them as a workout for your interpersonal skills. 

So, what are you waiting for? Whether you’re a seasoned communicator or just starting out, there’s always room for improvement. With a little effort and some creative thinking, you can hone your interpersonal skills and become a communication master. Who knows? You might even discover a hidden talent for making others feel heard, understood, and valued. In a world where effective communication is becoming increasingly important, there’s no better time to invest in your interpersonal skills.

Connecting through play: Interpersonal skills games & activities for students & adults

Interpersonal skills play a crucial role in today’s learning as well as working environment. Besides a step-by-step guide for improving interpersonal skills , interactive games and activities not only let individuals have fun but also foster communication skills, and teamwork, and help cultivate meaningful bonds with each other. The following games and activities are such that they can be played both by students as well as adults in their group settings. So, let’s begin the fun

1. Listening like a superhero

Listening like a superhero is an interpersonal skills activity designed to teach students the importance of active listening. Active listening is a critical skill that involves paying attention, focusing on the speaker, and actively engaging with the message being communicated. This activity helps students to develop their listening skills by encouraging them to listen carefully, ask questions, and provide feedback to their peers.

To do this activity, gather the students in a circle and have each student take turns speaking about a topic of their choice for two minutes or pair them up. The other students must listen attentively and ask questions to clarify any points they may not have understood. 

After each student has spoken, the group or the pair can discuss what they learned from the exercise and how they can apply active listening in their everyday lives. This activity helps students to build stronger relationships, improve their communication skills, and become more effective listeners.

2. Drama Queen/King

Drama Queen/King is an interpersonal skills activity that helps develop important skills such as active listening, conflict resolution, and effective communication. The activity involves players stepping into their favorite characters and acting out different scenarios. 

To perform the Drama Queen/King activity, gather players into small groups of three or four. Each group should choose a favorite character to play, such as a character from a movie, book, TV show, or even a historical figure. Provide players with different scenarios to act out, focusing on interpersonal skills such as conflict resolution, active listening, or effective communication. 

Give each group a few minutes to prepare and rehearse their scene. Then, have each group take turns acting out their scenario in front of the class. After each performance, encourage the class to provide feedback and discuss what they learned from the exercise. This activity provides students with a fun and engaging way to practice important interpersonal skills and build stronger relationships.

3. The Great Debate

The Great Debate is an interpersonal skills activity that helps improve critical thinking, negotiation, and persuasive skills. In this activity, divide the whole group into teams and give them the task of debating a lighthearted and fun topic. This allows players to practice important skills such as expressing their opinions, listening to others, and persuading others to see their point of view. 

Select a fun and lighthearted topic for the debate , such as the best type of pizza topping or the most fun holiday. Provide each team with time to prepare their arguments and practice their delivery. After the debate, debrief with the class to discuss what they learned from the exercise and how they can apply the skills they practiced in their everyday lives.

4. The Empathy Challenge

The Empathy Maze is an interactive experience designed to foster empathy, active listening, and cooperation among individuals. This empathy activity transports participants through a labyrinth of challenges that require them to step into another’s shoes and grasp their emotions. 

Assemble small groups of individuals, each composed of two or three trailblazers. Conjure up a collection of challenges that will test their ability to understand and empathize with others. These could include imaginative scenarios, where different emotions are displayed and discussed. 

Allow each group to collaborate and discuss with each other and then provide their analysis of the same which can include the emotions involved in the scenario, how one should react in the same, and what could be possible solutions and strategies to cope. As and when everyone is done with their presentation of the viewpoints, the rest of the whole group can give ratings on the basis of how satisfying the response is. 

This activity is a fun and imaginative way for students to build deeper relationships by honing their interpersonal skills. It provides a dynamic platform to develop their empathetic skills and become more effective communicators.

5. Mystery Guest

The Mystery Guest is a captivating interpersonal skills exercise that hones individuals’ empathy, active listening, and observation abilities. In this activity, players rotate as the enigma, and the rest of the cohort endeavors to decipher their internal sentiments, musings, and emotions. 

Assemble the participants into a bustling group. Select one player to become the enigmatic visitor and request that they express a specific emotion, thought, or feeling without revealing what it is. Inspire the rest of the cohort to tap into their active listening and observation skills as they attempt to decode the mystery guest’s internal landscape. Continue the activity, rotating through different players as the mystery guest, until all have had a chance to participate.

This activity provides a fun and interactive platform for students as well as adults to improve their interpersonal skills and deepen their understanding of others. By engaging in active listening and observation, players will become more effective communicators and build stronger relationships with their peers.

6. The Body Language Battle

The body language battle can be the perfect interpersonal skills activity for anyone looking forward to working on their skills. Going well beyond spoken words, the activity requires participants to engage in a friendly competition to see who can best interpret and display various nonverbal cues and body language. 

Through role-plays and demonstrations, participants will learn the power of nonverbal communication and how it can impact their interactions with others. For instance, one member from each of the teams will just act out non-verbally expressions of various emotions.

They will also have the opportunity to practice using effective body language themselves, helping them to better understand and connect with others. The team that is able to guess the most correct emotions with body language displayed wins. The activity will strengthen one’s understanding of human emotions, body language, and interpersonal understanding.

7. Observational skills challenge

This challenge is an interpersonal skills activity designed to help individuals connect with and understand one another. In today’s busy times, instead of building a meaningful connection or know the other person, people usually connect with each other for one or the other purpose only which results in a lack of understanding and coordination among them. So, let’s do this activity, learn, and enjoy.

To start, instruct participants that they need to meet 5 people in the group and try to drive the conversation for at least 5 minutes and observe and note the key points about their personalities. Set a time for about 25-30 minutes for participants to complete the task. Or else, you can give an entire day for this and let them take their time to connect twitch each other. 

Next, gather together and participants can voluntarily share their analysis about each person to which the rest of the people can give feedback and the person for whom the observation is being shared can add his/her inputs too that whether these are right or wrong or what else is there about their personality or nature which is not being observed. This activity can help people challenge their observational skills along with improving communication skills and connecting abilities.

8. Collaborative Storytelling

To adapt the activity for adults, you can choose a prompt that relates to the work or industry that the group is in. For example, if the group works in marketing, the prompt could be “Once upon a time, there was a startup that needed to develop a new marketing campaign.” Each person can take turns adding to the story, with each sentence building on the previous one and advancing the narrative. Similarly, the prompt can be according to the age level or experience level of the participants.

Collaborative storytelling can be a valuable interpersonal skills activity for both students as well as adults. It can help develop their communication and collaboration skills, while also fostering creativity and teamwork.

As the story progresses, encourage the group to work together to develop a clear and cohesive message that aligns with their company’s goals and values. This will require active listening, clear communication, and a willingness to collaborate and build on each other’s ideas.

After the story is finished, you can have the group reflect on the process and discuss what they learned about communication, collaboration, and creativity. You can also ask them to brainstorm ways to apply these skills to their work, such as through brainstorming sessions, project collaborations, or team-building activities.

Improv Madness is an energetic and entertaining interpersonal skills activity that is perfect for adults who want to have fun while also improving their teamwork, communication, and trust skills. This game helps people connect with each other better and fosters more understanding and coordination among each other.

This game can be played by anyone in a group. All you have to do is stick any word on the forehead of one of the players. The word can be anything, be it related to a movie name, emotion, etc. The player must be unaware of the word being stuck to his/her forehead and the challenge is to guess that word right in the minimum time possible. For the same, the other players need to do some actions in order to help that player get the idea about what it is. 

It is just like charades with the difference of one player being the guesser and the rest all acting to help to get to that mystery word. Being a vocabulary-building activity , it helps participants update their lexicon, learn to work better as a team, communicate more effectively, and build stronger relationships with their peers.

10. Get to Know You” Bingo activity 

Create a bingo board with statements or questions that are relevant to the group’s interests or work. If it is a group of students or individuals at work, then the statements will change accordingly. For example, if the group is a new team at work, the bingo board could include statements like “Has worked in the industry for over 5 years,” “Speaks a second language,” or “Has completed a marathon.” 

Distribute the bingo boards to each participant, and instruct them to mingle and find colleagues who fit the statements or questions in each box. Encourage them to have conversations with each other, and to actively listen to what their colleagues are saying.

The first person to complete a row or column on their bingo board and return to their seat with a completed board wins a prize. This could be something small like a gift card or a snack. After the game is over, have the group reflect on what they learned about each other and what surprised them. Encourage them to share one thing they learned with the whole group.

As a follow-up activity, you can have the group pair up with someone they don’t know well and continue the conversation, using some of the questions from the bingo board as a guide. This will allow them to build connections and deepen their understanding of each other’s interests and experiences.

Interpersonal skills are essential for both students and adults to develop and maintain successful relationships and achieve their personal and professional goals. Games provide a fun and interactive way to practice and improve these skills, including communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and conflict resolution. If you think, you’ve got a strong hold on interpersonal skills, then you must check out interpersonal intelligence career options .

Whether playing with friends, family, or coworkers, incorporating games into one’s personal and professional life can foster greater social connection and increase overall happiness and success. So next time you have a chance to play a game, embrace it as an opportunity to build and strengthen your interpersonal skills.

I am Shweta Sharma. I am a final year Masters student of Clinical Psychology and have been working closely in the field of psycho-education and child development. I have served in various organisations and NGOs with the purpose of helping children with disabilities learn and adapt better to both, academic and social challenges. I am keen on writing about learning difficulties, the science behind them and potential strategies to deal with them. My areas of expertise include putting forward the cognitive and behavioural aspects of disabilities for better awareness, as well as efficient intervention. Follow me on LinkedIn

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

15 Communication Games and Activities for Kids and Students

Are you aware that communication games and activities have the ability to transform the way you interact with others?

Engage in a diverse range of interactive exercises that not only enhance your expressive skills but also nurture stronger connections with your peers and mentors.

From creative storytelling and immersive role-playing to challenging debate clubs and empowering leadership activities, there is a wealth of opportunities waiting for you to explore and master.

Discover the secrets behind effective nonverbal cues, active listening techniques, and assertive communication practices as you embark on this enriching journey toward becoming a more confident and eloquent communicator.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• Teaching communication skills early improves psychological well-being and reduces negative behaviors.
• Spotting communication difficulties allows for timely intervention and support.
• Engage children in storytelling, role-playing, and group activities to enhance communication.
• Encourage active listening, feedback-seeking, and technology use for better communication skills.

Storytelling and Role-playing Games

Engaging children and students in storytelling and role-playing games fosters creativity, empathy, and effective communication skills. Through improvisation games and character development, children learn the art of creative storytelling, enhancing their social skills.

Research shows that these activities not only stimulate imagination but also promote empathy by allowing individuals to step into different roles and perspectives. By engaging in these games, children develop a deeper understanding of emotions and situations, which translates into improved communication abilities.

Moreover, storytelling and role-playing encourage individuals to express themselves freely, honing their verbal and nonverbal communication skills. The interactive nature of these activities fosters a collaborative environment where children learn to listen, communicate effectively, and work together towards a common goal.

Singing and Puppet Shows

Singing and puppet shows serve as interactive and engaging tools for enhancing communication skills in children and students through creative expression and performance.

Singing workshops provide a platform for individuals to express emotions and ideas through music, improving vocal projection and articulation. Puppetry classes offer opportunities to develop storytelling abilities, nonverbal communication, and teamwork skills as students work together to bring characters to life.

Research indicates that these activities can boost confidence, encourage collaboration, and foster creativity in participants. By participating in singing and puppet shows, children and students not only refine their communication skills but also learn to connect with others in a meaningful and expressive manner, laying a foundation for effective interpersonal interactions.

Building Blocks for Cooperative Play

Building upon the foundational skills developed through activities like singing and puppet shows, cooperative play using building blocks has been identified as a key method for enhancing communication and teamwork among children and students. Engaging in collaborative tasks with building blocks not only fosters creativity but also nurtures essential communication skills. Through problem-solving challenges and group dynamics, children learn to work together, share ideas, and listen to their peers. This form of play encourages team projects where individuals contribute towards a common goal, teaching them the importance of cooperation and effective communication. Below is a table highlighting the significance of building blocks in developing communication and teamwork skills:

Charades and Team-building Exercises

Charades and team-building exercises are effective methods for enhancing communication skills and fostering teamwork among individuals of all ages.

Trust exercises such as blindfold games can help build trust and improve nonverbal communication.

Improvisation games encourage quick thinking and creativity, essential for effective communication.

Problem-solving challenges within a team setting promote collaboration and strategic thinking, crucial elements in effective teamwork.

Icebreaker activities like the famous pairs guessing game can help break down barriers and encourage interaction among participants.

Memory Games for Listening Skills

Memory games play a crucial role in enhancing listening skills, fostering attentiveness, and improving cognitive abilities, especially in the context of communication development. Engaging in listening comprehension activities through memory retention exercises can significantly enhance auditory memory challenges and contribute to overall listening skills improvement.

These games require active participation and concentration, forcing the players to retain and recall information accurately. By practicing memory games, individuals can learn to listen more effectively, process information efficiently, and respond appropriately.

Such activities not only enhance communication skills but also aid in developing crucial cognitive functions related to memory and attention, which are essential for effective communication and academic success.

Debate Clubs and Leadership Activities

Debate clubs and leadership activities play a pivotal role in fostering critical thinking skills and nurturing effective communication strategies among students at various educational levels. Engaging in debate clubs helps in honing critical thinking abilities by analyzing different perspectives, constructing arguments, and articulating thoughts persuasively.

These activities also contribute to leadership development by encouraging students to take initiative, collaborate with peers, and make informed decisions. Through participating in debates and leadership tasks, students learn to communicate assertively, listen actively, and work towards common goals.

Such experiences are essential for equipping individuals with the necessary skills to succeed academically, personally, and professionally. Overall, debate clubs and leadership activities serve as valuable platforms for enhancing students’ critical thinking skills and fostering effective communication strategies.

Public Speaking Contests and Peer Mentoring

Public speaking contests and peer mentoring are two impactful avenues for enhancing students’ communication skills and fostering a supportive learning environment. Engaging in public speaking workshops can help students refine their presentation skills, boost confidence, and learn to articulate ideas effectively.

Peer support sessions offer students the opportunity to practice active listening, provide constructive feedback to their peers, and develop empathy and understanding towards others’ perspectives. These activities not only improve communication skills but also promote collaboration, leadership, and emotional intelligence among students.

Networking Events and Business Simulations

Networking events and business simulations play a crucial role in enhancing college students’ practical communication skills and real-world networking abilities. These activities provide valuable opportunities for career development by simulating professional environments, fostering problem-solving strategies, and encouraging students to apply theoretical knowledge in practical scenarios.

By participating in networking events, students can expand their professional connections, practice effective communication techniques, and gain insights into various industries. Business simulations offer a hands-on approach to learning business strategies, decision-making processes, and teamwork dynamics. Through these experiences, students develop critical thinking skills, enhance their adaptability in diverse situations, and prepare for future roles in the workforce.

Communication Workshops and Team-building Retreats

Communication workshops and team-building retreats are crucial for improving interpersonal skills and fostering collaboration among college students. These activities concentrate on refining communication strategies and building vital teamwork skills.

Here are three fundamental aspects to consider when participating in communication workshops and team-building retreats:

• Interactive Exercises : Engage in role-playing scenarios that demand effective communication and teamwork.
• Problem-solving Challenges : Work together with peers to address intricate challenges that necessitate clear communication and cohesive teamwork.
• Feedback Sessions : Offer and receive constructive feedback to enhance communication skills and bolster team dynamics.

Nonverbal Communication Activities

Enhancing interpersonal dynamics and communication skills, nonverbal communication activities play a crucial role in fostering effective interactions and understanding among individuals. Body language exercises and mirror games are key components in improving nonverbal communication skills. These activities help individuals become more aware of the messages conveyed through gestures, facial expressions, and posture. By engaging in body language exercises, participants can learn to interpret and control their nonverbal cues, enhancing their overall communication effectiveness. Mirror games provide a fun and interactive way to practice mirroring others’ movements and expressions, promoting empathy and understanding. Through these activities, individuals can develop a deeper appreciation for the importance of nonverbal communication in daily interactions.

Active Listening Games and Exercises

Engage in various active listening games and exercises to enhance your communication skills and deepen your understanding of others’ perspectives. Active listening is a crucial component in effective communication, allowing you to truly connect with others and build stronger relationships.

Here are three listening exercises to help you hone your active listening skills:

• Listening to Music: Focus on the lyrics, instruments, and emotions conveyed in the music to practice attentive listening.
• Following Verbal Instructions: Pay close attention to details and specific directions to improve your ability to understand and carry out tasks accurately.
• Reflective Listening Exercises: Practice paraphrasing and summarizing what others say to demonstrate understanding and show empathy in conversations.

Assertive Communication Activities for Teens

Assertive communication activities for teens require structured role-playing scenarios to cultivate assertive responses and enhance conflict resolution skills effectively. Engaging in conflict resolution simulations allows teens to practice handling disagreements constructively. Additionally, participating in expressive art workshops provides a creative outlet for teens to communicate their feelings and thoughts. Peer feedback sessions offer valuable insights into refining communication styles, while setting boundaries assertively empowers teens to communicate their needs effectively. These activities aim to equip teens with the necessary skills to navigate interpersonal conflicts confidently and assertively.

Follow All Instructions Activity

Implementing the ‘Follow All Instructions Activity’ fosters effective communication and promotes mutual understanding among participants through structured engagement with detailed instructions. This activity enhances reading comprehension skills and teamwork dynamics by emphasizing the importance of carefully following directions.

Here are three key components of the activity:

• Reading Comprehension Focus : Participants are required to read and understand all instructions thoroughly before proceeding with the activity.
• Teamwork Dynamics : Collaboration is essential as individuals must communicate effectively to ensure all instructions are followed correctly.
• Critical Thinking Development : This activity challenges participants to think critically and problem-solve to accomplish tasks accurately, fostering a sense of accomplishment and teamwork.

Famous Pairs and The Enigmatic Self

Transitioning from the structured engagement of the ‘Follow All Instructions Activity,’ the exploration of ‘Famous Pairs and The Enigmatic Self’ delves into interactive communication exercises that stimulate introspection and interpersonal connections.

By focusing on famous duos and incorporating a mystery game element, participants are encouraged to reflect on their own identities and relationships. This activity not only promotes teamwork and collaboration but also fosters a deeper understanding of oneself and others.

Through the analysis of famous pairs, individuals can uncover hidden aspects of their personalities and explore the dynamics of successful partnerships. By engaging in this enigmatic self-discovery process, participants enhance their communication skills and develop a greater appreciation for the complexities of human relationships.

The Guessing Game and Study Groups

What’re the key benefits of incorporating ‘The Guessing Game and Study Groups’ into college communication activities and why are they essential for enhancing students’ communication skills? Engaging in these activities fosters essential skills for effective communication and collaboration. Here’s why:

• Group Dynamics: The Guessing Game encourages students to work together, fostering a deeper understanding of group dynamics and enhancing teamwork skills.
• Problem-Solving Strategies: Study Groups provide a platform for students to collectively tackle challenges, promoting critical thinking and developing problem-solving strategies.
• Collaborative Learning: Both activities promote collaborative learning, where students exchange ideas, perspectives, and knowledge, enhancing their overall communication skills through shared experiences.

In conclusion, engaging in communication games and activities is a valuable way for kids and students to enhance their interpersonal skills and build confidence.

By participating in these interactive exercises, individuals can develop a deeper understanding of effective communication techniques and improve their ability to connect with others.

So, don’t be a square, jump on the bandwagon and start honing your communication prowess through these fun and engaging activities today!

The eSoft Editorial Team, a blend of experienced professionals, leaders, and academics, specializes in soft skills, leadership, management, and personal and professional development. Committed to delivering thoroughly researched, high-quality, and reliable content, they abide by strict editorial guidelines ensuring accuracy and currency. Each article crafted is not merely informative but serves as a catalyst for growth, empowering individuals and organizations. As enablers, their trusted insights shape the leaders and organizations of tomorrow.

View all posts

Similar Posts

Positive Daily Affirmations: Is There Science Behind It?

Peek into the science behind positive daily affirmations and discover the surprising impact on your mindset and well-being.

15 Couples Therapy Questions and Activities

Leverage the power of therapy worksheets to deepen your connection and revitalize your relationship – find out how!

Personal Strengths Defined ( List of 15 Personal Strengths)

Yearning to uncover the hidden gems of your personal strengths? Explore the 15 defining traits that can transform your life.

Psychoanalysis: A History of Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory

Hone in on the hidden depths of Freud's psychoanalytic theory, where mysteries of the mind await unraveling.

CBT Techniques: 15 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Worksheets

Journey into the world of CBT Techniques with 15 transformative worksheets designed to enhance your mental well-being – discover a path to personal growth and emotional resilience.

Big Five Personality Traits: The OCEAN Model Explained

Wander through the enigmatic realm of personality traits with the Big Five framework, discovering how they weave the fabric of your being and interactions.

Classroom Exercises for Effective Interpersonal Communication

Nonverbal Communication Classroom Activities

Strong interpersonal communication skills lay the groundwork for rich classroom dialogue and the ability to relate to others in all settings. Use activities to spark introspective thinking about the value of listening and relaying thoughts. As students become better communicators, they’re able to work more effectively in a team setting and articulate concerns when faced with conflict. Interpersonal communication exercises deftly underscore the importance of speaking, writing, listening and critical thinking.

Back to Back

Effective listening skills are critical to communicating effectively. This activity provides insight about the complexity of the communication process between two people. Pair up students, and have them sit back to back. Have one partner draw a picture of interlocking boxes or circles, and then describe that picture to the other student. That student should then draw a picture of what is described, but cannot ask questions during the process. Have students compare their drawings and discuss the challenges of completing the task. Ask the class to share how effective communication and listening affect a working relationship.

Communication Tower

Try using a friendly contest to emphasize the importance of interpersonal communication skills and valuing all team members' contributions. Divide students into small groups and give them dry spaghetti noodles, gumdrops and toothpicks. Instruct them to work together to build the tallest tower they can with the supplies in 10 minutes. Tell half of each group they cannot speak during the activity. Start a discussion and ask the students to describe the building process, the affect of verbal and nonverbal communication and the importance of each group member during the activity.

Gender Difference

Understanding gender differences can increase awareness and the ability to communicate more effectively. Divide students by gender and if possible have males and females begin the activity in two different rooms. Have each group create a list of stereotypes about the opposite gender. Next, have them analyze how those stereotypes may affect interpersonal communication. Instruct the groups to switch rooms so that they can read what was written by the opposite sex. Bring the class back together and ask them how they felt about what was written, facts and misconceptions and what could be done to improve communication based upon the written assumptions.

Communication Roadblocks

Developing strong interpersonal communication skills is critical to approaching and resolving conflict. Ask students to consider a time they were in conflict with someone. Have them write down what they did when they became angry, how they felt and how they responded to the other person. Create a scenario about conflict and ask the class to answer the same three questions about the parties involved. Put posters on the wall that list roadblocks to communication, and things that can escalate conflict. Ask the class to talk through the steps listed on the posters, and discuss how their ideas improved interpersonal communication.

Related Articles

Middle School Group Counseling Activities on Friendships

Attentive Listening Skills Activities for K- 2

Games for Learning Effective Communication Skills

Team Building Games for Teachers

Diversity Activities for Youth & Adults

Respect for Authority Activities for Kids

How to Assess Listening Skills

Techniques in Group Counseling

• ASCD: The Conflict Wall

Dr. Kelly Meier earned her doctorate from Minnesota State Mankato in Educational Leadership. She is the author and co-author of 12 books and serves as a consultant in K-12 and higher education. Dr. Meier is is a regular contributor for The Equity Network and has worked in education for more than 30 years. She has numerous publications with Talico, Inc., DynaTEAM Consulting, Inc. and Kinect Education Group.

10 Interesting Communication Skills Activities For High School Students

High school – it’s like a rollercoaster ride full of twists, turns, and awkward encounters with your crush in the hallway. But amidst all the drama and excitement, there’s one thing that can’t be overlooked: communication skills. Yes, it’s true, being able to express yourself clearly and connect with others is a vital part of navigating the high school experience (and life in general!).

Luckily, there are plenty of quirky and fun activities that can help you hone those skills. So whether you’re practicing mock interviews, creating persuasive advertisements, or busting out some improv, these activities will challenge you to step out of your comfort zone and develop your communication abilities. Get ready to unleash your inner extrovert and take on the world with confidence!

The skills you’ll develop here will not only benefit you in your academic and professional life but will also help you build stronger relationships with your friends and family. So get ready to unleash your inner wordsmith, and let’s see what kind of magic we can create together!

Effective communication skills activities for high school students

Good communication skills are essential for success in both personal and professional life. High school students need to learn these skills to communicate effectively and build positive relationships with their peers and teachers.

Here are ten engaging activities that can help high school students improve their communication skills and become better communicators. These activities will also serve as great life skill activities , as after all, communication is a crucial life skill! 

1. News Reporting 

Welcome to the world of journalism, where the stories are always breaking and the truth is always sought after. Have students create their own news program, with each team responsible for creating their own theme song, graphic design, and set design. 

In this activity, students will work in teams to create their own news program. Each team will be responsible for creating their own theme song, graphic design, and set design. The goal is to develop communication skills while flexing their creative muscles, as this activity will also encourage creative writing skills among students.

Students will learn how to report breaking news, conduct interviews, and create human interest stories. Through this activity, students will gain an understanding of how journalists work and how news is produced.

2. Cross-Cultural Communication 

In today’s global society, it’s more important than ever to learn how to communicate effectively across cultures. Have students create a multicultural festival or fair where they can share their cultures with each other through food, dance, music, and other cultural activities.

In this activity, students will partner up with someone from a different cultural background to explore the similarities and differences in their cultures through interactive and engaging activities. The goal is to develop intercultural communication skills. Students will learn about different cultural practices, values, beliefs, and traditions. 

Being a great cultural diversity activity as well, students will create a multicultural festival or fair where they can share their cultures with each other through food, dance, music, and other cultural activities. This activity will help students to appreciate diversity and learn how to communicate effectively across cultures.

3. Podcasting 

Do you have something to say but don’t know how to say it? Have students incorporate different types of media into their podcast, such as music, sound effects, and guest interviews. 

In this activity, students will learn how to create a podcast that showcases their unique voice and ideas. They will work in teams to research, write, and produce engaging content that will captivate their audience. The goal is to develop communication skills and explore different forms of media and creativity.

Students will be encouraged to incorporate different types of media into their podcast, such as music, sound effects, and guest interviews, to make it more engaging and interesting. Such activities are also conducted at various public speaking camps which have been essentially beneficial for the kids. 

4. Collaborative Storytelling 

In this activity, you’ll explore the power of storytelling as a means of communication. Have students create a unique story using a variety of storytelling mediums such as video, audio, animation, and graphics.

 In this activity, students will explore the power of storytelling as a means of communication. They will work together to create a story that incorporates different creative mediums, such as writing, art, and technology, to bring their narrative to life. The goal is to develop communication skills and explore different creative mediums.

Students will be encouraged to create a unique story using a variety of storytelling mediums such as video, audio, animation, and graphics. By working collaboratively, students will also learn how to work effectively in teams or in workplaces and how to communicate their ideas effectively.

5. Non-Verbal Communication 

Communication isn’t just about what you say, but also about how you say it. In this activity, you’ll explore the power of non-verbal communication through fun and interactive games that challenge you to convey a message without using words.

The objective of this activity is to help students understand the significance of non-verbal communication in conveying a message. To get started, divide the class into groups of 3-5 students and provide each group with a set of different objects or materials such as paper, markers, cardboard, or scissors.

Next, assign each group a message to convey, such as “I am happy,” “I am sad,” or “I am confused.” Students are then required to use the objects or materials given to convey their message without using any words. The group that effectively communicates its message in the most creative and clear way wins.

This activity challenges students to think outside of the box and use their creativity and communication skills to convey a message through non-verbal means. It also encourages students to be mindful of their own non-verbal communication, which can often communicate just as much as spoken words.

6. Persuasive Advertising 

In today’s world, advertising is everywhere. In this activity, you’ll learn how to create persuasive ads that capture your audience’s attention and motivate them to take action. You’ll work in teams to create ads that showcase your creativity and communication skills.

Have students create a persuasive advertisement using only found objects or recycled materials. The objective of this activity is to teach students how to create persuasive ads that capture their audience’s attention and motivate them to take action. To get started, divide the class into teams of 3-5 students and provide each team with a selection of found objects or recycled materials.

Next, instruct each team to create a persuasive advertisement that showcases their creativity and communication skills while also promoting a sustainable practice. Encourage students to think critically about their message and how they can effectively communicate it to their audience.

Once the advertisements are complete, have each team present their advertisement to the class, explaining the message they are trying to convey and the sustainable practice they are promoting. This activity helps students to develop their persuasive oral communication skills while also raising awareness about sustainable practices and the importance of taking care of our environment.

7. Mock Interviews 

Getting ready for the job market can be challenging, but in this activity, you’ll learn the skills you need to ace your interviews. You’ll practice your communication and interpersonal skills as you role-play as both the interviewer and interviewee in a variety of scenarios.

Have students create a unique character to interview for their mock interview. The purpose of this activity is to help students prepare for job interviews by practicing their communication and interpersonal skills. To get started, divide the class into pairs and assign one student to be the interviewer and the other to be the interviewee.

Provide a list of common interview questions or scenarios for students to role-play, such as “Tell me about yourself,” “Why do you want this job?” or “How do you handle conflict?” After the initial round, have students switch roles and repeat the exercise.

To add an extra level of creativity, instruct students to create a unique character to interview for their mock interview. This allows students to flex their creativity while also developing their communication and interpersonal skills.

8. Public Service Announcements 

Do you have a cause you’re passionate about? In this activity, you’ll learn how to create a public service announcement that raises awareness and motivates others to take action. You’ll use your creativity and communication skills to craft a message that makes an impact.

The aim of this activity is to teach students how to create a public service announcement that raises awareness and motivates others to take action. To get started, have students brainstorm a list of causes they are passionate about and would like to raise awareness for.

Next, assign each student or group a specific art form such as poetry, dance, or visual art to create a unique public service announcement. Encourage students to use their creativity and communication skills to craft a message that makes an impact and motivates others to take action.

Once the public service announcements are complete, have each student or group present their message to the class. This activity allows students to explore different artistic mediums while also developing their communication and persuasive skills. Additionally, it raises awareness for important causes and helps students feel empowered to make a positive difference in their communities.

9. Social Media Campaigns 

In today’s digital age, social media is a powerful tool for communication. In this activity, you’ll learn how to create a social media campaign that captures your audience’s attention and motivates them to take action. You’ll explore different platforms and learn how to create engaging content that communicates your message.

Have students create a social media campaign using only Instagram stories or TikTok videos. Through this activity, students learn how to create a social media campaign that effectively communicates a message and engages with their target audience. To get started, have students choose a topic or cause they are passionate about and would like to raise awareness for.

Next, instruct students to create a social media campaign using only Instagram stories or TikTok videos. Encourage students to think creatively about how to communicate their message in a short amount of time while still being engaging and effective.

To add an extra level of challenge, you could also assign specific target audiences for each campaign, such as millennials, Gen Z, or parents. This activity allows students to develop their digital communication skills while also raising awareness for important causes.

10. Improvisation 

Communication isn’t always about having the perfect words or the right answers, sometimes it’s about thinking on your feet and adapting to unexpected situations. In this activity, you’ll explore the power of improvisation as a means of communication. You’ll work together to create unique scenarios that challenge you to think creatively and communicate effectively.

Have students create a unique improv scenario that involves a specific theme or issue. This activity can be used to explore the power of improvisation as a means of communication. To get started, have students work in small groups to create a unique improv scenario that involves a specific theme or issue.

For example, a scenario could involve a job interview gone wrong, a first date with an unexpected twist, or a family dinner with a surprise guest. Encourage students to think creatively about the scenario and how they can effectively communicate and adapt to unexpected situations.

Next, have each group perform their scenario in front of the class. This activity challenges students to think creatively, communicate effectively, and problem-solve in high-pressure situations. Additionally, it can help students develop confidence in their communication and adaptability skills, which can be useful in many areas of life.

Communication is an essential skill that allows us to connect with others, share our ideas, and make an impact in the world. Through these communication activities for high schoolers, you have the opportunity to sharpen your skills, express yourself with confidence, and learn to connect with people from all walks of life. 

Whether you become a master of non-verbal communication, a social media wizard, or a persuasive speaker, the skills you learn here will serve you well in your academic and professional pursuits, as well as in your personal relationships. After all, we all have “improving our communication skills” on our bucket lists , don’t we? 

So don’t be afraid to experiment, try new things, and push yourself out of your comfort zone. With a little bit of practice and a lot of enthusiasm, you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve. So go forth and communicate with confidence!

Sananda Bhattacharya, Chief Editor of TheHighSchooler, is dedicated to enhancing operations and growth. With degrees in Literature and Asian Studies from Presidency University, Kolkata, she leverages her educational and innovative background to shape TheHighSchooler into a pivotal resource hub. Providing valuable insights, practical activities, and guidance on school life, graduation, scholarships, and more, Sananda’s leadership enriches the journey of high school students.

Explore a plethora of invaluable resources and insights tailored for high schoolers at TheHighSchooler, under the guidance of Sananda Bhattacharya’s expertise. You can follow her on Linkedin

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Our Mission

How to Hone Your Interpersonal Skills

Four strategies to help you reflect on your communication skills as a way to build a stronger school community.

Community-building activities ​are a hallmark of the beginning of the school yea​r—in both classrooms and professional development—but they peter out by ​late fall. These activities matter, as they provide us with ways to grow in groups and individually.

Here are four suggestions for how you can continue to develop your ​interpersonal ​communication​ skills​ as well as build a community with your colleagues and your students. These are all within your sphere of influence and are actions you can start taking right now.

4 Tips for Improving Interpersonal Skills

1. Listen with an expansive mind: Where does your mind go when you’re listening? Sometimes, perhaps, you’re closely attending to what a speaker is saying, keeping your heart open. Other times, your mind may wander to a place of judgment or impatience, or maybe you want to jump in and offer solutions and advice. Listening lies at the center of healthy social relationships.

Listening expansively means listening with hope, curiosity, and compassion. It means listening for opportunities to deepen and strengthen relationships with an irate parent, a disrespectful student, or a contentious colleague. When we listen expansively, we are poised to build strong community. I’ve developed  an activity to guide you in practicing this technique.​ Consider ways you might put this to use in your professional development spaces and faculty meetings. Also, invite your students to listen with an expansive mind, sharing strategies they can try.

2. Pay attention to body language:  Nonverbal communication may say more than the words that emerge from our mouths. Often, the messages we seek to communicate are delivered in our pitch, tone, volume, pace, and body language. To build community, we need to examine our own nonverbal expressions and consider how we interpret those of others.

We can sometimes miscommunicate through our body language, causing problems like these:

• When we talk with someone and perceive a mismatch between his selection of words and his nonverbal communication, our trust in him diminishes.
• When our own body language doesn’t match what we’re saying, others won’t trust us as much.
• If we can’t read a person’s nonverbal communication, we feel uncomfortable around her.
• When we misinterpret someone else’s body language, we can miss an opportunity for connection or can even take actions that have a negative impact on the other.

As you communicate with others—students, colleagues, parents—start focusing your attention on your own nonverbal cues. How do you communicate kindness? Curiosity? Compassion? How do you interpret the nonverbal communication of others? Does your interpretation cause you to become more curious and compassionate, or to shut down and create distance with the other person?

You can build community by simply heightening your awareness of your body language and how you interpret the body language of others.

3. Expand your cultural competence:  Cultural competence is the ability to understand, appreciate, and interact with people from cultures or belief systems different from one’s own. It is the ability to navigate cross-cultural differences in order to do something—be that teach students, collaborate with colleagues, or socialize with friends. The differences can be generational, racial, gendered, national/regional, and so on. Cultural competence helps to build strong communities.

Culturally competent educators:

• Are aware of their cultural identity, beliefs about difference, and unconscious biases.
• Have knowledge about the general role that culture plays in people’s lives as well as knowledge about specific other cultures.
• Effectively navigate difference—self-awareness and knowledge don’t automatically translate into the ability to act.

Regardless of our race or ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic background, we all need to cultivate cultural competence if we truly want to create healthy schools and classroom communities.

4. Address conflict:  Conflict can either strengthen or undermine a community, but most of us are conflict-averse and lack skills to deal with it. While there’s so much we need to learn about how to manage conflict and engage in productive conflict, let’s look closely at gossip, whether among students, parents, or staff. Gossip is a barometer of the overall interpersonal health of a community, and it can quickly spread if not addressed. I suspect that many of us have witnessed the destructive impact of gossip in our workplaces.

If you have an issue or complaint about someone, take it directly to that person, get some coaching or feedback about how to resolve the issue, or let it go. One effective strategy I’ve seen in schools is the creation of gossip-free zones, in which people commit to speaking positively about others. In a gossip-free zone, if someone slips up, you kindly remind them of the agreement. I’ve seen this approach work wonders for kids, parents, and staff—once they’ve recognized how destructive gossip is and committed to stopping it.

Hopefully these four strategies have helped you reflect on your interpersonal skills as well as your contributions to your school community. Strong communication and a healthy community can bolster us through challenging moments, bring joy to our lives, and improve our resilience.

Interpersonal Speaking: Activities and assessments

September 18, 2015

So #langchat tonight was crazy. We celebrated "Throwback Thursday" by using the old "free-for-all" format in which a topic is given at the beginning, but the conversation is not moderated. #langchat has grown significantly, and while I prefer the free-for-all format to the moderator Q - participant A format, it was clear tonight that there are just too many participants for a free-for-all to be successful.

As I was making dinner and trying to get my brain to un-clench from the stress of trying to keep up with the conversations, I realized why tonight's topic was truly the perfect topic to address in the old format.

You see, tonight we discussed interpersonal speaking assessment. And what is  interpersonal speaking but spontaneous communication between two or more parties? It can get messy: we miss pieces of the conversation, we misinterpret other things, we don't express ourselves well, we are misinterpreted...oh yeah and sometimes we communicate successfully!

Story of tonight. The "new" #langchat format, where the moderators ask questions and the participants respond, is  not  interpersonal communication. At times it tends in that direction, but by and large it ends up being two ongoing presentations that happen to be related. What I loved about tonight is that I felt like for the first #langchat in a long time, the participants really had a conversation going! We were trying to work through the intricacies of interpersonal communication together, and it felt like collaboration; not presentation. The Q/A format tends to create an atmosphere of show and tell--which is great because the participants have so many great ideas--but it's not the same as what happened tonight.

So what  were  we trying to work through? Well, the conversation ended up centering on Assessment of Interpersonal Speaking at the Novice level: should novices be assessed (formally--graded) on their Interpersonal Speaking ability, and, if so, how? My takeaway from tonight was that I needed to spend some time looking at proficiency guidelines and to grill Scott Benedict when I see him this weekend at AFLA about his take on the subject, since he's my favorite Proficiency Based Assessment guru :) Well, a few hours have passed, and I've got some initial findings and conclusions to share with you. (And, at the bottom of the post, I'll share links to some Interpersonal Speaking activities because let's face it--you need stuff to use in class, not just stuff to make your brain hurt!).

My first and favorite new  find on Interpersonal communication—and specifically for novices—is this guide from the Ohio Department of Education . I actually cannot believe that a state DOE would ever spend so much time and effort to create such a specific guide, but there it is! They show the three dimensions of Interpersonal communication: comprehensibility, quality of communication, and interculturality.

What I care about here is the fact that Interpersonal speaking is  spontaneous by both parties  by definition! Knowing that communication must be spontaneous makes me think that Novices (at least Novice Lows and Novice Mids) are incapable of true interpersonal communication (oh my, I am gasping at my own self for thinking that!). I mean, let's look at ACTFL's proficiency guidelines for Novice Low speakers:

Speakers at the Novice Low sublevel have no real functional ability and, because of their pronunciation, may be unintelligible. Given adequate time and familiar cues, they may be able to exchange greetings, give their identity, and name a number of familiar objects from their immediate environment. They are unable to perform functions or handle topics pertaining to the Intermediate level, and cannot therefore participate in a true conversational exchange. - Page 8, ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, Copyright © 2012 by The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, Alexandria, VA

Well, shoot! Did you catch it?? You have it right there, straight from the source! Novice Lows... "cannot [...] participate in a true conversational exchange".  So I'm not crazy! Which begs the question,  why in the world are we holding them accountable--grading them--on something that they shouldn't technically unable to do?? While the guidelines do not explicitly state that Novice Mid and Novice High speakers cannot participate in true conversational exchanges, they are very clear that Novice speakers at all sub-levels are very difficult to understand and only able to produce short, memorized chunks of speech. For more details, we can look to ACTFL's Performance Descriptors . And while we are examining ACTFL's publications (since they should be our go-to when determining how to assess our students), let's see how  they  describe Interpersonal Communication:

Again, we see this idea of "active negotiation of meaning", which disqualifies any kind of conversation in which one or both sides is predetermined. And since Novices can only function with memorized (predetermined) chunks, I am further convinced that we should not be grade Novices on their Interpersonal Speaking performance.

I think that it is inaccurate to say that Novices do not have interpersonal speaking ability; after all, there are descriptors for it in all of ACTFLs proficiency publications. However, the ability is extremely limited and does not appear to have yet become an ability in its own right: it is still a sum of its collective parts (the ability to comprehend and the ability to produce), but it is not yet  greater  than the sum of its parts! It is not "its own beast": it is comprehension (interpretation) and production, and the negotiation--the process component--has yet to develop.

As I searched the Internet to see  how  other teachers are assessing Interpersonal speaking at the Novice level, I found quite a few good rubrics--but none of them gave me the "missing link" that could convince me that I should create a separate category for Interpersonal speaking in my gradebook. Here are two quick examples:

• I love the feedback section at the bottom of this rubric —where students GLOW and where they need to GROW. What seems to be missing is a measure of their ability to understand the question being asked—as is, it looks no different than a presentational rubric, since it focuses only on production and the ability of someone else to understand what the student says.
• In this speaking assessment for Novice Lows (available in a bunch of different languages!), we see the true expected ability of a novice speaker. Notice that everything must be memorized: the student should have memorized the questions that s/he is expected to interpret and his/her standard (or possible standard) responses for the questions. Zero creativity is involved. This assessment appears to be designed to be speaking between the teacher and the student, which was a topic of discussion in tonight’s #langchat. Since Novice learners are not expected to be able to negotiate meaning, they really do need to hear correct language in the questions, and that cannot be guaranteed in student-student interactions. But if the teacher is being strategic in the questions and speaking in a way that the student should absolutely be able to understand, then can using a pre-determined list of questions even qualify as interpersonal communication? It would seem to me that the “interpersonal” component wouldn’t come into play until follow-up questions are asked—questions that the questioner hadn’t premeditated—and then novices are not supposed to be able to understand and respond because those questions would most likely not have been memorized.

So my preliminary conclusion for tonight is that we should NOT formally assess Novice learners on their Interpersonal Speaking ability. If you were at my assessment session at iFLT this summer, you might remember that I said that when I return to the classroom one of these years, I'd break down my speaking category into "presentational speaking" and "interpersonal speaking". Well, I have changed my mind and will keep it the way it is (at least in my beginner language courses). All that as a result of Interpersonal communication on #langchat tonight and some follow-up Interpretation of Internet resources. But please, let's continue the conversation--nothing is set in stone here!

Should my students practice interpersonal communication?

Of course, deciding that I won't grade students on their Interpersonal speaking ability doesn't mean that I won't be giving them opportunities to practice and develop it, all the while giving them formative feedback. So first, let's deal with formative assessment and feedback. Thomas Sauer (@tmsauer1) asked this question several times tonight:

So, forgetting about summative assessment (since I am throwing it out the window for now), let's talk about formative assessment and feedback. How can I get a pulse on my students' developing Interpersonal Speaking ability and communicate to them what their pulse was? The best solution that I found to this dilemma (as a teacher with 175 students each year) was to use these speaking cards .

I'll let you read the instructions that are included in the file, but basically I just walk around the room and make notes on the cards that belong to whichever students I happen to listen in on. If I don't get through everyone in one day, no problem--I just pick up the stack during the next communicative activity and continue on with the remaining students. A good and accurate summative assessment should never indicate a different proficiency level than its formative counterparts, so it doesn't really matter that I am collecting data from different activities. Students will demonstrate their true ability in informal situations. By recording data on several different instances for each student, I can identify "outliers": instances in which students--for whatever reason--did not demonstrate their true ability.

So that's the how; here's the what: some different Interpersonal speaking activities that you can use in class. Remember that Interpersonal speaking requires  spontaneous, two-way interaction.  In many of these activities, students are working with prescribed questions, so the Interpersonal speaking doesn't come into play until students ask follow-up questions that they come up with on-the-spot. Because Novices' ability to create follow-up questions and respond to unrehearsed questions from their classmates is extremely limited, you are going to be examining the building blocks of that skill (listening comprehension and speaking production) more than the skill itself as you formatively assess these activities. Mostly, you're just giving them an opportunity to develop their confidence and competency for conversational speech.

ACTIVITIES TO PRACTICE INTERPERSONAL SPEAKING :

Here are some that have been shared before:

• SIMULTANEOUS PRESENTATIONS

As the name of this activity implies, Simultaneous Presentations involve the Presentational mode first (students are sharing something that they have prepared with a series of classmates). For it to become an interpersonal activity, the 'audience' must respond in some spontaneous way to the presenter, and the presenter must respond back with unprepared speech. What I like about Simultaneous Presentations is that students are provided with something that they can talk about, and it is different each time that students switch partners.

Fan N Pick is one of my favorite Kagan structures, and while the first time that you use it with your students is a little confusing, it is well worth the effort to make sure they understand how it works. I love that all group members have roles and that it is very low-stress. Once again, for this to become interpersonal, that follow-up question or reaction piece is key: otherwise, it's a presentation activity.

• COLLECTIVE INTERVIEW

Collective interviews are really fun and a great way to get responses from all students in the class without the teacher having to ask and listen to a zillion responses. Remember--interpersonal requires spontaneity, so the interviewer students must be asking follow-up questions and reacting in the target language to what their interviewees are saying!

• QUIZ QUIZ TRADE

Quiz Quiz Trade works with prepared questions (each student has one when the activity begins). For that reason, Quiz Quiz Trade is an interpersonal speaking activity  if and only if  each partner asks a follow-up question before partners switch cards and part ways.

...and here are some new ones that I share in my Assessment for Acquisition workshop:

ROLL A ROLE

Roll a role is a great activity to use after you have been exploring a topic in your classes; in particular, a topic on which there are at least two standard opposing opinions, or perhaps more.

Students are assigned a 'role' at random by the roll of a die, and then they are given a question to discuss. The catch is that they have to discuss the question 'in character'; from the perspective of the role that they rolled. Here is an example: students are assigned one of the six roles below, and from that person's perspective, they must discuss with their partner (who has rolled a  different  role) whether or not it is important to learn another language.

SPEED DATING

I love speed dating because it gets students moving (but not too much, ha!) and it allows students to talk with many different partners throughout the course of the activity.

When I do speed dating activities with my students, I have them form two parallel lines that are facing each other. Each student is partnered with the student that they are immediately across from, and then I give them a topic to discuss. Sometimes, I give students a list of questions and they can choose from any of the questions on the list to talk about; but if you are really going for interpersonal mode then you need to make sure that the question asker is coming up with their own follow-up questions and not just reading pre-created language.

After a minute (or even less!), I ding my bejeweled teacher bell, and one of the lines moves to the left, so that each student is now facing a new partner.

REMEMBER: unless  spontaneous, two-way interaction  (that means spontaneous on the part of each party involved) is taking place, it is not truly an interpersonal speaking activity. HOWEVER, even without that spontaneous, two-way interaction, all of these activities will build students' confidence and competence in the building blocks of Interpersonal communication.

Thank you, and goodnight.

More from the blog

• Partner Activities
• Cooperative Learning
• Course Structure

Laura Terrill on Assessment

• Critical Thinking

Embedded Storyboard

Join our newsletter.

Subscribe to our newsletter and get instant access to 150+ free resources for language teachers.

• BookWidgets Teacher Blog

15+ Exciting Conversation Activities that will Boost Student Participation

One of the most valuable skills a student can acquire is communicating effectively. Fostering classroom conversations is an essential step in nurturing this skill in education. In this blog post, I present over fifteen exciting conversation lesson ideas to boost students’ participation and promote this skill. Whether you’re an elementary school teacher looking to grow your students’ confidence or a high school educator aiming to stimulate critical thinking, various conversation activities can help you achieve these goals. I’ve divided them into different levels, but you can adapt them to your teaching level.

Conversation activities for elementary school

Conversation activities for middle school, conversation activities for high school, conversation activities for language courses.

💡 Digital Tips Explained ! As you will see, I’m sharing some BookWidgets tips for our widgeteers or some ready-to-use digital alternatives to the conversation lesson ideas below. These are interactive lesson ideas (= widgets ) you can duplicate for free ( open the activity and make a copy in your account ) and use in your classroom. After duplicating, you can even make changes to the activity. If you’re new to BookWidgets, let me shortly explain: BookWidgets is a content creation and evaluation tool for teachers .

In elementary school, students are at a stage where they are developing their basic communication skills. Here are a couple of activities designed to encourage them to speak in front of their peers and express themselves:

1. Show and Tell

This classic activity invites students to bring an object from home and share it with the class. It’s an opportunity for young learners to describe the thing, its significance, and why they chose to share it. “ Show and Tell ” helps young learners practice speaking in front of their peers and develop the confidence to express themselves.

💡 Digital tip : Instead of bringing an object from home, students can draw the object they want to show. They can do this on paper or digitally using this whiteboard widget in BookWidgets you created for them. You can also ask them to upload a picture of the object and write a few keywords that will help them with telling about their object, the next day in class. This activity is also a fun classroom icebreaker for the first day of school!

2. Storytelling Circle

Sitting in a circle, students embark on a collaborative storytelling adventure. Each student adds a sentence or two to continue the narrative. This dynamics fosters creativity, listening skills, and the art of taking turns as students collaboratively weave a story together. This activity can be challenging, especially for shy students, who might need some input.

💡 Digital tip : Consider having some visuals ready to be included in their story. You can bring realia or use a digital random picture album . The teacher click the “ random ” icon in the upper right corner, and a new picture appears! The fun is guaranteed when unexpected elements need to be added to the story.

3. Picture Cards Discussions

Utilizing picture cards depicting various scenes, objects, or emotions, students choose a card and describe what they see or feel. This activity helps improve vocabulary and encourages young learners to express themselves.

💡 Digital tip : Using a Padlet board with several pictures for students to pick from saves time and paper in the preparation of this activity.

4. 20-question game

One student thinks of a person, place, or animal. The rest of the class asks yes/no questions to try to determine what the person is thinking of. The idea is to help students build their critical thinking skills by asking questions in a logical order that will help them guess the item.

💡 Digital tip : Here’s a fun alternative to the activity, called: Mystery Video-Conference. A vetted speaker or other class is invited to meet (digitally) with your classroom. Students ask questions to try to guess the location of the speaker/class or the secret animal/number the class is thinking of. After both classes have taken a turn, follow up with a classroom discussion.

As students progress into middle school, their communication skills should also mature. They should gain more confidence and practice considering different points of view before giving their opinion. Here are some activities suitable for this level:

5. Agree/Disagree/Discuss

Draw a line on the board to divide the classroom into two. Write “agree” on the left side of the board and “disagree” on the right one. Have all students lined up in the center. Pose a prompt with which students should move left or right in order to show if they agree or disagree with the statement. Have students pair up after each statement in order to give their arguments in favor or against it.

💡 Digital tip : You can read the prompts out of a list or make it more interactive by having students take turns spinning the wheel of this randomness widget . Depending on the subject you teach you can have questions related to the topic to make it more interesting. Go check out this blog post with more ideas with BookWidgets’ randomness widget . Here’s another digital tip! Ask ChatGPT to “ create 20 prompts (about topic xxx) students have to agree or disagree with to spark a classroom discussion ”.

6. Would you rather

This popular party game can also be played by your middle school students to bring some fun and give input to interesting group conversations. Gather students in a circle or a group and take turns posing thought-provoking dilemmas, beginning each with “Would you rather…” Participants must then choose one of the two options presented, and it often leads to classroom discussions and debates.

Encourage students to explain their choices, creating an engaging and fun environment for sharing opinions and getting to know each other better. The game fosters critical thinking, creativity, and communication skills while also providing a light-hearted and enjoyable way for students to connect and bond. Here are some ready-to-use examples:

Would you rather have the ability to time travel to the past or to the future?

Would you rather be an expert musician but unable to read or write or a brilliant writer but unable to play any musical instrument?

Would you rather always tell the truth but hurt someone’s feelings or tell a white lie to spare their feelings?

Would you rather have the power of invisibility or the ability to fly?

Would you rather be a famous celebrity with no privacy or an ordinary person with complete anonymity?

Would you rather live in a world with no television or no mobile phones?

Would you rather have unlimited access to your favorite food but never be able to travel or travel the world but only eat broccoli?

Would you rather be the best student in a mediocre school or an average student in a prestigious school?

Would you rather have the ability to speak and understand all languages or be a master of every musical instrument?

Would you rather have the power to change the past or the ability to predict the future?

7. Back-to-back game

This converation starter activity for high school students encourages not only speaking but also creativity and active listening. Have students sit in pairs and ask them to sit with their backs to each other so that they cannot see what the other person is doing. One student describes something like a drawing or picture that is not easily replicated. The other student attempts to recreate the drawing based on this description. It encourages the first students to give clear instructions and the other must listen carefully and replicate the instructions. It’s a good lesson to learn what can go wrong in communication when your students failed to replicate the picture.

💡 Digital tip : Give the student that has to draw and replicate the picture a smartphone or tablet to draw on. Provide them with a quiz widget with a whiteboard question so they can draw by listening to the instructions. When the drawing is done, ask your students in a follow up questions to analyse the drawing and write down where they went wrong or what happend when they couldn’t replicate the drawing. The same goes for when your students finish the assignment pretty good. They can reflect on what went well in their communication.

On this level, it’s essential to encourage critical thinking and foster argumentative skills. For students in high school, I like bringing thought-provoking questions and providing activities that will allow them to speak their minds.

8. Critical thinking circles

Assign different articles around the same topic to small groups of students who read and discuss the assigned material. They can then share their insights, interpretations, and reactions with the entire class. This kind of activity promotes in-depth analysis and critical thinking. Some ideas for critical thinking circles include:

Media Literacy and Fake News : Explore how to discern between credible and unreliable sources of information, discussing the impact of fake news on society and how to fact-check.

Ethical Dilemmas in Technology : Discuss ethical concerns related to technology, such as privacy, surveillance, and the responsible use of social media.

Climate Change and Sustainability : Analyze the implications of climate change, debate potential solutions, and consider individual and collective responsibilities for a sustainable future.

Social Justice and Equality : Examine issues of social justice, such as racism, gender equality, and economic disparities, and discuss strategies for promoting a more just society.

Artificial Intelligence and Automation : Consider the impact of AI and automation on the job market, ethics, and society as a whole. Discuss potential challenges and opportunities.

💡 Digital tip : Provide them with a digital mind map to take notes during their small group discussion. They can add boxes with keywords, insights, interpretations on the topic. It will help them sturcture their thoughts when they are sharing their findings with the whole class.

9. Philosophical Chairs

Set up a debate-style discussion where students take positions on a controversial topic, and they can switch sides based on the arguments presented. This activity encourages students to explore different perspectives and engage in meaningful dialogues. You can give each group a list of controversial topics to choose from, and they can defend their actual positions.

💡 Digital tip : To make this activity more challenging you can use a randomness game . When students click on the “spin” button, they will be assigned a topic and either the word “agree” or “disagree.” They will have to defend their assigned point of view even if their actual opinion is the opposite of that. This is good for practicing argumentation and switching viewpoints.

10. Video-Based Discussions

Bring videos related to topics of interest or social issues. Encourage your high school students to express their opinions, debate, and analyze the events from multiple angles.

Using video in class is a nice change of pace and promotes student engagement. Here’s a video quiz with a provoking video for discussion and some comments that are good input for discussion.

You can change the dynamics to make this activity even more engaging. Divide students into groups and have each group, at home, choose a video from YouTube that they find touching, provoking, or interesting. They should prepare questions for discussions based on the video but not answer them. Then, in class, each group assigns their chosen video with the questions to another group.

Each group watches a different video and discusses the questions. After this initial activity, a discussion in plenum can take place so all the topics can be discussed by everyone.

11. Structured debate

Organize debates on relevant topics, allowing students to research, form arguments, and present their views in a structured discussion format. Debates encourage critical thinking, persuasive communication, and active listening.

This activity is the perfect opportunity to introduce or review useful phrases used for debates. Prior to the debate itself, give students an activity to have them categorize the different types of useful phrases, which they will then need in their discussion. If you have time to spare, you can create flashcards with each useful phrase, draw a table on the board, and hand in a card to each student, which they can then categorize in class.

💡 Digital tip : If you prefer to use a ready-to-use digital activity, click here . You can duplicate the activity and edit it if you want to include more phrases or delete some.

12. Make a Commercial

Encourage students to practice the art of persuasion to convince their classmates or others to purchase a product. Students (individually or in groups) select an item and create a one-minute commercial about it. Use the recording platform of your choice, such as Flip , Adobe Express , mmhmm , or your phone/computer. Students should make sure to include the following in their recording:

• What makes their product special? = Unique selling proposition
• How can it enhance the consumers’ life?
• Why does the consumer need this product?

Classmates can vote for the best commercial.

No access to recording? No worries, this can also be accomplished live in class. This is a great activity to focus on listening, speaking, and writing skills.

Whether you teach English, Spanish, French, or German, or are a teacher of any other foreign language, having effective and fun classroom conversations is essential for students of all ages. Of course, you can use any of the ideas above with your language groups as well, but the ideas below are taught specifically for language learners.

13. Role-Playing Scenarios

Create real-life scenarios or dialogues that students might encounter in the target language. Students role-play these situations, fostering practical language use and communication skills. Here are some common scenarios for adults:

Airport Scenario : Practice travel-related vocabulary and communication by role-playing airport scenarios, including check-in, security checks, and asking for directions.

Hotel Check-In : Simulate the check-in process at a hotel, with students playing the roles of guests and hotel staff, focusing on reservations, room preferences, and services.

Doctor’s Office : Practice medical vocabulary and communication by having students play the roles of patients and medical professionals, discussing symptoms, prescriptions, and health concerns.

Job Interview : Simulate job interviews to help students practice professional language, discussing qualifications, strengths, and job-related questions. This is also a good topic for high school students.

Real Estate Agent : Explore the language of property transactions by role-playing scenarios where students act as real estate agents and clients, discussing housing options and preferences.

Grocery Shopping : Role-play a trip to the grocery store where students act as shoppers and store clerks, discussing items and prices, and making purchases.

Restaurant Review : After dining out, have students write and present restaurant reviews in the target language, discussing the meal, service, and overall experience.

Travel Agency : Role-play travel agency interactions, with students as travel agents helping clients plan vacations and discussing destinations, accommodations, and itineraries.

💡 Digital tip : Provide this assignments as homework so students keep practicing their language skills. Ask them to record a dialoge using the audio recording question in BookWidgets. Here’s a video quiz lesson example to practice dialogues and newly learned vocabulary.

14. News Analysis

Bring in news articles or reports in the target language. Students read and discuss these articles, summarizing the key points, sharing their thoughts, and debating various aspects of the news.

This activity enhances language proficiency and cultural awareness. When using authentic material, it’s important to make sure that the language of the source is suitable for the level you’re teaching.

💡 Digital tip : What I do when preparing this kind of material for my groups is using ChatGPT to adapt the text. So, for instance, I copy an article I find interesting into ChatGPT and ask the AI tool to: “ simplify the text for a group of 4th grade students ”. I then create a split worksheet with the text on one side and questions on the other side. These serve as input for analysis and will get the students talking. Click here to see an example.

15. Language Exchange Partners

16. Celebrity Interviews

This activity is a fun way to have students practice question words and use simple present, simple past, and present perfect. Students are divided into pairs, in which one is the interviewer and the other one a celebrity. You can have students choose who they want to pretend to be freely, or you can give them a list for them to choose from, in case you want to avoid inconvenient choices.

💡 Digital tip : Alternatively, you can have two celebrities interview each other. For this, it’s fun to have students leave it to faith which celebrity they will pretend to be.

17. Untranslatable?

If you have students in your classroom who speak different native languages, chances are they’ve encountered words that don’t have direct translations in English. You can leverage their knowledge of their own languages to foster discussions within the classroom.

Form small groups of students, ideally including members from two or more native language backgrounds. Even if the group shares a common native language, there are often distinct dialects, regional expressions, and unique experiences that can lead to discussions about these “untranslatable” words and their potential English interpretations. Each student compiles a list of five to ten words that they find challenging to translate directly into English (or any other target language). In turn, students explain the meaning of the words on their list using the target language. Then, following the word presentation, the other students can ask questions and seek clarification regarding the word’s meaning and usage.

💡 Digital tip : Provide students with a digital mind map to indicate their 5 words and their potential English interpretations. Students can submit their mind map to the teacher. This way, the teacher can gather all the native words and meanings and present them in a list to all the students. You can even make a wall poster out of it using Canva as a design tool!

In conclusion, effective communication is a skill that holds immense value in the realm of education. The ability to articulate thoughts and engage in meaningful conversations is not only essential for academic success but also for personal and professional growth. In this blog post, we have explored a wide range of conversation activities, discussion starters, and debate topics tailored to different educational levels, from elementary school to high school and language courses. These activities are designed to nurture students’ communication skills, boost their confidence, and stimulate critical thinking.

You can find all ready-to-use activities used in the examples here and duplicate them to your own account in order to edit them and share them with your students.

I’d like to know which of these activities is your favorite and what other ideas you have, so do share with us. Let us know on Twitter - X - and join our Facebook community to share your first history BookWidgets activity with other teachers.

Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn . I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

Join hundreds of thousands of subscribers, and get the best content on technology in education.

BookWidgets enables teachers to create fun and interactive lessons for tablets, smartphones, and computers.

• Digital Offerings
• Biochemistry
• College Success
• Communication
• Electrical Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Mathematics
• Nutrition and Health
• Philosophy and Religion
• Our Mission
• Our Leadership
• Accessibility
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
• Learning Science
• Sustainability
• Affordable Solutions
• Curriculum Solutions
• Inclusive Access
• Lab Solutions
• LMS Integration
• Instructor Resources
• iClicker and Your Content
• Badging and Credidation
• Press Release
• Learning Stories Blog
• Discussions
• The Discussion Board
• Webinars on Demand
• Digital Community
• Macmillan Learning Peer Consultants
• Macmillan Learning Digital Blog
• Learning Science Research
• Macmillan Learning Peer Consultant Forum
• The Institute at Macmillan Learning
• Professional Development Blog
• Teaching With Generative AI: A Course for Educators
• English Community
• Achieve Adopters Forum
• Hub Adopters Group
• Psychology Community
• Psychology Blog
• Talk Psych Blog
• History Community
• History Blog
• Communication Community
• Communication Blog
• College Success Community
• College Success Blog
• Economics Community
• Economics Blog
• Institutional Solutions Community
• Institutional Solutions Blog
• Handbook for iClicker Administrators
• Nutrition Community
• Nutrition Blog
• Lab Solutions Community
• Lab Solutions Blog
• STEM Community
• STEM Achieve Adopters Forum
• Contact Us & FAQs
• Find Your Rep
• Training & Demos
• First Day of Class
• For Booksellers
• International Translation Rights
• Permissions
• Report Piracy

Digital Products

Instructor catalog, our solutions.

• Macmillan Community
• Interpersonal Communications in Classrooms can be ...

Interpersonal Communications in Classrooms can be Lacking. Here are 8 Solutions.

• Subscribe to RSS Feed
• Mark as New
• Mark as Read
• Printer Friendly Page
• Report Inappropriate Content
• Class Activities
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Human Communication

You must be a registered user to add a comment. If you've already registered, sign in. Otherwise, register and sign in.

• Class Activities 15
• Diversity and Inclusion 13
• Film and Television 4
• Human Communication 16
• Journalism 1
• Mass Communication 10
• Media Studies 11
• Public Speaking 12
• Virtual Learning 1

10 Games and Activities that Foster Communication Skills

• December 23, 2022
• Games for kids , Home activities

Communication is one of the most important aspects of our relationships with others—especially our children! Children begin to develop communication skills from the day they are born and start interacting with their caregivers. 

When we communicate with our kiddos , we teach them about love , respect , boundaries , and even safety . 

What are the types of communication?

Verbal communication has to do with the words we use when speaking:

• Pitch (speaking in a loud voice vs. whispering)
• Tone (calm, firm, loving, gentle, angry, accusatory)  
• Word choice (“Please speak more softly” vs. “Shut up” might mean the same thing but have very different connotations)
• Language/dialect (using words that your child understands) 

Nonverbal communication has to do with body language:

• Physical touch (hugs, high fives)
• Hand gestures (thumbs up)
• Facial expressions (smiling, frowning) 
• Eye contact (direct, indirect) 
• Personal space (body autonomy) 

Why Are Communication Skills Important?

When parents communicate with their children, they are teaching them how to interact with others and are helping shape kids’ emotional development. 

Children will use the communication techniques that they learned from their caregivers long after they grow up and set out on their own! 

What are the benefits of communication skills?

• Mental well-being
• Emotional intelligence
• Assertiveness
• Empathy and compassion
• Self-control and motivation
• Boundaries 

10 Activities and Games to Support Communication Skills 

Parents know that their kids are like sponges ; they soak up everything they see and hear! Caregivers can model positive skills that will help their children grow to become effective communicators.  

Playing fun activities and games with kids is a great way to introduce positive communication skills! 

1. Guess the Object 

• Place an object in a bag and give clues to help your child guess what it is.
• For example, if you are hiding a spoon, you could say: “It’s small.” “It’s silver.” “It’s a tool we use to eat food.”
• After modeling how to play, let your child pick an object to hide. Then, ask them questions until you guess correctly!

2. Telephone 

This is a classic game from childhood! It’s best to play with 3 to 5 people , so you can get the whole family involved. 

• Have everyone stand in line .
• Start with an easy sentence , like “The ball is red.”
• Whisper the sentence into your child’s ear without letting anyone else hear.
• Then your child must whisper it to the person next to them.
• The last person in line gets to say the sentence out loud. 

Most of the time, it changes from the original sentence to something much funnier! After a few rounds, you can make the sentences more and more complex. 

3. Show and Tell 

• Gather the whole family together for “Show and Tell.”
• Each family member needs to pick out a favorite item from their room.
• One of the adults should go first to model how to play.
• Show off your favorite item and explain why you love it so much, where you got it , and how it works .
• After modeling how to play, let your child go up and deliver their speech!

To make the game a little sillier, the game can also be done with “least favorite” items… will your child go straight for the broccoli or their toothbrush? 

4. Picture Storytelling 

This is a great activity to teach children new vocabulary words and sequencing . 

• Start with one photo and have your child tell you everything they see . For example, if it’s a farm photo, they might say: barn, cat, farmer, pig, straw, cow.
• Then, have your child invent a story about what they see in the picture.
• You can help prompt them by saying, “The farmer brings food to the animals in the barn” or “The cat is unhappy because she has to share her food with the pig.”
• Encourage your child to be silly and let their imagination run wild!

You can make this game more complex by giving your child a set of images that tell a story. Have your child arrange the images to show what happened first, next, and last. Then ask them to tell the story of what happened by adding their own details.  

5. Chain-link Story 

This is a fun game that encourages creativity and quick thinking ! 

• Grab a ball and sit in a circle.
• Start off the story by saying something like, “once upon a time there was a baby dinosaur…”
• Then, pass the ball to someone new and have them add to the story .
• Keep passing the ball and adding to the story until it comes to an end!

6. Charades 

“Charades” is a family favorite and a great way to teach kids nonverbal communication . 

• Write down a bunch of different emotions and place them in a bowl.
• If your child cannot read yet, you can draw the emotions (and help them act when it’s their turn).
• Each player must grab a piece of paper from the bowl and act out what it says… without speaking!
• Then, the rest of the players must guess what the emotion is.

7. Ten Questions 

This game helps strengthen kids’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills . 

• One person must think of an animal , but they can’t tell anyone what it is.
• The other players have 10 chances to ask questions about the animal in order to figure out and guess what it is !
• For example, players might ask:  “Does it have a tail?” “Does it live in the ocean?” “Does it have fur?” 

8. Obstacle Course 

Obstacle courses help kids strengthen their active listening skills . 

• Use household objects like frisbees, shoes, chairs, pillows, etc. to set up an obstacle course.
• To create an obstacle course, you’ll need a starting point and a finish line.
• Hop on each frisbee
• Go around the shoe
• Crawl under the chair
• Spin 3 times in the hula hoop
• Help guide your child as they make their way through the course, and don’t forget to celebrate them when they make it to the finish line!

9. Exact Instructions 

This game is bound to make your child laugh and sigh in frustration! It’s a great way to practice clear and effective communication . 

• Tell your child that you want to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and you need them to tell you how.
• Set out all the ingredients you need: bread, peanut butter, jelly, a knife, and a plate.
• Do the literal action that your child tells you. For example, if they say “put the peanut butter on the bread,” place the whole jar of peanut butter on the bread.
• Then, prompt them to give you clearer instructions . They might say, “spread the peanut butter on the bread.” In this case, maybe stick your fingers in the jar and spread it on the bread with your hands!

Eventually, your child can learn to be more specific . This fun game will surely help you all laugh through your tears of frustration! Click here to check out this dad’s hilarious experience playing with his children.

10. Role-Playing 

Role-playing games help stimulate creativity and imagination .

• Let your imagination run wild and act like police officers, firefighters, nurses, vets, astronauts, etc. Pretend to be mermaids, grocery store clerks, or even shooting stars! 
• While playing, communicate your needs and ask for help . For example, if you’re role-playing veterinarians, you might hold up a horse figurine and ask your child to help it relax while you fix its hoof! 

The possibilities are endless and you will see how much your little one enjoys playing with you. 

Communication and Lingokids

Interested in learning more about our games and activities that support kids in learning communication skills? Download the app and check out the content on our YouTube channels ! 

What are your tips and tricks when it comes to communicating with your child? Let us know by commenting below! 

Enjoy these articles too!

How to Introduce a New Partner to Your Child

  As we step into the month of love, we thought it would be the perfect

6 Experience-Based Gifts For Kids That Will Make Them Light Up

Unwrap joy! We all want to give our children gifts that will delight them and create

How to Support School Subjects and Life Skills with Music

Music is a wonderful tool for supporting learning. Through music, you can reinforce what your child

Never miss any Lingonews!

• For Business
• Resources for Parents
• EU's Horizon
• Proven Results
• Help Center
• Terms of service
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy
• Redeem your Oxford Code

We are social

Lingokids Gift Cards

Lingokids Store

Interpersonal Effectiveness: 9 Worksheets & Examples (+ PDF)

There is a myriad of skills that can be added to our repertoire, enhanced, and improved.

There are thousands of courses, millions of books and articles, and countless tips and suggestions to improve our lives by cultivating a certain skill or set of skills.

But which one is most important?

There may not be a definitive answer to that question, but I think one of the most common answers would be: communication (or interpersonal) skills.

It is simply a fact of life that we will encounter thousands, even tens of thousands, of people in our lifetime. While we don’t need to make a good impression on each individual we meet (which would be an impossible task anyway), we do need to at least get along with others well enough to get by.

This is especially true for those of us struggling with a mental disorder like depression, anxiety, or Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). It can be doubly difficult for people with these obstacles to effectively interact with others.

Fortunately, there are ways to enhance your interpersonal effectiveness. Whether you are a successful public speaker or an introverted loner, there are resources and activities that can help you improve your communication skills and enhance your quality of life.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Relationships Exercises for free . These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or your clients build healthy, life-enriching relationships.

This Article Contains:

What is the definition of interpersonal effectiveness, interpersonal effectiveness & dialectical behavioral therapy, the importance of developing your interpersonal effectiveness skills, 6 games & activities (for groups) to develop effective interpersonal skills, 3 ways to improve your interpersonal effectiveness in the workplace, a take-home message.

Interpersonal effectiveness, at its most basic, refers to the ability to interact with others. It includes skills we use to (Vivyan, 2015):

• Attend to relationships
• Balance priorities versus demands
• Balance the “wants” and the “shoulds”
• Build a sense of mastery and self-respect

Our ability to interact with others can be broken by the goal we have in mind for our interactions. There are three main goals to interaction:

• Gaining our objective
• Maintaining our relationships
• Keeping our self-respect

Each goal requires interpersonal skills; while some interpersonal skills will be applied in many situations, some skills will be especially important for achieving one of these goals.

When we are working towards gaining our objective, we need skills that involve clarifying what we want from the interaction, and identifying what we need to do in order to get the results we want.

When maintaining our relationships is our first priority, we need to understand how important the particular relationship is to us, how we want the person to feel about us, and what we need to do in order to keep the relationship going.

Finally, when our goal is to keep our self-respect, we will use interpersonal skills to help us feel the way we would like to feel after the interaction is over and to stick to our values and to the truth (Vivyan, 2015).

In fact, it’s the second core skills module in classic DBT, with tons of materials and resources dedicated to improving the client’s interpersonal skills.

You might be wondering why interpersonal effectiveness is so important that it warrants an entire module in one of the most popular forms of therapy. Sure, communication is important, but does it really require this much time and effort? Why?

DBT’s take is that these skills are so important because the way we communicate with others has a huge impact on the quality of our relationships with others and the outcomes of our interactions with others (Linehan, 2015). In turn, the quality of our relationships and the outcomes of our interactions have a significant influence on our wellbeing , our sense of self-esteem and self-confidence , and our very understanding of who we are.

While there are many skills related to communication and interaction with others, DBT focuses on two main components:

• The ability to ask for things that you want or need
• The ability to say no to requests, when appropriate

Download 3 Free Positive Relationships Exercises (PDF)

These detailed, science-based exercises will equip you or your clients to build healthy, life-enriching relationships.

Download 3 Positive Relationships Pack (PDF)

By filling out your name and email address below.

• Email Address *
• Your Expertise * Your expertise Therapy Coaching Education Counseling Business Healthcare Other
• Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

By now, you have surely recognized the importance of having good, or at least adequate, communication and interaction skills. However, you may be thinking that if you have the skills to communicate with others at a minimum level of effectiveness, you’re set! Why bother working on skills you already have?

Like any set of complex skills, there will never be a point at which you have completely mastered them. Even the best motivational speakers and public relations experts are not perfect communicators. There is always room for improvement!

Research has provided evidence that improving these interpersonal skills leads to positive outcomes, especially for clients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). For example, DBT skill utilization has been shown to improve BPD symptoms overall, reduce affective instability, and improve the client’s relationship capabilities (Stepp, Epler, Jahng, & Trull, 2008).

The ultimate guide to expert interpersonal skills – Science of People

While there are many worksheets and individual exercises you can engage in to build your interpersonal skills, they are not always the most effective way to do this.

It’s no surprise that the best way to improve your interactions with others is to practice interacting with others!

Not only are group activities generally more effective in improving interpersonal skills, they are often more fun. Below, we’ve listed and described 5 fun games and activities that you can practice to improve your interpersonal effectiveness (as well as one handout you can use to assess your interpersonal skills).

Skills Assessment Handout

Before trying to improve your interpersonal communication skills, it is a good idea to find out where you currently are with each one. The assessment on page 3 of this handout can help.

On this page, you will find 29 skills, such as:

• Introducing yourself
• Listening – taking in what people say
• Listening – showing interest in people
• Responding to praise
• Responding to negative feedback
• Self-disclosure as appropriate

For each skill, you are instructed to rate yourself on a scale from 1 to 5, according to the following rubric:

• 1 – I am very poor at that skill
• 2 – I am poor
• 3 – I am sometimes good
• 4 – I am usually good
• 5 – I am always good

You can take the average of your ratings to give yourself an overall “interpersonal effectiveness” skill rating, but the individual ratings are valuable by themselves.

If you are looking to enhance your communication skills, make sure to establish a baseline first. If you have a baseline to compare back to, it is much easier to notice improvements!

Try Not To Listen Activity

In this fun and potentially eye-opening activity, group members will get a chance to put their acting chops to the test.

The group should be broken into pairs for this activity. In each pair, one individual should be designated to speak first while the other “listens,” before switching roles.

The first speaker (Partner A) is instructed to talk for two minutes straight, about any subject they’d like to talk about. While Partner A is speaking, Partner B’s job is to make it crystal clear that he or she is not listening to Partner A at all.

Partner B cannot say anything, instead relying on body language to communicate their message to Partner A.

Once Partner A’s two minutes of speaking time is up, Partner B gets two minutes to talk while Partner A “listens.”

The group will likely find that it is extremely hard to keep talking when their partner is so clearly not listening! This is an important lesson from the activity: that body language plays a vital role in communication, and listeners have a significant influence over how the interaction goes in addition to those speaking.

Once all group members have taken their turn both speaking and “listening,” each individual should write down their immediate reactions to having a speaking partner that is clearly not listening.

They will probably come up with feelings like:

• I felt frustrated.
• I was angry.
• I felt that I wasn’t important.
• I felt like what I was saying must be boring.
• I couldn’t keep talking.
• I felt insignificant and unimportant.

Next, group members should note the behaviors that their partner was exhibiting to show that they weren’t listening, behaviors like:

• Facing away, with head bent toward the floor or turned to the side
• Avoiding eye contact
• Looking at the floor/ceiling
• Folded arms/crossed legs
• Blank or bored expression
• Yawning, whistling, scratching or other activity incompatible with active listening
• Preoccupation (with looking at one’s surroundings, one’s phone, etc.)
• No interaction at all

While this exercise is clearly an exaggeration of what it is like to talk to someone who isn’t listening, this can help those who are not very observant or limited in their social skills to monitor their own behavior when interacting with others.

It’s easy to decide to practice active listening in your interactions, but it’s harder to keep all of the target behaviors (and all of the decidedly non-target behaviors) in mind. Practicing this exercise will help participants identify and remember the behaviors that make a person a good listener .

You can find this exercise on page 4 of the handout mentioned above ( Interpersonal Skills Exercises ).

Sabotage Exercise

This is another fun exercise that incorporates poor interpersonal behaviors in order to highlight what the good interpersonal behaviors are.

This exercise should be undertaken in a fairly large group, large enough to break into at least two or three groups of four to five individuals.

Instruct each group to take about 10 minutes to brainstorm, discuss, and list all the ways they can think of to sabotage a group assignment. Anything they can think of is fair game – it just needs to be something disruptive enough to drive a team task right off the rails!

Once each group has a good-sized list of ways to sabotage a group assignment, gather into the larger group again and compare responses. Write them all on the chalkboard, whiteboard, or a flip board in the front of the room.

Next, reform the groups and instruct them to produce a 5- to 10-point contract with agreed-upon guidelines for successful group work . Group members should draw from the sabotage ideas (i.e., what not to do for successful group work) to identify good ideas (i.e., what to do for successful group work).

For example, if a group listed “do not communicate with any of the other group members” as a way to sabotage the group assignment, they might come up with something like “communicate with other group members often” as a guideline for successful group work.

This exercise will help participants learn what makes for a positive group experience, while also giving them a chance to have a positive group experience along the way.

This exercise was described on page 14 of  this handout .

Group Strengths and Weaknesses

Groups have one very important advantage over individuals when it comes to accomplishing work – they can offset individuals’ weaknesses, complement their strengths, and bring balance to the group.

Group members will engage in some critical thinking and discussion about their own strengths and weaknesses in this exercise, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the other group members and the group as a whole.

To give this exercise a try, instruct the group to think about the strengths and weaknesses of each individual group member. Encourage them to be honest but kind to one another, especially when discussing weaknesses.

Once each team has come up with a good list of strengths and weaknesses for each group member, have each group think about how these will affect group dynamics. What strengths will positively influence group interactions? Which weaknesses have the potential to throw a monkey wrench into group interactions?

Finally, have each team discuss the composition of a “perfect” team. Is it better to have members with similar characteristics or with a wide range of personalities, abilities, and skills? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type of team?

This discussion will help participants think critically about what makes a good team, how different personalities interact, and how to modify your behavior, group norms, or expectations to match the differing personalities and abilities of others.

This exercise is also described on page 14 of the handout on interpersonal skills ( Interpersonal Skills Exercises ).

Count the Squares

This game is a fun and engaging way to encourage group interaction and communication.

All you need is this image (or similar image of multiple squares), displayed on a PowerPoint presentation or on the wall or board at the front of the room.

In the first step, give the group a couple of minutes to individually count the number of squares in the figure and write down their answer. They should do this without speaking to others.

Next, have each group member call out the number of squares they counted. Write these down on the board.

Now instruct each participant to find someone to pair up with and count the squares again. They can talk to each other when determining how many squares there are, but no one else.

Have each pair share their number again once they are finished.

Finally, have the participants form groups of four to five members each and instruct them to count the squares one more time. When they have finished, once again take down the numbers each group counted.

At least one group will almost certainly have counted the correct number of squares, which is 40. Have this group walk the rest of the participants through how they got to 40.

Finally, lead the whole group through a discussion of group synergy, and why the counts (likely) kept getting closer and closer to 40 as more people got together to solve the problem.

Participants will learn about the importance of good group communication, practice working in pairs and in groups, and hopefully have fun completing this activity.

You can find more information about this activity here .

Non-Verbal Introduction Game

This game is a fun twist on an old classic – meeting a new person and introducing them to the group.

You should plan this game on the first day of a group therapy , training, or other activity to take advantage of the opportunity to introduce each group member.

Have the group members pair up with a person sitting next to them. Tell them to introduce themselves to each other and include something interesting or unusual about themselves.

Once every pair has been introduced and has found out something interesting about the other person, bring the focus back to the larger group.

Tell the group members that each person must introduce their partner to the group, but with a catch – they cannot use words or props! Each partner must introduce the other partner with actions only.

This game is not only a great icebreaker for introducing people to one another, it’s also a fun way for group members to see both the utility of verbal communication (something you might only recognize when cannot use it!) and the importance of nonverbal communication.

If you have time, you can lead the group in a discussion of nonverbal communication, the cues we pick up on in other peoples’ behavior, and how getting feedback from those you are communicating with is vital.

You can read more about this game here .

Luckily, most of these skills transfer nicely from therapy to family life, interactions with friends, and the workplace. Additionally, there are some exercises and resources developed to improve work-related interpersonal skills directly.

Below you will find a few different ways to improve your communication at work .

Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills Handout

This helpful handout can be reviewed and returned to while you or your client are working on enhancing interpersonal effectiveness.

It outlines the skills needed to communicate effectively with others, separated into three different skill sets:

• Objective Effectiveness
• Relationship Effectiveness
• Self-Respect Effectiveness

For each set, there is a handy acronym to help you remember which skills are included.

For objective effectiveness, the acronym is “DEAR MAN” and the skills are:

• D – Describe: use clear and concrete terms to describe what you want.
• E – Express: let others know how a situation makes you feel by clearly expressing your feelings; don’t expect others to read your mind.
• A – Assert: don’t beat around the bush – say what you need to say.
• R – Reinforce: reward people who respond well, and reinforce why your desired outcome is positive.
• M – Mindful : don’t forget the objective of the interaction; it can be easy to get sidetracked into harmful arguments and lose focus.
• A – Appear: appear confident; consider your posture, tone, eye contact, and body language.
• N – Negotiate: no one can have everything they want out of an interaction all the time; be open to negotiation.

These skills allow those who practice them to effectively and clearly express their needs and desires, and get what they want out of an interaction.

The acronym for relationship effectiveness is “GIVE”:

• G – Gentle: don’t attack, threaten, or express judgment during your interactions; accept the occasional “no” for your requests.
• I – Interested: show interest by listening to the other person without interrupting.
• V – Validate: be outwardly validating to the other person’s thoughts and feelings; acknowledge their feelings, recognize when your requests are demanding, and respect their opinions.
• E – Easy: have an easy attitude; try to smile and act lighthearted.

These skills help people to maintain relationships with others through fostering positive interactions.

Finally, the acronym for self-respect effectiveness is “FAST”:

• F – Fair: be fair; not only to others but also to yourself.
• A – Apologies: don’t apologize unless it’s warranted; don’t apologize for making a request, having an opinion, or disagreeing.
• S – Stick to Values: don’t compromise your values just to be liked or to get what you want; stand up for what you believe in.
• T – Truthful: avoid dishonesty such as exaggeration, acting helpless as a form of manipulation, or outright lying.

The self-respect skill set will help protect you from betraying your own values and beliefs to receive approval or to get what you want.

Knowing what these skills are and how they can be applied is the first step towards enhancing your ability to interact with others. You can find this handout online at this link .

Radical Acceptance Worksheet

This worksheet helps you to identify and understand a situation you are struggling to accept, whether it is at work, in your personal life, an issue with your family, or something else entirely. Whatever difficult thing you are working through, you can use this worksheet to help yourself accept the reality of your situation .

First, the worksheet instructs you to answer the question “What is the problem or situation?”

Next, you will describe the part of this situation that is difficult for you to accept.

Then, you describe the reality of that situation. Think critically here about the reality, don’t just write down what you want the situation to be or what your worst possible interpretation of the situation is.

After describing the reality, think about the causes that led up that reality (hint: you will probably notice that many of them are outside of your control!).

Next, you practice acceptance with the whole self (mind, body, and spirit) and describe how you did this. The worksheet encourages you to try the following:

“Breathe deeply, put your body into an open, accepting posture, and notice and let go of thoughts and feelings that fight the reality. Practice skills for acceptance such as half-smile, awareness exercises, or prayer. Focus on a statement of acceptance, such as “it is what it is” or “everything is as it should be.”

Finally, you rate your distress tolerance about this difficult situation both before and after practicing radical acceptance, on a scale from 0 (you just can’t take it) to 100 (total acceptance of reality).

This worksheet will be available for download soon.

Compass Points Emotional Intelligence Activity

This exercise from the National School Reform Faculty is a fantastic way for a team to improve their emotional intelligence together (Allen, 2015).

To prepare for this exercise, create four signs – North, South, East, and West – and post them on the room walls. Under each point, write out the traits associated with each sign:

• North: Acting o Likes to act, try things, dive in; “Let’s do it!”
• East: Speculating o Likes to look at the big picture and all the possibilities before acting.
• South: Caring o Likes to know that everyone’s feelings have been taken into consideration and that their voices have been heard before acting.
• West: Paying Attention to Detail o Likes to know the who, what, when, where, and why before acting.

To begin the activity, point out the four points to the participants and ask them to read each one and select the one that most accurately captures how they work with others on teams. Have them walk over to that point and remain there for the activity.

Once each participant has chosen a compass point, ask them to recall a personal past team experience that was either very positive or very negative. They shouldn’t share this experience yet, but they should keep it in mind to discuss later.

Next, have the natural groups (formed by compass point selection) designate three positions amongst themselves:

• Recorder – to record the responses of the group
• Timekeeper – to keep the group members on task
• Spokesperson – to share out on behalf of the group when time is up

Once the roles have been assigned, provide 5 to 8 minutes for the teams to respond to the following questions:

• What are the strengths of your style?
• What are the limitations of your style?
• What style do you find most difficult to work with and why?
• What do people from other “directions” or styles need to know about you so you can work together effectively?
• What’s one thing you value about each of the other three styles?

Once each team has discussed these five questions and come up with something to share with the larger group, have them share their responses out. You may hear things like:

• North gets impatient with West’s need for details.
• West gets frustrated by North’s tendency to act before planning.
• South group members crave personal connections and get uncomfortable when team members’ emotional needs aren’t met.
• East group members get bored when West gets mired in details; East gets frustrated when North dives in before agreeing on big goals.

Once participants have shared their responses to the five questions, ask them to recall their very positive or very negative team experience. Tell them to take a moment or two to reflect on whether there was anything they learned from this exercise that helps them to better understand why their positive team experience was positive, or why their negative team experience was negative. This can be a great way to provoke some “a-ha!” moments (Allen, 2015).

Finally, shift to the conclusion of the exercise and give participants a few minutes to share their key takeaways from the exercise. Different groups will highlight different takeaways, but make sure to point these out if no one brings them up:

• This activity increases our awareness of our own and others’ preferences.
• Increased awareness opens the door to empathy.
• Our preferences have their strengths and limitations.
• A diversity of preferences is what makes for better teamwork and results.

You can find more information on this exercise here .

17 Exercises for Positive, Fulfilling Relationships

Empower others with the skills to cultivate fulfilling, rewarding relationships and enhance their social wellbeing with these 17 Positive Relationships Exercises [PDF].

Created by experts. 100% Science-based.

In this piece, we defined interpersonal effectiveness, described its importance in terms of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy , and provided several ways for you or your clients to work on improving interpersonal skills.

I hope I communicated my message clearly in this piece, and I hope you found a valuable takeaway from reading it. If you learned something particularly useful, what was it? Do you have other activities or exercises you use to keep your interpersonal skills sharp? Let us know in the comments!

Thanks for reading, and happy skill-building!

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Relationships Exercises for free .

• Allen, G. (2015). A simple exercise to strengthen emotional intelligence in teams. Mind Shift. Retrieved from https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/06/22/a-simple-exercise-to-strengthen-emotional-intelligence-in-teams/
• Linehan, M. M. (2015).  DBT skills training manual (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
• Stepp, S. D., Epler, A. J., Jahng, S., & Trull, T. J. (2008). The effect of dialectical behavior therapy skills use on borderline personality disorder features.  Journal of Personality Disorders ,  22 (6), 549-563.
• Vivyan, C. (2015). Interpersonal effectiveness: Getting on with others using DBT. Get Self Help UK. Retrieved from https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/interpersonal.htm

Share this article:

Article feedback

What our readers think.

Great resource and full of wonderful group activities.

I really enjoy reading and practicing the assignments presented here.

How do you join or sign up?

If you scroll down to the bottom of the page, you’ll see a sign-up form in the bottom right corner to register for our mailing list to receive free information and tools. For a fee, you can also sign up for the Positive Psychology Toolkit for access to over 400 assessments, exercises, and resources.

Hope this helps!

– Nicole | Community Manager

very helpful article

Great article!! Thanks!!

This is a wonderful share by the author. Thanks a ton Ms Ackerman for this great effort.

I am trying to run zoom classes and will attempt the ei interpersonal exercise virtually. Wish me luck!

I wanted to download a free book on Positive Psychology with 3 games/case studies. It would have really helped me during my teaching Management students. Despite filling all entries, it did not work. If you can help me that would be great ! Thanks in anticipation. my mail id is “[email protected]” Thanks, Professor Brijendra Dhup

Hi Prof. Brijendra, Could you please link to the download that is not working? That way we can get our team to take a look. Thank you. – Nicole | Community Manager

Let us know your thoughts Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Related articles

Setting Boundaries: Quotes & Books for Healthy Relationships

Rather than being a “hot topic,” setting boundaries is more of a “boomerang topic” in that we keep coming back to it. This is partly [...]

14 Worksheets for Setting Healthy Boundaries

Setting healthy, unapologetic boundaries offers peace and freedom where life was previously overwhelming and chaotic. When combined with practicing assertiveness and self-discipline, boundary setting can [...]

Victim Mentality: 10 Ways to Help Clients Conquer Victimhood

Life isn’t always fair, and injustice is everywhere. However, some people see themselves as victims whenever they face setbacks or don’t get their own way. [...]

Read other articles by their category

• Body & Brain (49)
• Coaching & Application (57)
• Compassion (26)
• Counseling (51)
• Emotional Intelligence (24)
• Gratitude (18)
• Grief & Bereavement (21)
• Happiness & SWB (40)
• Meaning & Values (26)
• Meditation (20)
• Mindfulness (45)
• Motivation & Goals (45)
• Optimism & Mindset (34)
• Positive CBT (28)
• Positive Communication (20)
• Positive Education (47)
• Positive Emotions (32)
• Positive Leadership (17)
• Positive Parenting (3)
• Positive Psychology (33)
• Positive Workplace (37)
• Productivity (16)
• Relationships (46)
• Resilience & Coping (36)
• Self Awareness (21)
• Self Esteem (37)
• Strengths & Virtues (31)
• Stress & Burnout Prevention (34)
• Theory & Books (46)
• Therapy Exercises (37)
• Types of Therapy (64)

• Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

3 Positive Relationships Exercises Pack

Join Pilot Waitlist

Home » Blog » General » Fun and Interactive Online Communication Games for Students

Fun and Interactive Online Communication Games for Students

As a Speech Language Pathologist and Social Emotional Learning expert, I understand the importance of social-emotional development in students. Communication skills play a vital role in this development, as they are essential for building relationships, expressing emotions, and resolving conflicts. In today’s digital age, online communication games provide a fun and interactive way for students to enhance their communication skills. In this blog post, I will introduce you to some exciting online communication games that can benefit your students.

Benefits of Online Communication Games

Online communication games offer numerous benefits for students. They not only improve verbal and non-verbal communication skills but also promote active listening, empathy, collaboration, teamwork, self-confidence, and self-expression. These games provide a safe and engaging environment for students to practice and develop their communication skills. Let’s explore some of the most effective online communication games for students.

Fun and Interactive Online Communication Games

Game 1: “would you rather”.

“Would You Rather?” is a popular game that presents players with two challenging options and asks them to choose one. This game encourages decision-making and communication skills as students have to explain their choices and provide reasons. Online platforms or apps such as “Kahoot!” and “Quizizz” offer interactive versions of this game that can be played with multiple participants. These platforms provide a wide range of pre-made questions or allow you to create your own, making it easy to customize the game according to your students’ needs.

Game 2: “Two Truths and a Lie”

“Two Truths and a Lie” is a game where players share three statements about themselves, two of which are true and one that is false. The other players have to guess which statement is the lie. This game promotes critical thinking and effective communication skills as students have to craft believable statements and convince others of their authenticity. Online platforms like “Icebreaker” and “Mentimeter” offer interactive versions of this game that can be played virtually. These platforms provide features like real-time voting and commenting, making the game more engaging and interactive.

Game 3: “Emoji Storytelling”

“Emoji Storytelling” is a game where students use emojis to create and share stories. Each student takes turns adding an emoji to the story, building upon what the previous person contributed. This game enhances emotional expression and communication skills as students have to interpret and convey emotions through emojis. Online platforms such as “Padlet” and “Google Jamboard” provide collaborative spaces where students can create and share their emoji stories. These platforms allow for real-time collaboration and provide a visual representation of the story, making it more engaging for students.

Game 4: “Guess the Emotion”

“Guess the Emotion” is a game where students have to identify and describe different emotions based on facial expressions or scenarios. This game develops emotional intelligence and communication skills as students learn to recognize and articulate various emotions. Online platforms like “Flippity” and “Quizlet” offer interactive versions of this game that can be played virtually. These platforms provide flashcards or quizzes with images or scenarios, allowing students to practice identifying and describing emotions in a fun and interactive way.

Tips for Incorporating Online Communication Games

When incorporating online communication games into your teaching practice, it’s essential to follow these tips:

Setting clear objectives and expectations:

Before playing any game, clearly communicate the objectives and expectations to your students. Let them know what specific communication skills they will be practicing and what outcomes you expect from the game.

Creating a safe and inclusive virtual environment:

Ensure that the virtual environment is safe and inclusive for all students. Set ground rules for respectful communication and encourage students to listen actively, respect others’ opinions, and create a supportive atmosphere.

Providing feedback and reinforcement:

Offer feedback and reinforcement throughout the game to help students improve their communication skills. Recognize and praise their efforts, provide constructive feedback, and encourage reflection on their communication strategies.

Encouraging reflection and discussion:

After playing each game, encourage students to reflect on their communication experiences. Ask them to discuss what worked well, what challenges they faced, and how they can apply their learning in real-life situations.

Social-emotional learning and communication skills are crucial for students’ overall development. Online communication games provide a fun and interactive way for students to enhance their communication skills while enjoying the benefits of technology. By incorporating games like “Would You Rather?”, “Two Truths and a Lie”, “Emoji Storytelling”, and “Guess the Emotion”, you can create engaging learning experiences that promote social-emotional growth. Start exploring these online communication games and witness the positive impact they have on your students’ communication skills and overall well-being.

Ready to get started? Start your EverydaySpeech Free trial today and unlock a wide range of online communication games and resources to support your students’ social-emotional learning journey.

Related Blog Posts:

Pragmatic language: enhancing social skills for meaningful interactions.

Pragmatic Language: Enhancing Social Skills for Meaningful Interactions Pragmatic Language: Enhancing Social Skills for Meaningful Interactions Introduction: Social skills play a crucial role in our daily interactions. They enable us to navigate social situations,...

Preparing for Success: Enhancing Social Communication in Grade 12

Preparing for Success: Enhancing Social Communication in Grade 12 Key Takeaways Strong social communication skills are crucial for academic success and building meaningful relationships in Grade 12. Social communication includes verbal and non-verbal communication,...

Preparing for Success: Enhancing Social Communication in Grade 12 Preparing for Success: Enhancing Social Communication in Grade 12 As students enter Grade 12, they are on the cusp of adulthood and preparing for the next chapter of their lives. While academic success...

FREE MATERIALS

Better doesn’t have to be harder, social skills lessons students actually enjoy.

Be the best educator you can be with no extra prep time needed. Sign up to get access to free samples from the best Social Skills and Social-Emotional educational platform.

Get Started Instantly for Free

Complete guided therapy.

The subscription associated with this email has been cancelled and is no longer active. To reactivate your subscription, please log in.

If you would like to make changes to your account, please log in using the button below and navigate to the settings page. If you’ve forgotten your password, you can reset it using the button below.

Unfortunately it looks like we’re not able to create your subscription at this time. Please contact support to have the issue resolved. We apologize for the inconvenience. Error: Web signup - customer email already exists

Welcome back! The subscription associated with this email was previously cancelled, but don’t fret! We make it easy to reactivate your subscription and pick up right where you left off. Note that subscription reactivations aren't eligible for free trials, but your purchase is protected by a 30 day money back guarantee. Let us know anytime within 30 days if you aren’t satisfied and we'll send you a full refund, no questions asked. Please press ‘Continue’ to enter your payment details and reactivate your subscription

Notice About Our SEL Curriculum

Our SEL Curriculum is currently in a soft product launch stage and is only available by Site License. A Site License is currently defined as a school-building minimum or a minimum cost of $3,000 for the first year of use. Individual SEL Curriculum licenses are not currently available based on the current version of this product.

By clicking continue below, you understand that access to our SEL curriculum is currently limited to the terms above.

Your cart is currently empty!

Powerful Communication Activities for Teens

Estimated reading time: 19 minutes

Struggling to find effective communication tools for teens? This guide has you covered with engaging and interactive communication activities designed just for them! Boost their communication skills with these strategies today.

This blog post is part of a series that provides lesson plans and communication activities for teaching teens communication skills.

You’ll discover resources to teach teens how perceptions and emotions influence communication.

Table of Contents

Conflict management and communication skills are something that I have been passionate about teaching for over two decades. I have experience developing curriculums and lesson plans for all age groups, from high school students to post-secondary students and teachers.

In addition, I was a mediator for fourteen years and helped countless people resolve their differences.

In my experience, communication activities for teens must include lessons about how perception and emotion influence communication.

Developing a working knowledge and important skills about these two concepts through communication activities helps young people to become better communicators.

Perception and Emotion Influence Communication

When it comes to interpersonal communication and relationships, our perceptions and emotions can have a significant impact.

How Perceptions Influence Communication

How we see ourselves and the world around us can lead to different communication styles, which can affect the types of relationships, we form.

A good example is if we perceive ourselves as shy or introverted, we may communicate differently than if we see ourselves as outgoing or extroverted.

How Emotions Influence Communication

Similarly, if we’re feeling happy or excited about something, our communications will likely reflect feelings of happiness and excitement. On the other hand, emotions like anxiety or anger can also color our interactions with others.

Communication activities help teens to grasp the concepts of how perceptions and emotions influence communication and relationships.

Emotions and Relationships

Emotions help us predict the stability of our interpersonal relationships over time.

When it comes to interpersonal communication and relationships, emotions play a vital role in how they develop and progress.

Our feelings also shape how we interact with others by:

• intensifying our reactions to events
• coloring our perceptions of interactions
• impacting our choices about who to connect with

It’s essential to recognize emotions’ role in our relationships to identify how they affect us. This information helps us make adjustments to improve the quality of our interactions.

This awareness can also help us identify problems in our interpersonal relationships, such as shortcomings and difficult personalities.

Communication activities designed to help high school students unpack problems and manage different personalities go a long way as they apply the skills learned throughout their lives.

Social Psychology

In the field of social psychology, there have been decades of research on the topic of emotions and their impact. Here are some examples:

• Emotions like anger and shame are contagious, helping to shape how we think about specific situations and how we perceive others.
• Happiness spreads quickly through a group, with just one person expressing feeling happy.
• Sadness or depression spreads as quickly as happiness.

Perception and emotion strongly influence how we communicate with others and how our interpersonal relationships play out.

In addition, how we perceive ourselves and the world around us leads to different communication styles, which affects the types of relationships we form. In short, how we feel and think our friends feel can help us predict how relationships will develop.

For example, when feeling a sense of urgency or irritability, we are more likely to become frustrated by other people’s behavior and choose to withdraw from those people. Because of this, it’s critical to consciously understand our emotional state, especially considering how we approach relationships with others.

What is communication style?

How we perceive ourselves and the world around us leads to different communication styles. Communication style affects the types of relationships we form.

Communication and relationship styles are often interchangeable, although they are not the same. They are both interrelated, however, because how we communicate with others is based on how we think about our relationships.

Communication style is how we prefer to communicate with others in our social connections.

This includes two main components:

• how we communicate (the form of communication)
• our level of formality or informality (the function).

Communication activities helping teens discover their communication style are essential in teaching and learning effective communication skills.

Teens and Digital Technology

In today’s world, it is not uncommon for youth aged 14-18 to use smartphones and other technologies daily. Moreover, evidence suggests a relationship between digital technology use and psychological and emotional outcomes.

Research about Teens and Digital Technology

A growing body of evidence suggests too much time spent on digital technology can have negative psychological and emotional consequences for teenagers.

Health and Well-Being

A recent study found that 14-18-year-olds who excessively use digital devices are more likely to experience adverse outcomes than those who don’t.

According to current research, adolescents’ well-being and life satisfaction are primarily influenced by their peers (Hardell, 2018).

Impact of Digital Technology on Self-Esteem

The study found that girls are more likely to experience adverse effects than boys. (Limone and Toto, 2022)

• It has been reported that there are universal fluctuations in self-esteem and life satisfaction levels during adolescence, which sometimes dip to an all-time low.
• The researchers found that adolescents more invested in technology and social media usage had lower self-esteem.

They concluded that young people’s reliance on technology and social media is a significant negative predictor of self-esteem.

Essential Elements Needed for Communication Activities for Teens

For face-to-face interactions and the digital world using electronic devices, good communication skills are essential social skills for teenagers to manage their relationships effectively, express themselves clearly, resolve conflict constructively, and collaborate with others.

Conversely, poor communication skills can lead to problems in all areas of a teen’s life, including self-esteem.

Use Real World Examples

Teaching teens how to become better communicators and effective communicators in high school through role play and real-world examples with communication activities prepares them for life outside school.

Teaching vital communication skills to teens is essential in providing them with a well-rounded education in high school.

Practice Soft Skills with Role-Play

Helping young people practice soft skills and demonstrating effective communication during communication activities is about sharing information and expressing thoughts and feelings in a healthy relationship.

Demonstrate Problem-Solving

When young people learn to communicate their thoughts and feelings effectively, they are more confident in their ability to solve problems, maintain positive mental health, and develop their style of communication and skill of self-expression for future success.

Here is a list of subjects for different ways to teach teens effective and healthy communication skills using communication activities:

• body language
• how to be a good listener
• conversation skills
• open-ended questions
• nonverbal communication
• assertive communication worksheet
• art of conversation
• power of verbal communication
• non-verbal cues

Teach Teens About Perceptions

How we perceive the world around us significantly affects how we understand and react to different situations.

Our perceptions are often based on our individual experiences, beliefs, and biases, which can cause us to see things differently than they are. Learning to notice and question our perceptions is a valuable skill for teens to develop.

As teens grow and learn, they must understand how people perceive the same situation differently. This can be difficult for some teens to grasp, but once they do, it can help them immensely in their everyday lives.

Benefits of Teaching Teens Perception Theory

By learning about perceptions with communication activities, teens start to see things from other people’s points of view and get a clearer picture of what is happening around them.

Teenagers must understand perceptions, and the basic framework for perception checking, as this can help them to see different viewpoints and get a more accurate idea of a situation.

It is also essential for teachers to be aware of their perceptions, as these can either positively or negatively affect their expectations of students, which in turn can impact students’ performance in the classroom.

Teach Teens About Emotions

As a teenager, it is vital to learn how to understand emotions and the emotions of others. By doing this, teens will be better able to manage their reactions to strong emotions.

Teachers help young people identify and cope with their emotions by teaching them how to identify their feelings. Young people better understand and manage their emotions when they recognize them and know what to name them.

Naming Emotions

For example, as children, we are taught about three emotions. These three emotions are happy, sad, and angry (mad). Developing vocabulary around the various emotions is helpful for students to articulate what they are feeling.

This handout provides numerous vocabulary options for describing emotions:

Benefits of Teaching Teens Emotions

Emotion understanding is a crucial life skill. Those who can read and react to emotions in themselves and others are more likely to succeed.

Understanding and empathizing with other people is a valuable skill for teenagers (and everyone else).

Helping young people identify and label emotions is an essential first step in teaching them effective communication skills.

Getting Started with Communication Activities for Teens

Developing effective communication skills is vital in managing relationships and working towards success in many aspects of life. Communication group activities with hands-on practice and lessons help encourage kids, teens, and adults alike to improve their communication skills. 

The following four examples are a great way to start with quick communication activities. 

Group Discussions 

Group discussions are a great way to encourage communication within a larger setting.

Have each participant present an opinion, share information, or discuss their experiences using the provided topic.

Group discussion invites intimate conversations and provides a learning opportunity for teens to understand how others perceive various issues. It also sharpens their listening skills.

Empathy Circle 

An empathy circle is an exercise that promotes trust and respect through active listening.

Have students sit in a circle and share their experiences and stories. Everyone else should listen intently without critiquing or making judgmental comments as each student shares.

Setting ground rules for the discussion opens the door for greater understanding and compassion as it encourages individuals to put themselves in someone else’s shoes.

Debate Competition 

Debate competitions are an excellent way to teach effective communication skills because they help participants strengthen their argumentative and persuasive abilities and public speaking skills.

Have each student prepare a five-minute speech on an assigned topic. Then have them deliver the speech to the class or engage in healthy debate.

This exercise challenges students to think critically about issues, research for evidence, and structure clear points of view. All essential communication skills.

Storytelling Activity

Challenge your students to tell a story without using any words.

This activity is for small groups or as a class. Each team or student must create a narrative scene and act it out with facial expressions, gestures, and body language.

This task encourages students to improve their nonverbal communication skills, consider their audience’s potential emotions, and employ symbols and metaphors, all essential communication components.

Lesson Plan with 4 Communication Activities for Teens

In this lesson, communication activities explore the relationship between emotions and interpersonal communication and how students can use it to understand themselves and the people around them better.

The techniques provided in the communication activities help students improve their interpersonal relationships and communicate more effectively with the people around them.

Teaching Strategy

There are many different ways that teachers can use the lesson content and communication activities provided here to teach effective communication skills to teenagers.

• One way, for example, would be to create discussions about each topic area to help students develop a deeper understanding of the meaning of perception and how it influences communication in their lives.
• Another way would be to use the activities provided to lead students in role-playing exercises to understand better how different perceptions can lead to misunderstandings.

In addition, by engaging in these discussions, students will better understand themselves and how they communicate with others.

This video discusses emotions. In addition, this video is used to stimulate small group discussions about how emotions influence communication.

Discussion Activity

Teachers will expand on the thought-provoking questions from this video. First, however, here are two examples of questions to stimulate discussions among students:

• First, how do emotions influence our perceptions of a situation?
• How do emotions influence how we communicate with others?

Learning Outcomes

In this lesson, students learn how perception and emotions impact interpersonal communication and relationships.

The communication activities and discussion in this lesson are designed to assist students in examining their characteristics as communicators and the critical elements of how they express emotions.

Using the communication activities, students examine how they communicate in situations where emotions may have a powerful influence and describe how their perceptions of themselves and others have developed.

Upon successful completion of this lesson, students will:

• Describe perception.
• Describe the psychological process of perception.
• List the physiological influences of perception.
• Describe emotional intelligence.

Lesson Content

The following information is designed to build context when teaching effective communication skills and communication activities to teens.

Perception is our way of interpreting the world around us. It allows us to take in our surroundings and make decisions based on what we see, hear, and feel. The perceptual process helps us understand the essential things for our survival.

The ability to interpret and make sense of the sensory information we take from the world around us allows us to perceive our surroundings.

• This process starts with recognizing environmental stimuli, which can come from sight, sound, smell, touch, or taste.
• We then respond to these stimuli through actions that help us interact with and understand our environment.

How Perception Influences Behavior

Our perception of others and the perspectives we take of the events, situations, and circumstances we experience in our lives can impact how we act and react to certain situations.

• Perception is our response to the ideas, data, and information surrounding us.
• Perception is a reaction to what we know, what we think, and what we are willing to learn.

The Perception Process

Selection, organization, and interpretation are the three main elements of the psychological process we naturally go through as we exercise our ability to perceive.

Perception is “the process whereby we assign meaning to the world around us.” Our perception of ourselves, the world around us, and how we relate to the world around us influence our interactions with others.

The perception process begins with selection when you focus on certain sights, sounds, tastes, touches, or smells in your environment. This helps you to notice things that are important or interesting to you.

Organization

The next step in the perception process is organizing the information we select.

Organizing information that we perceive is crucial to our understanding of the world. We sort and categorize data based on innate and learned cognitive patterns to make sense of everything around us.

Proximity, similarity, and difference are three ways to sort information into meaningful patterns.

Interpretation

Interpretation is a vital part of the perception process, whereby we assign meaning to our experiences using mental structures known as schemata.

Schemata can be considered databases of stored, related information that we use to interpret new experiences. When we encounter something new, we look to our schemas to see how we should make sense of it.

By understanding how interpretation works, we can gain greater insight into how we perceive the world around us.

For example, a student is running to class. One student thinks they are running because they are late. Another student feels they are running because they are athletic and enjoy running.

Perceptions, Values, and Beliefs

Our perceptions are based on our experiences, values, and beliefs.

Through our interactions with the world around us, we learn how to classify and interpret the information we receive from our sense organs. We then use that information to make decisions and choices about how we will engage ourselves in the world around us.

These decisions and choices are influenced by what we perceive to be accurate and our values and beliefs.

Perceptions and External Factors

External factors influence our perceptions.

Physiological influences, cultural differences, social roles, self-concept, and shared narratives are vital in how we perceive ourselves, our relationships, and the world around us. Our emotions also influence perceptions.

Some self-perception elements are inherent to us, while others are learned and involve our interpretation of what we have observed, heard, and felt.

For example, you may be shy with people you don’t know well. You can’t help being shy in these situations; it’s a part of who you are. However, you may think being shy means you’re unapproachable or not fun.

Communication Activities

Teachers can use the following four communication activities as an entire lesson or integrate each communication activity into different lessons.

Activity 1: Shifting Perspectives (Pillow Method Communication)

Perception contributes to evaluating situations and relationships, including how we see ourselves in our environment.

Our perceptions are not always accurate but are what we perceive to be the truth. It is crucial to understand how we perceive and then consider the possible impact on our behavior and the behavior of others.

• Select one disagreement or another issue that is now affecting an interpersonal relationship.
• Record enough background information for an outsider to understand the issue. Who is involved? How long has the disagreement been going on? What are the fundamental issues involved?
• Describe the issue from each of the four positions listed below.
• Record your conclusions at the end of this exercise.

Background Information

Describe the situation.

Explain how you are right, and the other person is wrong.

Explain how the other person’s position is correct or understandable.

Show that there are both correct (or understandable) and mistaken (or unreasonable) parts of both positions.

Describe at least two ways the elements developed in positions 1-3 might affect your relationship.

Describe at least one way the issue might be seen as less important than it was initially, and describe at least one way the problem might be seen as more important than it was initially.

Explain how there is some truth in each of the preceding positions.

Also, explain how viewing the issue from each initial position has changed your perception of the problem and how it may change your behavior in the future.

Finally, explain how this issue and your understanding of it affect your relationship.

Activity 2: Perception Checking Practice

Perception checking is a simple but powerful tool for effective communication. This approach makes listeners feel more comfortable, which makes it more likely that they will share information with you.

In addition, perception checking helps to identify missed or new opportunities and explore possibilities that we may not have considered.

Elements of Perception Checking

• Description – describe the behavior you noticed.
• Interpretation – provide two possible interpretations of the behavior.
• Clarification – request clarification from the person about the behavior and your interpretations.

Students work in pairs to practice perception checking in the situations described below. Students use the elements of perception checking during their practice.

Perception-Checking Situation

• During last week’s exam, you saw your friend Jim sitting next to you in class, looking at your paper.
• Ever since the school year began, your family has asked how you are doing several times each month. They have just asked again.
• Your friend Kwok was driving you home from a party last night when he began to weave the car between lanes on the highway. You were uncomfortable but didn’t say anything then. Kwok just showed up to take you to a class. You have decided to bring up the incident.
• Every time you’ve left your house recently, your brother has asked for a ride somewhere. Your brother has a car, but you haven’t seen it lately. He just requested another ride.
• You return home at night to find your sister, Sarah, reading on the couch. When you enter the room and greet Sarah, she turns her face away from you and keeps reading.
• Last week your teacher returned your exam with a low grade and commented, “This kind of work paints a bleak picture for the future.” You want to discuss the remark.
• In one of your text conversations, you ask your cousin about the state of his romantic life. He sighs and says, “Oh, it’s OK, I guess.”
• Your girlfriend or boyfriend announces that they plan to spend Friday night with friends from work. You usually spend Friday nights together.
• Last week your teacher, Ms. Jones, gave you a big assignment. Since then, she has asked you three times whether you’re having any trouble with it.
• One of your classmates sits by you every day in class and runs after you to walk to each class. Now he has started messaging you every evening. He now suggests that you do some things on the weekend together.

Activity 3: Stating Emotions Effectively

In the context of relationships and interpersonal communication, it’s essential to be aware of how emotions can affect our communication with others.

Awareness of our feelings and managing them allows us to make better decisions, communicate more effectively, and resolve conflicts or problems.

Emotions play a large part in how successful or unsuccessful we are. They can help us make decisions that will lead us toward success and happiness or lead us toward failure and depression.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is one of the keys to a successful life. If you know that others are reacting to you based on their emotions, you won’t be as surprised by their reactions, and you’ll know better how to respond to them.

Emotional Intelligence (EQ) by a psychologist, Daniel Goleman (1997), who defined it as

“A form of intelligence relating to the emotional side of life, such as the ability to recognize and manage one’s own and other’s emotions, to motivate oneself and restrain impulses, and to handle interpersonal relationships effectively.”

Emotional intelligence has four parts:

• self-awareness
• managing your emotions
• greater effectiveness in a relationship

Identify what’s ineffective or unclear about each of the feeling statements. Rewrite the feeling statements, making them more effective. Use the following guidelines for sharing feelings:

• Recognize feelings.
• Describe feelings (concise, not discounted, not coded, focused on specifics)
• Share multiple feelings.
• Differentiate between feeling, talking, and acting.
• Accept responsibility for your feelings.
• Consider when and where to express.
• Say each message aloud to a partner. Then, say each message aloud with a different facial expression. How does this change the message?

Feeling Statements

• You make me so mad.
• I can’t believe you act like that – I don’t want to see you anymore.
• I don’t care if you are rushed. We have to settle this now.
• I was a little miffed when you didn’t show up.
• You’re constantly criticizing me.
• Sure would be nice if people expressed appreciation.
• You jerk – you forgot to put gas in the car.
• It’s about time you paid up.
• You’re the best! Thanks for everything.
• I feel like an idiot. 
• I guess I’m a little attracted to him.
• She is amazing.

Activity 4: Expressing Emotion 

Learning to express emotion in healthy ways is an essential life skill for teens. This activity provides a process for expressing emotions as an effective communication skill.

Discuss each of the questions below in small groups. Prepare written answers for your teacher, or be prepared to contribute to a large group discussion, comparing your experiences with those of others in your class.

• How successful are you at recognizing the emotions of messages from others communicated through digital technology, such as social media, instant messaging, and text messages? Compare this success with that of others in your group.
• Mediated contexts may make emotional expression more difficult (lack of touch or facial expression to communicate your happiness). On the other hand, mediated contexts may make emotional expression easier (sending a text you won’t be able to make it to work or class, for example). Discuss which mediated contexts are most suited to the expression of emotion. Give examples from your own life.
• In written communication, some stylistic devices (underlining, exclamation marks, emoticons such as the smiley, winking, or sad face emojis) indicate emotion. Evaluate the effectiveness of these substitutions for the vocal and facial expressions of emotion.

Communication activities for teens help them develop strong interpersonal communication and relationships.

These activities provide a way for teens to explore their own perceptions, attitudes, and emotions and how other people interpret these signals.

By joining in on activities like self-reflection, role plays, and story creation, teens learn to express themselves effectively and better understand the feelings of those around them.

The next lesson will examine how language and listening affect communication.

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time,

Related Topics

• Complete List for How to Teach Teens Communication Skills
• Proven Conflict Management Model for Teens (4 Stages)
• How to Teach Conflict Management Styles
• How to Teach Teens Communication Style
• How to Teach Teens Communication Skills

Adler, R. B., Rolls, J. A., & Proctor, R. F. (2020).  LOOK : looking out, looking in . Nelson Education.

Hardell, L. (2017). Effects of Mobile Phones on Children’s and Adolescents’ Health: A Commentary.  Child Development ,  89 (1), 137–140.  https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12831

Limone, P., & Toto, G. A. (2022). Psychological and Emotional Effects of Digital Technology on Digitods (14–18 Years): A Systematic Review.  Frontiers in Psychology ,  13 .  https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.938965

RTL Perception and Perception Checking Canvas – RTL: PERCEPTION & PERCEPTION CHECKING . (n.d.). StuDocu. Retrieved August 16, 2022, from  https://www.studocu.com/en-us/document/riverside-city-college/interpersonal-communications/rtl-perception-and-perception-checking-canvas/4594356

‌Vuorre, M., Orben, A., & Przybylski, A. K. (2021). There Is No Evidence That Associations Between Adolescents’ Digital Technology Engagement and Mental Health Problems Have Increased.  Clinical Psychological Science , 216770262199454.  https://doi.org/10.1177/2167702621994549

Share with someone striving for excellence!

• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)

Shop Our Newest Lessons

Develop Effective Listening Skills for Summaries

Embrace Diversity with Listening Exercises

Master Stress and Intonation for Improved Listening

Enhance Listening Skills for Numerical Information

Recent news.

How Informed Guesswork Helps Adult ESL Students Sharpen Listening Skills

How to Help Adult ESL Students Strengthen Listening Skills with Linking Clues

Top 10 Principles for Effective Language Instruction with Adult ESL Students

Download lesson plans to teach adult ESL students business English. Visit the Shop now! Dismiss

Interpersonal Communication for Students

Embark on mastering interpersonal communication with this complete guide, designed specifically for students. This resource is filled with practical communication examples and tips tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities faced in academic settings. From enhancing group project dynamics to building strong relationships with peers and educators, this guide covers all aspects of interpersonal communication vital for student success. Whether it’s navigating classroom discussions, excelling in presentations, or fostering meaningful connections on campus, these insights are invaluable for students at all levels.

What is Interpersonal Communication for students?

Interpersonal communication for students refers to the exchange of information, feelings, and meanings between individuals within an academic setting. It encompasses a range of skills, including verbal and non-verbal communication, listening, empathy, and assertiveness, tailored to the unique environment of schools and universities. Effective interpersonal communication is crucial for students, as it enhances learning experiences, aids in conflict resolution, and facilitates successful collaborations in group projects and extracurricular activities. It’s a fundamental aspect of student life, impacting both academic performance and personal growth.

20 Interpersonal Communication for Students

Mastering interpersonal communication is crucial for students, impacting their academic success and social interactions. This guide offers 20 key aspects of interpersonal communication, each accompanied by practical examples. From effective listening to assertive speaking, these tips are tailored to enhance students’ ability to communicate in diverse academic settings. By applying these skills, students can navigate group projects, classroom discussions, and campus life more effectively, building stronger relationships and achieving greater success in their academic journey.

• Active Listening: Pay full attention and show understanding in conversations. Example: “I hear your point about the group project, and I understand your concerns.”
• Clear Articulation: Speak clearly and concisely to convey your message. Example: “In my opinion, this approach will streamline our project effectively.”
• Non-Verbal Cues: Use body language and facial expressions to communicate. Example: “I nod and maintain eye contact to show I’m engaged.”
• Empathy: Show understanding and sensitivity to others’ feelings. Example: “I can see why that comment upset you. It wasn’t considerate.”
• Assertiveness: Express your thoughts confidently and respectfully. Example: “I feel that my idea wasn’t fully considered. Can we revisit it?”
• Conflict Resolution: Address disagreements constructively. Example: “Let’s find a solution that works for all of us.”
• Asking Questions: Encourage clarity and deeper understanding. Example: “Can you elaborate on your point about the assignment?”
• Giving Feedback: Offer constructive and helpful feedback. Example: “Your presentation was great. Maybe try speaking a bit louder next time.”
• Receiving Feedback: Accept and learn from feedback graciously. Example: “Thank you for the feedback. I’ll work on those areas.”
• Respecting Diverse Perspectives: Value and consider different viewpoints. Example: “I appreciate your perspective. It brings a new angle to our discussion.”
• Team Collaboration: Work effectively within group settings. Example: “Let’s divide the tasks based on everyone’s strengths.”

• Cultural Sensitivity: Be aware of and respect cultural differences. Example: “I’m curious about your traditions. Can you tell me more?”
• Time Management in Communication: Respect others’ time during conversations. Example: “I’ll be brief to respect your time.”
• Adapting to Communication Styles: Tailor your communication to different people. Example: “I noticed you prefer emails, so I’ll send my updates that way.”
• Building Rapport: Establish a connection with classmates and teachers. Example: “I start conversations by talking about common interests.”
• Persuasive Communication: Influence others through logical and emotional appeal. Example: “This approach benefits us because it’s efficient and aligns with our goals.”
• Storytelling: Use narratives to make your communication engaging. Example: “Let me tell you about a time when this method worked well for me.”
• Self-Disclosure: Share personal experiences to build trust. Example: “I faced a similar challenge last year. Here’s what I learned.”
• Digital Communication Etiquette: Communicate effectively online. Example: “I keep my emails polite and to the point.”
• Public Speaking: Deliver presentations confidently and clearly. Example: “I practice my speech to ensure clarity and confidence.”

What are the elements of Interpersonal Communication for Students

• Verbal Communication: The use of words to convey messages, crucial for classroom discussions and presentations.
• Non-Verbal Communication: Body language, gestures, and facial expressions that supplement verbal communication.
• Listening: An essential skill for understanding lectures, instructions, and peer viewpoints.
• Feedback: Both giving and receiving feedback are important for academic growth and development.
• Empathy: Understanding and relating to the emotions of classmates and teachers.
• Assertiveness: Expressing oneself clearly and confidently without being aggressive.
• Questioning: Asking questions to gain clarity and encourage deeper thinking.
• Conflict Resolution: Skills to manage and resolve disagreements constructively.
• Cultural Awareness: Being aware of and sensitive to cultural differences in a diverse academic environment.
• Rapport Building: Developing positive relationships with peers and educators for a supportive learning environment.

Interpersonal communication activities for college students

• Group Discussions: Encouraging open exchange of ideas on various topics.
• Role-Playing: Simulating real-life scenarios to practice communication skills.
• Debate Sessions: Engaging in structured arguments to develop persuasive skills.
• Peer Feedback Activities: Exchanging constructive feedback on academic work.
• Listening Exercises: Activities to enhance active listening abilities.
• Storytelling Workshops: Sharing personal stories to improve narrative skills.
• Cultural Exchange Programs: Promoting understanding of different cultures through interaction.
• Public Speaking Clubs: Providing a platform to practice and improve public speaking.
• Conflict Resolution Workshops: Teaching strategies to handle interpersonal conflicts.
• Empathy Circles: Activities focused on developing empathy and understanding.

Why is it Important to Study Interpersonal Communication for Students?

• Enhances Collaboration Skills: Understanding interpersonal communication is crucial for students to effectively collaborate in group projects and team activities. It fosters a cooperative environment conducive to shared learning and problem-solving.
• Improves Conflict Resolution: Knowledge of interpersonal communication equips students with the tools to resolve conflicts amicably, an essential skill in both academic and personal life.
• Boosts Self-Confidence: Proficiency in communication increases students’ self-confidence, especially in situations like presentations, debates, and class participation.
• Facilitates Effective Learning: Effective communication between students and teachers is key to enhancing the learning experience, ensuring that concepts are understood and queries are addressed.
• Aids in Social Development: For students, developing interpersonal skills is vital for social interaction, helping them build and maintain friendships and networks.
• Enhances Emotional Intelligence: Studying interpersonal communication helps in developing emotional intelligence, enabling students to understand and manage their emotions and empathize with others.
• Prepares for Future Careers: Strong communication skills are highly valued in the workplace. Learning these skills early prepares students for future professional interactions and opportunities.
• Improves Listening Skills: It’s not just about speaking; effective interpersonal communication also involves active listening, an essential skill for understanding and responding to others.
• Encourages Cultural Sensitivity: Students learn to communicate across diverse cultures, promoting inclusivity and respect in an increasingly globalized world.
• Strengthens Personal Relationships: Beyond the classroom, interpersonal communication skills are fundamental in nurturing and maintaining healthy personal relationships.

In conclusion, the study of interpersonal communication for students is not just an academic exercise but a vital skill set for personal development and future success. This comprehensive guide offers valuable insights and practical tips, emphasizing the importance of effective communication in academic, professional, and personal spheres. Students equipped with these skills are better prepared to navigate the complexities of social interactions, collaborate effectively, and build lasting relationships.

AI Generator

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

40 Conversation Games for Kids that Encourage Communication

• by Lori Herbert
• August 30, 2023
• 1 share 0 0 1

Communication is an invaluable life skill that enables individuals to build meaningful connections, express themselves clearly, and comprehend others’ opinions. As a parent or caregiver, teaching your children practical communication skills is essential for their social and emotional development.

One way to help children develop their communication skills is through conversation games for kids, which offer a fun and interactive way to practice these abilities. Popular examples of such games include Two Truths and a Lie, Simon Says, Twenty Questions, Would You Rather, and Alphabet Game.

By playing conversation games, children can learn how to express themselves, understand and respect others’ opinions, and develop critical thinking abilities. It also helps them build strong and healthy relationships with their peers, family, and friends.

40 Fun Conversation Games for Kids

Table of Contents

1. Two Truths and a Lie

In this game, each player tells three statements about themselves, two of which are true and one of which is false. The other players must guess which one is false. This game encourages active listening and helps children develop their ability to distinguish between fact and fiction.

2. The Whisper Challenge

One player whispers a phrase to another player, who repeats it to the next player, and so on. The last player says the phrase out loud, and everyone can see how the message may have changed. The Whisper Challenge is an ideal activity for teaching kids the significance of clear communication and how miscommunication can occur.

3. What’s the Question?

One player chooses a topic and makes a statement about it. The other players must come up with a question that corresponds to this statement. This conversation game for kids is a great way to improve children’s listening skills. It can also help them learn how to ask questions to clarify information.

4. Hot Potato

In this conversation game for kids, players pass an object like toys around while music plays. When the music stops, whoever holds the object must answer a question or share something about themselves. Playing this game encourages kids to think independently and build confidence in their ability to communicate in front of others.

5. Picture Storytelling

Here, one gives each player a picture and asks them to create a story based on it. This conversation game urges children to use their imagination and communication skills to craft an exciting tale they can share with others.

6. Would You Rather

Would You Rather involves asking children a series of questions that require them to choose between two options. It encourages them to think creatively and explain their thought processes.

This classic conversation game for kids is an excellent way for children to observe and describe their environment. It involves one child giving a clue, and the others have to guess the object.

8. Storytelling

Storytelling involves one child starting a story and the others adding to it. It encourages children to use their imagination, develop their narrative skills and learn to be active listeners.

9. Simon Says

Simon Says is a game that teaches children to follow directions and listen carefully. One person gives instructions. The others only have to follow if the instruction starts with the phrase “Simon says.”

10. Conversation Starter

An underrated game that encourages communication, Conversation Starter is a game in which children are asked thought-provoking questions. This allows them to express their opinions and thoughts on various topics.

11. Twenty Questions

Twenty Questions is another classic children’s guessing game. One player thinks of an object, and the other players ask yes or no questions to guess what it is. Players have 20 questions to guess the object, and the player who guesses correctly becomes the next person to think of an object.

12. Telephone

In the game Telephone, one person whispers a message to another. The second person then whispers it to the next person, and so on. The last person says the message out loud, and it’s compared to the original message to see how it has changed.

13. Truth or Dare

Truth or Dare is a favorite game of many. In this game, players ask each other to choose between telling the truth or doing a dare.

You can ask any question or suggest any dare. However, it must be appropriate and within the comfort level of the other players. If a player refuses to answer the question or take the dare, they may be penalized or eliminated from the game.

14. Never Have I Ever

Never Have I Ever is a game where players take turns saying something they have never done before. If another player has done the thing mentioned, they must put a finger down. The game continues until a player has put all their fingers down.

15. Alphabet Game

Players take turns saying a word beginning with the next letter of the alphabet. The game continues until a player runs out of words. Players cannot repeat a word that has already been said.

16. Charades

In this conversation game for kids, players act out a word or phrase without speaking. Meanwhile, the other players try to guess the word or phrase.

The person acting out the word or phrase can’t make sounds or use props. The game can be played in teams or individually and is often used as a party game or to improve communication and acting skills.

17. Rock-Paper-Scissors

A classic hand game where players choose rock, paper, or scissors and try to beat their opponent.

18. Who Am I?

Who Am I is a fun conversation game that helps kids learn about people, places, and things. One player thinks of a person or character and provides clues about them.

The other players try to guess who the person is. The player who correctly guesses the person gets to think of the next clue.

19. Hangman

Hangman is a word-guessing game played between two or more people. One person thinks of a word, and the other person(s) tries to guess it by suggesting letters.

The word is represented by a series of dashes representing each letter. For each incorrect guess, a part of a “hangman” is drawn until the word is guessed correctly or the hangman is completed.

20. The Minister’s Cat

The Minister’s Cat is a word game in which players take turns describing the Minister’s Cat with an adjective that begins with the next letter of the alphabet. For example, “The Minister’s cat is angry.”

If players cannot think of an adjective that starts with the next letter, they’re out of the game. The game continues until only one player remains.

21. Categories

The game begins with someone choosing a category, such as animals, colors, or fruits. Players take turns naming items that fit into a specific category. They then take turns naming items that fit into that category until someone can’t come up with a new answer.

22. Heads Up

Heads Up is a game where one person holds a card to their forehead without looking at it, and the other players give them clues to guess what is on the card. The person with the card on their forehead can only answer yes or no to the clues given. The game continues until the person correctly guesses the word or time runs out.

23. Emoji Charades

Emoji Charades is a conversation game for kids where they act out a phrase or word using only emojis. The other players must guess the phrase or word based on the emojis. It’s a fun and engaging way for kids to use their creativity and communication skills.

24. Famous Duos

Players take turns naming pairs of famous people who are often associated with each other. The pairs can be from different fields, such as movies, music, literature, or history. The game can be played in a group or one-on-one, and the player who can’t think of a pair loses the round.

25. I’m Going to a Picnic

Players take turns adding to a list of items to bring to a picnic but can only add an item that starts with the next letter of the alphabet.

26. Trivia Challenge

Trivia Challenge involves asking and answering questions about various topics, such as science, history, geography, literature, and pop culture. The game usually involves players taking turns to ask questions and awarding points for correct answers. The winner is usually the player with the most points at the end of the game.

27. Mad Libs

Mad Libs is a fun conversation game for kids that involves filling in the blanks of a story with various types of words, such as nouns, verbs, and adjectives. The result is often a hilarious and nonsensical story that the players create together. Players take turns filling in the blanks without knowing the story’s context, which leads to unexpected and often comical outcomes.

28. Name That Tune

One player hums or sings a tune, and the other players have to guess the song’s name.

29. Word Association

In this game, one player says a word, and the others say the first thing that comes to mind. The game continues with the last word said.

30. Pictionary

Pictionary is a drawing and guessing game that is popular among kids. One player selects a word or phrase and then draws a picture on a piece of paper. The other players then try to guess the word or phrase based on the picture.

31. Scavenger Hunt

Players take turns asking questions to find hidden items. The game can be played indoors or outdoors, and the players must find items from a list or clues provided by the person running the game. The winner is the player who finds all the items first or the most items within a certain time frame.

32. Celebrity Impersonations

Celebrity Impersonations is a game where kids pick a famous person and then take turns impersonating them. The other players must guess who they are impersonating. The winner is the person who can guess the most celebrities correctly.

33. Guess that Sound

Guess that Sound is a conversation game for kids where one player makes a sound, and the other players must guess what it is. The player who guesses the sound correctly gets to make the next sound. The game can continue for as long as the players want to keep playing.

34. Word Chains

Players take turns saying words starting with the previous word’s last letter. The goal is to keep the chain going without repeating words or getting stumped. The game can be played with any number of players and is a fun way to build vocabulary and critical thinking skills.

35. Animal Sounds

Kids have to make sounds of different animals. Each player takes turns choosing an animal and then imitates the sound of that animal. The other players have to guess which animal it is.

36. Guess the Movie

In Guess the Movie, one person thinks of a movie and gives clues to the other players. The players have to guess the movie’s name based on the clues given by the first person. The player who guesses the movie correctly gets to think of a movie for the next round.

37. Finish the Sentence

Finish the Sentence is an exciting game where one person starts a sentence, and the other person has to complete it. The first player can begin with any sentence they choose, and the second player must finish it in a way that makes sense. This game encourages creativity and imagination.

38. Rhyme Time

Players take turns saying words that rhyme with the word given. Each player has a few seconds to think of a rhyming word, and the game continues until one player can’t think of a new rhyme. The player with the most rhymes at the end of the game wins.

39. Spelling Bee

One player gives one word, and the other player has to spell it correctly. If the player spells the word incorrectly, they lose a point. The game continues until one player has no points left.

40. Tongue Twister

Tongue Twister is a kids’ conversation game where players take turns saying a phrase or sentence that is difficult to pronounce. The goal is to state the phrase quickly and accurately without stumbling over the words. The player who can say the tongue twister the fastest and most clearly wins.

How Conversation Games for Kids Improve Communication Skills

As stated earlier, conversation games for kids enable children to practice their communication skills. Because these games are designed to stimulate conversation, the children can enhance their ability to express themselves clearly.

Consequently, they’ll be able to develop stronger bonds with their family and friends. Aside from the benefits mentioned, below are specific ways in which conversation games can help children improve their communication skills.

Encourages Active Listening

Many conversation games require children to listen carefully to what the other person is saying to respond appropriately. For instance, in a game like “telephone,” children must listen carefully to the message being passed down the line to repeat it accurately. This helps develop their active listening skills.

Develops Language Skills

Conversation games can help children build their vocabulary, practice grammar, and improve their overall language skills. Games like “I Spy” and “20 Questions” require children to describe objects using descriptive language, which helps them communicate more effectively.

Boosts Confidence

Conversation games give children the chance to express themselves in a safe and encouraging environment. These activities help them develop confidence in their communication abilities and make them more comfortable speaking up in social situations.

Improves Social Skills

Conversation games for kids help develop social skills by teaching them how to interact with others, take turns, and have meaningful conversations. These skills are important for building friendships and navigating social situations inside and outside the classroom.

Enhances Problem-Solving Skills

Some conversation games, such as “Would You Rather?” and “Never Have I Ever,” urge children to think critically and make decisions based on the provided information. In other words, these can help them hone their problem-solving skills and make sound decisions.

Final Thoughts

Parents want their children to be effective communicators at home and in their interactions with the world. Conversation games are a fun and interactive way to teach kids effective communication skills.

Parents can also use these games to bond with their children, create a positive learning environment, and have fun together. By making learning fun and interactive, these games can help children develop the skills they need to succeed in and outside the classroom.

Lori Herbert

Lori Herbert lives in a house of all males - a husband and three lively boys. She believes that parenting is messy, and that's okay. Thanks to her experience in Psychology, she's learned how that was the case for most people - and that the best way to help them open up was through kindness, compassion, and communication.

20+ Communication Activities that No One Knows

To thrive in the modern world, 👩‍🎓students require 50% learning and 50% interpersonal skills. In today’s world, interpersonal activities for children👧👦, such as public speaking, are essential.

Through these exercises, kids develop their self-expression and go-getter skills. However, there are communication exercises appropriate for each age group based on their intellectual growth, and we, the parents and the teachers, should guide them to their age-appropriate activities. 

Just listening to children’s responses and responding to them is not communication. It goes beyond that. We should always try to make them more interactive and urge them to express themselves. Let’s look at some activities that can help kids communicate better.

Fascinating Communication Activities

Kids spend less time engaging in communicative activities since they are engulfed by iPads, cell phones📱, and 🖥TVs in today’s technologically advanced environment. 

However, as our children grow up and experience the outside world, they come to understand that one of their greatest assets in life is good communication and how to express themselves confidently in front of others. 

Chinese whisper

Playing this game will help your child improve his/her listening abilities, which are crucial for conversation. In this game, you have to make all of the children sit in a circle to play “Chinese Whisper.” 

A young child will now whisper something into the right ear👂 of the participant who is sitting beside them. After that, this kid murmurs it to another one. Up until every person’s turn, the cycle keeps going. 

Next comes the act of sharing the message aloud, which will probably make it quite funny because it will be completely different from the first version. Your kids will surely have fun playing this game because the things said at the beginning and the end are hilariously different. 

Direct me to the shop

In this game, you have to ask your children to give an indication or make a direction map of the location of their favorite local toy🧸, dessert🍮🍧 shop, or 📕bookstore. 

Now, you and your little champ will follow these instructions to begin your adventure. When you get to your location, your kids will be able to tell if they provided the right directions. You can assist them in fixing any errors they make later. 

The game “Direct Me to the Shop” helps your children improve their writing and problem-solving abilities.

Describe & show

This is one of the easiest yet most engaging activities for kids to practice their communication abilities. What I do is encourage them to select their favorite story, object, or location, such as a park; if you want, you can do the activity with one of their toys, too. 

Let them now present a relevant item and give a five-sentence description of it. “Describe & show” helps your children’s language💬 and speaking skills.

20 questions

“20 questions” is a great game for our kiddos to practice communication skills because it encourages them to think of and raise queries to one another and also to fundamental problems. 

In this game, as an elder or adult guide, make your kids form a circle and take turns standing in the middle of it to play this game. The child, in the core, will be thinking of a certain role or type of person. 

The remaining children in the circle must guess it by posing up to 20 questions. One by one, the questions will tick✅ the boxes, and the group will come to the definite answer. 

Guess the thing

During this game, you will have to pick a kid from a team of children👧👦 and blindfold him. Then, you have to tell the other children to select an item from the room. The child wearing a blindfold needs other children to explain the item’s qualities and attributes. 

They ought to describe it in a manner that makes it possible to recognize the thing’s name without having to see it. “Guess the Thing” is one of the best games for youngsters to communicate, according to parents.

Who’s the leader?

The engaging game “Who’s the leader?” helps children learn how to read a person’s body language since it is more important to understand feelings than just words. 

In the game, you can gather a group of kids, and among multiple children, one will take on the role of leader of the team.

Then it’s time for that little leader to start using his hands to give commands and stomp his feet👣 and make others understand what he is saying through his expressions. 

The children will then copy the action, with the best performer taking the lead as the new leader of the team.

Follow the instructions

You have to make several lists of guidelines and give them to the children in the team. Try to make those instructions unclear, as in don’t make the messages very prompt. For example, “read all instructions” is the very first direction, and “ignore all instructions” is the final. 

Children who are taught to “follow the instructions” will learn to comprehend the directions before beginning with any task.

Back to back

I play this game with my two kids. If you also have more than one kid, you can do this. Place two children back-to-back. Now give one child a drawing, an image🖼, or an object. Then, he or she will tell other children about what is in their palms. 

It is up to the other child to guess. Children are encouraged to think creatively because of the guessing game in “Back to Back.” 

Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that the portion of the description is among the most effective exercises for improving interpersonal skills.

What’s on my mind?

We have to create a circle of our youngsters for this game as well. The child in the center of the circle will then consider any item, location, activity, plant🌱, animal🐵🐶🐷, or person. 

To determine what the child in the center has in mind, the other children in the group will guess by following the clues and posing questions to him or her. 

During “What’s on my mind,” there is a lot of excitement and kids giggling😁 as children tend to guess many funny things. 

Trolley champion

This is my favorite activity, and I’m quite sure it would be your favorite communication game/activity as well since it allows you to play with your kids while grocery shopping🛍️💸. 

While going shopping, select an object and ask your kid to list three features or aspects of it. For example, if you choose watermelon, your child may tell you that 

• It’s a fruit.
• The exterior is green
• The interior is red.

This way, he or she will be developed in vocabulary and also expressing things. 

Go shopping games

One of the most entertaining games for young children is “go shopping.” In this game, you gather your kids’ favorite toys and set up a shop. Playing the role of a buyer or shopkeeper will help your little one pick up fresh terms. He will also enjoy imitating shopkeepers. 

Your youngster will benefit from this game by:

• Gain proficiency in communicating
• Acquire necessary life skills.
• Acquire knowledge of financial terminology. 
• Understand the idea of turns and queues.
• Start practicing public speaking at a young age.

Show and tell

A great way to encourage your children to share their hobbies without feeling embarrassed is through the method of show and tell.

Children have to present a subject in front of the class during this activity and explain the reason they enjoy it. To identify shared interests, students can talk to and listen to one another. This will also break the ice between kids and help them become confident later in life. 

• They are free to voice their preferences without fear. 
• Acquire basic oratory skills. 
• Improve listening abilities. 
• Grow in the ability to think conceptually. 
• Gain emotional intelligence. 

Feeling corner

Since emotions are the most difficult to put into words, kids occasionally struggle to articulate how they feel, and it is up to us, the parents, to help them inculcate these things in him/her. With the use of Feeling Corner, children can understand and convey their emotions to adults.

For this exercise, parents or teachers👩‍🏫‍ select areas for the kids to play with stickers that represent different emotions. The children must go and identify the feelings they are experiencing.

Children will benefit from this activity by: 

• Developing self-management abilities. 
• Become more self-aware. 
• Improve your listening abilities. 
• Build excellent interpersonal skills. 

Dumb charades

Kids usually love to enact and enjoy those games where they can express themselves. New learners might improve their social skills by playing dumb charades, a word-guessing activity. There are two groups of kids playing in this game.

Teachers provide titles to each group, which students must guess, act out, and describe a book📕, character, or motion picture📽.

Children benefit from dumb charades by:

• Developing social skills. 
• Recognize body language. 
• Gain proficiency in both spoken and physical communication. 

Book reading and writing sessions

One of the most effective speech-making exercises for children is reading books since it enhances their ability to read and write. 

The teachers play an important role in this activity. Every kid receives a book from their teacher to read on their own at home during book📗 reading activities.

After finishing the texts, the students must either write or describe the narrative in their own words and share why they enjoyed it.

Book reading groups assist pupils in:

• Boost their proficiency in language. 
• Boost trivia and general knowledge. 
• Develop better writing practices. 
• Develop positive social behaviors. 
• Develop a habit of storytelling. 
• Encourage the practice of spontaneous public speaking. 

Role-playing games

Playing role-playing games and skits is an enjoyable process to teach pupils empathy and how to handle difficult circumstances.

Teachers give their kids roles as grownups in this game, which they then have to act out in front of the other students.

Role-playing benefits learners with interpersonal interaction in the following ways:

• Permit students to make responsible choices. 
• Enhances their originality. 
• Students gain experience managing real-world situations. 
• Improves one’s ability to talk in public. 
• Use your facial expressions to convey your feelings. 

Tongue twisters

Tongue👅 twisters facilitate clear, loud speech and assist pupils in developing their verbal fluency. Children constantly repeat difficult words and phrases rapidly, known as tongue twisters. I give tongue twisters such as “She sells sea shells on the seashore,” etc to my kids. I’m sure you’ll also enjoy this with your kids. 

This game is fun for elementary school students, and it requires less planning from teachers. It’s the teacher’s responsibility to support students who enjoy playing with tongue twisters during recess.

Students benefit from tongue twisters in:

• Verbal interactions. 
• Speaking accurately. 
• Recognize which sound they find difficult. 

Public speaking games

Students can confidently communicate their points of view with their participation in activities like “The best part of our school.” You can understand your kid’s improvement through these activities. 

For instance, “The best part of our school” is an amazing three-day event. Every student is asked to write down ten positive aspects of their school on the first day of school.

Following that, they split into teams and cut the quantity of those things on their shortlist. Finally, students submit their list as a group in front of other kids on the last day.

This interactive learning tool aids learners in:

• Acquiring sophisticated communication abilities. 
• Improving one’s ability to give a speech 
• Developing refined speaking abilities. 
• They are fostering increased self-worth. 

Electric fence

The Electric⚡🔌 Fence is an actual physical activity where everyone’s test is to get over a fence. But if even one pupil touches the fence, then all have to start over. You can gather the kids of your locality, and together, they will have fun playing this game. 

Students, under the guidance of a teacher, can play this game. The learners can pick up several things from this engaging activity. 

The electric fence game aids pupils in:

• Effectively collaborate in your work lives. 
• Communicating without words. 
• Mutual trust. 
• Leadership abilities. 

Collaborative projects

Investigative abilities are developed by students through collaborative initiatives such as class tasks and discussions. Students work in groups of two on these projects, and each team is assigned a task to finish.

One team must each speak in favor of and one team against the subject.

Debates assist pupils in:

• Develop Your Interpersonal Skills. 
• To give notions greater significance, connect ideas. 
• Combine a variety of intricately detailed facts. 
• Use a variety of knowledge-based strategies. 

Famous pairs

In the game “Famous Pair, “you have to make the kids compile a set of well-known couples. Romeo and Juliet, for instance, and tart and jelly are a few well-known combinations. Every participant is provided with a handwritten note with half of each couple on the reverse side.

Students circulate, posing three questions to each participant to find out their identity. After discovering who they are, they search for companions. This way, they will grow in motor skills💪 and cognition. 

Students can benefit from this game by:

• Engage in management. 
• Foster wholesome connections among colleagues. 
• Encourage a positive learning atmosphere in the classroom. 

Blindfold game

Students👩‍🎓 learn how to get past challenges as a team by playing the blindfold activity. Students choose a player to be the “blind man” in this game.

To locate those around him, the “blind man” needs to feel the items in the surrounding area. The fellow students, on the other hand, will scatter to avoid being caught by the blind man. A student assumes the role of the blind man if he or she is touched and named by the “blind man.”

Using a blindfold, pupils can: 

• Develop their sense of sight without actually seeing. 
• Express without speaking. 
• Develop your leadership abilities by remaining detached and paying attention to details. 

Storytelling circle

Narrating stories is an effective technique to improve listening and conversational abilities. 

To set up a storytelling circle, follow these steps:

• Whether your children are standing or sitting, gather them in a circle.
• Create a compelling beginning line for your story.
• The next kid in the queue should add a paragraph or a suggestion to the story.
• Keep going around the circle until the narrative comes to an end.

This game can cater to every child’s demands and desires, even kids with basic requirements. Think of adding visual aids, costumes, or accessories to help make the tales real to increase the level of engagement.

Feelings pictionary

Kids may have a great time communicating with Feelings Pictionary, which blends drawing with expressing one’s feelings. 

This is how it operates:

• Make a set of papers and write a variety of feelings on them.
• Each kid selects a card in turn and then illustrates the emotion with an image.
• Drawings help the other children guess the feelings in question.

Through practice with non-verbal communication, this activity enables children with special requirements to identify and express emotions. Additionally, it fosters empathy and comprehension in all youngsters, which makes it an excellent boost to your list of kid-friendly communication exercises.

Two truths and a lie

A humorous game called “Two Truths and a Lie” encourages discussion and analytical thinking. 

To play, follow these steps:

• Every child presents two accurate and one inaccurate self-statement.
• The children attempt to determine which of the statements is false.

For children who have autism spectrum disorders, this game can be modified by making the statements simpler or adding visual aids. It helps kids become more adept observers and analysts by encouraging them to closely observe the words and gestures of their classmates. Furthermore, it’s a fantastic method for youngsters to get to know one another better and forge closer bonds.

Your children will benefit from these communication exercises throughout their professional lives and even beyond. These games will help your kids acquire the confidence and expressiveness that we all need in today’s world while also providing them with tons of fun. 

I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading about these fun communication exercises that I came up with to keep your kids engaged and delighted.

Please leave a comment below if you would want me to answer any queries you may have. I would be curious to know more of your thoughts.

I’m a former teacher (and mother of Two Childs) with a background in child development. I’m here to help you with play-based learning activities and crafts for kids ages 0 – 8. ( Cledemy.com is my Next startup on Pre to 8th Grade Printable and Worksheet Education Resources)

Join our active Facebook group for creative and fun activities, games, and other child development ideas.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.