Card Talk
Card Talk is a get-to-know-you mixer with ordinary playing cards in which each person chooses a card according to how brave they feel, and the card's value is the number of things they tell each partner about themselves. The activity is credited to Mark Collard of playmeo. Its design idea is choice: participants set their own level of disclosure before the first conversation starts.
Facilitation script
- 1
Spread the cards face up and invite everyone to choose one according to how brave they feel.
2 min - 2
Reveal the rule, give examples of things to share, and have people pair up.
1 min - 3
First pairing: both partners share as many things as their card shows.
2 min - 4
Change partners several times, repeating the exchange.
4 min - 5
Close by asking who heard something unexpected and collect the cards.
1 min
Tips
Give two or three examples of what a 'thing' can be, from where you grew up to what you had for breakfast, so that people with high cards do not freeze.
Let partners help each other with questions if someone runs out.
If you want people to stretch a little, offer a chance to swap for a higher card after the first round, but never push anyone upward.
Common pitfalls
Explaining the rule before people choose: almost everyone takes a two or three and the conversations are over in seconds
Teasing people who chose low cards: the self-chosen safety that makes the activity work is undone
No examples of what counts as a thing: holders of tens stall after three facts and feel exposed
Rounds that are too long for low cards: pairs with a two and a three stand around waiting while others are still talking
Insisting that people complete their full number in every pairing: the mixer turns into a recital and partners stop listening
Variations
Let people trade cards with each partner after sharing, so the number changes from round to round. Tie the facts to a theme, such as things about your role or your experience with the workshop topic. In small teams, do it in the circle with each person sharing their number of facts with everyone. Online, ask people to type a number from one to ten in the chat before revealing the rule, then use short breakout pairs.
Where it fits
When to use it
A new group with mixed comfort levels, where some people want to share a lot and others very little
You want to signal from the first minute that participation in this session is by choice
You have a deck of cards and no other materials or preparation time
People should hold several brief pair conversations before settling into group work
A group of roughly 15 to 30 with room to move around
When not to use it
The group knows each other well; listing facts adds little, and a themed check-in question goes further
Fewer than about eight people, where rotating partners makes no sense; share in the circle instead
You need conversation on the workshop topic itself; Impromptu Speed Networking with a content question is the better opener
Playing cards are unwelcome for religious or cultural reasons in this group; use numbered slips of paper
Time is under five minutes; a single paired question is quicker
Related methods
Frequently asked questions
What is Card Talk?▾
Card Talk is an icebreaker with playing cards credited to Mark Collard of playmeo. Each person picks a card based on how brave they feel, and its value sets how many things they share about themselves with each partner. People then rotate through several partners in five to ten minutes.
What do picture cards count as?▾
Jacks, queens and kings count as ten. Decide before you start how you treat the ace, as one or as eleven, and tell the group.
Why let people choose their own card?▾
Choosing the card lets each participant set how much they disclose. Cautious people can take part fully with a low card, and confident people can take a high one, without anyone being singled out. This makes the activity suitable for groups where trust has not been built yet.
How many people can play?▾
The activity is designed for about 15 to 30 people. One deck covers up to 52; add a second deck for larger groups. With very small teams, do it as a round in the circle instead of rotating pairs.
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Try it freeMethod descriptions on Workshop Weaver are original content written by our team, based on established facilitation practices. This method was inspired by work from Mark Collard, playmeo.