Goal:
• Building energy.
• Accepting offers.
• Practice appreciation.
• Practice creativity.
Overview:
Participants hand each other imaginary gifts. The giving participant only makes a physical offer, while the receiving participant names the gift and accepts it with enthusiasm.
Time: 15 min
Number of participants: 2 – 200
Game flow:
Have the participants stand in a circle. If there are more than 12 players let them pair up. Tell them to hand each other imaginary gifts. The giver only makes a physical gesture with their hands. The receiver then justifies the shape and weight of the giver by naming it appropriately. The receiver over accepts the gift with enthusiasm as if it is the one thing they have always wanted.
Tips:
When doing the game in a circle let them pass gifts around the circle. In other words everyone gives a gift to the person on their left or right. Only one person gives a gift at a time while the others observe. When doing it in pairs the partners just give each other gifts.
Debrief questions:
• What was interesting about the exercise?
• How did it feel to have your gift appreciated like this?
• What did it feel like receiving the gift?
• How does this apply to creativity and collaboration?
Online adaptations
Since people in an online room cannot stand in a circle or make eye contact to connect with each other, the following adaptations can be made:
- The names of participants are visible on the screen, these names may be changed by participants if they wish. These names can be used in the game so that the participant wanting to pass a gift simply call the name of the person they wish to pass their gift to before doing so.
- Participants may also be given a number alongside their name as they enter the room. These numbers may be used to establish an order and in this manner replace the convention of a circle for deciding order.
- Encourage people to use distance from the camera as a way to create variety in the size and quality of the gift: move away from the camera for big gifts that require large movements and come closer for smaller gifts and smaller movements.