I love versatile props! If I could carry around one thing to use as a prop for planned or spontaneous team building (with a reasonably sized group) it would have to be a single tennis ball. 

Here is a list of activities I have lead with a single tennis ball (in a relatively loose progression of challenge - less to more challenging). For some of these activities I have noted a useful resource so you can find out more about the activity. Activities I (sort of) made up, or could not put my hands on a source, I included a short description - open for adaptation and interpretation. So, here you go:

Toss-a-Name Game  (Rohnke, Silver Bullets first edition, pg. 17, second edition, pg. 55). Simply toss the tennis ball around (nicely) calling out a persons names BEFORE you toss it to her/him. (Fun variations are included in both publications - I had fun revisiting the classic!!)

Touch My Tennis Ball (variation of Touch My Can, Rohnke, Silver Bullets ed. 1, pg. 108). How many people can touch the tennis ball without touching each other? 

Around the Circle How fast can the tennis ball go around the circle - clockwise or counter-clockwise. The process involves handing-off the tennis ball in sequence - no tosses or throws involved. Each person in the group is required to receive and hand-off the tennis ball one time, and one time only. 

Don't Touch Me!! (Rohnke, Quicksilver pg. 156. Sikes, Feeding the Zircon Gorilla, pg. 28). Circle up the group - hands on hips and move in to touch elbow-to-elbow. Place the tennis ball in the center of the circle. Challenge: Everyone moves to cross the circle, each person touching the tennis ball (careful movements) and then reform the elbow-to-elbow circle with everyone standing in a new place. Super-Challenge: Cross the circle without touching anyone else. 

Group Juggle to Warp Speed (Rohnke, Silver Bullets, ed. 1, pg. 112, ed. 2 pg. 77. Variations in Rohnke's, FUNN 'N Games, pg. 159 & Quicksilver, pg. 201.) Basically, the group creates a "tossing order" where each person in the group tosses and catches the tennis ball one time (not tossing to the people right next to you). Then, the group is challenged to get the tennis ball through the "order" as fast as possible.  

Index Movement Establish a starting and ending point for the activity - the longer it is, the longer it will take (resilience??). Place the tennis ball down at the starting point. Challenge the group to move the tennis ball to the ending point. Each player is only allowed to use one index finger to touch the tennis ball. If a player is touching the tennis ball, s/he is not allowed to move her/his feet. If the tennis ball drops, it is brought back for a re-start. 

Frontloading & Processing Questions (ask and then hand the tennis ball around for responses):

• How will we get things rolling today?
  
• How can we get things rolling from here? 
  
• What are the qualities of a well-rounded group?
  
• What is missing right now from our well-rounded group? 
  
• How will we put the bounce in our step today? 
  
• How do we get the bounce back in our step right now? 
  

BONUS Activity: 
I've also played SPUD with a tennis ball ("the right group at the right time"). The ball, from an underhanded toss, must bounce off the floor (or hit the ground) before it touches another player on the leg or foot. I've used this game as a nice warm-up to team building. I watch how people play and treat each other during competitive situations. And, of course, stop the game if it is not well played!! (Google SPUD if you're not sure about how to play.)

Do you have another idea for using one tennis ball? Please share in the comments!!

All the best, 

Chris

I found Rory's Story Cubes to be a wonderful addition to my light-weight traveling game bag. The nine dice have a variety of images that can be used to prompt discussions for ice breaker and processing sessions. You can find them online at Gamewright (they have a downloadable PDF on the "rules of play" if you want additional information about the original purpose for the cubes - however, at the time of this blog entry I couldn't open it?!) I have also seen the cubes at Barnes & Noble. While looking for images I saw an Action version and a Voyages version of the cubes - do let me know if these other versions are EE playable. 

I also have Rory's Story Cubes on my iPhone - this same app works on my iPad as well (pay once for both devices). I didn't know how much I would actually use the cubes in this tech form, but I've found it to be a hit with some of the adult groups I have worked with (I'm still a bit selective about using my personal technology devices with groups. However, so for, I've had a pretty good sense as to what groups I can count on to be careful.) Some of the most interesting discussions I've had while using technology actually have centered around technology itself and how it has changed the way we communicate and how we spend our time. I'm up for anything that can get a conversation started. I tell my students, "Participants will tend to talk about the things that are at the forefront of their mind, so run with it." 

Please send us more adv ed tech - comment below. 

All the best, Chris

(This post was updated on March 6th, 2021.)

Keep an eye out for a soft tossable that looks like a small soccer ball - I've seen simple black and white colors and the multi-colored (pictured) versions. It's a little bigger than a standard softball. I've seen them in the "dollar" stores, and other big-box stores. 

Pull out a couple permanent markers (one silver and one black marker have worked well for me) and mark each panel of the tossable with a different number (1, 2 or 3), or a different letter (I stay away from the Q, X & Z), or mix and match numbers and letters - again each panel only has one symbol.  

​Now, besides having a great tossable for a wide variety of toss-and-catch activities, you have an icebreaker and debriefing tool. 

Icebreaker: Toss the ball to someone willing to share. After a two-handed catch there will be a number (or letter) under each thumb. The person gets to choose one of the numbers (or letters) and use it to share something or some things about her/himself.

Say I choose the number 3 under my left thumb - I then share three things about myself. If it happens to be the letter "C", I would choose a descriptive word related to my personality that starts with the letter C. These, of course, are only two possibilities of endless, well...... possibilities.

Debriefing Tool: Use the Number (or Letter) Ball to talk about an experience that just occurred. For example, tell the group one (or 2 or 3) things you found important about the last activity (depending on what's under a thumb). Or, think of a word that starts with a C (or the letter under a thumb) that describes something about the last experience.  

When you are ready for the deluxe version of this activity idea, check out the wide variety of Thumballs at the Training Wheels online store - you'll find them under the Icebreakers tab and Training Wheels originals.

Some Options Include: Debriefing Thumball, Icebreaker Thumball, Body Parts Debreifing Thumball, Conflict Resolution Thumball... (at the time of this updated post, there are 21 Thumball options)

What else could we do with this Number/Letter Ball? Comment below. 

All the best, 

Chris Cavert, Ed.D. 

RePurposed Activities: Using existing props from one game or activity to play another.

Recently my nieces showed me Spot It (click to find/buy Spot It on Amazon - look for the video link for game idea). An ingenious little card game. There are 55 cards in the metal tin, each one is decorated with eight symbols. Any two cards pulled from the deck will have one "and only one" matching symbol.

Icebreaker Activity: For a group of 10 to 55 people, give each person a Spot It card (I'm thinking this will be good for those times when participants do not all arrive to a program or workshop at the same time - after the game begins and new players arrive, give them a card and ask them to go into the crowd and find someone to help them understand how the game is played). Back to it!

Players pair up after raising their hands and finding someone else doing the same thing. Once face-to-face, players exchange names (introductions) and then reveal the symbols on their cards. You can introduce a little bit of excitement by saying, "see who can find the matching symbol first." There is no particular reward for finding it first - just some motivational energy. After finding the matching symbol one or both of the players tries to find a "story" from his or her life that is prompted by the symbol. After one or both share, players exchange cards, raise a hand in the air and look for someone else to face up with, find the match and share a story (or two).

Be sure to jump in and play as well so you can get to know some of your participants and they can get to know you a little. Keep an eye on the energy of the group and conclude the activity before it runs out of fun.

Other ideas for the Spot It cards? Comment below.

Chris