Color Chips

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Provide a low-stakes speaking prompt to hear each participant's voice and gauge room tone.

Use it when: At the start of a meeting, training, or class to calibrate energy and establish equal voice early in the session.

Skip it when: When physical or visual color chips cannot be provided or when the agenda requires starting immediately with operational tasks.

Group arrangement: Whole group for 4 to 8 people; subgroups of 3 to 5 people for 9 to 24 participants.

Timing: Source indicates a few minutes for small groups; UWT 10-minute schedule fits up to 24 participants.

Materials and tools

• Varied hardware-store paint chips with printed names (2 to 3 chips per participant)
• Slide displaying a numbered grid of 12 to 16 named color swatches if running online or hybrid

Before participants arrive

1. Pick a single check-in prompt aligned with the session goals.
2. Scatter paint chips across tables or in a central browsing area.

Say this to open

This activity is called Color Chips. It is a brief way to check in and hear from everyone. Look over the paint chips and notice both the shades and the names. Pick one chip that answers this prompt: What color represents your day so far, and why? I will model first: I chose Morning Mist because my start was quiet and a bit foggy. You may pass or just say your color name without explaining.

How to run it

1. Introduce and model 1 minutes

   Read the opening script, stating the prompt clearly. Give one concise example of your own choice using color and name. Direct participants where to find the chips.

2. Select chip and reflect 2 minutes

   Invite participants to browse and take one paint chip. Allow 60 seconds of silent thinking time to reflect on their reason. Note that two people may choose the same color and pass the card as needed.

3. Share in circles 5 minutes

   If the group has 8 or fewer people, invite popcorn-style sharing across the whole room. If the group has 9 to 24 people, direct subgroups of 3 to 5 to share around their circle. Keep turns to one or two sentences.

4. Spot group patterns 2 minutes

   Bring the room back together. Invite two or three volunteers from different subgroups to share themes or patterns they noticed across the colors chosen. Close on time.

Debrief questions

• What patterns or common tones did you notice across the group today?
• Did the color's name or its visual shade guide your selection more?

Finished output: Every participant has the opportunity to select a chip and voice their selection or pass.

Remote

Display a shared slide showing 12 to 16 numbered swatches with clear names. Give 1 minute for silent selection. For under 9 people, use popcorn voice check-in or chat. For 9 to 24 people, send attendees into breakout rooms of 3 to 5 for 4 minutes.

Hybrid

Provide physical chips to onsite tables and screen-share a labeled digital color grid for remote attendees. Remote members can post their pick in the main chat while onsite members share in their table groups, or pair hybrid buddies via individual laptops.

Access and participation choices

• Select paint chips that include clear text names so participants with low vision or color-blindness can choose by label rather than shade alone.
• Participants may pass, hold up a chip silently, or read only the color name without providing a personal explanation.

If the session gets stuck

Two participants want the exact same single paint chip.

Remind the room that chips can be shared; one person holds it and passes it when finished, or both refer to the same color card.

Speakers offer extended monologues that slow down table rounds.

Set a clear boundary before sharing begins: each person gets one or two sentences to name the chip and the reason.

Terms used here

• Popcorn style: An informal speaking format where people speak spontaneously when ready without raising hands.