Introduction

As educators, we understand the importance of teaching students not only academic skills but also social skills that will help them succeed in life. One essential skill is the ability to initiate play and make friends. This blog post will provide you with a no-prep activity, discussion questions, related skills, and next steps to help teach students how to approach others, engage in conversation, and build strong friendships.

No-Prep Activity

Here’s a simple, no-prep activity that encourages students to practice initiating play and making friends:

1. Divide the students into pairs. If there’s an odd number of students, you can join in or create a group of three.
2. Ask each pair to sit facing each other. Explain that one student will be the initiator (Person A) and the other will be the responder (Person B).
3. Person A will practice initiating play by following these steps:
   1. Get near Person B.
   2. Look at Person B.
   3. Greet Person B (e.g., “Hi,” “Hello,” or “Hey”).
   4. Ask Person B to play (e.g., “Want to play Legos with me?”).
4. Person B will respond positively (e.g., “Sure! What should we build?”).
5. After a brief interaction, ask the pairs to switch roles and repeat the process.
6. Once each student has practiced both roles, have a group discussion about their experiences.

Discussion Questions

After completing the activity, use the following questions to stimulate further discussion and reflection:

1. How did it feel to initiate play? Were you nervous, excited, or something else?
2. What was it like to respond to someone initiating play with you? Did it make you feel included?
3. Why is it important to look at the person you’re talking to when initiating play?
4. How can practicing this skill help you make friends and build strong relationships?
5. What other situations might require similar social skills?

Related Skills

Teaching students how to initiate play and make friends is just one aspect of social-emotional learning. Some other related skills that can help students build strong relationships and succeed in various aspects of life include:

• Active listening
• Empathy and understanding
• Conflict resolution
• Cooperation and teamwork
• Effective communication

Next Steps

Ready to explore more activities and resources that teach valuable social skills? Sign up for free samples at Everyday Speech, where you’ll find a wealth of materials designed to help students develop strong social-emotional skills. By incorporating these resources into your lessons, you’ll be empowering your students to build meaningful relationships and succeed in all aspects of their lives.