Although games are a great way to practice positive social and emotional skills, they can also be an opportunity to pick up less-than-ideal habits. Here are a few best practices for gameplay from Playworks.

Equipment and Boundaries:

• Set and teach clear boundaries for games to ensure that play is safe and students feel included. 

• If you have a space without clear marked boundaries, use small, flexible marker cones to mark corners, a place to stand, or even stand in as flags.  

Teaching Games:

• Start and Stop words 

  • Games that go on indefinitely like tag are often the most fun for children at recess or free time and stop words can be used instead of declaring a "winner"

  • Identify and practice start and stop words before playing. 

  • Children can take turns picking the words for the day. 

  • Listening for these words helps to practice switching attention. 

• Safe Tagging: Butterfly Fingers

  • one way to reinforce safe tagging is to teach players to use "Butterfly Fingers" (soft stage like a butterfly landing n a flower) and only count in safe zones (arms, shoulders, and back). 

  • Have players demonstrate butterfly tags. 

• Safe Feet: 

  • Many games can be adapted for larger or smaller spacers by changing how students move. 

  • Running may work on a field, walking heel-to-toe, tiptoeing, or "walking like a spy" may make more sense indoors. 

  • Fire Feet is where players take quick, shuffling steps as if the floor is on fire.

• Conflict Resolution: 

  • Rock, Paper, Scissors is a quick game children can use to resolve disputes. 

  • Remind students how to play when teaching games where disagreements are likely. 

Tips for While You Play:

• Positive Language

  • Promote empathy and social awareness in games by making positive language the norm. 

  • Instead of saying, "You're out!" kids can say, "Good job, nice try!" and give high fives or fist bumps.

  • This is a great time for adults to join in and play with kids to model skills. This also helps kids to connect with teachers in a different way.  

• Rules & Consequences

  • Children with behavior challenges may need to play the most, so when players are not following the rule it can be tempting to as them to sit out. Instead, try other strategies:

    • Start with a warning. Check that children understand the changes that they need to make. 

    • If a consequence is needed try to do something active, have them do a certain number of jumping jacks or sprints before coming back. 

    • If the behavior doesn't change, tell the player to pick a different game for their break that day and tell them why without judgment. 

• Reflection Questions

  • add mid- or post- game questions to have players reflect on what they are practicing or when they might play the game next. Try these:

    • What was challenging about the game?

    • What did you need to do to be successful?

    • What do you think this game teaches?

    • When would be a good time to play this game?

    • How does this promote teamwork?

    • How does the promote behavior?