Using your voice for self defense is not just about yelling.  This exercise offers a silly opportunity to practice playing with tone as well as volume.

Requirements:

Three minutes.  Sense of humor.

Instructions:

Ask the group for ways that one can sound deadly serious without being loud.  (For example: hearing my mom speak my full name in a certain low tone, I know I’m in for it.)

For this game, everyone will pick their favorite dessert.  Then, in pairs, they’ll have an argument in which the only words are the names of the competing desserts.  No physical contact, but participants can use ready stance, facial expression and body language to emphasize their point.  Demonstrate with a co-facilitator.  (“Chocolate chip cookies.”  “Baklava!” Or whatever.)  Have participants go for 30-60 seconds.