Introduction
In the early stages of a child’s development, learning to communicate effectively is a critical skill. For kindergarten students, understanding the importance of eye contact during conversations is essential for building strong social-emotional skills. This blog post will provide an overview of the benefits of teaching kindergartners about eye contact and conversation skills, followed by a no-prep activity that educators can use to reinforce these concepts in their classrooms.
No-Prep Activity: The Eye Contact Game
This simple, no-prep activity can help your kindergarten students practice making eye contact and engaging in conversations with their peers. To begin, have the students sit in a circle. Choose one student to start as the “conversation starter.” The conversation starter will choose a classmate, make eye contact with them, and ask a simple question like, “What’s your favorite color?” or “What did you have for breakfast?” The selected classmate must maintain eye contact with the conversation starter while answering the question.
After answering, the selected classmate becomes the new conversation starter and chooses another student to ask a question. This process continues until every student in the circle has had a turn as the conversation starter and has practiced making eye contact while speaking and listening. Remember to remind students to maintain eye contact throughout the activity, as this will help them develop a habit of doing so during conversations.
Discussion Questions
- Why is it important to make eye contact when we are talking to someone?
- How does making eye contact help us show that we are listening to the other person?
- Can you think of a time when someone made eye contact with you while you were talking? How did it make you feel?
- What can we do if we find it difficult to make eye contact during a conversation?
- How can practicing making eye contact help us become better communicators?
Related Skills
In addition to eye contact and conversation skills, there are several other social-emotional learning skills that are essential for kindergarten students. These include active listening, empathy, understanding non-verbal cues, and taking turns in conversations. By teaching these related skills, educators can help students develop a strong foundation for effective communication and healthy relationships.
Next Steps
Are you interested in exploring more activities and resources to support your kindergarten students’ social-emotional learning journey? Sign up for free samples of our skill-building materials and discover new ways to engage your students in developing their communication abilities and fostering strong relationships with their peers.
