Unlock $10 offyour first order
Tools for Consultants
Skip the costly consultants and draw on the tools they use foster communication, leadership, and strategic thinking. Trainers Warehouse curates tools from expert trainers, facilitators, and consultants around the world.
Sort by:
59 products
59 products
Look under your thumb, share, and get happy at work!
The Get Happy at Work Thumball discussion prompts help create a more positive workplace by allowing colleagues to share goals, discuss challenges, and build relationships. Focusing on Positive Emotion, Engagement, Meaning, Accomplishments, and Relationships, the prompts help surface sources of happiness as they draw out individuals' personal qualities, work challenges, professional goals, and organizational dynamics. By putting a positive spin on important discussion topics, the Get Happy at Work Thumball helps promote optimism, identify areas for organizational improvement and build a happier workplace.
Share your reaction to whatever prompt lies under your thumb. Thumball is a soft 6" stuffed ball with loads of applications!
You could also purchase our UNZIP-it! with Get Happy at Work Card Deck (Product Code #: BLZPAJ). These cards contain the same awesome prompts as our Thumball!
GET HAPPY AT WORK THUMBALL PROMPTS
The 32 prompts on this Thumball explore...
- Workplace opportunities, challenges, and accomplishments
- Upcoming priorities
- Experiences and learning moments
- Personal and professional goals
- New risks, learning, or skills you hope to explore
- Meaningful mentors, people, and relationships at work
[NOTE: Silver Series Conversation Prompts are available as Thumballs, UNZiP-IT! Pocket & Deck, and Virtual/Remote PPT.]
** TIPS & FACILITATION SUGGESTIONS **
- Explain your goal.To maximize participation, explain that your goal is to promote shared understanding and build a happier, more supportive environment.
- Don't rush it.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. Don't feel rushed to get to the next question. Rather, give people the time needed to discuss what's on their mind.
- Take notes.Thumballs have a great way of teasing out important information. Keep a notepad handy in case you hit an issue you'd like to revisit later.
-
Give each player a “pass.”If a player finds a prompt particularly difficult, invite them to take a PASS, ASK A FRIEND, or request a DISCUSSION.
NOTE: This ball is part of Trainers Warehouse's exclusive Silver Series Thumballs. (C) Trainers Warehouse.
MORE RESOURCES
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!
The Team Dynamics Thumball looks like a cool soccer ball and has 32 panels pre-printed with cogent phrases suited for adults and teens.
Teams are everywhere – at work, at home, at school, on and off playing fields. From board rooms to church basements, we're thrown together with people we may or may not know well, and are challenged to achieve great results. Is your team performing to the max? How do you support each other? How do you develop consensus and manage disagreements? Team Dynamics Thumball is a playful way to raise these critical questions so that your teams can reach their full potential.
Use Team Dynamics Thumball to stimulate conversation, promote team spirit, and boost flagging energy.
TEAM DYNAMICS THUMBALL PROMPTS
Through a series of conversation prompts, explore how your group is working as a team. For example, discuss...
- Benefits and drawbacks of teaming
- Ways to make others feel heard, show respect, and draw in multiple perspectives
- Systems to improve productivity and minimize duplication of efforts
- Approaches to identify goals, work to completion and celebrate success
- Management of disagreements, problems, and mistakes
- Methods to develop consensus, show support, and motivate each other.
©Trainers Warehouse – Trainers Warehouse holds the copyright for this set of questions. Reproductions cannot be made without express approval.
[NOTE: Silver Series Conversation Prompts are available as Thumballs, UNZiP-IT! Pocket & Deck, and Virtual/Remote PPT.]
** TIPS **
FACILITATION Suggestions
EXPLAIN HOW IT WORKS: Someone throws the ball, another catches it and responds to the prompt under their thumb.
FACILITATION TIP 1: SET EXPECTATIONS AND EXPLAIN CLEARLY
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:
-
- Option 1: 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: BE PREPARED 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.
MORE RESOURCES
WHY FACILITATORS LOVE IT
- Unlimited flexibility: Build your own prompts for leadership training, icebreakers, coaching sessions, wellness checks, or just-for-fun games.
- Interactive engagement: Toss the ball, answer the question under your thumb, and keep the group energized and involved.
- Reusable and durable: Soft, stitched 6″ fabric ball designed to last through countless training sessions.
- Personalized learning: Helps trainers align activities directly to their content, participants, or organizational culture.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
- One 6″ Thumball® with 32 blank panels
- Permanent marker included for writing prompts
BEST USES
- Corporate training workshops
- Team building and icebreakers
- Leadership coaching and mentoring
- Classroom learning and student engagement
- Wellness, DEI, or custom content programs
FAQS
Q: Can I erase and reuse the panels?
A: No. While this is a customizable team building ball, the panels are not erasable. This design prevents smudging during play and ensures the prompts stay visible long-term.
Q: What kind of marker should I use?
A: To create your personalized conversation starter, be sure to use a fine-tip permanent marker works best. The ball ships with one marker included. Avoid washable or erasable markers as they will smear.
Q: Any tips for writing on the panels?
A: Yes! Use a fine-point permanent marker and take your time to write clearly. Practicing your prompts on paper first is a good way to ensure legibility and fit.
Q: What makes this different from other Thumballs®?
A: Unlike pre-printed Thumballs®, this DIY version gives facilitators total creative freedom to tailor questions and activities to their specific training content and audience.
Q: Who uses Create Your Own Thumball® most?
A: Trainers, teachers, facilitators, HR professionals, coaches, and team leaders who want a versatile tool for engagement and customized learning.
Image above shows suggested use only. You'll get a ball with 30 BLANK panels!
** TIPS **
How to customize your Thumball™
- Use a permanent, fine-tip marker so it's easy to write and doesn't smudge.
- Plan before your write! You have 30 panels to fill up (10 blue; 20 silver). The two pre-printed panels on the top and bottom say “You Choose,” allowing players to respond to any panel on the ball.
- Practice your writing! Be sure your handwriting is big, bold and legible.
- Fill all the spaces! Write in vocabulary words, questions, key words, and more. If you still have empty spaces, consider one or more of these ideas:
-
- Repeat a prompt twice. Repetition can be good (if you put the same words on two panels – simply let players know that they need to build upon a previous answer).
- “Pass to the right” – player passes the ball to the person directly to the right.
- “Stump the Leader” – player chooses which panel the facilitator must answer.
- “Toss Again” – player tosses ball up and re-catches it.
- “Share 5” or “Group Share”– player gets topic from facilitator and 5 or more players must all offer answers.
Facilitation Suggestions
- Depending on your group, roll, pass, toss, or kick Thumball™ among players.
- Circulate the ball clockwise, counterclockwise or random direction.
- Specify which thumb to look under for the prompt -- right thumb, left thumb or the finger of your choice.
- Ask players to respond to the prompt. Or, to kick it up a notch, invite them to ask another player to respond.
- Select time limits for responses and length of game.
- Add point values to each prompt/question and let players know that will earn and/or lose points for each response.
NOTE: This ball is part of our exclusive Silver Series Thumballs.
MORE RESOURCES
Energize your group with your very own Pipeline Game. Give each participant one short length of half pipe and challenge the group to deliver a ball down the pipes from the starting point to the finish line. A successful pipeline team building activity requires participating groups to exercise excellent communication, creativity and teamwork.
TRANSFORM GROUPS INTO WELL-FUNCTIONING TEAMS WITH A PIPELINE CHALLENGE
- Energize a group
- Build communication skills
- Practice group problem solving
- Practice goal setting
Pipeline Game -- also known as Pipeline Challenge or Gutter Ball - is effective with kids, teenagers and adults, and can be played indoors or out. Choose this activity when you need to energize the group into a team, or to emphasize the importance of each member's actions in a team.
FEATURES
- 12 high-quality, sturdy 15.25" half-pipes; Each pipe has an inside diameter of 2-1/2 inches
- 3 balls (marble, ball bearing, golf ball)
- Handy nylon storage bag
- Facilitation notes on how to play and process the exercise
DEBRIEFING SUGGESTIONS
As with most team building games, the Pipeline Game will be most effective if you take the time fully debrief the experience. Start with questions that specifically address the dynamics that played out during the game. Understand what happened and how the experience made each player feel. After that, shift your questions and conversation to the real-world learning that can be applied from the game. Consider handful of questions to debrief the pipeline team building activity, such as:
- How well did the group cope with this challenge?
- What, if any, goals did your group set? How? Did you succeed?
- What skills did it take to be successful as a group?
- What creative solutions were suggested and how were they received
- How can you compare this challenge to other situations (e.g., at school, home or work)?
Group Size: 8 to 12 ideal, but can be done with 6 to 14
Time: ~15-60 mins
FAQs for Pipeline Game (Pipeline Challenge / Gutter Ball)
Q: What do participants do in the Pipeline Game?
A: Each person holds a short half-pipe and the group works together to roll a ball from a start point to a finish line—without dropping it—by coordinating movement, spacing, and handoffs.
Q: What’s the ideal group size?
A: Ideal for 8–12 participants, but it can work well with 6–14 depending on space and how challenging you make the course.
Q: How long does it take to run?
A: Plan for 15–60 minutes, depending on the complexity of the challenge and how much time you spend debriefing.
Q: What skills does this activity build?
A: Communication, teamwork, creativity, problem solving, and goal setting—plus the big takeaway that every person’s actions affect the whole team’s success.
Q: What’s included in the kit?
A: 12 sturdy 15.25" half-pipes (inside diameter 2.5"), 3 balls (marble, ball bearing, and golf ball), a nylon storage bag, and facilitation notes with instructions and debrief suggestions.
Q: Can it be played indoors or outdoors?
A: Yes. It works well indoors or outdoors—just adjust the course and spacing for the environment.
Q: How should I debrief the exercise?
A: Start with what happened (team dynamics, emotions, communication), then connect it to real work/school life. Helpful prompts include goals set, coping strategies, skills used, creative ideas tried, and parallels to real situations.
TeamWRITER® is a patented, collaborative team-building game that gets groups communicating, problem-solving, and laughing together. Teams assemble the device, attach strings to the TeamWRITER “gizmo,” then work together to guide a single pen and produce legible writing or simple drawings.
WHAT IT BUILDS
- Communication & listening: groups must coordinate hand tension and verbal cues
- Problem-solving: agree on what to write, then figure out how to do it together
- Role clarity & leadership: natural roles emerge (caller, steady hands, strategist)
- Psychological safety: low-risk, high-fun activity that levels the playing field
HOW IT WORKS
- Assemble the TeamWRITER and connect the strings to the central holder.
- Choose a word, phrase, picture, or logo to write.
- Coordinate pulls and slack on the strings to steer the pen together.
- Debrief: What helped or hindered clarity, trust, and execution?
Patented design: TeamWRITER is protected under US Patent D1,037,355 S. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
WHEN TO USE
- Kickoffs and icebreakers for new or cross-functional teams
- Workshops on collaboration, communication, or Agile teamwork
- Leadership retreats and off-sites as a fast, hands-on challenge
AUDIENCE
TeamWriter is best played with 4 to 10 participants
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- TeamWRITER device (string-guided writing “gizmo”)
- 2 guide plates to hold the player ropes
- 1 stem that holds the guide plates and marker in place
- 10 light-weight ropes
- 1 Sharpie brand marker. NOTE: the marker holder is sized to hold a Sharpie(TM) brand marker. If using a different marker, you may need to wrap some duct tape around the barrel of the marker for a snug fit. You will also need to secure a large sheet of paper (flip chart paper works great) or cardboard to the ground.
- Bag to hold the game parts
- Setup and usage instructions
- Facitlitation notes containing game ideas and tips
FACILITATION TIPS
- Encourage groups to "start small" (initials, simple shapes) before attempting words or logos
- Assign roles: navigator (caller), timekeeper, and quality checker
- Run two rounds: first without strategy, second with agreed signals—then compare outcomes
FAQS
Q: What exactly do participants do?
A: Teams connect strings to the central holder and collectively steer a pen to write or draw, using coordinated pulls and clear communication.
Q: How long does the exercise take?
A: Many facilitators play the whole game in about 20-30 minutes. Depending on the complexity of the challenge, expect 5-10 minutes to ASSEMBLE the device and DRAW, and 10-25 minutes to DEBREIEF.
Q: What makes TeamWRITER different?
A: This activity requires genuine interdependence and collaboration—no one person can “win” alone—so listening becomes the only path to success.
TeamWriter® is a patented, easy-to-use, collaborative team-building game. Fit the pieces together, connect a set of strings to the TeamWriter gismo, and work as a team to write something that's actually legible. (PAT. US D1,037,355 S )
SUPER FUN CHALLENGES
Facilitators can easily adapt this game to a myriad of applications. For instance, you could have groups:
- Write the answer to topical question
- Draw an icon that represents a key learning point
- Write out a meaningful question or phrase
Once the group figures out WHAT they will write, the next challenge is HOW they will do it. Together they'll have to coordinate:
- Where is the top of the page?
- Into which holes should they connect the strings for maximum control?
- Who will be the group leader?
- How will you communicate effectively and listen to each other respectfully?
To add difficulty, facilitators can limit the time available to complete the task, limit communication to non-verbal cues only, or blindfold one more players.
SEE IT IN ACTION!
DEVELOP A BROAD RANGE OF TEAM BUILDING SKILLS
The TeamWriter exercise is excellent whether your team is forming, storming, norming or performing! Adapt the dynamic team building activity to any of these important team development goals:
- Improve team dynamics
- Solve challenging problems together
- Break the Ice
- Improve Communication
- Build Trust
- Develop strong leadership
Patent No.: US D1,037,355 S
COMPARISON CHART
Not sure which team-building activity is right for your group? Trainers Warehouse offers a variety of experiential learning games that build skills in communication, collaboration, adaptability, leadership, and conflict resolution. Use the chart below to compare five of our most popular activities—PuzzleBlind®, Helium Stick®, TeamWRITER®, Shape Up!®, and Team 10®—and choose the one that best fits your training goals, group size, and workshop format.
| Activity | Ideal Group Size | Core Skills Developed | Time Required | Key Dynamic | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PuzzleBlind® | 4–8 players per puzzle (parallel teams for larger groups) | Communication, trust, listening, coaching, conflict resolution | ~30–40 minutes (play + debrief) | Builders are blindfolded, coaches give verbal instructions | Leadership training, conflict resolution, communication workshops |
| Helium Stick® | 8–12 participants per stick | Communication, alignment, group focus, patience | ~20–30 minutes (setup + play + debrief) | Teams must lower a lightweight rod without it rising up | Quick energizer, communication warm-up, leadership retreats |
| TeamWRITER® | 6–12 participants (expandable with multiple pens/strings) | Collaboration, interdependence, coordination, listening | ~20–30 minutes (assembly + play + debrief) | Teams collectively pull strings to guide a pen and write/draw | Collaboration workshops, leadership development, trust building |
| Shape Up!® | Small teams of 4–6 per set (multiple sets scale up) | Problem-solving, communication, collaboration, | ~20-30 minutes (multiple rounds + debrief) | Players must figure out which of their pieces is a duplicate | Problem-solving workshops, collaboration training, communication skill-building |
| Team 10® | Groups of 4–8 players | Adaptability, resilience, dealing with disruption, collaborative planning | ~20–30 minutes (play + debrief) | Teams search for 10 matching cards until a “Scramble” card forces to begin again | Change management workshops, adaptability training, and teamwork energizer |
Look under your thumb and share!
The Be a Leader Thumball gets the conversation going about what skills great leaders possess, and guides players through a bit of introspection as they consider their own leadership strengths or opportunities for improvement.
This ball contains 32 panels including both reflective and forward-thinking prompts! Players share their reaction to whatever prompt lies beneath their thumb.
BE A LEADER THUMBALL PROMPTS
In this unique Leadership Thumball, find a full range of conversation starters, including:
- Leadership traits that I have or aspire to have in myself and my team
- Ways to motivate, inspire, and recognize employee contributions
- Methods for dealing with disagreement, decision making, and mistakes
- Reflections on challenges, frustrations, delegation, and impatience
- Approaches to promote growth and learning
- Techniques to get buy-in, promote diversity, and share feedback
[NOTE: Silver Series Conversation Prompts are available as Thumballs, UNZiP-IT! Pocket & Deck, and Virtual/Remote PPT.]
FACILITATION SUGGESTIONS
Some seem to be born leaders; others must work at it. No matter who you are, you'll be a better leader if you take time to reflect on past experiences, discuss future goals, and identify ways to engage your group. The Be a Leader Thumball is a discussion tool to help you develop key leadership qualities and identify specific ways to communicate your vision, spread enthusiasm, build your team's esteem, seek broad perspectives, and more.
Be flexible
Expect to adapt your use of this tool to the needs and experience of your group. Some may be able to give quick or pat answers to a prompt; others might want to take some time to discuss or brainstorm best practices; still others might benefit from delving into a conversation about the implied leadership quality in order to discuss why it's important. If a player finds a prompt particularly difficult, invite them to take a PASS, ASK A FRIEND, or request a DISCUSSION about why it matters.
Options
- Discuss similarities or differences in replies.
- Have everyone respond to the same prompt.
- Discuss the long-term implications of various actions.
©Trainers Warehouse – Trainers Warehouse holds the copyright for this set of questions. Reproductions cannot be made without express approval.
MORE RESOURCES
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
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
Team Development Thumball® Set (with Free Mesh Bag) is a ready-to-run bundle of soft, tossable conversation balls loaded with prompts that build trust, communication, and collaboration in corporate retreats, business workshops, or workplace training. Facilitate icebreakers, coaching conversations, and debriefs by simply tossing, catching, and answering the prompt under your thumb—no prep, no slides, just real dialogue that strengthens teams. The stitched panels and durable stuffed vinyl are designed for heavy use.
HOW IT HELPS TEAMS
- Fast engagement: the toss-catch mechanic reduces anxiety and gets everyone talking
- Better communication: printed prompts spark stories, perspectives, and active listening
- Psychological safety: low-risk questions build comfort before tackling tougher topics
- Scalable & flexible: works for stand-ups, workshops, off-sites, classrooms, and retreats
- Zero tech, high impact: portable tools that facilitate face-to-face conversation
- Enhances emotional intelligence, listening, and conflict resolution.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Curated Team Development Thumball® set (multiple conversation balls with printed prompts)
- Free mesh carry bag for storage and quick transport
- Quick-start facilitation tips (toss–catch–answer, pass option, timeboxing, debrief ideas)
The Team Development Thumball Set puts almost 200 content-rich discussion prompts at your fingertips. Whether your team knows each other well, or are just forming new bonds, you're sure to find topics that will build appreciation and understanding. Each ball is easy to use! Just toss one of the 6 balls, then ask the recipient to look under their thumb and respond to the prompt. With this playful tool, your group will be able to explore:
- What makes your colleagues feel HAPPY?
- How do your TEAM DYNAMICS enable or inhibit success?
- Are you sensitive to Issues of DIVERSITY and INCLUSION?
- Is your team in sync when it comes to values and ETHICS?
- What's causing STRESS and how can it be managed?
- How you can promote positive LEADERSHIP?
The Team Development 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 that have been vetted by subject matter experts. They are suited for adults and teens alike! Following are more details about each of the popular Silver Series Thumballs in the Team Development set:
- The Get Happy at Work Thumball prompts help create a more positive workplace by allowing colleagues to share goals, discuss challenges, and build relationships. Focusing on Positive Emotion, Engagement, Meaning, Accomplishments, and Relationships, the prompts help surface sources of happiness as they draw out individuals' personal qualities, work challenges, professional goals, and organizational dynamics. By putting a positive spin on important discussion topics, the Get Happy at Work Thumball helps promote optimism, identify areas for organizational improvement and build a happier workplace.
- The Team Dynamics Thumball enables conversations that promote team spirit and boost flagging energy. Teams are everywhere – at work, at home, at school, on and off playing fields. From board rooms to church basements, we're thrown together with people we may or may not know well, and are challenged to achieve great results. Is your team performing to the max? How do you support each other? How do you develop consensus and manage disagreements? Team Dynamics Thumball is a playful way to raise these critical questions so that your teams can reach their full potential.
- The Be a Leader Thumball gets the conversation going about what skills great leaders possess, and guides players through a bit of introspection as they consider their own leadership strengths or opportunities for improvement.
- The Diversity Thumball is a fun training tool that tackles a difficult topic with smarts and sensitivity. We live in a diverse world. Some differences are visible, like skin color, gender, height or weight, physical challenges and age. Others may not be visually apparent, but still affect how individuals feel or are treated: ethnicity, socio-economic position, sexual orientation, use or non-use of alcohol, allergies, intellect, depression and other emotional diseases.
- The Workplace 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. It helps in having 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. How do you distinguish right from wrong? Is your idea of ethical obligations and responsibilities the same as your colleagues, friends and family?
- The Stress Management Thumball helps you explore the causes of stress and the various ways you might manage its impact. Teams can discuss what affects their stress level, how they can help each other out, how they can better manage their own approach to stress, and more.
Note: Specific Thumball® titles in the set may vary; each ball is focused on teamwork, leadership, and communication themes.
WHEN TO USE
- Kickoffs & new team formation
- Manager training & leadership development
- Retrospectives & after-action reviews
- Onboarding, cross-functional meetups, and offsites
- Icebreakers, energizers, and closing reflections
HOW TO FACILITATE
- Invite a volunteer to start; toss the Thumball® across the room.
- When caught, the player reads the panel under their thumb and shares a brief response.
- Toss to another person and repeat. Offer a “pass” option to keep psychological safety high.
- Debrief: capture patterns, insights, and next steps for the team.
FAQS
Q: What makes Thumball® different from typical icebreakers?
A: Prompts are printed on the ball, so no prep is needed. The playful toss reduces pressure, encourages participation, and keeps energy high.
Q: How many people can play?
A: Ideal for groups of 6–25. For larger groups, use multiple balls or run parallel circles.
Q: How long does a round take?
A: 5–15 minutes for a quick opener; 20–40 minutes for deeper discussion and debrief. It's good to model what sort of answers you're looking for. If an answer isn't thorough, feel free to say, "tell me more..."
Q: Who is this for?
A: Team leaders, facilitators, trainers, educators, and coaches who want a quick, effective way to strengthen team dynamics.
Q: How do I care for the balls and bag?
A: Wipe clean with a soft cloth. Store dry in the mesh bag to keep everything together between sessions.
©Trainers Warehouse – Trainers Warehouse holds the copyright for this set of questions. Reproductions cannot be made without express approval.
MORE RESOURCES
End 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.
MEMORY-BUILDING CONVERSATION PROMPTS
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
FACILITATION TIPS
To get the most out of your Thumball experience, consider these tips:
- Be transparent about your goal. Help the group understand why review is import for memory and recall.
- Don't rush. Remember that synthesis and retrieval of information takes time -- and a different amount of time for different players. Invite responders to consult with a colleague, or ask that you come back to them for a more thoughtful answer.
- Move from small groups to bigger groups. Understand that some don't like sharing in a large group. Welcome players to discuss answers with one or two other participants, pool their answers, then share with the group. After that, check in with the whole group. See if all the groups come up with the same responses.
©Trainers Warehouse – Trainers Warehouse holds the copyright for this set of questions. Reproductions cannot be made without express approval.
Sometimes GREAT work happens in small ways. Let people know you've noticed the big and small efforts they make each day to contribute to your organization, promote its mission, and create positivity.
Use carbonless Kudos to give recognition and keep a record of it! Each time you send someone a note of appreciation, you'll have a duplicate to keep in your file -- or pass on to a manager or mentor who might want to know about your hero's achievements. Keep a record of your notes!
Each page is printed with: "I noticed you took our values to heart." Check off the appropriate boxes and include your own "from the heart" message.
Set includes 3 pads; each pad is 3.25" x 5" and has 50 2-part carbonless sets.
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:
- Have each recipient answer the question with the first thought that comes to their mind.
- After one recipient responds, invite others to share their replies to the same prompt.
- Toss the ball to select one on discussion prompt to focus on for your entire meeting.
- 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
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
Super Deluxe Fiddle Set – 48-piece collection delivers “a little bit of everything” in fidget tools—perfect for training rooms, workshops, and medium-sized groups. With a wide array of stretchy, squeezable, flexible, and tactile fiddles, this set of quiet fidget toys for training supports relaxation, focus, and energy release—and comes in a durable draw-string storage bag.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
- 48 assorted fiddles—mix of stretch, flex, squeeze, shape, mold, twist, and more
KEY BENEFITS OF PROFESSIONAL FIDGETS FOR MEETINGS
- Variety-packed: Tailored to every tactile preference in the group
- Engagement support: Helps users stay both attentive and calm during sessions
- Ideal for medium-sized groups: Great for workshops, classrooms, and breakout sessions
- Portable & durable: Draw-string bag keeps everything together and ready to go
FAQS
Q: How does this compare to other fiddle sets?
A: At 48 pieces, the Super Deluxe sits between the 24-piece Deluxe and the massive 84-piece Kitchen Sink sets—offering both variety and manageability for medium groups.
Q: What kinds of fidget motions are included?
A: Expect a dynamic mix—stretch, flex, twist, squeeze, mold, and manipulate across both large and small items, and both gentle and more engaging textures.
Q: How do I clean them?
A: Most pieces are plastic and dishwasher-safe; for delicate items, lightly wipe with a sanitized cloth.
Q: Can this fit into existing training kits?
A: Yes—the draw-string bag is portable and compact enough to tuck into tote cases or be stored on a shelf.
Q: Who benefits most from this set?
A: Facilitators, trainers, teachers, HR professionals, and learners themselves —anyone working with medium-sized groups who want versatile tactile tools to improve focus, relieve stress, and boost engagement. While children also benefit from fidget tools, Trainers Warehouse focuses on creating a professional fidget set for meeting attendees.
WHY TRAINERS WAREHOUSE FIDGETS?
This super-versatile 48-piece collection has a little of everything. That is... everything that meets our Trainers Warehouse criteria for an excellent fidget toy! It must be:
- Durable
- Have an interesting motion: stretching, flexing, squeezing, shaping, molding, etc.
- Look good but not so good that it becomes a distratction
- Build relaxation and focus in learning events and meetings
- Help your group feel more at ease!
- Not be too loud or distracting to other learners.
This terrific set comes in its own durable draw-string plastic storage bag and weighs about 5 lbs.
(Substitutions occasionally necessary).
MORE RESOURCES
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
- Explain your goal. To maximize participation, explain that your goal is to promote shared understanding and build a happier, more supportive environment.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Use ULEAD cards to facilitate workshops, run group activities, conduct icebreaker activities, or just have fun. This multi-faceted 52-card deck has 12 different elements to assist with teaming, relationship building, debriefs, conversation and more.
Elements include:
- Photographic images
- Letters
- Emotions
- Action words
- Icebreaker Questions
- Famous quotations
- Animals
- Iconic images
- Playing Cards
This deck will help energize your group, generate participation, manage change and overcome resistance, and ultimately inspire and motivate teams.
SEE A DEMO
Ritch Hochstetler, of ULead, shares a handful of best practices to facilitate workshops, run group activities, conduct icebreaker activities, or just have fun. This unique facilitation tool helps groups build connections:
- Discover new activities for relational connection
- Grow skills for brainstorming and co-creation
- Draw out participants' personalities and passions
Improve communications skills with the Murder Mystery Deck v3
Use this popular 30-minute Murder Mystery game to improve communication skills, team building, problem solving, leadership, and more. Simply distribute the 27 clues among the participants. By sharing information, your group should be able to identify the victim, murder weapon, time and place of the murder, and motive.
As with any team building game, the true learning comes when they discuss the techniques that helped or hindered their process. Facilitation Notes included.
OBJECTIVES for MURDER MYSTERY Communication Game
- Make discussions more productive
- Enhance problem solving skills
- Differentiate "task-related" and "process-related" comments
- Discover productive team behaviors
- Increase clarity of communications
- Improve listening and questioning skills
- Aid participation and involvement
- Increase critical thinking skills
- Increase awareness of the contributions of others
APPLICATIONS
- Discussion Skills
- Facilitation Skills
- Train-the-Trainer
- Problem Solving
- Team Work
- Communication Skills
- Collaboration
- Leadership/Supervision
- Interpersonal Skills
- Empowerment Group Dynamics
Working remotely? Email a few clues to each player and try to sort it out over the phone--maybe with a shared online whiteboard! After all clear phone communication is more important now than ever!
Cards measure 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches
Blocked Perspective helps to improve communication and allows the practice of healthy conflict by group discovery of the value of differing perspectives. Participants are challenged to accurately re-create block structures depicted on Photo cards.
This fun activity, created by High 5 Adventure, is fun, engaging and helps all team members see how their perspective is not necessarily the correct one or the only one of value. As participants engage and work together to solve the initiative they soon come to realize that by taking time to gather and consider all perspectives they are better able to be successful.
Group size: 6-30, depending on game variation
Each kit includes:
- 50 high-quality wooden blocks of difference shapes and sizes
- 25 photographs
- Instructions for how to play the games, and debrief 5 game variations for level of challenge
- Instructions on how to adapt games, allowing your groups to have multiple experiences with same initiative.
Kit Weight: 4 lbs
MORE RESOURCES
Help speed up interactions and conversation in groups that need a spark to ignite them!
ExpressPack is an image/metaphor-based tool in the form of a pack of 53 playing cards. The wide range of photo images included provides an excellent resource to help trainers and coaches help individuals and groups to truly "Express" themselves and engage in stimulating conversations. Pictures allow individuals to express their needs and viewpoints more openly and quickly.
USES for this versatile pack are limited only by your imagination, but here are some suggestions:
Personal Development / Coaching
Cards can be used to assist individuals in their personal development. This may be in a coaching scenario, in a mentoring role, as a Manager in business, as a Youth or Community Worker or simply with someone you would like to help. A sample question might be: "Identify one card which represents where you are now, and one where you would like to be in the future." Once they have chosen their cards, ask them to express their thoughts and feelings about the cards. Once this has been done, you could ask the individual to identify a card which represents the first step on this journey.
Introductions/Getting groups started
Facilitators and trainers know what it's like to be in a room with a group where the conversations are not flowing! Often this happens at the start of a day, when the individuals are just scoping out the group and how they will contribute. ExpressPack is a great way of starting the day and helping a natural flow into other ideas you may want to introduce. For example, lay out a pack of cards and get individuals to pick a card which they think relates to them in some way and use it to introduce themselves.
Change
Change is happening all the time, individuals are developing, organizations are changing, global issues are affecting us all. Change, therefore, is part of life and a subject which can be explored using ExpressPack. Ask an individual or team, prior to a change initiative, to identify a card which represents the state of the organization now and another to show how they would like it to be in the future.
Leadership and Management Development
Leaders and Managers need to help bring clarity to situations. Some useful starting questions might include: "Pick 5 cards which represent your vision of what is important to you in your role?"
Teams
Any work with teams usually needs to focus initially on a clarity of joint understanding. A useful question dependent upon the stage of team development might be: "Pick a number of cards which illustrate your expectations of this team."
View Video Demo!
Ideal group size: 2-8
Boxed set of 53 playing cards 2 inches x 3.5 inches. A carefully researched and designed group learning activity from RSVP Design. The images were created by talented photographers and trainers Simon Whalley and Tony Wright.
The Teamwork and Teamplay Cards by team-building expert Jim Cain, let you facilitate 17 powerful team and community-building activities.
Each oversized card contains six elements, making them incredibly versatile:
- Traditional number and card suit
- Personality characteristics
- Thought for the Day
- Clue for team matrix puzzle
- "Are you More like…" icebreaker question
- 3 "Big Questions" which are great for getting-to-know-you exercises.
Plus, use the 11 "Thumbprint" cards for debriefing a team activity -- the front sides contain illustrations of a variety of team dynamics; on the reverse sides, you'll find a smorgasbord of puzzles, games, and activities to energize your group.
17 ACTIVITIES FROM ONE DECK: Below is a listing of everything you can do with this single card deck:
- Thirteen Clues - Four different mysteries to be solved.
- Thought For the Day - Inspirational quotes and messages.
- The Big Question - Three levels of icebreaking questions.
- Character Match Game - Exploring character actively.
- Thumbprints - A visual debriefing activity.
- I Doubt It - A simple card game that explores trust.
- Personal Pyramid - A presentation of personal values.
- Hieroglyphics - A linguistic challenge for groups.
- Acronyms - A second linguistic challenge for groups.
- Treasure Hunt - A mathematical group discovery activity.
- Card Tricks - Jim's three favorite card challenges.
- Tongue Twisters - A third linguistic challenge for groups.
- The 15th Object - A game with a teachable moment.
- Are You More Like? - Conversation and choices.
- Pass the Deck - A fast-paced problem solving activity.
- Stack the Deck - A fast-paced sorting activity for groups.
- Watch 4 It - Real life examples of character words.
AUDIENCES: Use with team members in new or developing teams, with first level supervisors and managers to build strong, high-performing teams. or with young people in education.
The cards also contain some useful and inspirational quotes, personal values and character descriptions that could be used in a variety of coaching and team development contexts.
Deck of 52 cards, 5" x 8".
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.
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
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
- 5 different shapes (groups of 10)
- 10 numbers (groups of 5)
- 6 colors (groups of 8-9)
- You can also use for pairings, create smaller groups, or come up with new combinations.
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
PuzzleBlind® Team-Building Game is an immersive corporate training activity designed to strengthen communication, trust, and role clarity. In this exercise, blindfolded builders must assemble a puzzle while coaches provide verbal instructions. The challenge highlights teamwork, leadership, and the importance of clear communication—making it a favorite for leadership retreats, manager training, conflict resolution workshops, and corporate team-building events.
WHY FACILITATORS LOVE IT
- High-impact learning: Teams immediately see how poor communication creates misalignment and how clarity builds success.
- Versatile: Works as a leadership exercise, energizer, or corporate icebreaker.
- Memorable experience: Blindfolds and timed construction create an engaging challenge with lasting lessons.
- Practical debrief: Surfaces real workplace issues like unclear directions, assumptions, and role confusion.
- Role clarity: Teams shift between strategists (coaches) and executors (builders), exploring leadership styles and decision-making dynamics.
- Trust under pressure: Without sight, participants must trust instructions and each other—trust becomes both the method and the lesson.
- Adjustable difficulty: Add or remove rules (e.g., only coaches speak, all blindfolded, one question per turn) to scale challenge and insights.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
This game is a useful tool to discuss the following interteam-dynamics:
- Improve communication and listening skills
- Build trust and team alignment when solving problems
- Clarify roles and responsibilities, including choosing and developing leaders
- Practice conflict resolution and problem-solving
- Increase confidence in leading and coaching others
- Listening to multiple speakers and perspectives and addressing when teammates talk over each other
WHAT’S INCLUDED
- Puzzle pieces set -- Oversized puzzle have texture on one side
- Durable blindfolds for team members
- Facilitator guide with setup, instructions, and debrief prompts
- Reusable tote bag for easy storage and transport
BEST USES
- Corporate training and leadership development programs
- Team-building workshops and offsite retreats
- Conflict resolution or communication skills training
- Energizer or icebreaker at the start of a meeting
- Hybrid or remote team sessions (with creative adaptation)
- Leadership development by rotating roles and debriefing leadership behavior
FAQS
Q: What’s the ideal group size?
A: Flexible—typically 4–8 players per puzzle, but works well with parallel teams for larger groups.
Q: What skills do participants develop?
A: Teams practice communication, trust, listening, coaching, and conflict resolution—all under realistic workplace-like conditions.
Q: What materials are included?
A: Each kit comes with puzzle pieces, blindfolds, a facilitator guide, and a tote bag. All materials are durable, safe, and reusable.
Q: Who benefits most from this activity?
A: Trainers, HR teams, managers, and leaders running workshops on communication, collaboration, and team trust.
Q: How long does it take?
A: Plan for a 30+ minute activity—15 minutes to strategize and play, plus debrief time.
FACILITATING PUZZLEBLIND
Before you begin:
- Scatter the puzzle pieces on the ground with the textured side up (the other side is smooth).
- Assemble your team around the puzzle
- Let them know that some portion of their team will need to assemble the puzzle blindfolded.
- 1 RULE: Only blindfolded players can touch the puzzle pieces
- Give teams up to 10 minutes to strategize -- to choose a leader(s), decide how many players (and who) will be blindfolded, etc.
- NOTE: see below for additional facilitation choices that will increase the challenge.
Expect the game to take 30+ minutes depending on your group and the depth of your debrief.
PUZZLEBLIND AS A TEAM BUILDING GAME
When playing PuzzleBlind, facilitators can adjust the experience to focus on a range of communication and teambuilding challenges. Consider some of these options:
- One coach & many builders - See what happens when only one team member is sighted, and all the others are blindfolded. While the coach is directing one builder, what do the others do? How do they communicate with each other? Are they talking over each other? Do they wait for the leadership of the only one with vision?
- Two coaches & one builder - Explore how the two coaches interact. Are they both shouting instructions? Is one determining which pieces should fit together, and the other focused on communicating to the builder?
- Multiple coaches & multiple builders - Watch to see how they organize themselves and communicate with one another as you add more people to the challenge. Do they include everyone in the group or are just a few interacting?
Increase the difficulty by adding these rules:
- Only the coaches can speak; builders must be silent.
- All players are blindfolded... no sighted coaches.
- Each builder can ask only one question of the coach.
- Only one person can speak at a time.
PUZZLEBLIND PUZZLE PIECES
The game was designed to optimize the team building experience:
- Each of the 12 pieces are shaped so that each can be uniquely described.
- Every piece is recognizably different from every other piece.
- Foam material is extremely light weight so players can move pieces around easily.
- Giant size makes the activity suitable for groups of 2-6 adults.
- Multiple completed puzzles fit together, extending the application of the game to inter-group collaboration.
- Finished puzzle measures 4.5' x 6' / Individual pieces measure approximately 20" x 20"
- One side of the pieces has a texture, the other is smooth.
- 6 Blindfolds are included
SPACE & SET UP
Be sure you have ample space for the players and the puzzle. The completed puzzle measures approximately 6' x 4.5'.
Depending on the number of coaches and builders you choose, you might opt to keep all the puzzle pieces stacked in a pile or laid out on the ground.
ADDITIONAL FACILITATION NOTES ARE INCLUDED WITH THE GAME
COMPARISON CHART
Not sure which team-building activity is right for your group? Trainers Warehouse offers a variety of experiential learning games that build skills in communication, collaboration, adaptability, leadership, and conflict resolution. Use the chart below to compare five of our most popular activities—PuzzleBlind®, Helium Stick®, TeamWRITER®, Shape Up!®, and Team 10®—and choose the one that best fits your training goals, group size, and workshop format.
| Activity | Ideal Group Size | Core Skills Developed | Time Required | Key Dynamic | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PuzzleBlind® | 4–8 players per puzzle (parallel teams for larger groups) | Communication, trust, listening, coaching, conflict resolution | ~30–40 minutes (play + debrief) | Builders are blindfolded, coaches give verbal instructions | Leadership training, conflict resolution, communication workshops |
| Helium Stick® | 8–12 participants per stick | Communication, alignment, group focus, patience | ~20–30 minutes (setup + play + debrief) | Teams must lower a lightweight rod without it rising up | Quick energizer, communication warm-up, leadership retreats |
| TeamWRITER® | 6–12 participants (expandable with multiple pens/strings) | Collaboration, interdependence, coordination, listening | ~20–30 minutes (assembly + play + debrief) | Teams collectively pull strings to guide a pen and write/draw | Collaboration workshops, leadership development, trust building |
| Shape Up!® | Small teams of 4–6 per set (multiple sets scale up) | Problem-solving, communication, collaboration, | ~20-30 minutes (multiple rounds + debrief) | Players must figure out which of their pieces is a duplicate | Problem-solving workshops, collaboration training, communication skill-building |
| Team 10® | Groups of 4–8 players | Adaptability, resilience, dealing with disruption, collaborative planning | ~20–30 minutes (play + debrief) | Teams search for 10 matching cards until a “Scramble” card forces to begin again | Change management workshops, adaptability training, and teamwork energizer |
What's My Leadership Style?, by Mary Blitzer Field, is a management development and leadership style assessment that identifies leadership style and helps organizational leaders, managers, and supervisors improve performance and become effective leaders.
Part of the best-selling HRDQ Style Series, What's My Leadership Style is a validated assessment that quickly and accurately identifies a preference for one of four behavioral patterns based on measures of assertiveness and expressiveness: Direct, Spirited, Considerate, or Systematic.
With increased awareness of their personal style and a practical mental framework to build upon, aspiring leaders can assess and adjust their own actions, interpret the behavior of others, and improve their ability to win hearts and minds in any situation calling for effective leadership.
What's My Leadership Style? starts with a leadership style assessment in which individuals are given 20 pairs of actions relating to leadership behavior. With a limit of 5 points, assessment-takers distribute points between the two actions in each pair - indicating the degree to which they prefer either action when acting as a leader. The result of scoring the assessment is the identification of one's preferred leadership style: Direct, Spirited, Considerate, or Systematic. Completing the assessment requires approximately 10 minutes.
TIMING: After the assessment has been scored, we recommend you allow approximately 1 hour for interpretation of scores, topic discussion, debrief, and action planning. The Facilitator Guide also offers an easy-to-follow workshop outline that expands What's My Leadership Style into a 2-hour program.
INCLUDES:
- Facilitator guide
- Sample assessment materials
- Overview of What's My Leadership Style
- Introduction
- Administering What's My Leadership Style
- Experiential Learning Methodology
- Background Information
- Technical Development
- References
- Optional Activities
- Sample Training Design
- Blank Training Outline
- Related Materials from HRDQ
- Certificate of Achievement Template
- Training Evaluation Template
- Overhead Transparency Masters
- Sample Self Assessment
- CD-ROM including Reproducible Handouts and PowerPoint Presentation
- Assessment with pressure-sensitive response form
- What is Leadership?
- What is Style?
- Leadership + Style = Leadership Style
- Interpretive Information
- Is There a Best Leadership Style?
- Characteristics of Each Style
- Applying What You've Learned
Learning Outcomes
- Identify personal leadership style
- Learn how to capitalize on style strengths
- Discover how to minimize style trouble spots
- Learn how to "flex" personal style to interact most effectively with others
Showing 25/59
