Impulse Control Games for Preschool: Waiting Patiently
This session includes impulse control games, helping young students practice waiting patiently, like when taking turns at the slide. After a short video, young learners talk about what a classmate could do when waiting feels hard, then play a quick movement game where they stop, listen, and show with their bodies how they could handle each waiting moment. The focus is on noticing frustration early and choosing a helpful strategy while they wait.
Extension activity
- Skill
- Self-Regulation
- Goal
- Using Your Self-Controller
- Grade level
- Pre-K & K
Get everything you need to teach the skill
These materials are part of a no-prep session designed by our clinical team, with all the structure, scaffolding, and support you need to teach included.
Engaging materials
Video modeling lessonWaiting Patiently
In this video, students will learn about the importance of waiting patiently and strategies they can use to do so!
- Extension activity
Interactive Worksheet: My Waiting Strategies
In this activity, students will use different strategies to practice patience.
Plus everything you need to teach them
Warm-up
- Video: Lion and Cat Breathing3:12
- Video: Our Senses Calming Break2:27
- Video: Yoga Pose Library
Session Opener
Guiding Question: What can a person do while waiting?
Practice
- Discussion Question
- Role-Play Activity
- Mini Game
How to use it with your students
- 1Watch Play the video modeling lesson so students see the skill in action.
- 2Practice Try the skill together with a discussion prompt, role-play, or mini game.
- 3Extend Use the extension activity to help students carry the skill further.
What's Covered
In this lesson, students learned that being patient means waiting for their turn even when they feel excited or start to feel frustrated. They practiced noticing those feelings while waiting and tried simple strategies like counting, taking deep breaths, or humming a song to help themselves wait. Students also talked about how waiting their turn helps everyone get a turn.
Key Terms
- Waiting Patiently
- Waiting patiently means waiting your turn even when you feel excited or want something right away.
- Coping Strategy
- A coping strategy is something you can do to help your body feel calm and safe when you have a big feeling. You might take a deep breath, count slowly, or think of something happy to help your body feel better.
Sample IEP Goal This Session Supports
-
Using Your Self-Controller
Learner will use their Self-Controller to manage stress responses when triggers arise (e.g., unexpected changes, transitions away from preferred activities) by recognizing stress signals and applying a self-selected strategy before reacting in 4 out of 5 opportunities independently/given X prompt(s).
Send this tip home to support generalization
Next time waiting gets hard at home or at school, try picking one waiting strategy together first, like counting to ten or taking belly breaths. Choosing it ahead of time makes it easier to use.
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More Self-Regulation Activities
Frequently asked questions
Is this intervention free?
Yes, this ready-to-teach session on Waiting Patiently is free. You can access this intervention free for 14 days through the Everyday Speech Session Library. Every user gets three free sessions, but you can get more or extend your access by sharing the Session Library with friends and colleagues.
What ages is this for?
These materials are designed for PreK and kindergarten students.
What's included?
You'll get access to your choice of warm-up videos, a session opener, a core material on Waiting Patiently, three practice prompts, and an extension activity, Interactive Worksheet: My Waiting Strategies.
What skill does this intervention teach?
This ready-to-teach session is on self-regulation - more specifically, using your self-controller.
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