Resilience Building Games for Kids in Primary School
Resilience Building Games for Kids in Primary School
Primary or elementary school is an excellent time to begin building resilience. Children are so adaptable already that introducing the idea of resilience is much easier than teaching resilience to adults.
There are many resources out there for helping build resilience in young children, but games are certainly one of the best ways.
There are many resources out there for helping build resilience in young children, but games are certainly one of the best ways.
Listed below are some of the best games for teaching resilience in primary or elementary school.
Rock-Paper-Scissors game Development Goal To develop a simple tool for conflict resolution.
Before You Start
Before You Start
Only two players are needed. If there are more, have everyone pair up.
Explain and demonstrate the rules of play.
Explain and demonstrate the rules of play.
Check for understanding
How to Play
How to Play
Partners say “ro sham bo” or “rock paper scissor” together with their hands in a fist.
On “bo” or “paper”, players pick one of three things to show with their hand:
Rock which is demonstrated by a fist.
Scissors with two finger spread out to represent scissors. (This looks like a sideways peace sign.). Paper by holding out a palm down, flat hand. If players show the same things, they go again.
Rock which is demonstrated by a fist.
Scissors with two finger spread out to represent scissors. (This looks like a sideways peace sign.). Paper by holding out a palm down, flat hand. If players show the same things, they go again.
If one player picks rock and one scissors, the player who showed rock wins the dispute. To explain this, say rock crushes scissors (no need to actually crush).
If one player picks scissors and the other paper, the player who showed scissors succeeds. Scissors cuts paper.
If a player shows paper while the other shows rock, the player who picked paper succeeds. Paper covers rock.
If one player picks scissors and the other paper, the player who showed scissors succeeds. Scissors cuts paper.
If a player shows paper while the other shows rock, the player who picked paper succeeds. Paper covers rock.
Once game is taught, ask players to use in many different games and situations to solve minor disputes, such as is the ball in or out or who arrived first in line.
1. I Love My Neighbor
Development Goal:
To have students recognize commonalities within the group and to identify personal characteristics and also help to foster kindness in children. Kindness is important on its own, but learning kindness for others in addition to the self is also vital as a piece of resilience.
Before You Start
Make sure everyone understands the rules.
Cue players to think about what they will say if they get to be in the middle.
Briefly discuss awareness and review how to play[ Rock-Paper-Scissors in case there is a tie.
Set Up
Position chairs/cones to form a circle. Make sure there is one less cone/chair than the number of players.
How to Play
The person standing in the center of the circle begins the game by saying “I love my neighbor especially my neighbor who…”
S/he completes the sentence with a piece of information that is true for him/her
Example: “I love my neighbor, especially my neighbor who was born outside of state, loves to play basketball, has a pet, is an only child, etc.”).
As soon as s/he is finished with the statement, everyone (including the person in the center) who this applies to moves from their cone to an empty come that is not right next to them.
The person who remains in the middle begins a second round of the game.
To have students recognize commonalities within the group and to identify personal characteristics and also help to foster kindness in children. Kindness is important on its own, but learning kindness for others in addition to the self is also vital as a piece of resilience.
Before You Start
Make sure everyone understands the rules.
Cue players to think about what they will say if they get to be in the middle.
Briefly discuss awareness and review how to play[ Rock-Paper-Scissors in case there is a tie.
Set Up
Position chairs/cones to form a circle. Make sure there is one less cone/chair than the number of players.
How to Play
The person standing in the center of the circle begins the game by saying “I love my neighbor especially my neighbor who…”
S/he completes the sentence with a piece of information that is true for him/her
Example: “I love my neighbor, especially my neighbor who was born outside of state, loves to play basketball, has a pet, is an only child, etc.”).
As soon as s/he is finished with the statement, everyone (including the person in the center) who this applies to moves from their cone to an empty come that is not right next to them.
The person who remains in the middle begins a second round of the game.
2. If You Really Knew Me
This game can be played with only several pairs of children and some space. If there is an odd number of children, you can play with them to make an even number.
Development Goal :To share and learn about one another and to increase social comfort. Skills Practiced: Speaking and listening
Before You Start
Demonstrate what one round will look like
Lead a discussion about attentive listening before beginning the activity. Help students define what “attentive listening” means and what it looks like. It is fully hearing what the other person is saying without interrupting and not thinking about your own thing or how you want to respond while being spoken to. It includes facing the person who is speaking, making eye contact, nodding or other physical responses to what is being said, etc.
Make sure students know if they are A or B.
Set Up :A space for everyone to stand in pairs.
How to Play
Group student in groups of two and decide who student A is and who is student B.
Student A silently listens to student B for one minute (or shorter for younger groups).
Student B finishes off the sentence, “If you really knew me, you would know that…” What is being shared about themselves can range from
Family information- “If you really knew me you would know that I am the youngest of 4 siblings.”
School information -“If you really knew me you would know that my favorite topic in school is Art.”
Favorite/ least favorite things- “If you really knew me you would know that I hate broccoli.”
Anything else they want to share about themselves.
Student B repeats this sentence over and over again completing it with a new piece of information each time. After a minute the roles are reversed and student B listens while student A shares.This game is another good way for students to get to know each other and to practice active listening. It may even help strike up a few friendships! Having meaningful relationships and practicing kindness is a great way to build resilience.
Development Goal :To share and learn about one another and to increase social comfort. Skills Practiced: Speaking and listening
Before You Start
Demonstrate what one round will look like
Lead a discussion about attentive listening before beginning the activity. Help students define what “attentive listening” means and what it looks like. It is fully hearing what the other person is saying without interrupting and not thinking about your own thing or how you want to respond while being spoken to. It includes facing the person who is speaking, making eye contact, nodding or other physical responses to what is being said, etc.
Make sure students know if they are A or B.
Set Up :A space for everyone to stand in pairs.
How to Play
Group student in groups of two and decide who student A is and who is student B.
Student A silently listens to student B for one minute (or shorter for younger groups).
Student B finishes off the sentence, “If you really knew me, you would know that…” What is being shared about themselves can range from
Family information- “If you really knew me you would know that I am the youngest of 4 siblings.”
School information -“If you really knew me you would know that my favorite topic in school is Art.”
Favorite/ least favorite things- “If you really knew me you would know that I hate broccoli.”
Anything else they want to share about themselves.
Student B repeats this sentence over and over again completing it with a new piece of information each time. After a minute the roles are reversed and student B listens while student A shares.This game is another good way for students to get to know each other and to practice active listening. It may even help strike up a few friendships! Having meaningful relationships and practicing kindness is a great way to build resilience.
3. Switch
Switch is played with a four-square court or four cones forming a square with an additional cone in the middle. Review rock-paper-scissors with the children before you begin.
Development Goal :To develop active listening capability.
Before You Start
Make sure everyone know the four areas to run to.
Review how to play ro-sham-bo (rock-paper-scissors).
Play a practice round.
Set Up: A four-square court or four cones forming a square and one additional cone in the middle.
How to Play
Five players at a time. Each player occupies a corner or the middle.
Play begins when the person in the middle says “Switch”.
All players must find a new corner/cone to occupy. No player can go to the center cone.
If two players arrive at the corner at the same time a quick rock-paper-scissors is played, winner stays.
The next person in line, become the person in the middle and begins the next round.
This game helps children learn how to deal with conflict. Meaningful connections are vital to developing resilience, but conflict arises in all relationships at some point. While most conflicts cannot be solved with only “rock-paper-scissors,” this teaches children that conflict can be solved. Although they may be disappointed by being “out” of the game, they will quickly learn that, in life as in the game, their turn will come again.
Development Goal :To develop active listening capability.
Before You Start
Make sure everyone know the four areas to run to.
Review how to play ro-sham-bo (rock-paper-scissors).
Play a practice round.
Set Up: A four-square court or four cones forming a square and one additional cone in the middle.
How to Play
Five players at a time. Each player occupies a corner or the middle.
Play begins when the person in the middle says “Switch”.
All players must find a new corner/cone to occupy. No player can go to the center cone.
If two players arrive at the corner at the same time a quick rock-paper-scissors is played, winner stays.
The next person in line, become the person in the middle and begins the next round.
This game helps children learn how to deal with conflict. Meaningful connections are vital to developing resilience, but conflict arises in all relationships at some point. While most conflicts cannot be solved with only “rock-paper-scissors,” this teaches children that conflict can be solved. Although they may be disappointed by being “out” of the game, they will quickly learn that, in life as in the game, their turn will come again.
HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY MAKING YOUR CHILDREN TO PLAY.
Comments
Post a Comment