Works with Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, or your own local model: paste this prompt and your AI will co-facilitate this exercise with you.

Help me prepare and run the exercise below. First ask for my participant count, time, setting, access needs and intended result. Check these against the stated limits. Use the supplied rules and materials. Explain any proposed changes before using them, and label them as adaptations. Do not invent source claims or require personal disclosure. Give me one step at a time when I say start. I manage the people, physical activity and clock; do not claim to observe the room. Ask me what happened before choosing a next step.

Reference revision: 91aa46f58296ffe652369ff912ce4fe07d7520cf2469c7b6d1ac0337b641744d

# Wrapped Around My Finger

Participants share a short personal story in small groups while winding a length of ribbon around their index finger. When the ribbon runs out, their turn ends and they pass the wound ribbon to the next person, who unwinds it to begin.

**Time:** 15 minutes. UWT suggested duration of 15 minutes accommodates groups of up to 6 people.
**People:** 4 to 24. Small groups of 3 to 6 participants

## Choose this exercise

**Purpose:** Share brief personal stories paced by the tangible physical action of winding and unwinding a ribbon.
**Use it when:** Early in a workshop or kickoff meeting to get people talking in low-pressure small groups with an automatic physical time limit.
**Skip it when:** When participants experience acute fine-motor hand strain or when the session needs immediate technical task work.

## Materials and tools

- One 1-meter to 1.5-meter length of tubular webbing, fabric ribbon, or thick yarn per small group
- One pair of scissors for setup preparation
- Timer
- Flip chart or slide showing the storytelling prompt choices

## Before participants arrive

1. Cut tubular webbing or ribbon into lengths of 1 to 1.5 meters, preparing one piece per small group of 3 to 6 people.
2. Write the storytelling prompts visibly on a flip chart or presentation slide.

## Say this to open

We are going to share short stories in small groups, paced by a physical object. While speaking, you will wind this ribbon around your index finger. When the ribbon is fully wound, your story finishes. You will then pass the wound ribbon to the next person, who unwinds it to start their turn.

## How to run it

### 1. Introduce the mechanic (2 minutes)

Speak the opening script. Form groups of 3 to 6 people as evenly as possible (for example: 7 divides into 3 and 4, 11 divides into 5 and 6, 17 divides into two 4s and three 3s). Hand one ribbon to each group.

### 2. Demonstrate the handoff (2 minutes)

Demonstrate for the room. Hold one end of the ribbon and tell a quick neutral story, such as describing a favorite mug, while wrapping the ribbon loosely around your index finger. When fully wrapped, stop talking and slide the coiled ribbon off your finger. Show that the next speaker takes this coiled bundle, unrolls it completely, and then begins their own turn.

### 3. Run group storytelling (8 minutes)

A volunteer in each group starts. Point to the displayed prompts. The speaker winds the ribbon loosely while sharing. When fully wound, the speaker stops, slides off the coil, and hands it to the person on the left. That person unwinds the ribbon straight, selects a prompt, and begins winding. Repeat until everyone has shared or chosen to pass.

### 4. Debrief the experience (3 minutes)

Gather the full room. Ask two or three volunteers from different tables to answer one of the posted debrief questions.


## Debrief questions

- How did having a physical task to complete change how you told or listened to a story?
- What did you notice about your pacing as the ribbon ran shorter?
- How did the fixed physical length influence what details you decided to include or cut?

**Finished output:** Every participant completes a timed personal story turn or selects a supported pass option.

## Remote

Form breakout rooms of 3 to 6. Each participant brings a household cord, shoelace, or ribbon about 1 to 1.5 meters long. Post the prompts in the chat. Each speaker winds their cord while sharing. When fully wrapped, the speaker stops, uncoils their own cord, and names the next speaker to begin.

## Hybrid

Seat in-person participants at physical tables with group ribbons. Place remote attendees together in a dedicated video breakout room where each person holds an individual cord. In-person groups pass the coiled ribbon to the left to be unwound by the next speaker. Remote attendees unwind their own cord and call the next speaker by name.

## Access and participation choices

- Participants may loop the ribbon loosely around an open palm or wrist instead of wrapping a single finger to avoid fine-motor pinch strain.
- Anyone may pass on speaking, choose to wind the ribbon in silence, or state a single neutral word or fact instead of a personal story.

## If the session gets stuck

**A participant winds the ribbon too tightly around their finger, cutting off blood flow.**

Remind participants to wrap loosely so the entire coil slides off easily in one piece when handed over.

**A participant winds the ribbon in five seconds to rush through their turn.**

Prompt them to match their winding hand to a natural, relaxed speaking cadence rather than racing to the end.


## Terms used here

- tubular webbing: A strong woven strip of flat fabric commonly used in straps and outdoor gear, used here as a flexible winding cord.

## Participant material: Storytelling Prompt Choices

Choose one prompt for your turn:
1. A memorable meal you ate or cooked.
2. The story behind an everyday object you carry or keep on your desk.
3. A pleasant surprise from this past month.

## Sources and adaptation

Observed in Playmeo, which attributes the activity to Mark Collard.

Retained the core mechanic from Playmeo (winding tubular webbing or ribbon around an index finger while sharing a story, then handing the wound bundle to the next person). Set group size to 3-6 to accommodate odd group numbers cleanly (such as 7 into 3 and 4). Clarified the handoff mechanic so the next speaker unwinds the coil to begin, matching the source instruction where tightly bound webbing is passed. Added prompt choices and debrief questions.

[Playmeo](https://www.playmeo.com/activities/ice-breakers-get-to-know-you-games/wrapped-around-my-finger)

[Playmeo](https://www.playmeo.com/activities/ice-breakers-get-to-know-you-games/wrapped-around-my-finger/)

Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/fun-icebreaker-activity-storytelling-wrapped-around-my-finger/