I’m a Tree
Used For 💡
Helping teams come out of their shell
Practice building directly on each other’s ideas
Group Size 👫
4–8
Total Time ⏳
5-6 minutes
Energy Level ⚡
Medium
Noise Level 🔊
Medium (varies with expressiveness)
What This Is 🤔
I’m a Tree is a classic improv energizer where participants create short, evolving scenes by physically embodying ideas and building on what others introduce. The exercise is playful, imaginative, and collaborative, inviting teams to say “yes” to what’s already in the room rather than starting from scratch.
It’s simple to learn, endlessly adaptable, and a powerful way to experience collective creativity in action.
How It Works 🔩
1. Set the Scene
Participants stand in a line, all facing the same direction.
One person steps forward, walks seven or eight steps into the open space, turns to face their teammates, and begins the scene by striking a posture and declaring confidently: “I am a tree.” (Any object, role, or element works.)
2. Add to the Scene
A second participant enters the space and adds themselves to the scene by introducing something that interacts with the first person.
Example:
“I am a crow — caaaaw, caaaaw,” while perching on the tree’s arm.
A third participant joins, adding another related element.
Example:
“I am a dog peeing on the tree,” acting it out physically.
Participants continue entering until the full group is part of the scene.
3. Evolve the Scene
Once everyone has joined, the original player selects one person to cross the space and carry their character into a new scene on the opposite side.
Example:
“I choose the crow.”
The chosen person walks across, restates, and embodies their character:
“I am a crow — caaaaw, caaaaw.”
4. Repeat and Build
New participants now enter and build a completely new scene around the carried-over element (the crow).
Continue cycling through scenes, always keeping one element and building forward from it.
Scenes can be whimsical, poetic, absurd, or unexpectedly meaningful — depending on the group.
And honestly: the more ridiculous, the better.
What You’re Practicing 🎯
Building on others’ ideas
Saying “yes” before adding
Embodied imagination
Letting go of ownership
Collaborative sense-making
Why It Works 🏗️
This energizer makes collaboration visible and physical. Participants experience how ideas grow not through originality alone, but through attentive listening and responsive building. Because no one starts from zero, creative pressure drops and collective momentum increases.
Presence is required — players must notice what already exists before adding anything new.
Pro Tips 🥠
Encourage participants to move and use their bodies — physical commitment unlocks creativity.
Keep the pace brisk to avoid overthinking.
If someone gets stuck, gently prompt with: “What else might interact with this?”
Common Pitfalls ⚠️
Allowing people to negate or ignore what’s already in the scene.
Over-explaining the purpose before letting the experience unfold.
Letting scenes drag on — short scenes keep energy high.
Optional 1-min Debrief 💬
“What helped you build on what was already there?”
“When did the scene start to feel alive?”
“How does this mirror collaboration in real work?”
The Takeaway 🥡
I’m a Tree is a lived lesson in collaboration: ideas don’t need to be big or brilliant to matter. When teams pay attention, accept what’s offered, and build together, even the smallest contribution can grow into something unexpected — and meaningful.