Training Wheels

One of the quickest ways to build connection in a group is to get people talking, and that’s exactly what Icebreaker Wheelies are designed to do. These colorful conversation cards are packed with thought-provoking, lighthearted, and engaging questions that help participants move beyond surface-level introductions and start building meaningful connections. Whether you're working with a corporate team, leadership cohort, youth group, classroom, or conference audience, Icebreaker Wheelies provide an easy and effective way to break the ice and create positive energy from the very beginning.

People often ask how the cards got their name. Years ago, when I was creating some of our first conversation card decks, I started thinking about the role questions play in a conversation. Sometimes you're driving the conversation by asking the question. Other times you're the passenger, listening carefully and following where the conversation leads. That idea sparked the name "Your Turn at the Wheel" Cards because each question gives someone an opportunity to take the wheel and steer the discussion in a meaningful direction.

Before long, the nickname "Wheelies" stuck. It was shorter, more playful, and fit perfectly with our company name, Training Wheels. The name also captured the spirit of the cards. They help people take turns guiding conversations, listening to one another, and discovering common ground. What started as a simple naming idea became one of our most recognized product lines. In fact, Wheelies were among the first icebreaker question card sets available on the market, helping facilitators create connection long before conversation cards became commonplace.

What makes Icebreaker Wheelies especially valuable for facilitators is their versatility. The questions encourage authentic conversation and help participants discover common interests, experiences, and perspectives. They're also a great tool for warming up a group before tackling more challenging team-building activities, discussions, or collaborative projects.
As facilitators, we know that strong experiences are built on strong relationships. The more comfortable participants feel with one another, the more willing they are to engage, contribute, and take positive risks throughout a program. Icebreaker Wheelies help create that foundation quickly and naturally. They're portable, easy to facilitate, and adaptable to virtually any audience or setting. If you're looking for a simple tool that generates laughter, conversation, and connection, Icebreaker Wheelies are a valuable addition to your facilitation toolkit.

Ready to get your group talking? Explore the entire Wheelies collection and discover dozens of conversation card decks designed to spark meaningful dialogue, strengthen relationships, and help every participant take their turn at the wheel.

https://www.trainingwheelsgear.com/collections/your-turn-at-the-wheel

Questions that Drive Meaningful Conversations Email from Training Wheels   The Spokesperson e-newsletter by Michelle Cummings   Team Building Kits | Training | Icebreakers | Debriefing | Therapeutic Quote: "Connection is the energy that exists be

One tool I don't leave home without is my mesh square set. It's so versatile and gives me options for activities for icebreakers, problem-solving, connection, and discovery.

Unpack Connection, One Square at a Time
Whether you work with students, staff, service members, or summer campers, this easy-to-carry set helps people discover what they have in common and what makes them unique. The set includes 30 lightweight mesh squares, a handy stuff sack, and clear instructions for five proven activities, including two rounds of the classic “Have You Ever…” energizer. From belly laughs to surprising reveals, this is connection you can see, hear, and feel.

Five Activities, Endless Possibilities: Each activity in the set plays a unique role in group development, from icebreakers to deeper problem-solving challenges. One standout is Diminishing Resources, a high-level problem-solving activity where participants must cross a designated area using only their mesh squares, which are taken away if they’re used incorrectly. It's a perfect metaphor for leadership: your team only succeeds when every resource is valued and every voice is involved. When someone steps off too fast or goes it alone, the whole team experiences the loss. Want to teach followership, decision-making, and inclusive planning in one experience? This is it.

Built for Movement. Designed for Meaning: Everything comes in a compact stuff sack, ready to grab and go. The mesh squares are durable, washable, and easy to spot - even in the grass. Whether you’re outside with a large group or tucked into a conference room, the set adapts to your space and style. We made it tough enough for field use and flexible enough for small group settings, too.

Simple Tools. Big Impact: When you pair curiosity with motion, something powerful happens. The Have You Ever Activity Set gives facilitators a simple way to spark real conversations, encourage laughter, and build effective teams. With a single set of 30 mesh squares, you can lead several sessions that help your group reflect, reframe, and reconnect. It’s more than an activity - it’s a reset for your team culture. Let’s build something great, one square at a time.

Order a set today! https://www.trainingwheelsgear.com/collections/problem-solving-communication/products/have-you-ever-squares

The Versatility of Mesh Squares Email from Training Wheels   The Spokesperson e-newsletter by Michelle Cummings   Team Building Kits | Training | Icebreakers | Debriefing | Therapeutic Quote: "If you want to go fast, go alone. If y

The Art of Effective Sequencing

Every facilitator has felt the temptation to jump straight to the big challenge. But just like a thousand-mile journey begins with a single step, effective facilitation begins with the right first experience. The Art of Effective Sequencing is all about knowing what that first step should be.

One of the biggest mistakes new facilitators make is assuming that great activities create great outcomes. In reality, it's often the sequence of the activities that makes the difference. Think of facilitation like building a house. You wouldn't install the roof before pouring the foundation. The same is true with groups. Participants need opportunities to get comfortable, build relationships, and experience small successes before they are ready for deeper challenges. The order matters.

When facilitators skip steps and move too quickly into high-risk activities, participants can become hesitant, frustrated, or disengaged. Effective sequencing means meeting a group where they are and then gradually stretching them toward where they need to go. A simple name game might lead to a communication challenge, which then leads to a problem-solving activity, and eventually to a trust experience. Each activity builds on the one before it and creates a stronger platform for learning.

Good sequencing also helps facilitators create meaningful reflection. When participants share experiences that build in complexity over time, they begin to see patterns in their communication, leadership, decision-making, and teamwork. Those discoveries are often where the real learning happens. As facilitators, our job isn't just to lead activities. Our job is to intentionally design experiences that help people grow.

If you'd like to strengthen your facilitation skills and learn how to confidently sequence activities for maximum impact, join us for Experiential Facilitation 101, June 16-18. This hands-on training is designed for facilitators, trainers, educators, camp staff, and team leaders who want to build a strong foundation in experiential learning. We still have one scholarship seat available for this session. If you're a student or work for a nonprofit organization, email me a few sentences about how this training would benefit you to be considered. Can't make it to Colorado? We also offer a virtual version of Experiential Facilitation 101. We'd love to help you take your facilitation skills to the next level.

In person: https://www.trainingwheelsgear.com/collections/training/products/experiential-facilitation-101

Virtual: https://sage.academy/products/experiential-facilitation/

~Michelle Cummings

The Art of Effective Sequencing Email from Training Wheels   The Spokesperson e-newsletter by Michelle Cummings   Team Building Kits | Training | Icebreakers | Debriefing | Therapeutic Quote: "The journey of a thousand miles begins

One of my favorite parts of this work is connecting with creative facilitators from around the world who are passionate about creating meaningful “aha” moments for participants. Every time I travel to the Philippines, I make it a point to connect with my friend Tina Alafriz, one of the founders of Management Strategies and a deeply talented facilitator and learning professional. Tina is a certified facilitator in my Personify Leadership course and brings such thoughtful energy to everything she creates. I always leave our conversations inspired, reminded that no matter where we live, facilitators everywhere are searching for better ways to spark self-reflection, growth, and connection within the groups we serve.

That spirit of creativity and purpose is exactly why I’m excited to introduce two new tools now available through Training Wheels: Monsters & Heroes and Dream & Dare. These activities were created by brilliant minds at Management Strategies in the Philippines, and I’m thrilled to share them with our Training Wheels community. Both tools are simple to facilitate, visually engaging, and packed with opportunities for meaningful conversation and insight.

Monsters & Heroes is a powerful metaphor-based activity that helps participants explore the inner obstacles and strengths that show up in their lives. Through playful imagery and guided reflection, participants identify the “monsters” that hold them back and the “heroes” that help them move forward. I love how quickly this activity creates honest conversations around fear, resilience, confidence, and support systems. It feels playful on the surface, yet the reflection can go surprisingly deep. This innovative game also received international recognition at the global 48-hour conference GamiCon48V, winning two of the seven Throwdown Showcase awards: Best Low Tech Use of Gamification 🏆 and the People’s Choice Award for Best Low Tech Use of Gamification 🎉. This is a fantastic tool for leadership programs, youth groups, coaching conversations, and team development sessions.

Dream & Dare invites participants to reflect on their aspirations while also identifying the courageous steps needed to move those dreams into action. The activity encourages people to think beyond limitations and reconnect with possibility, purpose, and intentional growth. Tina’s passion for learning and development shines through every detail of this experience. What I appreciate most is how naturally the activity balances inspiration with action. Participants don’t just talk about dreams, they begin exploring what it means to dare greatly enough to pursue them.

As facilitators, we are always looking for tools that help people pause, reflect, and see themselves in a new way. These two activities do exactly that. I’m grateful for the friendships and collaborations that continue to stretch across oceans and cultures, all rooted in the same mission: helping people grow through shared experiences, meaningful conversations, and moments that truly matter. I hope you enjoy exploring these new tools as much as I have.

~Michelle Cummings

Monsters & Heroes: https://www.trainingwheelsgear.com/products/monsters-and-heroes

Dream & Dare: https://www.trainingwheelsgear.com/products/dream-dare

Two New Tools: Monsters & Heroes | Dream & Dare Email from Training Wheels   The Spokesperson e-newsletter by Michelle Cummings   Team Building Kits | Training | Icebreakers | Debriefing | Therapeutic Quote: "Play is the highest form of research."

Invisible Maze & Flow Connections

Hi friends,

We just got in a big shipment of our Invisible Mazes, and I haven't highlighted new ways to use a gridded tarp in quite a while.

I'm sure you know the Invisible Maze activity. It's been around for a long time, but finding or creating additional activities using a 9x9 grid is a great way to rejuvenate props you might already have in your facilitator bag.

Flow Connections encourages participants to collaborate effectively as they solve a group puzzle, ensuring that every team member contributes to the overall success.

Have teams gather around a pre-designed grid and give each group access to the colored spot markers.

Each grid will have two spot markers for each color represented, we call these the Termination Dots. These represent the spots that need to be connected. To solve the puzzle, the participants must connect the two similarly colored spots with spots of the same color without crossing other colors.

Share with participants that this is a timed activity, meaning participants will have a certain amount of time to complete the puzzle.

Participants will have a planning time where they can discuss where they think the trail markers will be placed. Share with participants that this can only be a discussion, and no placeholders can be added within the grid until time starts.
When all participants are in consensus and roles have been determined, share with the team how long they have 60-seconds to place the spot markers on the tarp and solve the puzzle.

I've been playing with this activity for several months now, and I'm loving the connections it makes back to goal setting and working against deadlines and time challenges. Full instructions for several activities, including facilitator scripts and multiple debriefing points included with purchase of the Invisible Maze.

And a BIG thanks to Trevor Dunlap and Matthew Broda for the initial design of this activity. We are working on a book together called Grid Games, where we will have multiple activities that include grid-based challenges. Stay tuned!

So pick up a new Invisible Maze for yourself today. These activities are designed to test and enhance participants' problem-solving skills. These immersive challenges require players to work together, relying on intuition and communication to navigate through the tasks, making it a perfect tool for building teamwork and collaboration.

~Michelle Cummings

View more photos at this link:
https://conta.cc/4uH0soq

Invisible Maze & Flow Connections Email from Training Wheels A twist on a known traditional activity   The Spokesperson e-newsletter by Michelle Cummings   Team Building Kits | Training | Icebreakers | Debriefing | Therapeutic Quote: