Ready-Set- Go Game - Social Emotional Learning Activity

Description: listening carefully to begin a race

Activity output: Improve mind-body coordination

Key SEL skill: Self-management

SA- recognizing strengthens, self confidence & efficacy
SM- Impulse control, self discipline , self motivation, goal setting, organizational skills
Mindfulness

Time: 15 minutes

Preparation: No preparation is needed

Space: A playground or a space that children could move freely

How to do:

Let the children stand in a line, ready for a race. Make the finish line about 20m in distance.
Tell them that they must start the race when you tell them ‘go’ they must listen carefully.
Then you say ‘ready, set’ and then use a different word instead of ‘go’, such as ‘gorilla’ or ‘guava’.
Some children may start running, but they would return to the starting line because you did not say ‘go’.
After several tries, you would say ‘go’.
You may do this race about 3 times, making the ‘go’ command placed in a different order. E.g. in the next race, the second occasion would be ‘go’.
You may repeat the activity following the first trial but by using a different start signal. E.g. a different word, or else the start signal could be a particular sound among several other sounds (for example, the sound of a ‘clap’ – to be used as the trigger between sounds of wooden sticks, a tap on a bottle, a tap on metal, etc).
Tip> After completing the game you may relate real-life experiences or folk stories related to quick decision-making without proper knowledge. e.g. ‘Kaluwa Marapana giya wage’
In the end, ask the children ‘why did some children miss the start?’ Share the message: “In real life too, we tend to move or take decisions without proper information. First, we must listen carefully, have the proper information and then only start acting”.