The power of Checkin
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How do you start your workshops and classes?
A few years ago, during a Participatory Leadership training, I learned about the concept of Check-In. Since then, I’ve made it a habit to start every workshop or session with a check-in exercise.
But first, what exactly is Check-In?
Think of it like the check-in process before a flight or a vacation—you drop off your luggage, lighten your load, and get ready for the journey ahead. In a workshop, a check-in serves a similar purpose. It allows participants to acknowledge what’s on their mind, share their emotional "baggage," and set it aside so they can be fully present.
Why Check-In Matters
Check-in exercises help create an environment where people feel seen, heard, and valued. They offer several benefits:
✅ Emotional Release – Participants can share what’s on their mind, helping them let go of distractions.
✅ Group Awareness – The facilitator and the group gain insight into each other’s moods and energy levels, fostering empathy.
✅ Building a Participatory Mindset – It shifts the group from passive listening to active engagement from the start.
✅ Setting the Tone – The workshop can be adapted based on the collective energy and emotional state of the group.
Check-In vs. Icebreaker: What's the Difference?
While Icebreakers are often fun, energizing activities designed to warm up a group, Check-Ins are deeper and more reflective. The goal of check-in is not just to get participants talking but to help them acknowledge where they are—mentally and emotionally—before diving into the session.
Ideas for Check-In Rounds
🔹 Classic "How Are You?" Round – Works best in small groups where each participant can share how they’re feeling today.
🔹 Small Group Check-In – Instead of sharing with the whole class, participants break into small groups (2-4 people) and discuss how they’re doing.
🔹 "Describe Your Mood in 6 Words" – Inspired by Hemingway’s six-word stories, this format encourages creativity while keeping responses brief. I usually start by inviting participants to share how they’re feeling in six words. Later in the workshop, we explore how constraints can enhance creativity, sharing Hemingway’s famous six-word story and examples from this incredible project. Then, I invite participants to try again—this time, with a more thoughtful, poetic, or expressive approach.
🔹 Battery Percentage – "If your energy level were a phone battery, what percentage would it be? What would recharge you?" This leads to interesting insights—once, a student said they needed a hug, and their friends got up to give them one. Another student mentioned they were simply hungry, and a peer offered them a snack.
🔹 Draw Your Energy – In large groups, I sometimes hand out sticky notes and ask participants to write their energy level on one side and draw what would recharge them on the other. They then hold up their notes for a quick visual check-in.
🔹 Weather Metaphor – "If your mood were the weather, what would it be?" (Sunny, cloudy, stormy, rainbow, tropical, snowy, etc.)
🔹 Gratitude Check-In – "Share one good thing that happened to you today."
🔹 Emoji Check-In – In virtual sessions, participants can drop an emoji in the chat to express their mood. In physical sessions, printed emoji cards can be used.
More Check-In Questions to Try
💡 What has captured your attention recently?
💡 What inspired you in the past few days?
💡 What’s a small challenge you’ve overcome recently?
💡 If your mindset today were a song, what would it be?
💡 What’s a thought that often pops into your head in the shower?
💡 If you could have coffee with anyone today, who would it be and what would you ask them?
💡 What’s something you’re looking forward to?
💡 If you had to pick one color to represent your mood, what would it be and why?
Final Thoughts
Check-ins may seem like a small exercise, but their impact on group dynamics is huge. By taking just a few minutes at the start of a session, you create a sense of belonging, presence, and connection—laying the foundation for an engaging and meaningful experience.
What’s your favorite way to check in with a group? Let’s share ideas! 🚀
📸 This photo was taken during my course at UBB in Romania, where I used a check-in exercise to kick off the session. Small moments of connection make a big difference in learning!