Introduction

Playground time is an essential part of a child’s school day, providing opportunities for social interaction, exercise, and fun. Teaching students how to join others on the playground can help them develop important social-emotional skills that will serve them well throughout their lives. This blog post will discuss the process of joining others on the playground and offer a no-prep activity, discussion questions, and related skills for educators to use in their classrooms.

No-Prep Activity

One effective no-prep activity to teach this skill is called “Playground Pals.” Have your students gather in a circle and choose one student to be the “Playground Pal.” The Playground Pal will walk around the outside of the circle while the other students chant, “Playground, playground, who can I play with today?” When the chant ends, the Playground Pal taps a student on the shoulder and says, “Can I play with you?” The chosen student then responds with, “Sure! We’re playing [insert game or activity].” Both students then join hands and continue walking around the circle until the chant is finished. The process is repeated until all students have been chosen and joined the game.

Discussion Questions

• Why is it important to be able to join others on the playground?
• What are some strategies you can use to approach others on the playground and ask to join their game?
• How can you handle a situation where someone says you can’t join their game or activity?
• What are some ways you can make it easier for others to join you when you’re playing on the playground?
• Why is maintaining personal space important when approaching others on the playground?

Related Skills

Besides learning to join others on the playground, there are several other related social-emotional skills that can benefit students during their time at school and beyond. Some of these skills include:

• Active listening and communication
• Conflict resolution
• Empathy and understanding others’ feelings
• Cooperation and teamwork
• Respect for personal boundaries and personal space

Next Steps

Now that you have a better understanding of how to teach elementary students to join others on the playground, we encourage you to explore more resources and activities to further develop their social-emotional skills. Sign up for free samples of our skill-building materials, which include a wide range of activities, videos, and lessons designed to help students navigate the social world with confidence.