• Fill a jar with candy and place it near the front entrance so that they have to go past it. Have each guest write their name on a piece of paper, with the number of pieces they think are in the jar. The one with the closest number to the actual number wins the candy.
• Place a number of items in paper bags or boxes and let each guest feel inside and guess what the contents are. You could use items such as plastic toys, jelly candies, rubber balls, sandpaper, marbles and anything else you can think of.
• Ask everyone in attendance to supply baby pictures of themselves and then try to match up which photo belongs to whom.
• As each guest arrives, give them a small card and the name tag of another person at the party. The idea is to circulate and ask questions about the person on the name tag, jot down the clues you’ve collected. At the end of the activity each person will use their notes to introduce the person on their name tag.
• Use a dictionary and use an unfamiliar word and ask each guest to write down what they think the word means. Everyone then takes turns to read out their definition. The closest one to the correct meaning is the winner.
• Ask each guest to write down three things about themselves. Two will be the truth but the third one is a lie. Each person reads their own statements and it is up to the guests to figure out which one is a lie.
• Gather in a circle and have everyone take off their shoes, tie them together and place them in the middle of the circle. One at a time each guest comes forward and picks up a pair of shoes and makes statements about the owner of the shoes based on the condition or the characteristics of the shoes. The owner of the shoes then stands up and either acknowledges that the information is correct or refutes it. They then pick up the next pair of shoes.
• Play a variety of songs and ask the guests to identify the title, artist and date it was from. You could total up the number of correct answers and the person with the highest number wins a prize.
• Pick a selection of dates or years and give each person a chance to tell everyone what they were doing at the time.

There are many different games you can use as ice-breakers and it’s a great way to meet your new neighbors while you’re all having fun.

The path to your door worn well over time
Trod often to pour out troubles of mine.
We share so much joy and happiness too
I’m so glad to have a neighbor like you!

National Good neighbor Day was created by Mrs. Betty Mattson from Lakeside, Montana in the early 1970’s, who decided that there should be a special day to celebrate the contribution made by our neighbors. It has been celebrated every year since then and National Good Neighbor Day 2009 has just gone. So what happened and was it successful?

As is usually the case on this special day many events were organized so that you could meet your neighbors to chat and relax in a community atmosphere. Some of the events were for the general public while others were for home gatherings. Here is a review of some of those events.

• National Good Neighbor Day Parade: Lansing, Illinois celebrated National Good Neighbor Day by holding a parade. Their day was celebrated in May 2009 and according to all reports the sun was shining down on their parade. They awarded certificates to the best floats on the day which included professional and amateur floats, and they had marching groups, decorated vehicles, antique cars and hot rods as an example of the efforts put in by the locals to make it a special day. The streets were lined with thousands of people and all you could see was very neighborly smiles and random acts of kindness everywhere. It was a very successful day which brought neighbors and friends together and also gave them the opportunity to meet new neighbors who had moved into the neighborhood but hadn’t yet been introduced.
• Local Backyard Barbecue: Many people decided to spend National Good Neighbor Day with their neighbors enjoying a barbecue at home. They may not have a chance to catch up with each other normally because of work and family commitments, so organizing a barbecue and inviting the neighbors is a very popular choice. Having a backyard barbecue was also a great way to introduce new neighbors into the neighborhood.
• Picnic In The Park: National Good neighbor Day was celebrated in many different ways and at different times of the year and having a picnic in the park was a great way to celebrate and spend time with the neighbors. At the picnic the children were well catered for with many games and activities arranged to keep them amused. This allowed the parents to interact with their neighbors in a very relaxed atmosphere. Being a new neighbor can be isolating for some people, but by having a picnic together and introducing them to other neighbors, it helped to break down the barriers and made the new neighbors feel very welcome.

National Good Neighbor Day 2009 was once again a great day and brought neighbors and friends together in a celebration of what they meant to each other.