Visual Reflection Tool Enhances Learning

Step-by-Step Instructions

Spread and lay all Climer Cards face-up on a flat surface (table, floor, ground.)
Pose a question that invites each person to reflect on their experience.
Ask each person to select one or more cards that reflect their response to your question.
Invite sharing in pairs, small groups or the whole group.

Resources

Deck of Climer Cards

Here’s a quick introductory video to learn more about these super-useful cards:

Video Tutorial

Video Transcript for Visual Reflection Tool Activity – Climer Cards

presented by Mark Collard

So, if you’d just like to step forward and grab yourself a card, don’t be too concerned about the one you get, just simply grab yourself a card, in fact if you get a couple or a bunch you might be able to share it with the people close to you. So randomly, you will have grabbed or been selected or handed a particular hand-drawn picture. Now, we’re not going to use the pictures on this occasion, but for purposes of leadership, you may still invite your group to find a way in which that particular image connects to a question, such as I asked before, how might this picture, for example, connect to community or camps or things of that nature or its benefits.

So I’ve got these lovely pictures of probably tulips, you know, I could imagine that young people blossom like flowers in the context of camp. Yeah, that’s pretty deep, isn’t it? There you go. Okay, we’re not going to do that, but I’m looking to inspire you in lots of different ways and images are a wonderful way.

We all know they say a thousand words, so flick over now to the other side, you’ll notice that there is, apart from a few words, there is a shape, a colour and a number. I’m going to ask you now to go find other people, go find your tribe based on the category I give you. Let’s begin with the number.

Go find everyone else with the same number as you. Same thing, but different. I want you now to divide up according to the colour of the shape, the colour.

Now you’ll find a home.

How To Play Narrative

In advance, or in view of your group, take a moment to spread all of the cards from a deck of Climer Cards on any flat surface, such as a table, the floor or ground.

Gather your group around the cards, and allow a moment for the group to survey what lays before them.

When ready, tell your group that in moment, you would like each person to choose one card from the pile to reflect their best response to a question you are about to pose.

For example, you may ask each person to pick a card that most closely reflects how they are feeling right now. Or, to choose a card that best reflects how well the group is looking after itself. Or, as simple as picking a card that reminds them of something they like in their life.

Having picked a card (or cards,) enter into a time of sharing.

Pairs works very well to encourage lots of interaction, so too do small groups. By all means, if your group enjoys a strong sense of community and a positive, supportive environment, invite sharing in a whole group.

Practical Leadership Tips

Note, the Climer Cards offer many, many uses on top of their use as a reflection tool – as a tool to invite sharing at the beginning of your program, to inspire creativity, build team skills and have fun. Take a look at the Variations tab, and click here to download a free ebook describing some of these ideas.

Depicting only images, these cards are ideal for use with multi-lingual groups.

Depending on the topic and nature of the group this process can bring up deep feelings for some people. Be prepared as a facilitator to support what comes up and allow space for a range of emotions.

For the record, Amy Climer, the developer of the cards, hand-painted all of the 52 watercolour images.

To learn more about how Amy created this set of cards, click here to view a short 6-minute video.

Social-Emotional Learning

You could integrate the use of Climer Cards as part of a well-designed SEL program to help your group to identify and understand their emotions, thoughts and values and how these influence their behaviours.

Specifically, this activity offers opportunities to explore and practice the following social & interpersonal skills:

Self-Awareness

Identifying Emotions
Linking Feelings, Values & Thoughts
Identifying Personal, Cultural & Linguistic Assets
Recognising Strengths, Prejudices & Biases
Demonstrating Self-Confidence, Honesty & Integrity
Experiencing Self-Efficacy
Having A Growth Mindset

Social Awareness

Taking Other’s Perspectives
Demonstrating Empathy & Compassion
Understanding & Expressing Gratitude
Appreciating Diversity
Recognising Strengths In Others
Respecting Others

Relationship Skills

Communicate & Listen Effectively
Build Positive Relationships
Demonstrate Cultural Competency

Responsible Decision-Making

Demonstrating Curiosity & Open-Mindedness
Promoting Personal & Collective Well-Being

You can learn more about SEL and how it can support character education here.

Health & Wellness Programming

Emotional Intelligence

As a colourful and versatile reflection tool, Climer Cards are a wonderful resource to invite your group to explore their emotional literacy skills. Frame your question or statement and then follow the instructions above to guide your group’s discussion about relevant social and emotional competencies.

Behavioural Norms

Use the image-side of the cards to inspire your group to reflect on a variety of learning topics to help them identify the sort of group norms that they want to create. For example, you could pose one or more of the following questions to ignite a powerful conversation such as:

Choose an image that best reflects … your present state of mind.
… the sort of future you see for this group.
… the dreams you hold for yourself and the group.
… what’s getting in the way of this group’s progress.
… how the group could improve its effectiveness.

Popular Variations

Shape Sharing: Nominate a question to each of the five shapes which appear on one side of the cards – circle, square, triangle, pentagon and star. For example, a circle means something that makes you feel happy, a square is something that is a personal goal, etc. In small groups, ask individuals to randomly pick a card from a deck sitting in front of them, and respond accordingly.
Story Time: Form small groups of 4 to 6 people, and randomly distribute one card to each person. Ask each small group to create a story which incorporates all of the images shown on the cards.
Metaphor Prompts: Lay all of the cards in front of your group. Ask each person (or small groups) to select one card that metaphorically represents their response to one or more statements or questions you pose. For example, pick a card that represents what you understand to be leadership or a card that symbolises how you are feeling about the group’s performance.
Group Initiative: Take a look at Get Twenty to explore a fun problem-solving exercise using these cards.
Alternate Props: Take a look at UBUNTU Cards, We Connect Cards and Fine Line Cards to explore the use of other innovative decks of cards which are brilliant for inspiring reflective thoughts.
Open the Virtual Adaptation tab to learn how to present this activity online.

Virtual Adaptation

In advance, scan as many Climer Cards (picture-side facing) onto one page. Share this collage with your group via the primary (presenter) screen and instruct everyone to switch to this view. Use these images to prompt your reflection process or any of the activities described above.
For large groups, divide into X number of breakout rooms and invite the sharing to occur in smaller teams.
Don’t have Climer Cards? Create your own collage of images to produce the prompts, eg newspapers, magazines, internet-sourced images, etc.
You can purchase a virtual set of Climer Cards here.

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Useful Framing Ideas

It may sound like:

“NOT YET, BUT WHEN I SAY GO, MOVE INTO THE MIDDLE AND SELECT A CARD THAT SOMEHOW BEST REPRESENTS YOU. IT CAN BE LITERAL SUCH AS ‘I LIKE TO RIDE A BIKE’ OR IT CAN BE A MORE METAPHORIC MEANING. IF TWO PEOPLE WANT TO SHARE CARDS THEY CAN, THEY WILL JUST LINK ELBOWS TO INDICATE THEY ARE SHARING CARDS. ONCE YOU GET YOUR CARD, RETURN TO THE CIRCLE…”

Source

The inspiration for the visual reflection tool Climer Cards, and their multiple uses was sourced from their developer Amy Climer.

Amy produces a terrific free podcast called The Deliberate Creative Podcast. Listen to Episode #24 – How to Use Climer Cards to Increase Creativity, in which Amy shares many more tips and activity ideas to use these cards to increase creativity. The episode is available to listen to for free here.

You can also view a short video in which Amy describes how these cards were developed.

CLIMER CARDS - $39.00 AUD

Original post August 2017, last updated September 2025.

BY Mark Collard - Experiential Trainer, Author & Speaker

Comments (1)

Chad Littlefield September 27, 2017

Climer Cards are the best! Amy is also an amazingly talented facilitator if you ever get a chance to cross paths with her.

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