Nonverbal communication is the silent language we all speak, often without even realising it. Through gestures, facial expressions, posture, and eye contact, we share our feelings, build connections, and express our intentions — all without uttering a single word. In fact, much of what we communicate is said without speaking. Understanding and practicing nonverbal skills can help us become more empathetic, confident, and effective in every part of life, whether it’s teamwork, leadership, or simply connecting with others on a deeper level.
14 ideas for Nonverbal communication activities
Charades Classic! Act out a word or phrase without speaking, and others guess it.
Silent Line-U Without speaking, participants must line up by birthday, height, or age.
Emotion Freeze Frame Groups create a frozen “scene” showing an emotion (like anger, excitement) using only body language.
Mirror Gam In pairs, one person moves slowly and the other mirrors their movements exactly.
Gesture Storytellin Tell a story using only gestures, no words allowed.
Blindfold Navigatio One person is blindfolded; a partner uses taps or gestures (not words) to guide them through obstacles.
Facial Expression Challeng Show an emotion only through facial expressions, no gestures or sounds.
Silent Debat Two sides “debate” an issue using only signs, gestures, and body posture.
Pictionary (Silent Version) Draw clues for a word without speaking; teammates must guess.
Emoji Role Pla Act out different emojis using only your face and body, no words.
Silent Story Buildin In a circle, each person adds to a story with just a gesture or movement.
Nonverbal Simon Say A leader gives silent commands through gestures; players must only follow if the leader gestures correctly.
Pass the Expression One person shows a facial expression to the next, who must copy and pass it along the line.
Body Language Detective Watch a silent video clip or a short skit, then guess characters’ emotions or intentions based purely on body language
Musical Statues (Emotion Theme) Freeze in a pose that shows a specific emotion when the music stops.
Nonverbal Communication Workshop (1 to 1.5 hours)
Warm-up (10 minutes)
- Mirror Game: Pair people up. Let them slowly mirror each other’s movements. This builds awareness of body language.
Main Activities (45 minutes)
- Silent Line-Up (5–7 minutes):
Line up by birthday or shoe size without speaking. Fast, energising start. - Charades (10 minutes):
Use actions to act out movies, professions, or feelings. - Silent Story Building (10 minutes):
Circle activity: each person adds a gesture to the “story.” Builds creativity. - Body Language Detective (10 minutes):
Show a silent clip (or act out a short skit) and let teams guess emotions, relationships, and motivations. - Pass the Expression (5 minutes):
Circle activity to notice how subtle expressions can evolve.
Cool-Down (15 minutes)
- Facial Expression Challenge + Musical Statues (Emotion Theme):
Pick emotions at random. Freeze or act out the emotion when the music stops.