Fine Line Playing Card Activity List created by We!™ in collaboration with Nate Folan

This list is merely intended to spark creative ideas for you to create fun and meaningful

experiences with this creative deck of playing cards. Like most engaging experiences, these activities are difficult to translate into text. There is no correct way to facilitate these experiences. Play. Explore. And feel free to make mistakes.

1. Unofficial Start - As group members arrive, invite them to make sense of the pile of cards by sorting them into categories. As time goes on, you can introduce additional information as hints toward the solution (i.e., these cards are a regular deck of playing cards in pictures and words).

2. Lineups - Each person gets one card then give instructions to get into a specific order based on (all orders can dependent on group definitions):

a. size of object or concept depicted in card b. numerical value c. alphabetical

3. Swapping Lineups - Each person gets a random card. Invite people to get in order as quickly as possible. Swap out for new cards and aim to beat that time after re-strategizing a new group process.

4. Communication Organization - Offer very simple directions for this activity: get in the correct order without showing anyone else your card. This activity can invite confusion, communication, and several creative solutions that will create the need for clear decision making.

5. Forehead Find - Invite a group to wander around a space until the facilitator calls out “STOP.” This is everyone’s cue to hold their card up to their forehead. At this point, instructions can be given to find all the people of the same suit, number, or object size. More creative instructions can also be suggested to stimulate more interaction like, “pair up with somebody who has a card that has at least three items in common with you.”

6. Back-to-Back or Mirage - Think descriptive, partner pictionary. Instruct group to get into pairs and face back-to-back with their partner. One person describes their image while the other one draws what they hear the other person saying. After about 5 minutes, partners can show each other their images, laugh at the discrepancies (or accuracy), and strategize for how to improve communication in the next round when roles are reversed.

7. Categories/Incorporations - For this activity, the facilitator will simply call out a category and people are required to get into that category based on their card. Sample categories include (e.g., number, suit, object color, size, etc.). It is up to the group to decide who belongs in which group based on their decision making and consensus in the moment.

 

8. Storytelling - In small groups, grab 4-7 cards and cocreate a story that weaves all cards together. Story can be playful, serious, relevant, meaningful, etc. Stories can also be content and topic specific to encourage creative connection to material.

9. Invisible Connections - This activity is based on the theory that nothing is completely random, and the idea that there is always a connection between any two things if you can get creative enough. Instruct people to form a circle and make a cohesive connection between the cards held by the people to your left and right (and a connection between them, as a person). Depending on the frame and sequence of this activity, it good be valuable to whip around the circle inviting people to share the connections that they discovered and created.

10. 52 Card Charades Pick Up - This activity is meant to be fast paced and high energy. The group’s objective: pickup and turnover all 52 cards getting at least one other group member to guess the image on the other side through acting and gestures only. No verbal communication allowed by the person holding the card.

11. Fine Line Olympics - This energizer is similar to Rock, Paper, Scissors Olympics or Ubuntu Olympics. Pairs face off starting with the image side of the card facing the ground. On cue, cards are flipped over and the person with card representing the highest numerical value wins and earns their opponent over to their cheering squad. This continues until there are only two final contestants.

12. Faceoff - Split deck in half and form two equal lines behind each. Both people in the front of the line flip over their top card at the front of the line flipping over card. Whoever has the highest card wins the other person over to their line. Play while the energy is high or after both lines have fully merged.

13. Debrief - Invite people to choose image that represents strength, unique perspective, goal, weakness, past experience, story, etc. Connecting an image to an idea can be a powerful way to communicate complex understandings in a more digestible, concrete format.