Mingle and Match

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Enable low-stakes one-on-one introductions using physical block features as conversation starters.

Use it when: Use at the start of an in-person workshop or meeting when people need a quick, moving icebreaker to meet several colleagues.

Skip it when: Skip when the space prevents comfortable movement, when participants cannot navigate a standing mingle, or when the group must remain seated.

Group arrangement: Mingle mingling into pairs or trios

Timing: UWT suggested 10-minute running plan based on source 5-to-15 minute band

Materials and tools

• Standard toy alphabet or building blocks (1 to 2 blocks per participant, minimum 30 assorted blocks)
• Central table or low tray to hold the blocks
• Chime or bell to signal round transitions

Before participants arrive

1. Spread toy blocks across a central table so various faces, letters, colors, and numbers are visible.

Say this to open

Take one block from the table. Walk around the room and find someone whose block shares a feature with yours, like the same color, letter, animal, or number. Once you pair up, introduce yourselves and find one real-life thing you have in common outside of work. When the chime rings, find a new partner with a different matching feature.

How to run it

1. Select blocks and explain rules 2 minutes

   Invite each person to take one block from the central table. State the rule: find someone whose block shares any visible element (for example, both have a red side, both have an animal, or both have the letter B). If an odd number makes someone solitary, form one trio.

2. Round 1 match and commonality 3 minutes

   Participants mingle on foot. When two people match block features, they stop, state their names, and identify one personal connection or shared interest outside the room (for example, having pets, favorite weekend habits, or hometown regions). Ring the chime after three minutes.

3. Round 2 match and switch 3 minutes

   Invite everyone to separate and find a new partner using a different matching block attribute (for example, matching by number instead of color). Pairs identify a new shared trait or interest. Ring the chime when time expires.

4. Return and debrief 2 minutes

   Ask participants to place their blocks back on the central table and take their seats. Call on two or three volunteers to share an unexpected connection they discovered.

Debrief questions

• What was an unexpected commonality you uncovered with a partner?
• How easy or difficult was it to find visual matches on the blocks compared to finding personal connections?

Finished output: Each participant completes two brief paired introductions and identifies at least one common interest per partner.

Remote

This exercise depends on tactile, physical multi-sided toy blocks. To run an equivalent match activity online, do not pretend to use physical blocks. Instead, invite everyone to bring an everyday household mug to the camera, find a partner whose mug shares a color, shape, or phrase, and enter a 3-minute breakout room to find a common interest.

Hybrid

Hybrid delivery is not recommended because matching physical block sides across video feeds while in-person participants move around the room creates severe unevenness. Run separate parallel tracks: in-person participants use blocks on foot, while remote participants pair in video breakout rooms matching desk items.

Access and participation choices

• Offer seated participants the choice to stay stationary while mobile minglers come to them.
• Anyone may opt to observe or act as the timekeeper without needing to give an explanation.
• Participants choose their own level of personal sharing; everyday surface preferences are completely acceptable.

If the session gets stuck

An odd number of participants leaves one person without a match.

Invite the extra person to join an existing pair to form a trio that shares a three-way feature.

Two people struggle to find a matching feature between their blocks.

Remind them that matches can be broad, such as any primary color, consonants, wooden grain, or even matching flat edges.