Categories-Exercise

By | March 12, 2019

Synonyms

Name 6 Circle.

Introduction

Please form a circle.

Description

Categories is both an exercise and handle. This is the exercise version of the structure.

The team leader will guide the players in choosing a broad category. For example, cars, toys, cutlery, food, etc. The players will be tasked with coming up with as many references in the category as possible. There are as many ways to administer this game as their are categories to work with.

The simplest version of this is to have the players call out elements of a category around the circle. If the category was food it could sound like “dinner”, “turkey”, “ice cream”, etc. As time is spent on the category it become more challenging to come up with new ideas. The players should be encouraged to not repeat ideas. Keeping this in mind the players must be reminded it is better to commit to their first idea, even if this means repetition.

The following ways to test the category are listed in ascending complication.

Cross Circle. The players point to another player in the circle after they make their offer. This way all players have to be ready at all times with their offer.

Conducted Circle. The leader is in the middle and keeps pointing at a player for an undetermined amount of time. The chosen player must list off as many offers from the category as they can think of.

Timed Circle. Once a player is tasked with a category they must start making offers. Once they start a prop is passed around the circle and the player can only stop giving offers once the prop returns to them.

This exercise focuses on two main elements of LACE (Listen. Accept. Commit. Expand.) The player must be listening to what has gone before. The player must also commit to their offer. Pausing and thinking can be a sign a player that is second guessing their offers. It is better to be wrong and committed.

Gimmicks

  • None.

Variations

  • Competitive – players can be eliminated if repeat or pause with their offer.
  • Cross Circle – players point to next player.
  • Conducted Circle – players make offers until exhausted
  • Timed Circle – prop is passed around the circle while the player makes offers.

Credits

None.