Here are seven communication games that can be used in training workshops to enhance participants’ communication skills:
Telephone Pictionary:
- Divide participants into groups of 5-7.
- Each person starts with a blank sheet of paper and writes down a random phrase or sentence related to the workshop’s theme.
- Participants pass their papers clockwise, and the next person must draw a representation of the phrase without using any words.
- The papers continue circulating until everyone has had a chance to draw and interpret each phrase.
- Finally, each group shares their initial phrase and the final drawing, revealing the communication challenges and how the messages evolved.
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Three-Minute Debate:
- Choose a debatable topic related to the workshop’s subject matter.
- Divide participants into pairs and assign them opposing viewpoints.
- Each pair has three minutes to debate their position, aiming to communicate their points effectively within the time limit.
- After the debates, discuss communication strategies that were persuasive and respectful.
Active Listening Circle:
- Arrange participants in a circle and designate one person as the speaker.
- The speaker shares a personal story or experience related to the workshop’s theme.
- After the speaker finishes, the person sitting next to them summarizes the main points of the story.
- The speaker confirms if the summary is accurate, and then the next person in the circle shares their own story.
- This continues until everyone has had a turn as both a speaker and a summarizer, emphasizing active listening and effective communication.
Role Play Scenarios:
- Prepare various communication scenarios relevant to the workshop’s topics (e.g., conflict resolution, giving feedback, handling customer complaints).
- Divide participants into pairs or small groups and assign each group a scenario to role-play.
- After the role play, encourage participants to discuss what communication strategies were effective and what could be improved.
Visual Storytelling:
- Provide participants with a set of random images related to the workshop’s subject.
- In small groups, they must collaboratively create a story using the images and present it to the rest of the participants.
- This activity encourages creativity, active listening, and effective communication to weave a coherent narrative together.
Communication Crossword Puzzle:
- Develop a crossword puzzle containing key terms and concepts related to communication skills.
- Divide participants into teams and provide each team with a copy of the puzzle and a time limit to complete it.
- Encourage teamwork and communication to solve the puzzle efficiently.
Non-Verbal Charades:
- Write down various emotions or scenarios on individual cards (e.g., angry, surprised, apologizing, negotiating).
- One participant picks a card and must convey the emotion or scenario using only non-verbal communication (facial expressions, gestures, body language).
- The rest of the group tries to guess the emotion or scenario within a time limit.
- This game helps participants improve their non-verbal communication skills and enhances their ability to interpret others’ non-verbal cues.
Remember to facilitate a debrief session after each game to discuss the communication lessons learned and how they can be applied in real-life situations. We hear this from customers that regularly use of our training courses.
With 30+ years of training experience, I founded Oak Innovation (oakinnovation.com) in 1995. I help busy training professionals and business managers deliver better training courses in less time by giving them instant access to editable training course material. I received my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from University College Cork. I hold qualifications in Professional Development And Training from University College Galway. Clients include Apple, Time Warner, and Harvard University.
