How to play Who Am I with cards on your back
This is the mingling version of Who Am I?, made for a room full of people rather than a circle on the couch. Everyone gets a name they can't see, and the only way to find out is to talk to the other guests. It works for 8 to 40 people and takes about 15 minutes.
Answer honestly and stick to yes or no. If a question has no clear answer, “sort of” is allowed, but nothing more.
Find your pair
Pick Famous pairs and every card is one half of a well-known duo: peanut butter and jelly, Romeo and Juliet, Batman and Robin, a lock and a key. First you work out who you are with yes-or-no questions. Then you go looking for your other half.
It's a handy way to split a room into partners for the next game, a dance or dinner seating. The pairs print side by side on the same row, so keep each row together when you cut, and hand them out to two people who don't usually talk. With an odd number of guests, one extra card prints, and the host can play too.
What's on the cards
The names come from the decks in our Who Am I? game, and every set is family-friendly. Each card says “Who am I?” at the top and the name below in letters big enough to read from a couple of steps away.
Famous people
Names almost everyone knows, from Albert Einstein and Cleopatra to Frida Kahlo and William Shakespeare. A good fit for offices and grown-up parties.
Movie & TV characters
Forrest Gump, Jack Sparrow, Indiana Jones and Elle Woods. Great for friends and teens.
Characters
Cartoon and storybook favorites like SpongeBob, Snoopy and Winnie the Pooh, for mixed ages.
Animals, foods, jobs and places
Simpler names for kids, classrooms and language learners: octopus, pizza, firefighter, the Eiffel Tower.
Famous pairs
Thirty pairs that belong together, printed side by side for finding your other half.
Tips for a big group
- Plain printer paper is fine. The cards only need to last one party.
- Use masking tape or painter's tape. It holds on a sweater and peels off without a mark. Safety pins work too.
- Pick names your guests know. For a work party, Famous people is the safe choice. For a mixed-age family party, try Characters or Animals.
- Fill the empty spots on the last page by hand. A blank card is a good place for the guest of honor or a family pet everyone knows.
- Keep a few spare cards for late arrivals, and tape theirs on at the door.
Where these cards work best
Office holiday parties, team offsites and conferences, where people need a reason to talk to someone new. Classrooms, where students practice asking questions in full sentences. Bridal and baby showers, birthday parties and youth groups, where the guest list mixes people who don't all know each other.
For a smaller group sitting together, the Who Am I? game on one phone is quicker: hold it to your forehead and the others answer. For Christmas parties, there's a Christmas version of these cards with Rudolph, the Nutcracker and Santa's elf.
Questions
How do you play Who Am I with cards on your back?
Tape a name on each guest's back without letting them see it. Everyone walks around asking other guests yes-or-no questions about themselves, one question per person, until they can guess the name. Then the card moves to their front.
How many people do you need?
It works best with 8 to 40 people, when there are enough guests to ask. With fewer than 8, play the phone version of Who Am I? instead, where one person holds the phone to their forehead and everyone else answers.
What are good names for the Who Am I game?
Names everyone in the room will know. Famous people and movie characters suit grown-ups and teens, cartoon characters suit mixed ages, and animals, foods and jobs suit young kids and language learners. Pick one set for the whole group so nobody gets a name they've never heard of.
Is this a good icebreaker for work?
Yes. Nobody has to share anything personal or perform, and the one-question-per-person rule gets people talking to coworkers they don't know. Use Famous people or Famous pairs, and keep it to about 15 minutes.
Can I use these cards in a classroom?
Yes. Tape the cards on students' backs and have them ask classmates questions in full sentences, like “Do I live in the water?” Animals, foods and jobs are easy names for younger students and English learners.
How many cards fit on a page?
Four, each about a quarter of a letter or A4 page, with dashed lines to cut along. Set the number of guests and only the pages you need will print. Empty spots on the last page become blank cards you can fill in by hand.