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Exercises/Reflection and Learning/The Question Ball
Prompted Conversation ยท Reflection and Learning

The Question Ball

The Question Ball is a prompted conversation exercise for reflection and learning: it helps participants reflect on experience and turn observations into learning.

5 to 15 minutesTIME
Medium group (9-25)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. Explain that the goal of the activity is to reflect and share ideas in a participatory and fun way.
  2. Create an inclusive and playful atmosphere, reminding participants they can skip their turn if they wish.
  3. The facilitator chooses someone at random to throw the ball.
  4. When the participant catches the ball, they listen to a question read by the facilitator and answer aloud.
  5. After answering, the participant throws the ball to another person in the group.
  6. At the end, guide a discussion about the topics raised in the answers and the insights gained.
  7. Ask for feedback on the activity and how it contributed to the session or workshop goals.
Live facilitator

Run this exercise live

The facilitator console stays in this browser. Its QR handoff is a short-lived participant snapshot containing only public exercise instructions, phase, prompt, and timer state.

Prompts to use +

Explain that the goal of the activity is to reflect and share ideas in a participatory and fun way.

Create an inclusive and playful atmosphere, reminding participants they can skip their turn if they wish.

When the participant catches the ball, they listen to a question read by the facilitator and answer aloud.

After answering, the participant throws the ball to another person in the group.

Ask for feedback on the activity and how it contributed to the session or workshop goals.

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: The Question Ball. Readiness: Publishable Draft. Core moves: Explain that the goal of the activity is to reflect and share ideas in a participatory and fun way.; Create an inclusive and playful atmosphere, reminding participants they can skip their turn if they wish.; When the participant catches the ball, they listen to a question read by the facilitator and answer aloud.; After answering, the participant throws the ball to another person in the group.. 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 Participatory Methods; aggregators are listed as additional observations, not origin proof. (1 source observed, including Participatory Methods.)
  • 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