Teaching Self-Control At Home
Here are some games you can play at home to practice self-control.
JENGA - The slow, controlled movements needed for Jenga are great for practicing self control! Move too fast the tower will topple. Forget to pay attention to balance and the tower will come crashing down! Students will have to slow down and focus on the task to play.
BALLOON TAP -
All you need for this fun game are balloons and an open space. Arrange students in a circle and assign alternating students to 2 teams (one student is team 1, the next student is team 2, next student is team 1, and so forth). Fill the circle with balloons. Call “Team 1!” Only students on team 1 should tap the balloons. Switch to Team 2, and only students on Team 2 should tap the balloons. Continue switching on a 20-30 second interval. Students will really have to listen for the auditory cue to signify that it’s their team’s turn to tap.
Want to get everyone in on the fun? Use multicolored balloons. Call out the “off-limits color” and no one should tap any balloon of that color. Then switch colors! Students will have to listen for the auditory cue and inhibit impulses when the off-limits color comes close by.
DON'T BREAK THE ICE - Much like Jenga, students have to be very mindful of their movements and practice body control in Don’t Break the Ice. Using too much force can cause all of the ice to break! Practice this one with students who a little extra time to learn how to be mindful of their bodies.
FREEZE DANCE - No materials needed for this game! In an open space, play music. Students will dance while the music plays, and when the music stops, students will freeze! If you want to add a layer of difficulty, when students freeze, have them strike a yoga pose.
RED LIGHT GREEN LIGHT - This is another game that doesn’t require any materials! All students stand on one side of the space. The counselor or leader stands on the other side of the space. When the counselor says, “Green light,” students may begin moving forward toward the counseling. When the counselor says, “Red light,” students must freeze. Add a level of difficulty by changing the required movements – students could hop, crab walk, or bear crawl on a green light!
