Activities

Virtual Team Building Events

Activity Description

Activity Overview

This simple icebreaker activity energizes participants and is also suitable for debriefing learning points towards teamwork. It involves participants standing in a circle and throwing imaginary ball(s) to each other in increasing pace.

Objectives

  • To increase spontaneity, teamwork, and participation and to decrease the tendency to think ahead instead of listening first.

Step By Step Procedures

  1. Locate a large empty room or open space.
  2. Ask participants to stand in a circle.
  3. As the facilitator pretend to hold a ball in your hand. Show this imaginary ball to everyone. Inform participants that they will be throwing this ball around. 
  4. Explain that you are going to throw the ball to one of the participants. Before you throw the ball, you will make a special sound.
  5. Instruct everyone to keep their eyes on the ball and get ready to catch it. Before catching the ball, the participant should make the same sound that you made before throwing the ball.
  6. Make a sound and “throw” the ball to someone. Ensure that this participant makes the same sound and catches the ball.
  7. Explain that the catcher can now throw the ball to any other participant, making a new sound as the ball is thrown. The receiving participant repeats the sound and catches the ball. This player throws the ball to any other player, making a new sound.
  8. Once the ball is being thrown around at a fairly brisk pace, introduce another imaginary ball and start throwing it. When the group gets proficient at it, you can have three or four balls in play.
  9. Stop the activity when the group gets into a flow and it appears that many of the participants are engaged and having more fun. Conduct a debriefing discussion. Obtain and emphasize these ground rules for creative collaboration:
  • Pay attention to the present. Be in the moment. Don’t think ahead.
  • Build on the ideas of others. Make the next obvious sound.
  • Embrace failure. Don’t censor your behavior.
  • Make your partner look good. Play to team-win.
  • If in a brainstorming session: All ideas are ok. Since there are no such things as “good” and “bad” sounds, this is an opportunity to practice “throwing out” ideas or sounds without worrying about whether they are crazy or stupid.

Briefly discuss how these ground rules relate to creative teamwork at the workplace.

Imaginary Sound Ball Ice Breaker Activity

Basic Details
Property Type : Ice Breakers
Listing Type : Placeholder
Activity Type : Ice Breakers
Focus On : Build Trust, Communication, Creativity, Having Fun
Outcome Based : No, just fun
Facilities : Indoor, Outdoor
Props Required : None
Duration : 26+ minutes
Exertion Level : Medium
Group Size : 1 - 8, 9 - 16, 17 - 30, 31+
Age : Youth, Adults