Jenga Questions

15-30 Minutes

Use a standard Jenga set and write questions on each block with permanent marker or small stickers. Questions might include: "What's your hidden talent?", "Describe your dream vacation", "What's the best advice you've received?", "If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive, who?", "What's your proudest achievement?". Players take turns pulling blocks and answering the question written on them before placing blocks on top. The game combines the suspense of potential tower collapse with the vulnerability of answering personal questions. As the tower grows taller and more unstable, tension increases, creating engagement and laughter. This works beautifully for small groups of 4-8 people and can continue for 20-30 minutes. One Jenga set can be reused across multiple team sessions, making it a good investment for ongoing team building.

How to Play

Setup

Gather: 1 standard Jenga set; permanent marker or small removable stickers and a pen; a timer or phone; optional spare prompt list for passes.
Prepare prompts: Write one question on each block. Mix light (favorite hobby, dream vacation), medium (best advice you’ve received), and deeper reflection (proudest achievement). Avoid sensitive topics (politics, salaries, medical details). If using stickers, press firmly so they don’t peel during play.
Optional coding: Use colored dots on ends (green = light, yellow = medium, blue = deep) to balance tone. Alternate colors as you build the initial tower.
Space: Place the tower on a sturdy, flat table and seat 4–8 players around it so everyone can reach comfortably.
Safety: Establish a respectful, confidential environment. Let participants know they can pass once without explanation.
Facilitator: Appoint someone to watch time, invite quieter voices, and keep the pace upbeat.

How to Play

Build the tower as usual.
Determine turn order (e.g., clockwise). Aim for 20–30 minutes total.
On your turn, use one hand to remove a block from below the top three completed rows. You can test blocks gently to find a loose one.
Read the question aloud and answer in 30–60 seconds. Share only what you’re comfortable sharing.
Invite one brief follow-up from the group if desired (10–15 seconds), then place the block on top, perpendicular to the previous layer.
Continue clockwise. Energy and suspense rise as the tower grows.
If the tower falls:
- Celebrate the moment—no penalties.
- The player who caused the fall may share a quick fun fact or appreciation (optional).
- Rebuild together and resume with the next player in order.

Rules

One hand only while touching the tower; you may switch hands only between turns.
Do not remove blocks from the top three completed rows.
If you significantly move a block, commit to removing it within a count of three.
Keep responses concise, respectful, and work-appropriate; listeners don’t interrupt or cross-talk.
Each player gets one pass per game. Alternatives: choose a lighter question from the spare list or nominate a teammate to answer briefly on your behalf.
Honor confidentiality—stories stay in the room unless explicitly agreed otherwise.

Tips

Start with lighter prompts; let depth increase as the tower rises.
Timebox answers (30–60 seconds) to engage everyone within 20–30 minutes.
Refresh prompts between sessions by swapping stickers or rotating blocks.
Model vulnerability and brevity early; invite quieter voices after each answer.

Variations

Theme Decks: Leadership, creativity, gratitude, or project retrospectives.
Speed Round: Once the tower exceeds mid-height, limit answers to 20 seconds.
Double-Take: After answering, the player invites one volunteer to add a 10-second perspective.
No-Jenga Fallback: Use a deck of cards; draw a card to select a question from a printed list while mimicking the turn order and pass rules.