Introduction

Social-emotional learning is a crucial aspect of early childhood education, as it helps young students develop essential life skills. One such skill is the ability to initiate play with peers, which fosters positive relationships and builds communication skills. In this blog post, we will explore an easy-to-implement, no-prep activity for teaching PreK students how to approach their classmates, engage in conversation, and invite them to play. We will also provide discussion questions and mention related skills to enhance the learning experience.

No-Prep Activity: The Playtime Invitation

This activity requires no preparation or materials from the educator and can be implemented in any setting where students have access to toys or games. The objective of this activity is for students to practice initiating play with their classmates by following a simple conversation template.

1. Ask the students to choose a toy or game they would like to play with.
2. Have the students find a classmate they would like to invite to play with them.
3. Guide the students through the following conversation template:
• Get near their classmate.
• Look at their classmate and greet them (e.g., “Hey, [classmate’s name]”).
• Ask their classmate to play with them (e.g., “Want to play [toy or game] with me?”).
• Discuss what they want to do with the toy or game (e.g., “I was thinking we could build a skyscraper with these Legos”).
4. Encourage the students to practice this conversation with different classmates and toys or games.

Discussion Questions

After completing the Playtime Invitation activity, engage your students in a conversation about their experience with the following discussion questions:

1. How did it feel to ask someone to play with you? Did you feel nervous or excited?
2. Why is it important to look at your classmate and greet them before asking them to play?
3. What are some other ways you can invite someone to play with you?
4. How can you tell if someone wants to play with you or not?
5. What can you do if someone doesn’t want to play with you at the moment?

Related Skills

Teaching PreK students to initiate play with their peers is just one aspect of social-emotional learning. Here are some other related skills that contribute to the development of well-rounded, socially capable young learners:

• Active listening: Encourage students to pay attention to their classmates’ words and body language during playtime.
• Sharing: Teach students the importance of sharing toys and taking turns during play.
• Empathy: Help students understand and respond to the feelings of their classmates during play and other social interactions.
• Conflict resolution: Guide students in resolving disagreements and finding compromises during playtime.

Next Steps

Now that you have learned about the Playtime Invitation activity and related skills, you may be interested in exploring more resources to support your students’ social-emotional learning journey. We invite you to sign up for free samples of the discussed skill and others to enhance your teaching toolbox. By incorporating these resources into your curriculum, you can help your PreK students develop strong social skills that will serve them well throughout their lives.