Where are You? (labeled tennis balls)

Purpose. A playful, physical twist on learning everyone's name.

When to use. Right at the very start of a session, before any real content begins.

Best for. Any group size, in person.

• Gather: one tennis ball per participant, masking tape, markers, and a crate or basket to hold them.
• Before the session, tear off one piece of tape per participant so they're ready to hand out.

Room setup. Circle formation, with enough open floor space in the middle for balls to be tossed and collected.

Virtual setup. Not practical over video call; skip for remote sessions.

Hybrid setup. Not well suited to hybrid; run only when the full group is together in person.

Materials. Tennis balls, masking tape, markers, a crate

1. Give each participant a tennis ball, a piece of masking tape, and a marker.
2. Ask everyone to write their name on the tape and stick it onto their ball.
3. Collect all the balls into the crate and mix them up.
4. Gently toss or roll the balls into the center of the circle so everyone can grab one, making sure nobody ends up with their own ball (swap if that happens).
5. On your signal, everyone finds the person whose name is on the ball they're holding and hands it to them.
6. The last person to find their ball's owner collects all the balls back into the crate for the next round.

Learning outcome. Participants leave having matched names to faces through a physical, active search rather than a static round of introductions.

• Tennis balls (one per participant)
• Masking tape and markers
• A crate or basket
• Timer set for 10–15 min