Gamification

The Meeting Zest Thumball provides perfect questions for any meeting, which will build camaraderie, ease tension, foster development of collegial relationships and surface hot topics. On this Thumball, you'll find three types of questions - those that focus on "me," "we," and "me & we."

• Me - Share highs and lows, ah-ha moments, mood boosters, favorite activities, and more
• We - Consider workplace norms you love and hate, plus opportunities to improve meetings, communications, and processes
• Me & We - Discuss individuals roles within the organization, what's working, and what causes stress

©Trainers Warehouse 2023

Share your reaction to whatever prompt lies under your thumb. Thumball is a soft 6" stuffed ball with loads of applications!

[NOTE: Silver Series Conversation Prompts are available as Thumballs, UNZiP-IT! Pocket & Deck, and Virtual/Remote PPT.]

HOW IT WORKS

Someone throws the ball, another catches it and responds to the prompt under their thumb.

FACILITATION TIP 1

EXPLAIN....
In order to achieve greatness, sometimes teams need to take a step back and reflect on their relationships, communication, and their process of working together.

Tailor your Thumball game to meet your needs:
Option1: Have each player respond only to the prompt under their thumb, then toss the ball to another.
Option 2: After the first player has responded to their prompt, invite others to share their perspective or discuss ways they could work together more effectively.

FACILITATION TIP 2

SET GROUND RULES

Explain that conversations about team dynamics can become emotionally charged. The goal of the Team Dynamics Thumball activity is to raise important issues and have necessary conversations in a positive environment. So that everyone can feel safe, have the group set up their own Ground Rules. Here are some that you might want on the list:

• Only one person speaks at a time
• Speak only for yourself; Use I statements
• No personal attacks critique ideas, not people
• Agree to disagree; disagree without being disagreeable
• Listen - make sure everyone feels heard and validated
• Be positive and non-judgmental; open to new ideas

FACILITATION TIP 3

IF CONVERSATIONS GET STICKY
Expert facilitators suggest these techniques to ease difficult or emotional situations:

• Pause the conversation so you can review the ground rules with the group.
• Redirect negative comments; ask what can we do differently?
• Focus on changes that can positively affect the team.
• If two parties disagree, suggest that they switch roles and make the counter argument.
• Keep a flip chart of difficult topics that can be addressed later.
• Be ready to share some of your own experiences.
• Take a break. Stop for awhile and regroup.
• Thank participants for sharing their personal stories.

©Trainers Warehouse 2023

MORE RESOURCES

• All about Silver Series Thumballs
• Tips & Suggestion on Facilitating Thumball Experiences
• How Deep to Discuss
• 7 Tips to formulate great questions
• More tools for great conversations
• Discover Your Thumball Style
• How Deep to Discuss Infographic

The focus of the Onward and Upward Thumball is resilience – moving beyond current challenges, toward future opportunities. For anyone going through a change in their life -- immigrants, abuse survivors, veterans, students, children/spouses of divorce, job changers, employees experiencing an organizational change, even those recovering from personal loss, disasters, and medical issues – the challenge is often to move beyond the past experience toward an unknown future.

Have rich conversations about goals, encourage thinking constructively, talk about people in your life and positive emotions, change and transitions using Onward and Upward thumballs

ONWARD AND UPWARD (CHANGE MANAGEMENT) THUMBALL PROMPTS

The prompts on the Change Management Thumball will foster discussion about these topics and more:

• People you turn to for help
• Ways to stay healthy, mentally and physically
• Sources of strength, joy, and happiness
• Ways to turn around bad mood
  
  

[NOTE: Silver Series Conversation Prompts are available as Thumballs, UNZiP-IT! Pocket & Deck, and Virtual/Remote PPT.]

©Trainers Warehouse – Trainers Warehouse holds the copyright for this set of questions. Reproductions cannot be made without express approval.

MORE RESOURCES

• All about Silver Series Thumballs
• Tips & Suggestion on Facilitating Thumball Experiences
• How Deep to Discuss
• 7 Tips to formulate great questions
• More tools for great conversations
• Discover Your Thumball Style
• How Deep to Discuss Infographic

Use our Quick Response Student Whiteboards to see who's learning what… and who's not getting it! Encourage participation with this fun and effective individual dry-erase boards class set. They’re a huge hit with students and educators, as every individual gets to contribute to the conversation. These super-sturdy, dry-erase, TWO-sided whiteboards are great for conducting icebreaker activities, casting votes, answering questions, rating or ranking items, sharing game answers, and more. You’ll be surprised by how often you pull out your answer boards!

FEATURES

• Set includes 12 Quick Response Whiteboards (a.k.a. Answer Boards) with blue handles and 12 mini-erasers
• Ultra durable and sturdy construction.
• Two-sided student whiteboards with dry-erase surfaces.
• Handles have holes for simple and convenient storage.
• Whiteboard Writing Surface Dimensions: 6" x 7.75".

TIPS

By calling on the first person to answer, everyone else in the room stops thinking on their own. The beauty of answer boards is that they allow every person to think and write an answer. Consider these tips to maximize use of your individual dry erase boards class set:

• Give people ample time to think of answers, and write them down.
• Consider “stand-pair-share” to get people moving and engaged in a meeting or learning event.
• Use student whiteboards for ice-breakers and energizers. Ask each person to jot down a goal, concern, or favorite quote. Or, for instance, ask people to write where they're from, then find the person who lives closest/farthest from them.
• Involve in-person and remote learners with student answer boards
• Entertain kids on long car rides with the travel-friendly individual dry-erase white boards

View Video Demo!

TRAINERS WAREHOUSE FOR ALL YOUR TRAINING NEEDS

We’re thrilled to offer a wide range of innovative products for trainers, teachers, and managers. Browse all of our games for learners to discover new, fun ways to keep your students or team engaged. In addition to these student whiteboards, we have plenty of accessories for response boards, including markers, erasers, extra boards, and more. Give everyone a voice, and improve communication with this individual dry erase boards class set!

Emotional Intelligence is a skill that allows people to be more effective in their roles at work and at home. It’s not just touchy-feely stuff and being able to name your feelings. Rather, it enhances employee retention and engagement, customer service, collaboration, and crisis management.

5 SKILLS OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Emotional Intelligence (a.k.a. EQ) is associated with five skills. Develop your teams’ EQ by facilitating conversations that help participants grow more aware of their motivations, measure their reactions to difficult situations, and hone techniques to manage those emotions in empathy and social acumen. The five skills are:

1. Self-Awareness [SA]
2. Motivation [MO]
3. Self-Regulation [SR]
4. Empathy [EM]
5. Social Skills [SS]

EQ THUMBALL PROMPTS

Each conversation prompt on the Emotional Intelligence Thumball indicates the skill with which it is associated. Use the two-letter EQ skill codes (MO, SA, SR, EM, and SS), to build awareness of the skills, while building the skills themselves!

For example:

• "What contributes to distrust?" is followed by [EM] for Empathy
• "How could someone regain composure after snapping?" lists [SR] for Self-Regulation
• "What holds you back from being your best YOU?" has [SA] for Self-Awareness

30 prompts are listed on the Thumball, specifically:

• Self-Awareness [SA] - 7 prompts
• Motivation [MO] - 5 prompts
• Self-Regulation [SR] - 5 prompts
• Empathy [EM] - 6 prompts
• Social Skills [SS] - 7 prompts

FROM A DELIGHTED TRAINER, WINSOME CULLEY

MULTIPLE WAYS TO FACILITATE THE GAME

Adjust your play to make more or less of those skill areas:

• Have recipients of the ball read the question aloud before answering.
• Ask other players to guess which skill is referenced by conversation prompt.
• Discuss why that prompt is categorized that way and what other skills might be addressed
• Answer the question for yourself
• Have other players answer the same question
• Discuss differences among the answers
• If a player isn't sure how to answer, invite them "take a pass," consult a colleague, or choose another prompt
• Don't rush! Remember that thoughtful answers sometimes take a moment to think about. Offer to come back to the person for their answer after they've had time to consider it.

©Trainers Warehouse – Trainers Warehouse holds the copyright for this set of questions. Reproductions cannot be made without express approval.

MORE CONVERSATION STARTERS BY TRAINERS WAREHOUSE

In addition to Silver Series Thumballs, Trainers Warehouse offers a range of other products to help build relationships, draw out learning, and inspire conversation about meaningful topics. Such products include Conversation Cards and UNZIP-IT Decks. Some facilitators prefer decks because they enable players to have small group conversation with 1 or 2 other participants before sharing with a larger group of players.

Whaddaya Know?™ Tabletop Game Board is a customizable, Jeopardy-style quiz game that transforms training sessions into interactive learning experiences. With this interactive review game for corporate training, facilitators introduce new material, review past lessons, or strengthen knowledge retention. Best of all, learners can take the lead by creating their own questions—when participants become the teachers, they internalize content at a much deeper level.

WHY FACILITATORS LOVE IT

• Learning through play: Quiz-style competition boosts engagement and makes reviewing content fun.
• Active participation: Teams work together to answer questions, fostering collaboration and discussion.
• Deeper mastery: When learners generate the questions, they sharpen comprehension and recall.
• Flexible format: Great for onboarding, compliance, safety, product knowledge, or exam prep.
• Optional add-ons: Pair with Who’s First? or Me First! buzzers to add even more energy and quick response excitement.
• No software needed: This low-tech quiz game works without software. Go "old school"!

WHAT’S INCLUDED

• Whaddaya Know?™ tabletop board with category and point panels. Measuring 19" H x 22" W, and weighing 3 lbs., it's ultra-portable!
• 25 blank cards (2.25" x 4") - 5 each of 5 colors, with point values on one side and dry-erase surface on the other side. VELCRO brand tabs adhere the category and question cards to the fabric-covered board.
• Black dry-erase marker and felt eraser.

HOW TO PLAY

Standard Jeopardy-Style Quiz Game

1. Set up: Write 5 categories across the top and sort the point value cards by color.
2. Form teams: 2–4 teams at a table; teams take turns selecting questions.
3. Ask & answer: Teams respond within a time limit; facilitator (or another team) confirms accuracy.
4. Keep score: Award or deduct points, and keep momentum high.

Introducing New Material

1. Set up: Write 5 categories across the top and sort the point value cards by color.
2. Create your questions in advance: Prepare the order in which you intent to cover new material
3. As you go... ask the questions as they come up when presenting your curriculum, to see what the students already know and where deeper instruction might be needed

Flip the Script

1. Set up: Write 5 categories across the top and sort the point value cards by color.
2. Distribute a set of colored cards to each team - have teams create 5 questions for their category
3. Play the game Jeopardy-style, reminding teams that they are not allowed to answer and win points on the questions they wrote.

BEST USES

• Reinforcing and reviewing past lessons
• Introducing new material in an interactive way
• Onboarding and compliance training
• Sales and customer service enablement
• Test prep and study sessions

FAQS

Q: How is this different from GameShow Pro?
A: Whaddaya Know? Jeopardy-style classroom game is a simpler, more affordable option that uses dry-erase boards rather than software. It’s tactile, team-based, and perfect for tabletop learning—while GameShow Pro is a full-scale digital system for larger productions.

Q: Can learners create their own games?
A: Yes! Having teams design categories and questions is one of the most powerful ways to build understanding and retention.

Q: How many people can use one board?
A: Each board works well for 4–12 participants (2–4 teams). For larger groups, set up multiple boards and run parallel tournaments.

Q: Do I need software or electronics?
A: No. If you want to add some high-tech pizazz for fast-paced play, pair Whaddaya Know? with wireless buzzers like Who's First? or Me First!

Q: How long does a game take?
A: A short round can take 10–15 minutes. A full board with debrief typically runs 25–40 minutes.

CONCLUSION

Turn your students into teachers! They can make their own popular TV-style game by creating their own questions, answers, and categories with Tabletop Whaddaya Know? Game.

Popular TV-style-like games continue to win big in the classroom. And, what better way for students to show what they've learned than to teach others what they know by making up their own categories and questions?

Have groups of students create their own popular TV-style-like game, which they can then conduct for the rest of the group.

MORE RESOURCES

• First-Hand Experience using Me First with Middle School Students
• Facilitating TV-Style Game Shows

Hand-made in the USA.

(like JEOPARDY!)

Getting Acquainted Thumball® Set (with free mesh bag) is perfect for icebreakers, new employee introductions, team onboarding, or building company culture. For many trainers, it's their go-to icebreaker for building relationships and sparking authentic conversation. Each set includes 6 Silver Series Thumballs (6″ stuffed vinyl balls), each pre-printed with 32 unique prompts—for a grand total of nearly 200 engaging questions. Whether your group is meeting for the first time or already knows each other, these soft, tossable conversation balls with prompts to share identity, values, and first connections.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

• 6 Thumballs: What Makes You YOU, Common Ground, Session Openers, Which Are You & Why?, Shaped by Our Past, Getting to Know You - see below for more information about each of the balls included in the set.
• 32 prompts each = almost 200 conversation starters
• Free large mesh bag for easy transport and visibility

KEY BENEFITS

• Fast connections: Toss it around and watch dialogue unfold—no prep needed. Strengthens trust and common ground in new or cross-department teams.
• Built for meaningful sharing: Suitable for both light-hearted and deeper conversations.
• Portable & organized: Mesh bag keeps everything together and ready for action.
• Trainer-endorsed: All prompts crafted by Trainers Warehouse experts for engaging conversations.

HOW TO FACILITATE

1. Start with one Thumball—toss it to a participant.
2. They read the prompt under their thumb and share their response.
3. Pass or toss to someone else.
4. Option to debrief by asking “What surprised you?” or “What resonated most?”

FAQS

Q: Is this set good for me if my group wants to have deeper conversations?
A: If you want to go deeper into different topics, we might suggest the Team Dynamics Thumball Set or the Emotional Intelligence Thumball Set.

Q: Who benefits most from this set?
A: While the set is ideal for facilitators, trainers, instructors, or event hosts who want to deepen connections between participants and make conversation easier, the real beneficiaries are the participants who are able to learn more about each other (and maybe even themselves).

Q: When would I use these?
A: They're perfect for employee orientation programs, team lunches, first week introductions, and more!

Q: How do I care for the Thumballs and bag?
A: Wipe the Thumballs clean with a damp cloth. Let them dry before storing. The mesh bag is lightweight and washable if needed.

180 CONVERSATION PROMPTS TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, FRIENDSHIPS, AND MUTUAL RESPECT!

Whether your group already knows each other well or is just meeting for the first time, the Getting Acquainted Thumball Set will have a perfect set of discussion prompts. The set of 6 Silver Series Thumballs offers almost 200 discussion topics to stimulate conversation. Choose a ball that will help stir up simple conversation or develop deeper, more meaningful relationships. The balls are super easy to use! Just toss it to another player and ask the recipient to look under their thumb and respond to the prompt. With this playful tool, you'll:

• Learn what makes your teammates unique with WHAT MAKES YOU YOU
• Find COMMON GROUND with others in your group
• Open your group up to more meaningful sharing with SESSION OPENERS?
• Learn where folks fall on a variety of continuums with WHICH ARE YOU AND WHY?
• Understand how others were SHAPED BY THEIR PAST
• GET TO KNOW friend, family or colleagues a little better

The Getting Acquainted Thumball Set is conveniently packaged in a large mesh bag, which allows you to carry them around comfortably and stay organized.

Each Silver Series Thumball™ (6" stuffed vinyl ball) looks like a cool soccer ball but is pre-printed with 32 questions/discussion prompts. They are suited for adults and teens alike! Following are more details about each of the popular Silver Series Thumballs in the Getting Acquainted set:

• Use the What Makes You YOU Thumballto help your team learn more about the people around them and dig a little deeper than typical, superficial icebreakers questions.
• The Common Ground Thumball prompts help players discover shared experiences and interests. As you try to generate conversation to build new friendships and relationships, a key challenge is finding “common ground.” This ball offers a fun way to uncover these commonalities.
• The Session Openers Thumball is a great way to set the groundwork for deeper conversations. It was developed to help groups scratch below the surface and explore motivations, goals, and what makes you tick.
• On the Which are You and Why? Thumball each prompt offers an “either/or” choice so that players can share where they'd put themselves on the spectrum –Lake or Ocean; Whisper or Yell; Words or Pictures; Lead or Follow; etc.—making this a fun and unusual icebreaker.
• The Shaped by Our Past Thumball brings to light each person's personal history. After all, we are who we are today because of our lifetime of experiences. Encourage your group to share details of their past -- school, friends, family, hobbies, challenges, and more!
• The Getting to Know You Thumball asks probing questions that get to your phobias, wishes, and favorite moments. For individuals who know each other pretty well already, it's an excellent way to dig a little deeper and learn something more!

©Trainers Warehouse – Trainers Warehouse holds the copyright for this set of questions. Reproductions cannot be made without express approval.

COMPARE THUMBALL® SETS

Note: Each Thumball® is a soft 6-inch stuffed ball with 32 conversation prompts. Every set comes with a free mesh bag for storage and portability.

MORE RESOURCES

• All about Silver Series Thumballs
• Tips & Suggestion on Facilitating Thumball Experiences
• How Deep to Discuss
• 7 Tips to formulate great questions
• More tools for great conversations
• Discover Your Thumball Style
• How Deep to Discuss Infographic

We Connect Cards are good For: Meetings, Trainings, Getting out of your seat, Icebreakers, Organizations with hierarchies, Fighting turnover, Conferences and events.

3 COLOR-CODED QUESTION CARDS:

• A deck of 60 cards that spark conversation, and build trust and connection.
• 20 green cards ask questions that are fun and light
• 20 blue cards ask questions that are a bit deeper
• 20 purple cards ask questions that encourage self-reflection

Talk & Move

On the back of each question card, you'll find a graphic showing a movement. If your participants aren't quite sure what to do with their arms or their bodies while they're standing talking, invite them to do the stretch or movement shown on the card.

WHY We Connect Cards?

Provide a fast-paced, fun way to move beyond ice breaking to real connections:

• Offer a suite of activities to cross-pollinate different departments across your company
• Arm employees and management with a set of questions to break down communication barriers and management hierarchies
• Give employees permission to have fun and be excited about work

AUDIENCE

Use the We Connect Deck for leaders, facilitators, teachers, project directors, program directors, and anyone who wants to increase connections within their community.

FEATURES

• 1 deck of 60 durable cards
• 10+ activity descriptions anyone can setup and run
• Box is 3"x3"

How to use We Connect Cards as an Icebreaker

Watch the video below to see how you can use the cards to break the ice and promote conversation and sharing. For more tips, try the Connections Toolkit.

TALK-ABOUT ACTIVITY

Among the loads of activities and uses for these cards, try the Talk-About Activity. Here's how this question swap activity works.

• Have each participant choose a card when they come in.
• When it's time to get talking, have them find a partner to chat with (the partner's card can be same colored or different)
• Let the team know that when their conversation is over, they should swap cards, then raise the card over their head.
• Players with their arms raised can look for another person with a raised arm, and repeat the activity.
• REMINDERS TO SHARE WITH THE PLAYERS:
  • "Green questions" are fun and light; "blue questions" are a bit deeper; and "purple questions" require more self-relfection.
  • They always have 100% agency and can always able to share as much as little as they like.

CHAD LITTLEFIELD TALKS ABOUT CONNECTIONS BEFORE CONTENT

Explore ethical guidelines and discuss right-from-wrong decisions.

Workplace Ethics Thumball focuses on how you distinguish right from wrong. Is your idea of ethical obligations and responsibilities the same as your colleagues, friends and family? The Ethics Thumball raises questions and fosters discussion about individual and organizational norms and ideals, regarding making and breaking rules, fostering ethical leadership, whistle blowing, bending the truth, and more.

Look under your thumb and share your reaction to whatever prompt lies beneath it. Thumball™ is a soft 6" stuffed ball with loads of applications!!

Have rich conversations about the types of people you look to as a moral compass; how you'd handle different situations; what integrity, rules, ethics, and fairness mean to you; and how your organization or team handles ethical issues.

WORKPLACE ETHICS THUMBALL PROMPTS

The Workplace Ethics Thumball prompts will foster discussion around these important topics:

• Role models for ethical leadership
• Meaning of integrity, ethics, "rules," and "doing the right thing"
• Dealing with lies or behaviors you disagree with
• The impact of broken promises, disagreement, and transparency
• Costs of speaking up or blowing the whistle
  
  

[NOTE: Silver Series Conversation Prompts are available as Thumballs, UNZiP-IT! Pocket & Deck, and Virtual/Remote PPT.]

** TIPS **

FACILITATION SUGGESTIONS:

Your goal is to make conversations about ethics interesting and productive, without judgement or finger pointing. To explore these touchy questions most effectively, remind your group that there are no right answers. Be transparent about these goals and explain your interest in opening discussion and having rich conversations -- about morals, handling sticky situations, evaluating fairness, and exploring the organizational practices that enable or inhibit ethical behavior.

Take turns circulating the ball by passing, rolling, tossing and catching. Ask recipients to respond to the prompt under their right thumb. Because each prompt can lead to an interest dialogue, you may choose any one of these facilitation techniques:

1. Have each recipient answer the question with the first thought that comes to their mind.
2. After one recipient responds, invite others to share their replies to the same prompt.
3. Toss the ball to select one on discussion prompt to focus on for your entire meeting.
4. Ask players to anticipate what answer will be given by another player.

More for Workplace Ethics:

These same thoughtful prompts are available in the UNZIP-it! with Workplace Ethics Card Deck and come in a playful zippered pocket (Product Code #: BLZPAQ).

©Trainers Warehouse – Trainers Warehouse holds the copyright for this set of questions. Reproductions cannot be made without express approval.

MORE RESOURCES

• All about Silver Series Thumballs
• Tips & Suggestion on Facilitating Thumball Experiences
• How Deep to Discuss
• 7 Tips to formulate great questions
• More tools for great conversations
• Discover Your Thumball Style
• How Deep to Discuss Infographic
• Ground Rules Signs
• Tips for facilitating difficult situations

EQ Thumball® Set is an emotional intelligence training game that helps teams and classrooms build self-awareness, empathy, and trust. This team-building icebreaker ball sparks conversation with every toss, turning abstract EQ concepts into interactive learning. Talk about self-awareness, empathy, trust, resilience, collaboration, and more. Perfect for leadership development, coaching, or social-emotional learning programs, the EQ Thumball® makes emotional intelligence training active and memorable.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Improve emotional self-awareness and self-regulation
• Build trust and empathy in teams
• Encourage resilience and stress management
• Enhance listening and interpersonal communication skills

DEVELOPING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Make it easy to talk about Emotional Intelligence in a fun and casual way, as well as build these five essential EQ competencies:

1. Self-Awareness
2. Self-Regulation
3. Motivation
4. Empathy
5. Social Skills

THE EQ THUMBALL SET

Emotional Intelligence is the capability of individuals to recognize their own emotions and those of others, discern between different feelings and label them appropriately, use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior, and manage and/or adjust emotions to adapt to environments or achieve one's goal(s).

We've specially selected this set of 6 Silver Series Thumballs, with more than 150 discussion topics, to stimulate conversations around Emotional Intelligence. Choose a ball that will help stir up simple conversation or develop deeper understanding about the world around you. The balls are super easy to use! Just toss it to another player and ask the recipient to look under their thumb and respond to the prompt.

• Set of 6 EQ-focused Thumballs® Each Silver Series Thumball (6" stuffed vinyl ball) looks like a cool soccer ball but is pre-printed with 32 questions/discussion prompts. They are suited for adults and teens alike!
• Each ball features conversation prompts that build emotional intelligence skills
• Durable, soft 6″ fabric balls with stitched panels
• Free mesh carrying bag

Following are more details about each of the popular Silver Series Thumballs in the Emotional Intelligence set:

• Emotional Intelligence Thumball: Develop your teams’ EQ by facilitating conversations that help participants grow more aware of their motivations, measure their reactions to difficult situations, and hone techniques to manage those emotions.
• Building Trust Thumball: Build bridges by fostering trust and respect and developing shared understanding about interests, values, and sensitivities.
• Common Ground Thumball: Discover shared experiences and interests. As you try to generate conversation to build new friendships and relationships, a key challenge is finding "common ground." This ball offers a fun way to uncover these commonalities.
• What Makes You You Thumball: Set the groundwork for deeper conversations. It was developed to help groups scratch below the surface and explore motivations, goals, and what makes you tick.
• Developing Resilience Thumball: Explore how individuals and teams can foster patience, acceptance, gratitude, kindness, forgiveness, and personal composure.
• Getting to Know You Thumball: Ask probing questions that get to your phobias, wishes, and favorite moments. For individuals who know each other pretty well already, it's an excellent way to dig a little deeper and learn something more!

©Trainers Warehouse – Trainers Warehouse holds the copyright for this set of questions. Reproductions cannot be made without express approval.

WHY FACILITATORS LOVE THIS SET

• Active learning: Gets participants moving, talking, and thinking—ideal for experiential training.
• Deeper connections: Prompts explore emotions, trust, communication, and personal growth.
• Versatile: Use for icebreakers, coaching, team-building, or leadership development.
• Inclusive engagement: A safe, playful way to bring every voice into the conversation.

BEST USES

• Leadership training and coaching
• Team-building and staff retreats
• Classroom discussions on social-emotional learning (SEL)
• Conflict resolution and diversity workshops

FAQS

Q: How do you play?
A: Toss the Thumball®, catch it, and answer the question under your thumb. It’s that simple—and it works for groups of 4+ participants.

Q: What skills does the EQ set build?
A: It's an excellent emotional intelligence training game! The prompts focus on emotional intelligence—helping participants explore self-awareness, empathy, trust, resilience, and communication.

Q: Can I mix sets?
A: Yes! Many facilitators combine different Thumball® sets to align with training themes or keep activities fresh.

Q: Who uses EQ Thumballs® most?
A: Trainers, HR teams, facilitators, teachers, and coaches who want to build stronger, more self-aware teams.

Q: How durable are they?
A: Each 6″ ball is made with stitched, fabric panels for long-lasting use in training, classrooms, and workshops.

FROM A DELIGHTED TRAINER, WINSOME CULLEY

COMPARE THUMBALL® SETS

Not sure which set is right for you? Here’s how the EQ Thumball® Set stacks up against other popular Trainers Warehouse Thumballs®:

MORE RESOURCES

All about Silver Series Thumballs

Tips & Suggestion on Facilitating Thumball Experiences

How Deep to Discuss

7 Tips to formulate great questions

More tools for great conversations

Discover Your Thumball Style

How Deep to Discuss Infographic

Ground Rules Signs

Tips for facilitating difficult situations

A team challenge for innovation and prototyping!

The Marshmallow Challenge is a remarkably fun and instructive design exercise that encourages teams to experience simple but profound lessons in collaboration, innovation and creativity.

If you need to kickstart a meeting, get a team into a creative frame of mind, or simply want to encourage your organization to think about what it takes to dramatically increase innovation, invest 45 minutes to run a marshmallow challenge.

This broadly circulated team building experience was recently popularized by Tom Wujec, who presented a TED Talk on the subject. The Marshmallow Challenge is to build the tallest possible free-standing structure, which will support one marshmallow on the top, using only 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape and one yard of string -- in exactly 18 minutes!

ALL IN ONE CONVENIENT KIT

We've assembled all the parts into one convenient kit!

• bag of marshmallows
• box of spaghetti
• roll of masking tape
• roll of cotton twine
• tape measure
• 5 scissors
• 5 paper lunch bags
• Facilitation Notes for how to run the exercise
• 1 see-through vinyl tote to carry it all!

Surprising lessons emerge when you compare teams' performance. Who tends to do the worst? Why? Who tends to do the best? Why? What improves performance? What kills it?

The Marshmallow Challenge team building game is among the fastest and most powerful techniques for improving a team's capacity to generate fresh ideas, build rapport and incorporate prototyping -- all of which lie at the heart of effective innovation.

Look under your thumb and share! The Developing Resilience Thumball is a playful tool for serious discussions. Add this dynamic resilience game to your next Resillience Training event!

When life gives you lemons or worse, how do you get back on track? How do you muster optimism and compassion for yourself and others? Use the discussion prompts on the Developing Resistance Thumball to explore how individuals and teams can foster patience, acceptance, gratitude, kindness, forgiveness, and personal composure. Talk about the various ways that each person can find their sense of meaning and pursue it, bolstered by community support and interpersonal connections.

Resilience is a critical skill that helps people adapt to changing and difficult circumstances in both their personal and professional lives. Help your teams build resilience by engaging in conversations that encourage optimism, positive thinking, compassion, and growth mindsets. The discussion prompts on the ball are designed to develop community and shared understanding at any resilience training session.

FEATURES OF THE TRAINERS WAREHOUSE RESILIENCE GAME

• 32 prompts about Resilience, vetted by industry experts
• 6" diameter ball is safe to toss indoors
• Facilitation notes included in packaging
• Thumballs are made of foam, no inflation necessary

DEVELOPING RESILIENCE THUMBALL PROMPTS

Although you won't find these categories on the resilience game ball itself, we find it helpful to see what topics are addressed and how. Spice up your resilience training with this playful tool!

Patience - consider situations that test your patience and ways to calm yourself

Optimism - reflect on the future and opportunitites for happiness

Gratitude - share who and what are you grateful for

Acceptance - think about how you respond to bad news

Kindness - contemplate ways to spread happiness

Purpose - pause to consider goals and accomplishments

Forgiveness - when, why, and how can you forgive others

Connection - identify the people who give you joy and advice

Composure - consider when you lose composure and how you regain it

Listening - discuss ways to show you're listening.

©Trainers Warehouse – Trainers Warehouse holds the copyright for this set of questions. Reproductions cannot be made without express approval.

FACILITATION TIPS

1. Explain your goal. To maximize participation, explain that your goal is to promote shared understanding and build a happier, more supportive environment.
2. Don’t rush. Appreciate that some may not be able to give quick or pat answers to a prompt; others might want to take some time to discuss their thoughts. Feel free to linger before moving to the next question, giving people ample time to discuss what’s on their mind.
3. Take notes. Thumballs have a great way to tease out important information. Keep a notepad handy in case you hit a topic you’d like to revisit later.
4. Give each player a “pass.” If a player finds a prompt particularly difficult, invite them to take a PASS, ASK A FRIEND, or TOSS AGAIN.

Customize this dry-erase prize wheel for any occasion! This lightweight wheel is easy to set up and move from place to place. Load this raffle wheel with awards for top-performing employees or teams. Make training sessions more fun and spontaneous by letting the wheel decide which topic to cover next. Let the fates decide what’s for lunch. You can even have your team create the wheel as you go—choose a category and let each team come up with five relevant questions. Have each individual team member spin, and then let the whole team decide together which spin is best. The sky’s the limit, so get creative and have fun with it!

SO MANY USES!

• Award top performers
• Determine topics for discussion
• Choose question cateogores
• Decide on break times
• Have participants develop categories and questions

FEATURES

• Lightweight (approximately 4.5 lbs.)
• Sturdy and stable construction
• Digitally printed with vibrant colors
• Dry erase laminate surface makes it easy to customize the prize wheel
• Compact design for convenient storage
• Center magnet lets you attach your company logo
• Dimensions: 24” diameter (approximately 26” tall with base)
• NOT RECOMMENDED FOR OUTDOOR USE.

EXPLORE GAME SHOW TOOLS

Pair the wheel with game buzzers to really get participants engaged, and be sure to stock up on prizes and awards! We have plenty of other game show tools available, so you can make every session memorable for both you and your team. Once you have this raffle wheel in your repertoire, you’ll be amazed by how often you pull it out.

ABOUT TRAINERS WAREHOUSE

Trainers Warehouse is a family-owned, woman-owned business that’s known for its innovative tools for trainers and educators. Plus, everything is backed by our 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you have any questions about this prize wheel, please get in touch with our helpful customer support. Shop hundreds of products that make learning innovative, effective, and fun!

Add-on Me First Player P.A.D.s (Personal Answer Domes) work with the Me First v.3 wireless buzzer systems #GAMFBB, or #GAMFB4.

ME FIRST V.3 GAME BUZZER SYSTEM FEATURES

• P.A.D.s are sold individually -- order just the number you need. Facilitator remote is needed for this product to work!
• Each P.A.D. measures 3" diameter
• Set up to a maximum of 36 players can be created by purchasing these Add-on Player P.A.D.s PLUS a Facilitator unit. (#GAMFBF).
• 4-player and 12-player sets are also available.

Me First Wireless Game Buzzers allow faclitators to:

1. See who rang in first within .001 seconds
2. Choose whether to block out previous responders or invite everyone to ring in
3. Pairing Memory enables multiple Facilitator Control Units (placed at least 10 feet apart) to play games concurrent
4. Track which buzzer had the most right (or wrong) answers
5. Indicate if participant answered correctly. Lights flash on player's P.A.D. when you press “right” or “wrong” on the facilitator remote
6. Press and hold RIGHT to see who has the most correct answers
7. Press and hold WRONG to see who has the most incorrect answers
8. USB port enables integration with game show software
9. Easy Snap in battery door

REQUIRES FACILITATOR P.A.D.

PLEASE NOTE: THESE PLAYER P.A.D.s ARE DESIGNED TO WORK ONLY WITH ME FIRST v.3 (#GAMFBB, GAMFB4, GAMFBF). THEY WILL NOT WORK WITH OLDER VERSIONS OF THE ME FIRST BUZZER SYSTEM. These additional player P.A.D.s cannot be used as stand-alone units. They require a Me First Facilitator Control Unit in order to function.SPECS

• 80-foot wireless range [NOTE: The working range of each pad is guaranteed for 50' but it can be as much as 80]
• 2.4Ghz technology
• Each P.A.D. uses 3 AAA batteries (included), 3" diam.
• PADs power off after 45 minutes of non-use, or when facilitator powers off via remote.

See demo of RIGHT and WRONG buzzer feature on the facilitator remote!

MORE RESOURCES

• Compare Who’s First & Me First Game Show Buzzers
• First-Hand Experience using Me First with Middle School Students
• Facilitating TV-Style Game Shows

(like JEOPARDY!)

Signal that "play" is an essential part of "learn." A Bundle of "Koosh" in your training indicates that play is welcome AND essential to productive learning. Trainers love to use Koosh for icebreakers and reinforcement games. Koosh have about as many uses as they have rubbery strands!

GREAT WAYS TO USE THESE WONDERFUL RUBBERY BALLS!

• Ensure that one person speaks at the time (the one holding the Koosh)
• Learn about colleagues by tossing the Koosh sharing a little known fact
• Fiddle with it for better listening

An assortment 10 Koosh balls (each 3 inches). Colors may vary.

NOTE: KOOSH is no longer a registered trademark and is no longer made by a single manufacturer. Trainers Warehouse has located a new manufacturer that we feel makes a high quality product, most similar to the Original Koosh Balls. You will not find a Koosh-branded label on the product you receive.

Wondering how to use balls in training? Just check out this page of Facilitation Notes on Using Balls in Training

Trainers Warehouse offers quality products for fidgeting and equips teachers and trainers with a range of tools to improve, learning and retention.

Dive into conversations about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with the DEI Thumball by Trainers Warehouse. The DEI Thumball, a favorite diversity and inclusion game, tackles a difficult topic with smarts and sensitivity.

After all, building community and culture by understanding our individual identities and differences isn’t just nice-to-do. It’s our shared responsibility. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are critical to creating high-performing, supportive, and engaging workplaces. Unfortunately, many leaders are unsure about how to have conversations about these sensitive topics and then how to transform the discussions and intent into action. Like other diversity training SMEs, make this diversity training game a core component of your next DEI training event!

The D-E-I Thumball helps team leaders, teachers, and managers have safe and constructive conversations about identity, experiences with racism, community challenges, privilege and power, as well as ways to promote tolerance and feelings of belonging.

In addition to the 31 conversation prompts contained on the Thumball, you’ll find FACILITATION TIPS and a GLOSSARY of common DEI terms in the packaging.

Many people worry about saying the wrong thing during DEI conversations. As a result, these important conversations often don’t happen. The DEI Thumball is loaded with poignant conversation prompts about identity, experiences, community, us-versus-them thinking, privilege and power, and DEI in today’s world. Each prompt, vetted by diversity experts, is phrased to promote positive conversation and shared understanding.

Thumball™ is a soft 6" stuffed vinyl ball that looks like a cool soccer ball. Its panels are pre-printed with questions suited for adults and teens. Safely toss it around in a group and ask participants to share their reaction to whatever prompt lies under their thumb. Looking for more DEI resources? Try the Diversity Thumball or the DEI Remote UNZIP-it that lets you have great conversations during online learning events as well!

FEATURES

• 31 prompts about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• 6" ball is safe to toss indoors
• Conversation prompts vetted by industry experts
• Facilitation notes included in packaging
• Glossary of common DEI terms in packaging

VERSATILE DIVERSITY-EQUITY & INCLUSION PROMPTS include...

Identity - share aspects of your identity that affect your life

Experiences - discuss times you felt belonging, targeted, micro-aggression, etc.

Our community - consider organizational initiatives to promote inclusion

Us vs Them thinking - identify allies who are alike or different from yourself

Privilege and Power - explore concepts of power dynamics, privilege, and oppression

DEI Today - discuss current dynamics that influence people's participation in DEI efforts

©Trainers Warehouse 2023

©Trainers Warehouse – Trainers Warehouse holds the copyright for this set of questions. Reproductions cannot be made without express approval.

FACILITATION TIPS

TIP 1: Create a safe environment – Beyond sharing your goals and wishes for open dialogue, discuss ways in which the group can create “psychological safety.”

• Recognize that everyone joins the conversation with unique experiences and knowledge. Embrace players’ needs to pass on a question or ask for explanations.
• Acknowledge the difficulty in sharing personal information and offer support. Use “OUCH” signs, to indicate personal hurt or express empathy.
• Listen and ask questions to understand and empathize, not to defend, debate, or rationalize.

TIP 2: Set ground rules together – Players are more likely to abide by ground rules if they help define them. The group’s list will likely look something like this:

• One person speaks at a time
• Speak for yourself; Use “I” statements
• Seek understanding by asking for clarification
• Critique ideas, not people
• Agree to disagree. Disagree without being disagreeable
• Listen and validate other players
• Be open to new ideas, not judgmental

TIP 3: Be prepared if conversations get sticky – Equip yourself with a few techniques to ease emotional situations

• Revert to the ground rules, as needed
• Express how situations make you feel
• If parties disagree, suggest they switch roles and make the counter argument
• Keep a “parking lot” of difficult topics to be addressed later
• Share your own personal stories
• Take a break and regroup later
• Thank participants for sharing

TIP 4: Establish a shared vocabulary – Define common terms in the DEI world’s evolving lexicon.

Ally / Allyship: Someone who supports a group other than one’s own

Anti-Racist: a person who opposes racism and promotes racial equality.

BIPOC: An acronym used to refer to Black, Indigenous and People of Color.

Conversation across difference: open discussions about peoples’ different beliefs and backgrounds.

Micro-Aggression: Verbal or nonverbal slights which communicate derogatory or negative messages to target persons. i.e. “You are a credit to your race.” “I jewed him down.” “Why are you so loud/quiet?”

Psychological safety: refers to an environment in which team players can take risks without fear of retribution or negative consequences.

Unconscious Bias: stereotypes about certain groups of people that form outside individuals’ conscious awareness. Common biases are based on gender, race, weight, ageism, beauty, name, height, etc.; i.e. consider this riddle: a father and son are in a horrible car crash that kills the dad. The son is rushed to the hospital; just as he’s about to go under the knife, the surgeon says, “I can’t operate—that boy is my son!” How can this be? The surgeon is the boy’s mother

NOTE: This ball is part of Trainers Warehouse's exclusive Silver Series Thumballs.

©Trainers Warehouse 2023

MORE RESOURCES

• Tips & Suggestions on Facilitating Thumball Experiences
• How Deep to Discuss
• 7 Tips to formulate great questions
• More tools for great conversations
• Discover Your Thumball Style
• How Deep to Discuss Infographic
• Ground Rules Signs
• Tips for facilitating difficult situations

DaBridge brings Leonardo DaVinci's simple but ingenious bridge idea to life. It is made with beautiful and sturdy notched wooden stick and dowel pieces. The ingenuity of the bridge is that it doesn’t need nails or fasteners to hold it together. If built to Leonardo’s design, it gets stronger the more weight is added.

LEONARDO DAVINCI BRIDGE - INCLUDES

The DaVinci Bridge Kit includes legs and dowels to create a 6.5-foot long structure -- plenty long enough for several adults to collaborate in the building process!

• 16 square wooden legs - 24" long x 1" square
• 8 wooden dowels - 24" long x 3/4" diameter
• Convenient carry bag

ADAPTABLE FACILITATION NOTES

Robust facilitation notes provide plenty of options to make the classic DaVinci's Bridge a successful team building experience for all sorts of teams. In the basic game, a "designer" is equipped with a picture of the finished product, but isn't allowed to show the picture to the builders. Designers can only communicate building tips verbally. With limited team meetings, how well will your groups work together to get it built? Adapt the team building game to the needs of your group by adding in new challenges -- an earthquake hits; time pressure is added; intergroup colloboration is required.

• Complete notes for Architects/Builders Game
• 4 additional game variations
• Debriefing and review questions

VIEW THE VIDEO

NOTE: When completed, DaBridge measures 6.5' Long by 2' Wide and 2' High, so make sure your team has ample space to build

Hand-made in the USA.

Use a deck of Climer Cards with groups to increase conversation around a certain topic. Using the power of metaphors, the result is a meaningful dialogue that helps people connect and understand each other at a deeper level.

The cards spark ideas, connect people, enhance conversations, and deepen learning. You'll be surprised what users will say!

This simple deck of cards uses hand-drawn pictures to evoke metaphors and imagination. Climer Cards can be used in dozens of team activities. Used by facilitators, teachers, parents, therapists, and camp counselors alike, this deck of cards helps with team building activities, enhancing conversations, and generating creative ideas.

A VERSATILE TOOL FOR TEAM BUILDING AND CREATIVITY!

• Coaches use them to get clients exploring new ideas.
• Facilitators help participants express what they learned.
• Social workers and counselors use them with clients to gain a deeper understanding of their experiences.
• Teachers help students create connections in class.
• Parents use them to get kids talking about their day.

CLIMER CARDS INCLUDE...

• 52 images based on watercolor paintings by Amy Climer
• Sorting tool to mix large groups into smaller groups
• Directions on use -- but feel free to get creative with endless variations!
• 52 2.5" x 3.5" cards made from high quality, coated paper.
• Printed cardboard box

Lead your team, students, or family to deeper conversations with a simple, powerful deck of cards. Creative images offer hundreds of ways to use. Directions included or invent your own activities!

TEAM SORTING FEATURE TO DIVIDE INTO GROUPS

AMY CLIMER DEMO'S THE DECKS!

See how to use the cards to build team creativity!

USE CLIMER CARDS THROUGH THE ONLINE PORTAL

For a 10% discount on the Climer Cards Virtual Platform, use promo code: TRAINER10

Get ready for fun, laughter, and lively debates with the Would You Rather... Thumball! This engaging and interactive conversation game features a collection of thought-provoking and hilarious "Would you rather..." questions designed to spark creativity, encourage storytelling, and reveal surprising opinions. The Would You Rather Thumball takes players through a playful activity that explores their personality and preferences on a range of topics. It's a creative way to get to know each other a bit better.

On this Thumball, you'll find two preferences on each of the 32 panels. They represent divergent preferences for technology, pampering, work, strengths, superpowers, and more. This Thumball is fun, fun, fun! Use it ball to learn more about friends or colleagues. It's great for work, school, family gatherings, team functions, parties, and more!

** FACILITATION TIPS **

While some may find it easy to choose which they'd rather, others may be stumped. Welcome players to discuss the choices and why it's a hard decision for them. After all, the goal is to encourage conversation and get to know each other better!

If you want to kick it up a notch, try these creative twists:

1. When you're playing feel free to frame any prompt to a specific time of life, situation or objective.
2. Specify that answers should relate specifically to personal or workplace experiences.
3. Ask first recipient to select an answer panel to which all players must respond or contribute.
4. Survey players on several question panels, then create charts or graphs that reflect the cumulative responses.

©Trainers Warehouse – Trainers Warehouse holds the copyright for this set of questions. Reproductions cannot be made without express approval.

This ball is part of our exclusive Silver Series Thumballs.

MORE RESOURCES

• All about Silver Series Thumballs
• Tips & Suggestion on Facilitating Thumball Experiences
• How Deep to Discuss
• 7 Tips to formulate great questions
• More tools for great conversations
• Discover Your Thumball Style
• How Deep to Discuss Infographic

Effective time management is critical for efficiency, productivity, stress reductions, achievement, and work-life balance. While it allows organization to reap the benefits of greater productivity, it takes more than simple reminders to "stop procrastinating."

The Time Management Thumball is a dynamic tool designed to facilitate conversation and understanding. Featuring 31 thought-provoking conversation prompts, it empowers players to explore their individual time management challenges and opportunities. Cover topics such as procrastination, technology, sleep, priorities, urgency, importance, planning, delegation, and more.

BUILDING TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS

Typically, time management curriculums cover these business skills:

• Avoiding procrastination
• Digital time management (time spent on devices)
• Ways to improve focus and productivity
• Sorting and prioritizing tasks based on urgency and importance

TIME MANAGEMENT THUMBALL PROMPTS

Each conversation prompt on the Time Management Thumball encourages reflection and discussion about personal time management, including:

• Topics for Reflection
  • Typical time thieves
  • Understanding when and why you lose track of time
  • Feelings about planning, to-do lists, and deadlines
  • Personal priorities
• Strategies for Better Managing Time
  • Managing interruptions
  • Delegation
  • Structuring time and breaks
  • Time saver tips
• Use of down time
  • Favorite time-wasters
  • Routine activities
  • Sleep

FACILITATING THUMBALL ACTIVITIES

Playing with Trainers Warehouse Silver Series Thumballs couldn't be easier. Just toss the ball and ask the recipient to respond to the prompt under their thumb. Beyond that, remember that your goal is to make conversations about time management interesting and productive. Remind your group that there are no "right answers. The goal is to understand yourself and each person's pitfalls, opportunities for improvement, and pick up a few new strategies.

TIPS

1. Explain your goal. Be transparent in communicating the purpose of the game.
2. Don't rush. Appreciate that some many not be able to give quick answers; others might want to take time to discuss their thoughts.
3. Give players a "pass." If a player finds a prompt particularly difficult, invite them to take a pass, ask a friend, or toss again.

©Trainers Warehouse – Trainers Warehouse holds the copyright for this set of questions. Reproductions cannot be made without express approval.

MORE CONVERSATION STARTERS BY TRAINERS WAREHOUSE

In addition to Silver Series Thumballs, Trainers Warehouse offers many other tools to build relationships, inspire conversation, and enhance learning about meaningful topics. Explore products such as Conversation Cards and UNZIP-IT Decks. Some facilitators prefer decks because they enable players to have small group conversation with 1 or 2 other participants before sharing with a larger group of players.

In LEGO® Activities for Training, you’ll find each activity contains easy step-by-step instructions to set up and debrief the exercise, as well as time and materials needed. Plus, find tips to integrate the game activity into a larger training session!

These activities are suitable for experienced or novice Trainers, Facilitators, Educators, and Coaches. Those who consider themselves novices should expect to take extra minutes to think through their needs and be very clear on the PURPOSE and CONTEXT of the session.

21 ADAPTABLE EXERCISES

Each activity is designed to start conversations. For maximum effectiveness, you may need to make some adjustments to the instructions or timing. Use these notes as a guide but feel free to make changes to suit the needs of your team or conduct deeper discussions. NOTE: copy written in red italics indicates words you will speak.

LEGO® ACTIVITIES FOR TRAINING INCLUDES

The deck includes:

• FAQs
• LEGO brick suggestions
• Icebreakers and Introductions - 7 activities
• Communication Skills - 7 activities
• Team Dynamics - 7 activities

COLLECTING THE RIGHT LEGO BRICKS

The deck DOES NOT INCLUDE Lego building materials. However, LEGO bricks are readily available new (at toy stores) and used (ebay, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, etc.) While you can use any LEGO bricks for these activities, you may want to consider the following:

• LEGO® Explorer Bags & LEGO® Serious Play Starter Kits: These sets work well if you want everyone in the team to have the same selection of bricks. They’re also ideal in exercises requiring players to duplicate another team’s model.
• More isn’t always better: A smaller selection of bricks can be helpful with storytelling and metaphors.
• Base plates: Extra base plates help when asking people to create a scene or move about the room to share their creations with others.
• Mini-figures and Special bricks: Pieces such as eyes, flags, and wheels etc., help create a variety of scenes. Mini Figures are useful for expressing interactions between people.
• Keepers: Allowing learners to keep their LEGO® model can help with memory and retention, as well as spreading the word about your LEGO®-based training.

7 ICEBREAKER ACTIVITIES

1. My Accessories (10 mins + 2 mins PL sharing) - Introductions and assessing knowledge.
2. Build a Creature (10 mins + 2 mins PL sharing) - Introductions and making links to personality.
3. My Monday Morning (10 mins + 2 mins PL sharing) - Creative introductions that link to roles.
4. Five Piece Speed Build (6 mins + 1 min PL sharing) - Quick introductions that can link to efficiency and time management.
5. Build a Tower (10 mins + 2 mins PL sharing) - Introductions that use a tower as a metaphor for experience (or anything else).
6. Surprise Surprise! (8 mins + 2 min PL sharing) - Make deeper connections through sharing.
7. My Journey so far... (8 mins + 3 mins PL sharing) - Explore how people evolved to their current roles and the experience they bring with them.

7 COMMUNICATION SKILLS ACTIVITIES

1. Build an Animal (10-30 mins) - Start a discussion about clear instructions and interpretations.
2. Build My Duck (20-30 mins) - Highlight what happens when communication is sporadic and unclear.
3. My Duck's Better Than Yours! (20-30 mins) - Explore the nuance of “great” vs. “best.”
4. The “RIGHT” Duck? (5-10 mins + Discussion) - Demonstrate the importance of clarity.
5. Making Connections (5-10 mins + Discussion) - Illustrate how more people, means more interpretations.
6. Picture This (15-30 mins) - Show how visual images are seen differently, or explore the impact of limited resources.
7. Persuasive Communications (20-30 mins) - Increase confidence in approaching others.

7 ACTIVITIES FOR TEAM DYNAMICS

1. Follow the Leader (20-30 mins) - Highlight that the role of leader in a team isn’t always what you imagine.
2. The Value of Values (30-40 mins) - How one’s values may link or clash with the team.
3. Defining Company Values (60 mins) - Allow teams to explore company values in more depth.
4. Hanging off the Edge (30-40 mins) - Get the team working together to come up with a solution to a unique challenge.
5. Sabotage (30-40 mins) - Explore how people may approach a task differently depending on their goals.
6. Ask Me! (20-30 mins) - Discover the talents of each team member.
7. Beyond the Team (30-40 mins) - Highlight the impact of additional stakeholders.

NOTE: LEGO® is not associated with this product

The Connection Toolkit is a comprehensive Product Bundle for Team Building, Communication, and Creative Connections. The toolkit includes: We! Connect Cards™, We! Engage Cards™, and a copy of Pocket Guide to Facilitating Human Connections, our newest book Ask Powerful Questions and a free-for-life subscription to playmeo.com (typically at $97/year).

THE CONNECTION TOOLKIT

• Provides a faster, more fun way to “break the ice” with new teams
• Offers a suite of activities to cross-pollinate different departments across your company
• Arms employees and management with a set of questions to break down communication barriers and management hierarchies
• Gives employees permission to have fun and be excited about work

WE CONNECT CARD DECK

A deck of 60 cards that spark conversation, and build trust and connection.

• 20 green cards ask questions that are fun and light
• 20 blue cards ask questions that are a bit deeper
• 20 purple cards ask questions that encourage self-reflection

Suggested Activity

• Have every person select a question card.
• Ask players to find a partner and discuss the questions on each of their cards.
• When the discussions are over, ask them to swap cards and hold the new cards up over their heads.
• Players can look for a new partner, who is also raising their card.
• And so on...

WE ENGAGE CARD DECK

A deck of 50 hexagonal cards, each with an inspiring, thought-provoking quote on one side and a powerful photo on the other, with activities designed to increase group engagement. They're great for: Brainstorming, Goal setting, Productivity, Meetings, Trainings, Getting out of your seat, Sparking conversation, Effective communication.

Suggested Activities

• Pick a quote you click with, when you come in. Turn to someone near you and share the quote -- what made it click for you?
• Spread the image cards on the floor or table and have participants choose one before they enter the training room. When assembled, they can introduce themselves along with a reason they chose the image they did.

ASK POWERFUL QUESTIONS BOOK

A bestselling book that explains how the questions we traditionally ask are often meaningless when it comes to establishing a connection. By introducing a set of practice tools for understanding others by changing the way we ask questions, the book shows how to transform “How are you?—I’m fine, thanks” into conversations that change not only how you lead but who you are as a person.

POCKET GUIDE TO FACILITATING HUMAN CONNECTIONS

A 140 page, pocket-sized handbook that unpacks the psychology of communication, collaboration, and trust. Provides 20+ real-world applications that can be used to create workshops, trainings, team-building exercises, or any event that relies on audience engagement.

CHAD LITTLEFIELD TALKS ABOUT CONNECTIONS BEFORE CONTENT

Look under your thumb and share! This Session Thumball Set has all the prompts you need to Open, Debrief and Close your learning event.

Trainers Warehouse's Silver Series Session Thumball Set is perfect for running an entire meeting focused on getting to know your participants, helping them learn from the session and closing out with key takeaways. As with any Thumball it's super-easy to play. Simply, toss the ball and ask recipients to share their reaction to whatever prompt lies under their (right) thumb. Thumballs are soft 6" stuffed balls with loads of applications!

THE "SESSIONS SET" INCLUDES...

• Session Openers Thumball -- more than your standard ice-breaker, this one offers somewhat deeper prompts that explore participants' motivations, goals for the event or session that lies ahead.
• Session Debrief Thumball -- use this one reflect on experiential learning activities.
• Session Closers Thumball -- end the learning day by taking a moment to highlight key take-aways.
• Clear plastic tote - tote color varies and chosen randomly based on in-house stock

SESSION OPENER THUMBALL PROMPTS

The prompts on the Session Opener Thumball are intended to build relationships and tease out session goals, so that facilitators can get their learning sessions off to a good start. To this end, prompts primarily cover these three categories:

• Getting to Know You - dreams, peeves, wishes, decisions, frustrations, talents
• Learning Styles - best teachers, preferred learning methods, learning goals
• Work Styles - proudest accomplishments, creative contributions, strengths

SESSION DEBRIEF THUMBALL

For experiences to stick -- for them to move to long-term memory -- individuals must take time to think about what happened. They have to talk about it, relate it to something they already know, understand its importance, and consider when they might need to retrieve that learning down the road. After all, we only remember what we take time to think about (otherwise it's quickly in and out of our brains). That's the importance of a DEBRIEF!

You'll find the Session Debriefs Thumball useful for games focusing on:

• Team building
• Communication
• Leadership
• Process improvement
• Negotiations

SESSION CLOSER THUMBALL

End a learning session by taking a beat -- a pause to let the learning settle in and allow learners' brains to organize the new information so it can be easily recalled. Take time at the end of class to draw our key learning points and ah-ha moments.

The Session Closers Thumball offers a variety of memory-enhancing techniques. Understand that our brains aren't equipped to remember every single thought that enters. Instead, we remember what we take time to think about. Each of the prompts on this one-of-a-kind Thumball seeks to enhance retention by highlighting memorable points for participants, making them consider goals or challenges of implementation, heightening the emotional impact of the session, and more.

For instance, prompts help learners focus on ...

• Information and observations learned
• Top take-aways and AH-HA! moments
• Remaining questions
• Ways to implement or use information going forward
• People they can turn to for support and questions, or just to share what they learned.
• Challenges that pushed their comfort zone

THUMBALL FEATURES

Each Thumball™ is a soft 6" stuffed vinyl ball that looks like a cool soccer ball and has 31 panels pre-printed with questions suited for adults and teens. Safely toss it around in a group and ask participants to share their reaction to whatever prompt lies under their thumb.

• PHYSICALLY SAFE: 6" ball is safe to toss indoors
• 31 PROMPTS: With so much content, if someone wants to choose a favorite question... why not?
• EMOTIONALLY SAFE: Conversation prompts are vetted by industry experts.
• TIPS: The packaging includes facilitation notes to help ensure that the experience is positive for everyone.

The Developing Mentors & Coaches Thumball takes players through a playful activity that explores their personality and preferences on a range of topics. It's a creative way to get to know each other a bit better.

Many are called upon to coach or mentor a colleague, friend, or “newbie,” with little understanding of what effective coaching and mentoring look like. The task of developing others and helping them grow can be critical to organizational success. It can also be richly fulfilling and energizing to the coach or mentor.

This developmental Thumball focuses on improving the skills of coaches and mentors themselves, not the individuals they seek to help. The 31 prompts on the ball will help them better understand their role, the benefits of helping others grow, and effective coaching/mentoring techniques at their disposal.

It's easy to play! Catch the ball, look under your thumb, and share your reaction to the prompt.Thumballs look like soccer balls but are are soft and safe for indoor use at work, school, and home.

MENTORING AND COACHING THUMBALL PROMPTS

This ball is designed to help build the skill of new and seasoned coaches and mentors. Understandably, the roles and techniques used by coaches and mentors differ, as you will likely discuss when facilitating this activity. Nonetheless, the skills needed to help others grow, the self-awareness required to be good at it, and the challenges faced when coaching and mentoring others are similar and complementary. As such, players are encouraged to adapt the prompts to their specific role and needs.

FACILITATION TIPS

1. Explain the goal. To become better mentors and/or coaches. Explain that the ball has questions for both roles and the player can adapt their question and answer to their needs.
2. Don’t rush. Appreciate that some may not be able to give quick answers; others might want to take some time to discuss their thoughts.
3. Give players a “pass.” If a player finds a prompt particularly difficult, invite them to take a PASS, ASK A FRIEND, or TOSS AGAIN.

A VARIETY OF GAME FORMATS

• Have everyone reply to the same prompt.
• Toss the ball from player to player, so each participant can reply to a different prompt.
• Take a deep dive and have players jot their own answer before discussing the topic with a partner or small group.
• Add-in other Thumballs for more variety.

©Trainers Warehouse – Trainers Warehouse holds the copyright for this set of questions. Reproductions cannot be made without express approval.

NOTE: This ball is part of Trainers Warehouse's exclusive Silver Series Thumballs.

The point of any learning game is the debrief—the conversation at the end of the experience when facilitators tease out observations and learning points.

LEARNING GAMES ARE WORTH THE BOTHER!

Make the most of any learning game! Learners don't want to be in training sessions that they feel are a waste of time. Similarly, facilitators want to use their time well. Skilled trainers, teachers, and facilitators know that learning becomes more "sticky" if they can create experiences that draw out emotions, incorporate physical movement, include surprise, and help learners stay focused. It's why games are the perfect conduit for growth and learning, and the reason trainers take time to find the perfect experiences.

One more benefit of games is that they remove you from the real world. If facing a challenge that differs from their real job, players often feel safer trying new things, take risks, and assume different roles. They get to see how normal tendencies, ways of thinking, and manners of behaving play out and intersect with others.

DEBRIEF LEARNING GAMES, EXERCISES, AND ACTIVITIES

But that's just the start. For experiences to stick -- for them to move to long-term memory -- individuals must take time to think about what happened. They have to talk about it, relate it to something they already know, understand its importance, and consider when they might need to retrieve that learning down the road. After all, we only remember what we take time to think about (otherwise it's quickly in and out of our brains). That's the importance of a DEBRIEF!

You'll find the Session Debriefs Thumball useful for games focusing on:

• Team building
• Communication
• Leadership
• Process improvement
• Negotiations
• ... and more

SESSION DEBRIEF PROMPTS BASED ON BRAIN SCIENCE

I realize that may have sounded like a lot of memory and brain gobbledy gook above, but it's all applied in the Session Debrief Thumball.

This unique Silver Series Thumball offers a variety of conversation prompts that will help players consider the behaviors, strategies, and communication techniques that helped and hindered their success. Among the 32 prompts, you’ll find discussion starters that help players think about and process their experience and focus on the learning points worthy of long-term memory. For instance:

• Home in on feelings experienced during the game
• Consider roles assumed by various players and how those emerged
• Observe the strategies that help divide the group or build consensus
• Think about the means by which leaders emerged
• Understand communication strategies that helped or hindered the group's efforts
• Apply lessons to real world challenges

©Trainers Warehouse – Trainers Warehouse holds the copyright for this set of questions. Reproductions cannot be made without express approval.

MORE LEARNING GAMES AVAILABLE FROM TRAINERS WAREHOUSE

Trainers Warehouse sells so much more than Thumballs. Explore a variety games that build awareness or skill in communication, team development, and leadership. Find additional debrief tools here.

CELEBRATE SUCCESS WITH LEARNING MO-MINTS™

Learning Mo-Mints™ are a small-but-mighty giveaway that keeps learning fresh and fun. Hand out these refreshing mints to celebrate achievements, punctuate memorable moments, and reinforce a growth mindset during trainings, classes, and team meetings.

WHY TEAMS LOVE THEM

• Boosts engagement: A light, energizing treat that helps participants stay alert and positive.
• Makes learning stick: A playful reminder that every step forward is worth savoring.
• Shareable & memorable: Sparks smiles, gratitude, and conversation in any learning environment.

HOW TO USE

• Celebrate “aha” moments, milestones, and end-of-module wins.
• Place a tin at each table to welcome attendees and set a positive tone.
• Pair with certificates, kudos notes, or closing reflections to reinforce key takeaways.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Each tin measures 2.5" x 2"—perfectly portable for workshops and meetings.
• Filled with refreshing mints; flavor and quantity vary by batch.
• Reusable tin for easy refills or desk storage.

IDEAL FOR

• Trainers, facilitators, coaches, teachers, and team leaders.
• Workshops, onboarding, professional development, and recognition moments.