Introduction
Teaching patience to young children is an essential part of their development. As educators, we strive to help our students learn the value of waiting patiently, even when it’s difficult. In this blog post, we will explore a no-prep activity that will aid in teaching patience to PreK students, discuss questions to facilitate further conversation, and highlight related skills for students to develop.
No-Prep Activity
In this activity, called “The Waiting Game,” students will practice patience by taking turns and waiting for their turn. Here’s how it works:
- Have the students sit in a circle.
- Choose a simple action, like clapping hands or stomping feet.
- Designate a starting point and instruct the student at that point to perform the action.
- Explain that the next student in the circle must wait for a signal, like the teacher saying “next,” before performing the action.
- Proceed around the circle, having each student wait for the signal before performing the action.
- Repeat the activity, varying the actions and signals to keep students engaged.
This activity requires no materials or preparation and allows students to practice waiting patiently while also having fun.
Discussion Questions
Use these questions to stimulate further discussion about patience and its importance:
- Why is it important to wait patiently for our turn?
- How do you feel when someone else doesn’t wait patiently?
- What are some strategies you can use to help you wait patiently?
- Can you think of a time when you had to wait patiently? How did it make you feel?
- How can practicing patience help us in our daily lives?
Related Skills
Teaching patience also helps students develop other valuable skills, such as:
- Self-regulation: Learning to control our emotions and actions while waiting.
- Empathy: Understanding how others feel when they have to wait or when someone doesn’t wait patiently.
- Cooperation: Working together and taking turns in a group setting.
- Problem-solving: Finding ways to pass the time or cope with frustration while waiting.
Next Steps
Now that you have a better understanding of teaching patience to PreK students, we encourage you to explore more activities and resources to support social-emotional learning. To get started, sign up for free sample materials from Everyday Speech, including activities and lessons designed to help students develop patience and other essential skills.
