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The purpose of this activity is to engage students or faculty with each other’s ‘small talk’, by making a game out of active listening.
Since each person’s response builds on the previous person’s contribution, it is a great activity to help participants ideate and focus. The activity might be especially useful as an exercise after a break (i.e. upon students’ return, before diving into the next task).
No preparation is required other than explaining the activity.
A facilitator sets up a scenario: ‘Imagine a buffet line.’ Then, the facilitator animates the scene and invites participants to add objects to that scene:
This is the cue to the next participant who repeats what the previous person said and adds something to the growing list:
In effect, this activity relies on two tasks: repeating what the preceding person said verbatim and then adding to it. This activity can be turned into a memory game, but it can be just as fun when the particular items have creative flair or personal importance.
The length of time depends on the number of participants and how many items are added to the scene. It can be designed with a limit in mind (“let’s have ten people speak”), but it can also be open-ended (or end in absurdity). While this activity can be adapted in an asynchronous format, part of the fun is in trying to recall all of the previous items in real time.
None.
Of note: Food is inextricably tied to identity, values, memory, place, and cultural practices. Seemingly benign comments about food are rarely just about food—they can carry judgments that reverberate emotionally, sometimes evoking pain or shame. This also applies to ‘food truths,’ where what may feel normal or true for one person (e.g. “I eat beef,” or “I eat with my hands”) may not resonate—or may even clash—with others’ values or experiences.
While food can bring people together, it can also mark difference and unintentionally exclude. Therefore, thoughtful facilitation and the creation of judgment-free spaces are essential—especially when food features in the activity. Ultimately, the goal of this exercise is to foster inclusivity through imagined food events, using intentional hospitality to make everyone feel welcome, not alienated.
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