Ways to Use a Spinning Wheel
A wheel is good at one thing: ending a "you pick" / "no, you pick" loop quickly and in a way nobody can argue was personal. These are practical ways to use Spin and Choose, with entry lists you can copy into My Custom Wheel using Paste a list.
In the classroom
- Calling on students. Paste the class list and spin. After each answer, use Remove this entry from the wheel so everyone is asked once before anyone is asked twice. Press Reset to start a new round.
- Presentation order or group leaders. Spin until the wheel is empty and write the order down as you go.
- Vocabulary, topic or question practice. Put words, topics or review questions on the wheel instead of names.
- Tips. Agree a "pass" rule beforehand so a spin is never a punishment, use first names or initials if the screen is projected, and keep marks and assessment out of it: a wheel is for turn-taking, not for judging anyone. Entry lists are only saved in your own browser, so on a shared computer use Clear saved data when you finish.
Example list for a quick revision round: Define it, Give an example, Spot the mistake, Explain to a partner, Draw it, True or false.
For teams and meetings
- Who goes first in stand-up or a retro. Put the team on the wheel and remove each person as they speak.
- Rotating chores: note-taker, timekeeper, facilitator, demo host. Use one wheel per role so the same person is not stuck with all of them.
- Icebreakers. Make a wheel of light questions. The built-in Truth or Dare wheel is a party game and is usually the wrong fit for work, so build your own list instead.
- Tips. Decide in advance whether a re-spin is allowed, and let people opt out of icebreakers without explanation.
Example icebreaker list: Best meal this month, A skill you'd like to learn, Favourite place you've visited, A small win this week, What you'd do with a free afternoon.
For everyday decisions
- Dinner. The Eat Tonight wheel covers twelve cuisines. Turn on "Can't cook?" when you are ordering in.
- What to watch. Choose a mood, spin for a genre, then pick from the three example titles. Check what your service offers in your region.
- Trip ideas. Pick a budget and spin for a destination to start a conversation, then do real research before you plan anything.
- Household decisions. Chores, who chooses the music, which game to play. A custom wheel saved in your browser is quick to reuse.
- Tip. If you notice you are hoping for a particular result, that is useful information. A wheel is a good tie-breaker, but you are always free to ignore it.
Example chore list: Dishes, Laundry, Vacuuming, Bins, Tidy the hallway, Water the plants.
For parties and games
Truth or Dare has three intensity levels. Choose the level for your group, skip anything someone is not comfortable with, and do not pressure anyone to do something unsafe or unkind. For other games, a custom wheel can hold forfeits, categories, team names or song choices.
When not to use a wheel
- Raffles, prize draws, sweepstakes, lotteries and anything involving money or gambling. Spin and Choose is not certified or audited and must not be used for these.
- Decisions that affect people's grades, jobs, health or safety.
- Situations where participants need to verify the result independently. See the limitations.