Introduction
As educators, we strive to create a positive learning environment for our students. An important aspect of this is teaching Kindergarten students how to address distractions and communicate respectfully with others. By developing these skills, students learn to handle situations where someone else’s actions might be bothering them, and express their feelings in a polite and constructive manner.
No-Prep Activity
This activity helps students practice staying calm and politely addressing distractions. Begin by having the class sit in a circle. Explain that one student will start by pretending to be focused on a task, while another student will create a mild distraction (e.g., tapping a pencil, humming, or wiggling in their seat). The “focused” student will then practice the following steps:
- Stay calm.
- Politely ask the person to stop what they’re doing and explain why.
- Say thank you after they stop.
Rotate roles so that each student gets a chance to practice both being focused and creating a distraction. This activity allows students to experience different scenarios and practice their communication skills in a controlled environment.
Discussion Questions
- Why is it important to stay calm when someone is doing something that bothers us?
- How can we communicate our feelings to someone who is distracting us without being rude?
- What are some examples of distractions that might happen in the classroom? How can we handle them?
- Why is it important to thank someone when they change their behavior after we’ve let them know it was bothering us?
- What can we do if someone continues to be distracting even after we’ve politely asked them to stop?
Related Skills
Teaching students to address distractions and communicate respectfully is just one aspect of their social development. Other relevant skills for Kindergarten students include:
- Active listening
- Empathy
- Conflict resolution
- Self-awareness
- Cooperation
Next Steps
Developing strong communication and social skills is essential for young learners. We encourage you to explore more activities and strategies for teaching these valuable skills in your classroom. To get started, sign up for free samples of related materials and other valuable resources at Everyday Speech.
