All My Neighbours

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Notice shared habits and everyday experiences through structured clockwise movement around a seated circle.

Use it when: Use as an active mid-session energizer during an in-person meeting when participants need physical movement and light conversational connection.

Skip it when: Skip when the meeting room lacks clearance behind chairs, when people cannot comfortably move between seats, or when participants prefer strictly quiet activities.

Group arrangement: Single inward-facing circle

Timing: UWT suggested 15 minutes; fits the 5 to 15 minute energizer band

Materials and tools

• One sturdy chair per participant arranged in a circle with at least 1 meter of open clearance behind the ring

Before participants arrive

1. Arrange chairs in a single circle facing inward.
2. Clear bags, cords, and coats at least 1 meter away from the outer perimeter to ensure open walking paths.

Say this to open

Take any seat in the circle. The chair you are in right now is your starting home base. The object of the game is to see if anyone can travel clockwise around the circle and make it all the way back home. In each turn, one person asks a yes-or-no question. If your honest answer is yes, stand up and shift exactly one seat to your left. If your answer is no, stay right where you are. If a chair already has someone sitting in it, do not sit on their lap. Simply stand on your feet in a line directly behind that chair. When that chair moves, the next standing person takes the seat.

How to run it

1. Set home bases and explain movement rules 3 minutes

   Check that everyone has an assigned starting chair and knows it is their home base. State the movement rules clearly: turns run in a clockwise direction only, exactly one chair at a time, and only on an honest yes answer. Emphasize the no-contact rule: never sit on another person's lap. When arriving at an occupied chair, form a queue standing directly behind the chair back.

2. Model sample turn 2 minutes

   Facilitate a demonstration turn. Ask a neutral prompt such as: Did you drink coffee this morning? Direct everyone whose answer is yes to stand and advance one chair clockwise. Direct anyone who reaches an occupied chair to stand neatly behind it. Ensure those answering no remain seated or stay standing in their current queue.

3. Run progressive rounds 8 minutes

   Pass the questioning role clockwise around the circle or call on volunteers. Each turn, the selected player asks one yes-or-no question. All players answering yes advance one space clockwise; others stay put. If the person seated in an occupied chair moves, the first person waiting behind sits down. Continue until someone reaches their home base or the 8 minutes expire.

4. Return home and debrief 2 minutes

   Call time and instruct everyone to step back to their original home base chairs. Ask two focused reflection questions to the full room. Take 2 or 3 quick volunteer responses before moving to the next agenda session.

Debrief questions

• Which question revealed a surprising similarity across our room?
• What made it easier or harder to advance around the circle?

Finished output: A completed active group circuit with participants having identified common group habits and returned to their original chairs.

Remote

This physical chair-stacking mechanic requires an in-person room with chairs. Do not run this specific physical game online. For an online energizer with a related goal, use a digital polling or camera-toggle activity instead.

Hybrid

Hybrid delivery is not recommended. The mechanic relies on physical chairs and queuing behind participants in real space. Remote participants cannot participate fairly alongside an in-person moving circle.

Access and participation choices

• Participants may silently answer no to any question to remain in place without giving a reason.
• Anyone who prefers not to walk can serve as the dedicated question-caller or movement tracker from a stationary desk outside the circle.

If the session gets stuck

Participants attempt to sit on occupied seats or each other's laps.

Stop the turn immediately and reiterate the boundary: participants must stand upright on their feet behind the chair back.

A participant cannot think of a light, appropriate question on their turn.

Offer three ready examples: Have you traveled outside the country in the last year? Do you prefer tea over coffee? Have you ever owned a dog?

Terms used here

• Home base: The specific chair where a participant sits at the beginning of the activity and attempts to return to.