helping kids remember names of friends

I am one of those people that are terrible with names. I began playing a circle time activity with kids at the start of the school year to help me remember their names and with out realizing it, it also brought the class closer together! There really is nothing sweeter than the sound of someones own name. We also clarified nick names and what kids really wanted to be addressed! Social skills activities can also be used as ice breakers!

How to Play The Name Game With Kids:
Materials Needed: Ball (large enough to roll to one another), a large floor area for circle time gathering
The Procedure: Gather in a large circle and explain we are playing a game to help us remember names. The child picks a word that sounds phonetically the same as the first letter of their name. For example, 'Hilarious Harry', or 'Talking Tina'. Go around the circle once and introduce yourselves with your new name. Then you are ready to begin!
The Name Game: Say the new name of the person and then roll the ball to them. Because we are learning names no one gets out, we just have a great time remembering names!

What are some ways you try to remember names?