Fish bowl
Let a focused conversation unfold while a wider group listens.
30 minutes · Adapt to your group; source does not state a numeric capacity
Use this activity in the Studio →Source timing: not specified. Planning range is an estimate; adapt it to the actual group. Source group guidance: not specified. This describes the playing group, not a maximum attendance for the whole event.
Intention / Goal
Let a focused conversation unfold while a wider group listens.
Materials
Chairs, Timer
Facilitator & access notes
Do not place people in the centre without consent. Joining from an outer seat or leaving a wider gap can improve access. For conflict-heavy topics use experienced facilitation; time and capacity are not specified by the source.
How to facilitate it
- Arrange a small inner discussion circle with an outer listening circle and an accessible way to join.
- Explain the question and agree how a spare inner seat or other joining signal works.
- Invite volunteers to begin and allow participants to exchange places by consent.
- Finish with time to process observations or strong feelings before moving on.
Reflection prompts
- Notice: What did this activity reveal about how we work together?
- Carry forward: What would you like to try next?
Credit & lineage
Seeds for Change (documented version; original creator not established).
Concise original Playformation facilitator wording based on the Seeds for Change guide. Consent/access alternatives and estimated planning defaults are identified; this is not a claim of original authorship.
Anti-copyright: you may copy, adapt, use and distribute this adapted entry, provided the resulting work remains anti-copyright. Source: https://seedsforchange.org.uk/resources
Seeds for Change facilitation tools PDF, page 37 ↗
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