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Exercises/Reflection and Learning/Super Fun Team Challenge Improves Coordination - Phones & Faxes
Applied Improv · Reflection and Learning

Super Fun Team Challenge Improves Coordination - Phones & Faxes

Super Fun Team Challenge Improves Coordination - Phones & Faxes is an applied improv exercise for reflection and learning: it helps participants reflect on experience and turn observations into learning.

15 to 30 minutesTIME
Medium group (9-25), Small group (4-8)GROUP SIZE
ActiveENERGY
In person, RemoteSETTING
High cognitive loadCOGNITIVE LOAD
Strengthens Learning Transfer This reflection and learning exercise strengthens Learning Transfer, one of the eight Gathering Effectiveness pillars.

How to run it

  1. Form a large circle with everyone facing into the centre.
  2. Invite 2 or 3 volunteers to stand in the centre of the circle with their backs to each other.
  3. Distribute at least one soft tossable item to every person standing in the circle.
  4. Announce that the volunteers will soon be challenged to catch as many of the items being tossed into the air as they can.
  5. On an agreed signal, instruct everyone in the circle to toss their items into the air, aiming to have them land in the circle’s centre.
  6. Count and tally all items caught by the volunteers.
  7. Repeat for two or more rounds before inviting a new set of volunteers to swap with those in the centre.
  8. Challenge your group to continuously improve the number of items caught by the volunteer catchers in a single round.
  9. Phones & Faxes Fun team challenge to improve coordination & strategy.
Live facilitator

Run this exercise live

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Prompts to use +

Form a large circle with everyone facing into the centre.

Invite 2 or 3 volunteers to stand in the centre of the circle with their backs to each other.

On an agreed signal, instruct everyone in the circle to toss their items into the air, aiming to have them land in the circle’s centre.

Repeat for two or more rounds before inviting a new set of volunteers to swap with those in the centre.

Challenge your group to continuously improve the number of items caught by the volunteer catchers in a single round.

Run this with your AI assistant +

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

Adapt this exercise for my exact room. Exercise: Super Fun Team Challenge Improves Coordination - Phones & Faxes. Readiness: Publishable Draft. Core moves: Form a large circle with everyone facing into the centre.; Invite 2 or 3 volunteers to stand in the centre of the circle with their backs to each other.; On an agreed signal, instruct everyone in the circle to toss their items into the air, aiming to have them land in the circle’s centre.; Repeat for two or more rounds before inviting a new set of volunteers to swap with those in the centre.. Return a concise facilitator script with timing, wording, safety notes, and remote/in-person adjustments.

Origin unverified

  • Where we observed it: The strongest current observations come from Playmeo; aggregators are listed as additional observations, not origin proof. (1 source observed, including Playmeo.)
  • What that means: we track where an exercise has been observed in public sources. We do not claim to know who created it, or how popular it is.
  • No efficacy claims: appearing in this library is not a claim that the exercise is proven effective. Facilitator judgment and context decide whether it works for a given room.
  • Corrections: if you have evidence of an earlier or more accurate source, read our methodology and trust boundary and tell us.

Pairs well with