Create Your Own Thumball® (6″) is a customizable team building ball that lets facilitators design unique icebreaker questions, coaching prompts, or review games. With 32 blank panels, this DIY icebreaker activity becomes a personalized conversation starter for training workshops, classrooms, or team meetings. Use the included permanent marker to create an interactive training tool tailored to your content and audience. This DIY Thumball® lets you tailor the game to any learning goal. WHY FACILITATORS LOVE IT
Unlimited flexibility: Build your own prompts for leadership training, icebreakers, coaching sessions, wellness checks, or just-for-fun games. Interactive engagement: Toss the ball, answer the question under your thumb, and keep the group energized and involved. Reusable and durable: Soft, stitched 6″ fabric ball designed to last through countless training sessions. Personalized learning: Helps trainers align activities directly to their content, participants, or organizational culture.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
One 6″ Thumball® with 32 blank panels Permanent marker included for writing prompts
BEST USES
Corporate training workshops Team building and icebreakers Leadership coaching and mentoring Classroom learning and student engagement Wellness, DEI, or custom content programs
FAQS Q: Can I erase and reuse the panels?A: No. While this is a customizable team building ball, the panels are not erasable. This design prevents smudging during play and ensures the prompts stay visible long-term. Q: What kind of marker should I use?A: To create your personalized conversation starter, be sure to use a fine-tip permanent marker works best. The ball ships with one marker included. Avoid washable or erasable markers as they will smear. Q: Any tips for writing on the panels?A: Yes! Use a fine-point permanent marker and take your time to write clearly. Practicing your prompts on paper first is a good way to ensure legibility and fit. Q: What makes this different from other Thumballs®?A: Unlike pre-printed Thumballs®, this DIY version gives facilitators total creative freedom to tailor questions and activities to their specific training content and audience. Q: Who uses Create Your Own Thumball® most?A: Trainers, teachers, facilitators, HR professionals, coaches, and team leaders who want a versatile tool for engagement and customized learning. Image above shows suggested use only. You'll get a ball with 30 BLANK panels! ** TIPS ** How to customize your Thumball™
Use a permanent, fine-tip marker so it's easy to write and doesn't smudge. Plan before your write! You have 30 panels to fill up (10 blue; 20 silver). The two pre-printed panels on the top and bottom say “You Choose,” allowing players to respond to any panel on the ball. Practice your writing! Be sure your handwriting is big, bold and legible. Fill all the spaces! Write in vocabulary words, questions, key words, and more. If you still have empty spaces, consider one or more of these ideas:
Repeat a prompt twice. Repetition can be good (if you put the same words on two panels – simply let players know that they need to build upon a previous answer). “Pass to the right” – player passes the ball to the person directly to the right. “Stump the Leader” – player chooses which panel the facilitator must answer. “Toss Again” – player tosses ball up and re-catches it. “Share 5” or “Group Share”– player gets topic from facilitator and 5 or more players must all offer answers.
Facilitation Suggestions
Depending on your group, roll, pass, toss, or kick Thumball™ among players. Circulate the ball clockwise, counterclockwise or random direction. Specify which thumb to look under for the prompt -- right thumb, left thumb or the finger of your choice. Ask players to respond to the prompt. Or, to kick it up a notch, invite them to ask another player to respond. Select time limits for responses and length of game. Add point values to each prompt/question and let players know that will earn and/or lose points for each response.
NOTE: This ball is part of our exclusive Silver Series Thumballs. MORE RESOURCES
All about Silver Series Thumballs Tips & Suggestion on Facilitating Thumball Experiences How Deep to Discuss 7 Tips to formulate great questions More tools for great conversations Discover Your Thumball Style How Deep to Discuss Infographic
Phone:
800.299.3770
Location:
89 Washington Ave.,
Suite K,
Natick
Massachusetts
MA 01760-3441
