Home/Activities/Late Arrivals

Creative · A great activity for everyone

Late Arrivals

Late Arrivals turns the room into a themed ball's guest list: each player takes a turn as toastmaster, announcing a fictional arrival whose name puns on the theme — the Raffes, arriving at the Animal Ball with their daughter Jay. It works because a shared theme turns everyone's ordinary vocabulary into material for the joke, so nobody has to be naturally funny to land one.

15–30 min3–8 peopleEasyNo materialsRemote ✓Classroom ✓
By Jon Zajac · Founder & Chief Icebreaker · Last updated February 19, 2024

What is Late Arrivals?

Late Arrivals hands the whole room one theme — Animal Ball, Builders' Ball, whatever the room can pun on — and then takes turns making toastmaster announcements: a fictional guest, sometimes a whole family, whose name is built entirely from a joke on that theme. At the Animal Ball, that's "I'd like to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Raffe and their daughter Jay." Read it out loud, in character, and the room gets it immediately.

It works because the theme narrows infinite possibilities down to one vocabulary. Nobody's inventing comedy from a blank page — they're noticing that "giraffe" splits into a surname and a syllable, and the toastmaster format does the rest of the performance for them. Playing in teams of about three spreads the pressure further: one good pun beats three people staring at each other.

Skip it for a group that's never met — inventing puns cold, in front of strangers, is a big ask before anyone's warmed up. It plays best a few rounds into a gathering, once the room already has some momentum, and it helps to give people a minute — or a team — to think before the introductions start.

The rules

  1. Decide on a theme for the ball that ties every late arrival together.
  2. Players take turns as the toastmaster, introducing a fictional guest (or family) to the ball.
  3. Every name has to relate to the theme, and land as a pun.
  4. Follow the format: "I'd like to introduce Mr./Mrs. X and their son/daughter…[clever name]."
  5. Play in teams of about three if solo naming is too slow.
  6. Keep taking turns until nobody has a name left — consensus (or last one standing) picks the funniest.

Before you start

  • Group size: 3–8 players. Sweet spot is 6–8 — small enough that everyone gets several turns, big enough to keep the theme from running dry. Play in teams of about three if names are coming slowly.
  • Pick the theme before anyone arrives. Builders' Ball, Animal Ball, Cheesemongers' Ball — anything with enough vocabulary to pun on works. Say it once and don't switch mid-game. If you're playing in teams, give each team its own theme for variety.
  • Works over video as well as in person. Nothing about the format needs a shared room — the toastmaster just needs to be heard.
  • Give the room a minute to think. Puns on demand are hard. A minute of quiet prep, or a team to brainstorm with, beats put-on-the-spot silence.
  • Model the format once. Read the example out loud before the first turn — "I'd like to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Raffe and their daughter Jay," theme: animals. One example teaches the whole game.

How to run it

  1. Set the theme 1 min

    As host, name the theme for the ball and say it once, clearly. This is the only decision that isn't up to the players.

  2. Explain the format 1–2 min

    Model one example introduction so everyone hears the pattern before they're asked to invent one themselves.

  3. Give thinking time 3–5 min

    Let players prepare solo or huddle in teams of about three before the first toastmaster goes.

  4. Toastmasters take turns 1–2 min each

    Each player (or team) introduces their guest in character. Keep rotating until the theme's running dry.

  5. Call it 1–2 min

    End by consensus on the funniest name, or just let it run until nobody has one left.

← the theme does the writing for you.

Facilitator tips

Model something delightfully badYour example sets the bar — a groan-worthy pun invites better ones. Go first, and go regrettable.
Encourage funny over accurateA pun that's a stretch but lands beats a technically-correct dud. Say this upfront — it frees up anyone unsure their name really fits the theme.
Keep a couple of prompts in your pocketIf someone stalls, toss out a related word or two. One nudge is usually all it takes to unstick a name.
Let team size flexThrees work well, but don't enforce it — pairs, solos, or a mixed bag are all fine if that's what the room wants.

Variations

Remote calls

Nothing about the format needs a room — introductions land the same over video, and reading the name straight-faced still gets the laugh.

Team play

Split into teams of about three and let each team run its own theme. More prep time per name, and more variety across the room.

Why it works

Constraint makes everyone funnyA fixed theme narrows infinite possibilities down to one vocabulary, so a decent pun is within reach even for someone who'd never call themselves funny.
The format hides the awkward pauseThe toastmaster phrase gives every player a script to lean on — nobody has to invent an opening line, just fill in the name. That's what makes the cold start painless.
Teams turn one shy player into three brave onesPlay in threes and the pressure to be instantly clever splits three ways — someone in the huddle usually has the pun even when the others are stuck.
HELLO, MY NAME ISJon

"I like Late Arrivals because it's low-pressure comedy: nobody has to be naturally funny, they just have to notice that 'giraffe' splits into a name. It flexes to almost any theme, and since there's no wrong answer, everybody can jump in without worrying about being judged."

Jon Zajac · Founder & Chief Icebreaker

Reflection questions

For teams and trainings that want the debrief — these turn a pun contest into an actual conversation.

  1. What did you enjoy most about playing Late Arrivals?Surfaces which theme and which names actually landed — useful before you pick a theme next time.
  2. How do you think this game helped break the ice between players?Points at whether the puns did the connecting, or just the laughs.
  3. Did you find it challenging to come up with clever names for your theme? Why or why not?Flags whether the theme was too narrow — a good sign to loosen it next round.
  4. What strategies did you use to come up with new names and introductions?Surfaces tricks worth sharing — someone always has a good one.
  5. How would you rate your own creativity in this activity compared to other group activities?A light self-assessment question — comparisons make people notice their own thinking.
  6. Did working in pairs or teams change your experience? Why or why not?Tells you whether to default to team play next time.
  7. How could Late Arrivals be improved to make it even more engaging?Invites direct feedback you can actually use next round.

If this fits, so will these

Activity

The Name Game

A first-letter adjective paired with your name, repeated back by the whole group.

Activity

Sorts and Mingles

Physical sorts by shared answers, then mingling to find out who else picked the same one.

Activity

First Impressions

Blank sheets on backs, mingling, and one honest word left behind by every person you meet.

Activity

Bang Name

Name-recall with real stakes — duck fast, or get called out.

Activity

Korean Rhythm (Assa)

A name and a hand motion passed around a clapping beat until somebody drops it.

Activity

Memorable Catchy Names

An adjective and a name sharing the same letter, built to actually stick.

Activity

Name Aerobics

A movement paired with every syllable of your name, once around the circle.

Jon Zajac

Founder & Chief Icebreaker

I started IcebreakerSpot because I believe strong connections are the foundation of successful teams. This site exists to make it easy to find and share the icebreakers and team-building activities that build trust, spark collaboration, and help groups do great things together.

XLinkedIn