Energisers · Problem-solving
Silent Line-Up
The whole group lines up in order of birthday, years at the company or distance travelled to the event, without saying a word.
Quick answer
How do you run Silent Line-Up with a team?
The whole group lines up in order of birthday, years at the company or distance travelled to the event, without saying a word. Duration: 10 minutes. Group size: 8–80 people. Setting: Indoor. Below you will find a step-by-step guide, the materials and facilitator tips.
- Duration
- 10 minutes
- Group size
- 8–80 people
- Setting
- Indoor
- Energy level
- Active
- Materials
- A clear line or corridor long enough for the group, Optional: masking tape on the floor
- Price
- Free, no sign-up
Objective
Show how quickly a group invents non-verbal ways to coordinate.
Materials
- A clear line or corridor long enough for the group
- Optional: masking tape on the floor
Step by step
- Announce the sorting rule, for example birthday from 1 January to 31 December.
- Explain that talking, writing and phones are not allowed.
- Start the timer; let the group organise itself.
- When they say they are done, check the order out loud from one end.
- Discuss: which signals emerged, who took the lead, what slowed you down?
Facilitator tips
- Start with an easy rule, then run a harder second round (e.g. distance travelled).
- With more than 40 people, run two lines and compare times.
Variations
- Blindfolded round for a smaller group with a sighted guide.
- Sort by first language alphabetically for multilingual teams.
Accessibility
Requires standing and moving. A seated version works by passing numbered cards along a table instead of changing places.
