10 Playful Brainstorming Preparation Exercises to Help Your Team Come Up with Better Solutions

Combining things I’ve learned from books about design thinking, creativity, and practical work, I formed my opinion about one specific step that shouldn’t be skipped when brainstorming: the preparation.

It helps people switch gears from their everyday routine and get their brains ready for an out-of-the-box idea-generating. So, before your next brainstorming session, try out one of these 10 playful exercises to get your participants in a relaxed and prepared state of mind. A little bit of fun and relaxation can spark those creative juices. All you need is a playful attitude, some pens, and papers, and you’re good to go! 

How to pick the perfect exercise for your team?

One approach to consider is picking an exercise that is the opposite of your team’s everyday tasks. For example, if you have a team of copywriters, try something completely different, like drawing or dancing, instead of doing writing exercises. This will help break them from their routine and allow them to approach problems and ideas differently.

Another way to choose an exercise is to consider your team’s strengths and weaknesses. If you have a naturally introverted team, pick an activity that encourages them to step out of their comfort zone and work in a group setting. On the other hand, if you have a naturally extroverted team, pick an exercise that allows them to work independently.

You could also consider the team’s goal and the type of brainstorming you are doing. If you are trying to generate new ideas or solve a specific problem, pick an exercise that allows the team to think out of the box and be creative. Alternatively, if you are trying to improve communication and collaboration within the group, pick an exercise that encourages people to work together and share ideas.

The bottom line is there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to brainstorming preparation exercises, so don’t be afraid to experiment and see what works best for your team. And remember, have fun with it!

The Preparation Exercises

Exercise 01: Word association in 2 minutes.
Write a prompt on a whiteboard or flipchart, and then have team members write down as many related words or ideas as they can in 2 minutes.

Exercise 02: Role-playing Warm-Up in 10.
Assign different roles or perspectives to different team members and ask them to brainstorm solutions from that perspective. For example, brainstorm solutions being Albert Einstein, Beyoncé, Harry Potter, or whoever else.

Exercise 03: Sketching in 1, Explaining it in 2, and Feedback in 3 minutes.
Have team members draw a quick sketch of their idea in 1 minute, let them explain it to the group in 2 minutes, and allow them to spend 3 minutes talking to people about their solution.

Exercise 04: Starbursting in 5.
Write a central question or problem on a whiteboard or flipchart, and then have team members brainstorm ideas by asking “who,” “what,” “where,” “when,” “why,” and “how” questions.

Exercise 05: Brainstorming with constraints in 5.
Set a specific constraint, such as time, budget, or materials, and have team members brainstorm ideas within those limitations in 5 minutes.

Exercise 06: Quantity, not quality in 8.
Divide people into groups. Give them the same problem. They need to come up with as many solutions as possible. Only quantity counts. The winner is the group with the most ideas. Even if these ideas don’t make any sense.

Exercises 07: Anything Anywhere in 7.
Imagine any item in any space you want. Now use your thoughts to move it or imagine it in different situations and answer the following questions using a pen and paper. You have 7 minutes.

Move it to the left. What’s there?
How is the item moving?
Move it to the right. What’s there?
Kick it. Where it goes?
It starts raining. What’s happening with your item?

Exercise 08: Solve easy sudoku in 9.
Divide people into groups. They should go to the sudoku generator website, generate easy sudoku, and solve it in 9 minutes. If doing it online doesn’t work for your team, you can generate it in advance and print it for everyone.

Exercise 09: 3 Basic Dance Moves in 5.
Have people pick up a dance move they’ll learn in 5 minutes. You can show them GIFs or YouTube Videos or even give them steps on paper like this. They have 5 mins to learn it. Then you let them dance for 1 minute together. The idea is to move their focus to the body.

Exercise 10: Mind Mapping in 6.
Give paper and pen to each participant. The problem statement is: How can we increase brand awareness and sales of our premium kombucha among millennial consumers? They should all visually represent their ideas. They have 5 minutes to draw their thoughts and connect them with lines and arrows. Each of them has 1 minute to present their drawing.

Alright, so you’ve just read through 10 fun and easy exercises that can help boost your team’s brainstorming sessions. Whether you’re looking to warm up the group, stimulate creativity, or generate a wide range of ideas, these exercises have got you covered. And the best part? They can all be done in 10 minutes or less! So, feel free to switch things up and try something new. Mix and match these exercises to keep things fresh and exciting. And remember, the main goal is to have a good time, relax and prepare the brain for real brainstorming. So, go forth and make your brainstorming sessions the talk of the office!