Introduction

In kindergarten, students are learning how to interact and engage with their peers through play. One of the key skills they need to develop is connected play, which involves sharing ideas and collaborating with others during playtime. This blog post will discuss the concept of connected play and provide an easy, no-prep activity for educators to incorporate into their lessons. We will also explore discussion questions, related skills, and next steps for fostering this important aspect of social-emotional learning in young children.

No-Prep Activity: The Story Train

The Story Train is a simple, no-prep activity that requires no materials or preparation from the educator. It encourages students to connect their play by building a story together. Here’s how it works:

1. Have students sit in a circle.
2. Explain that they will be creating a story together, one sentence at a time.
3. Start the story with a simple sentence, such as “Once upon a time, there was a little dog named Spot.”
4. Invite the student to your left to add a sentence to the story, connecting their idea to the previous sentence.
5. Continue around the circle, with each student contributing a sentence that connects to the story.
6. When the story returns to you, end it with a closing sentence.

This activity helps students practice connecting their play by contributing to a shared narrative and collaborating with their peers. It also promotes active listening and encourages creativity.

Discussion Questions

• How did it feel to connect your ideas with others in the story train activity?
• What challenges did you face when trying to add to the story?
• How can you use the skill of connected play during recess or free playtime at school?
• Why is it important to connect our play with others when we are playing together?
• How do you think connected play can help us build friendships and understanding with our peers?

Related Skills

In addition to connected play, there are several other social-emotional skills that can benefit kindergarten students as they interact with their peers. Some of these skills include:

• Active listening: Paying attention to what others are saying and showing empathy.
• Turn-taking: Learning to wait for their turn and share resources or activities with others.
• Cooperation: Working together with others to achieve a common goal.
• Conflict resolution: Learning to solve disagreements in a healthy and respectful manner.
• Emotional regulation: Recognizing and managing their feelings in different situations.

Next Steps

To further develop your students’ abilities in connected play and other related social-emotional skills, consider signing up for free samples of skill-building materials at Everyday Speech. Their resources are designed to help educators create engaging lessons that promote social-emotional learning in the classroom. By incorporating these principles into your teaching, you can foster a supportive and collaborative learning environment for your kindergarten students.