Life Map Timeline
Participants create visual timelines of their life journey, marking key moments, turning points, and milestones. Sharing these maps creates deep connection through storytelling and reveals what shaped each person.
25-45 min
4-15 people
low
basic
About This Game
Life Map Timeline is a reflective icebreaker that invites participants to visualize their life story as a timeline or map. Using simple drawing, people mark significant moments: highs, lows, turning points, key decisions, influential people, and defining experiences. The power lies in the sharing: as team members walk through their life maps, they reveal vulnerability, explain what shaped them, and help others understand their journey. This activity works best with teams that have some psychological safety, as it involves moderate self-disclosure. The visual element makes it accessible (no artistic skill needed - stick figures and simple lines work great), and the personal storytelling creates memorable connections that deepen team relationships. Perfect for team offsites, leadership development, or when you want to move beyond surface-level introductions.
Objectives
- Create deeper understanding of teammates' backgrounds and experiences
- Practice vulnerability and authentic self-disclosure in a structured way
- Develop empathy by hearing the journeys that shaped each person
- Identify shared experiences and unexpected connections across the team
- Build psychological safety through reciprocal storytelling
How to Run This Game
Facilitator Script:
"We're going to create Life Maps - visual timelines of your journey. You'll draw a simple timeline from birth to now, marking key moments that shaped you. These could be: major decisions, turning points, highs and lows, influential people, or defining experiences. No artistic skill needed - stick figures and simple lines work perfectly. The goal is to tell your story, not create art. You'll have 10 minutes to create your map, then we'll share in small groups."
Actions:
- Explain the Life Map concept clearly
- Show an example of a simple life map (draw yours or show a sample)
- Distribute paper and pens (or open virtual whiteboard)
- Emphasize: simple drawings, focus on storytelling
- Clarify: can be professional journey only, or include personal - their choice
Tips:
- • Your example sets the tone for vulnerability - share something meaningful but appropriate
- • Reassure non-drawers: "Literally a line with dots and labels works great"
- • For virtual: use digital whiteboards (Miro, Mural) or just paper held up to camera
- • Suggest they think chronologically: childhood, adolescence, young adult, recent years
- • Remind: this is for sharing, so keep it appropriate for work setting
Facilitator Script:
"Take 10-12 minutes to create your Life Map. Start with a timeline - horizontal or vertical, whatever feels right. Mark 5-8 key moments that made you who you are today. For each moment, add a quick note or symbol. Remember: simple is better. Focus on what you want to share."
Actions:
- Set timer for 10-12 minutes
- Play soft background music
- Give participants quiet space to reflect and create
- Walk around (if in-person) offering encouragement to anyone stuck
- Give 5-minute, 2-minute, and final warnings
Tips:
- • Help stuck participants: "Think of 3 highs, 3 lows, and 2 turning points"
- • Common moments people include: moving cities, education choices, career changes, meeting important people, challenges overcome
- • Some people will finish early - that's OK, they can add detail
- • Some will use all the time - give gentle wrap-up warning
- • Watch energy - some find this emotional, be ready to support
Facilitator Script:
"Now let's share in groups of 3-4. Take turns presenting your Life Map. Each person has 4-5 minutes to walk us through their timeline. As listeners: be present, ask curious questions, honor what's being shared. Who wants to go first in your group?"
Actions:
- Break into groups of 3-4 people
- Set timer for 20-25 minutes total
- Each person shares their map (4-5 min per person)
- Encourage questions: "What was that like?" "How did that change you?"
- Monitor groups for balanced participation and respectful listening
Tips:
- • For virtual: use breakout rooms with extended time
- • First person to share sets vulnerability tone - might need facilitator encouragement
- • Watch for: are people really listening or just waiting their turn?
- • Some stories may be emotional - that's OK, hold space
- • Keep time so everyone gets a turn
- • If group finishes early: "What themes do you notice across your maps?"
Facilitator Script:
"Let's come back together. Without sharing specific stories (respect privacy), I'm curious: What did you notice? Did anyone discover unexpected connections? What surprised you about creating or sharing your Life Map?"
Actions:
- Bring everyone back to main group
- Invite reflections on the PROCESS, not retelling stories
- Ask: "What themes emerged?" "What did you learn about each other?"
- Acknowledge the vulnerability shown
- Connect to team impact: "How does knowing these stories help us work together?"
Tips:
- • Don't pressure people to share specific personal details in large group
- • Focus on meta-insights: "I realized we've all faced major transitions"
- • Celebrate: "Thank you for trusting each other with your stories"
- • Common insights: we all have complex journeys, everyone has overcome challenges, career paths are rarely linear
- • For ongoing teams: "Keep these maps - we might revisit in a year to see how they've changed"
Facilitator Tips
- This activity requires moderate psychological safety - not for brand new teams on day 1
- Model appropriate vulnerability yourself - your example sets the boundary
- The deeper the sharing, the more powerful the connection - but never force it
- Watch the energy: some find this energizing, others draining - balance accordingly
- For remote teams: having physical paper and holding it up to camera can feel more personal than digital
- Save the Life Maps - some teams create a gallery wall or digital archive
- This pairs beautifully with goal-setting or retrospective activities
- Follow up individually with anyone who shared something particularly challenging
Common Challenges & Solutions
Variations & Adaptations
Focus Life Map only on career/professional development: education, jobs, skill development, professional turning points. Keeps it more work-focused.
After creating past timeline, add a section for future aspirations: where do you want to be in 1, 3, 5 years? Combines reflection with goal-setting.
Use more visual/creative approach: draw actual map with locations, use colors for emotions, add images or symbols. More artistic and expressive.
Partners interview each other about their life story, then create a map FOR their partner to present. Builds active listening and synthesis skills.
teams have used this game