Our team has found check in questions to be a great way to build trust, engagement and to simply make sure everyone is present. We have compiled our favourite ice breakers that have enabled us to host engaging digital facilitation workshops and fun team meetings.
We hope you find these questions useful and that they will inspire you to come up with some interesting ones of your own.
Emily Johnston
- How much energy do you have right now on a scale of 1-10? I like this one because it can be an easier entry than simply asking ‘how do you feel’? I also like asking it again at the end for a check out, as it gives you a good sense of how the meeting or event has impacted the group. Was it draining, energising or somewhere in between?
- What is something funny or nice that happened in the last week? What is something you are grateful for this week? These kinds of questions are always good for boosting the mood of the group.
- What song represents your mood today? I like it because it’s something different and can often be quite funny and light – especially if you invite people to sing it or play it through their computer speakers.
- The stretching check in – you take turns for everyone to choose a stretch and the others copy it. This one is great for times when everyone is working and meeting in front of the screen. It works as an energiser and nice to ‘do’ something active together.
Paulina Andrade Schnettler
- Simply sharing: how are you doing?
- The one word check in: what is one word which describes how you feel right now? Simple but powerful.
- If you were a fish, which kind of water would you be swimming in? (e.g. a calm lake, turbulent river, deep ocean…)
Jannik Kaiser
- Which animal represents my mood / state of being today? Briefly also share why. I like the explanations that come after naming the animal. From experience they are very open and creative. The question makes it safe to share; and the diversity of animals is also a nice metaphor to take into a workshop or meeting.
Franziska Kohn
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