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Categories Twist

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Three people discussing what they have in common as heard during Categories Twist, a small group bonding activity

Categories Twist

Small group bonding activity & fun variation of Two Truths & Lie game.

  • Playful & fun
  • Intriguing get-to-know-you game
  • Inspires creativity
  • Strengthens relationships
  • No props

Step-by-Step Instructions

This small group bonding activity combines personal sharing with playful deception to create engaging conversations. Categories Twist encourages deeper connections through the discovery of common ground, whilst adding an element of mystery and fun. Teachers, trainers and group facilitators value how this small group bonding activity naturally builds rapport and trust whilst keeping participants intrigued and engaged. The blend of intimate discussion and group problem-solving makes it perfect for workshops, classrooms or orientation sessions where meaningful connections matter.

Categories Twist – Small Group Bonding Activity
  1. Form small groups of two, three or four people.
  2. Each group spends 5 to 10 minutes discussing what they all have in common.
  3. In conversation, each group identifies two things that all group members have in common, and one thing which is true for at least one member but not the whole group.
  4. When ready, gather all groups together.
  5. Taking turns, each group announces their three ‘common attributes’ as deadpan as possible.
  6. The rest of the groups aim to identify which one of the three attributes is the lie.
  7. Aim to seek consensus, but settle for a majority if necessary.
  8. Finally, the nominated group reveals the correct answer.
  9. Repeat this process until all groups have revealed their lie.

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Contributor

Add your Comments...

Have you played this activity? What worked, what didn't work? What type of group? Do you have useful advice for other users? Do you know a fun variation?

Comments (2)

  1. David Piang-Nee

    Nice variation on Two Truths and a Lie for those who know it or known in the Variation section as Individual Challenge.

    Love the group aspect and the sharing the takes place before the game even begins.

    I wonder if it would be possible to run the activity with the groups facing away from the speaker, so all the clues are given without seeing the speaker. In that way, the resulting decision might be different as the groups guessing would not be able to use any visual clues aspects from the speaker before guessing. The group would guess.. and then the group would get to see the speaker repeat their answers and see if their answer would change based on what they now observed. That could be challenging and if the answers do change, it could be a great demonstration of how much we rely on visual clues as part of our communication.

    Reply
    • Mark Collard

      David, I think you could certainly lead the activity as you suggest – with people facing away from the group – but I’d personally be concerned about losing the vision of their possible reactions. For me, one of the joys of this game is to witness how well the individuals can hold their ‘poker-face.’

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