The Trust Walk - Social and Emotional Learning Activity

Description: The Trust Walk is a social emotional learning activity that can build up the children's key SEL skills. Pairs of children, one blindfolded and the other leading the blindfolded, through obstacles.

Activity output: Develop cohesion and self-confidence.

Key SEL skill(s) targeted: Self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, and relationship skills

Time: 30 minutes

Space: Adequate space for children to move through some obstacles made with objects

Resources: furniture (e.g., chairs and tables), steps within the premises, or natural items (e.g., logs) if it is in a natural environment, to make the obstacle course. Also, clean clothes (such as serviettes) for blindfolding.

Preparation: Make an obstacle course so that children can walk through it. If there are adequate resources, you could be creative in making a unique obstacle course.

How to do the The Trust Walk SEL Activity:

Make the students form pairs. These can be pairs that are created randomly by random selection methods.
Explain that one partner, "the guide," will guide the other, "the walker," whose eyes are closed or blindfolded, through an obstacle course. The partner with the closed eyes must listen closely to their partner.
The walkers should be blindfolded. The guide should give verbal instructions to the walker to move from the starting point to the finishing point, without touching one another.
The guide must give the walking partner directions to navigate the obstacles and reach the other side of the room.
In the end, the partners could switch roles and go back in the opposite direction.
Lead a discussion with the children using the following questions:

How did it feel to trust each other while your eyes were closed?
Did you trust your partner?
How were you able to succeed?

In the end, ask the children: “How did you feel when you were moving through the obstacle course? Could you trust your partner's instructions? Pass on the message:

When working with others, you should be able to trust each other. However, trust is based on getting to know the other person well. One of the best ways of forming trust is to be truthful with people and to impart correct information to others. That way everyone can succeed”.

The one that’s the glue of society is called trust. Its presence cements relationships by allowing people to live and work together, feel safe and belong to a group. Trust makes people feel eager to be part of a relationship or group with a shared purpose and a willingness to depend on each other. When trust is intact, we will willingly contribute what is needed, not just by offering our presence, but also by sharing our dedication, talent, energy and honest thoughts on how the relationship or group is working. When you trust someone, it means that you believe in his or her abilities and qualities. In fact, you are giving this person the responsibility of representing you in some tasks that is important to you. If this person fails to carry out this responsibility, he or she will lose your trust and it will be difficult for him or her to regain it. The only way to develop trust in a relationship is by being trustworthy. If you want people to trust you, you have to prove that you can be trusted, and if you cannot be trusted, why should people trust you? This means that trust is earned. So, the first step is to become trustworthy, which means being honest with yourself and others, keeping your word and doing the right thing even when no one is watching.