Bring It Up

Name and Purpose

• Bring It Up is a virtual name and connection game built around personal objects.
• Participants share something meaningful about themselves and practise listening and curiosity.

a.k.a.

• None. Virtual-specific activity, no common alternate names.

Age / Group / Time / Space

• Young Adults and Adults (18+) | 5-30 players | 20-30 minutes | Virtual meeting platform

Materials

• Device with camera for each participant
• One personal object per participant, chosen in advance (something not visible on screen)

Quick-Run Card

1. Ask participants to find a hidden personal object before starting.
2. First person describes their object in three sentences without showing it.
3. Group guesses in the chat.
4. On ‘Bring it up!’ the person reveals the object on camera.
5. Brief questions follow. Move to the next person.

Setup and Boundaries

• Let participants know before the session to have an object ready.
• Signal: the phrase ‘Bring it up!’ is the cue to reveal.
• Keep question time to 1-2 minutes per person to maintain pace.

How to Play

1. Before the session, ask participants to find one personal object that is not visible on camera. It can be something interesting, meaningful, or surprising about them.
2. One person goes first. They describe the object in exactly three sentences without showing it.
3. The rest of the group types guesses in the chat.
4. After the three sentences, the group calls out ‘Bring it up!’ together.
5. The person reveals their object on camera.
6. If time allows, others may ask one or two questions about the object.
7. Move to the next person and repeat.

I-OPt Options

• A (Active): Choose an object with a great story and dive into the questions.
• S (Support): Encourage others by reacting to reveals and asking follow-up questions.
• Q (Quiet): Describe your object with shorter clues. Brief reveals are just as welcome.
• O (Observer): Watch and listen. Join the rotation when you are ready.

Inclusion Adaptations

• Participants without a camera can describe their object in the chat and type ‘Bring it up!’ when ready.
• Participants who prefer not to share a personal object can choose a neutral household item instead.

Stewardship Moment

• Objects stay with their owners and return to their lives after the game.
• Reflection: ‘What does it tell us that so much of what matters to us fits in one hand?’

Consent

• Pre-brief: ‘You will be sharing one personal object with the group. For those not comfortable sharing something personal, any interesting object from your space works just as well.’
• Mid-game check: Halfway through, ask for a chat reaction to see how energy is going.
• Opt-out/re-entry: Any participant can pass their turn and come back at the end.

Risks and Mitigation

• Participant brings something too personal or sensitive: remind the group beforehand that the object should be something they are comfortable sharing with everyone.
• Technical issues with video: participant can describe the object in chat only.

Warm-Up Suggestions

• Quick emoji check-in in the chat before starting.
• Show one finger for each person whose name you already know as a warm memory check.

Debrief Questions

• What? ‘Which reveal surprised you the most? What did you not expect?’
• So What? ‘What did you learn about someone today that you would not have learned any other way?’
• Now What? ‘How might sharing something small and personal help build trust in a team?’

Cleanup and Reset

• No cleanup required.
• Close by thanking participants and calling out 2-3 memorable objects or stories.