As educators, we know that teaching our young students the importance of following the group is essential for their social development. This blog post will provide you with an easy-to-follow activity, discussion questions, and related skills to help your PreK students understand the importance of keeping their eyes, ears, and body in the group.

Introduction

When we’re in a group with friends or in school, it’s important to follow the group. Following the group means making sure our body is in the group, our eyes are in the group, and our ears are in the group. If we don’t stay in the group, people might feel confused or think we don’t want to play with them. In this blog post, we will explore a simple no-prep activity that teaches PreK students the importance of staying engaged in group activities.

No-Prep Activity: The Listening Game

This activity requires no preparation or materials from the educator and is a fun way to teach students the importance of following the group. Here’s how it works:

1. Have your students sit in a circle.
2. Explain that you will be playing a game called “The Listening Game” and that the goal is to listen carefully and follow the group.
3. Start by saying a simple sentence or action, such as “I like to jump.”
4. The student to your left should repeat the sentence and add their own sentence or action, such as “I like to jump, and I like to run.”
5. Continue around the circle with each student repeating the previous sentences and adding their own. Encourage students to keep their eyes, ears, and body in the group while they participate.
6. When the game is finished, discuss how following the group helped everyone to play the game successfully.

Discussion Questions

After completing the activity, use these questions to stimulate further discussion about the importance of following the group:

1. Why is it important to keep our eyes, ears, and body in the group during activities?
2. How did it feel when everyone was following the group during the Listening Game?
3. What can happen if someone doesn’t follow the group during an activity?
4. How can we help our friends remember to follow the group?
5. What are some other situations where it’s important to follow the group?

Related Skills

Beyond following the group, there are other relevant skills that can help PreK students develop positive social interactions. Some of these skills include:

• Active listening
• Taking turns
• Cooperating with others
• Respecting personal space
• Using kind words and actions

Next Steps

Now that you have a better understanding of how to teach PreK students the importance of following the group, it’s time to put these skills into practice. To further support your students’ social-emotional learning, consider signing up for free samples of related skill-building materials at Everyday Speech. These resources can help you create engaging and effective lessons for your students.