--- title: "Juggling Ball Game" description: "Participants stand in a circle and toss soft balls across the group, speaking the recipient's name each time to establish and maintain a repeating pattern. Once the sequence is steady, the facilitator adds more balls to test group focus." last_updated: "2026-09-07" canonical: "https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/energizer-juggling-ball-game/" --- # Juggling Ball Game Participants stand in a circle and toss soft balls across the group, speaking the recipient's name each time to establish and maintain a repeating pattern. Once the sequence is steady, the facilitator adds more balls to test group focus. **Time:** 10 minutes. Matches the 10-minute duration stated in the UNICEF Adolescent Kit source. **People:** 4 to 24. Single circle of up to 12 people; split into two parallel circles of 6 to 12 if group exceeds 12 ## Choose this exercise **Purpose:** Practice and reinforce participant names through physical toss-and-catch sequences. **Use it when:** Use at the start of a multi-day program or new team kickoff where people are still learning each other's names. **Skip it when:** Skip if the room lacks open floor space, if participants already know each other well, or when motor coordination exercises create unnecessary anxiety. ## Materials and tools - 1 to 3 soft tossable items per circle (foam balls, beanbags, or rolled socks) ## Before participants arrive 1. Clear furniture to allow a standing circle with roughly 1 meter between participants. 2. Place 3 soft balls or beanbags near the facilitator position. ## Say this to open We are going to learn everyone's names through a simple throwing pattern. I will start by tossing this ball to someone across the circle while saying their name clearly. Remember who threw it to you and who you throw it to, because that exact sequence will stay the same. ## How to run it ### 1. Form circle and explain rule (2 minutes) Gather participants into a standing circle. If more than 12 people are present, divide into two separate circles. Confirm everyone knows their own neighbors' names or is wearing a legible name tag. Explain the core mechanic: you may only throw to someone who has not yet touched the ball in this round, and you must call their name before tossing. ### 2. Establish base pattern (3 minutes) Facilitator tosses Ball 1 to Participant B while saying B's name. Participant B catches it, chooses Participant C (who has not received it yet), calls C's name, and tosses. Repeat until every person has caught the ball once. The final recipient throws it back to the facilitator. Have everyone memorize: 'I receive from [Name] and throw to [Name].' Run this exact cycle once without stopping to confirm the circuit. ### 3. Add multiple balls (3 minutes) Restart the sequence with Ball 1. Once Ball 1 is three passes into the circle, launch Ball 2 along the exact same path. If the group maintains rhythm, launch Ball 3. Keep all balls moving through the established name-calling order for 2 minutes. ### 4. Debrief in circle (2 minutes) Stop the balls and ask 2 quick reflection questions to the whole room, taking 2 to 3 spontaneous answers. ## Debrief questions - What helped you keep track of the balls when multiple items were moving? - How did saying each person's name aloud affect your recall? **Finished output:** The group establishes a complete, repeating toss-and-name sequence across all participants. ## Remote Cannot run with physical ball juggling. For a remote team, use a verbal chain: Participant A calls Participant B, B calls C, through to the end to set an order. On round two, participants recite the chain to a metronome beat or add a second round of 'favorite animal' along the same sequence. ## Hybrid Hybrid delivery is not recommended for physical tossing games. If necessary, have the room run the physical ball toss while remote participants run their own synchronized verbal chain in a breakout room, then rejoin for debrief. ## Access and participation choices - Participants may sit instead of stand. - Participants with mobility or catching limitations may roll the ball along the floor, point and name, or act as the pattern track-keeper and ball supplier. - Anyone wishing not to catch may simply cross their arms or say 'pass to [Name]' without penalty. ## If the session gets stuck **Someone drops the ball or loses track of who throws to whom.** Pause briefly, return the ball to the last successful thrower, re-state the names ('Alex throws to Sam'), and resume without restarting from zero. **Participants forget someone's name before throwing.** Allow the thrower to ask openly: 'Remind me of your name?' The receiver answers, the thrower repeats it, and then tosses. ## Terms used here - Base pattern: The fixed sequence showing who receives from whom, established during the first cycle. ## Sources and adaptation Observed in UNICEF Adolescent Kit for Expression and Innovation (Energizer cards, published July 2025). Retained core mechanic and step structure from UNICEF Adolescent Kit Energizer card: standing circle, saying receiver's name, establishing a pattern, and adding extra balls. UWT added explicit circle size limits (splitting at 12 for viable juggling), timing allocations, script, seated accessibility options, and remote/hybrid guidance. [UNICEF](https://www.unicef.org/adolescentkit/activity-box/energizer/juggling-ball-game) Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/energizer-juggling-ball-game/