How did listeners feel about not being able to speak about their own views on the topic? Ask for volunteers who would like to share their nice thing with the class, or volunteers who have given their neighbors permission to share their nice things for them. 5 simple classroom activities to celebrate World Kindness Day. This is a fun game on the Encourage Play website that can keep your kids actively engaged in building their listening skills. It's because some feeling or image is blocking their empathy. Empathy is the ability to recognize emotions and to share perspectives with other people. Happiness and well-being are not a zero-sum situation.. The group that lines up in the right order first wins! Edutopia. You could cut pictures out of old magazines and paste them on a poster board. Next, have each family member think of a time when they were relaxed and having a good time and discuss these questions: How did your body feel during this period of time? The couple sits facing each other, close enough to hold hands. If you remember the game Twenty Questions, youll recognize this game. Write all of your teams initials at the top right-hand corner of this sheet. Empathy or understanding the thoughts and feelings of the people around us is one of the most important and most trying parts of being social creatures. What other skills, such as active listening or empathy, did they need to use? One of the best skills to teach your kids is how to be assertive instead of aggressive or passive (or passive-aggressive). After the few minutes are up, have each student pass the handout to another student (not the handouts owner, yet). "People who experience empathy also tend to be less stressed and depressed, more satisfied with their lives, happier in their relationships, and more successful at work," he says. Emotional Empathy Activities. Talk about the problems that hurt your or your partners feelings, then move on to problems about differences in opinions. Take turns sharing those three things with your partner and tell them what each thing meant to you. This is when the eliminations begin. Four active listening Open and honest communication creates an atmosphere that allows family members to express their differences as well as love and admiration for one another.. Be clear about what you want to communicate. Wherever you place the postbox, make sure to leave small slips of paper or sticky notes nearby. 5. Plan out what youre going to say before you say it. Tell your participants that you will be giving them step-by-step instructions on how to fold their piece of paper into an origami shape. Consciously check your interpretations of what the person is saying; You can begin by focusing on the person, and before moving forward, think about what would happen if you framed the conversation with the question, I just want to make sure I understand you. Then imagine a friend coming to you with that same problem and how youd respond to them. Have the team members sit down in their pairs. Tell them that they are instructed to stop listening to their partner after about 30 seconds, and to be open in showing their disinterest. Here, he lays out five exercises to help build your empathy: For this exercise, think about something youre struggling with and how it makes you feel. Have a conversation with someone you disagree with. Games can be a highly motivating way to learn these skills. Let us know in the comments section. Relate this to real-life listening by emphasizing the importance of paying attention to people when they are speaking to you, especially if its an important conversation. Younger children may need help recognizing others' emotions. (2017, May 8). Do you schedule a time to talk about how your relationship is doing or do you just let it flow naturally? Once all scenarios have been acted out, talk to your kids about how the outcomes differed between the three animals. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The first person to complete the list will be declared the winner of the activity. Your students will likely need some modeling to get comfortable with this activity, especially if you have a lot of shy kids in your class. The couple will find that the lack of one arm makes the task much more difficult than they might expect! There are many different activities you could use here, but one good example activity is to provide students with a clue about a staff member. The speaker and listener should switch roles after a while to allow each to practice both types of communication. Many of these can be adapted for use in the home as well as the classroom. Empathy is the quality of understanding and helping others. Try to be intentional about technology as a medium in which human connection can exist and which you can try to pursue that connection, says Dr. Zaki. Among them, an Empathy Race, Book Synopsis and Storytelling. Get two slips of paper and something to write with for each family member. As you see your friend break down, you might start to feel lousy yourself, Dr. Zaki says. This exercise gives each participant a chance to practice talking about their wants and needs, as well as an opportunity to engage in active listening and use the knowledge they gained to understand and relate to the speaker. And crucially, can we have more? This exercise is a fun way to see who is paying attention and who is skipping the most vital instructionto read everything before acting. Students are divided into teams and follow clues to activity stations that are set up throughout the school, with envelopes containing prompts and materials for the students to work with. What was bad? The couple will only succeed if the blindfolded partner has trust in their partner and the non-blindfolded partner is an effective verbal communicator. They set a timer for somewhere between 3 to 5 minutes. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/article/teaching-communication-skills. What does this mean? Use a positive and encouraging tone when you speak to your partner. You will need strips of paper, a pencil or pen for each family member, and two bowls. Why? Its as simple as assigning each student a partneryou can let the students pick their own partners, you can choose a companion for them, or you can alternate between both methods. These are your prompts. Building empathy in classrooms and schools. Finally, you can userewards and positive reinforcement to encourage more kindness in the classroom. The speaker will talk about any subject theyd like to talk about. What feelings were expressed through non-verbal communication? They should take a few minutes to create a thoughtful message to their partner. Another method is to use thank-you notes. Help children develop self-control and manage feelings effectively. This likely sounds like a very daunting task. Proud to Be Primary. Instruct each student to turn to one of their neighbors and tell him or her something good. The couple discusses what the experience was like. Talk about what is happening and how it affects you. The couple should agree to try this exercise together and follow these instructions: Another great exercise from Racheal Tasker is focused on using positive language with one another. To practice communicating with your partner, try planning and taking a trip together. Building empathy isnt necessarily about donating half of your salary to charity. This activity will help you teach healthy assertiveness to your kids or students. Exercise #4: Check in with your emotions. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Active listening: more than just paying attention. Activity 2: Guessing Emotions. They should sneak the sticky note onto that students desk when he or she is not looking to make it truly random and fun. When you spoke to the other person face-to-face, did this improve your ability to communicate and understand the other persons feelings? Other great activities for group communication include the Square Talk and Follow All Instructions activities. Whichever team has the most cards wins the round. Switch between the five different instructions and begin to pick up the pace. A: How long are you going to be? There are many ways to start a Heres To (Student) toast, but three positive sentence stems might include: Use sentiments like these to thank students for their contributions, praise them for a job well-done, or call out an act of kindness. The talkers job is to describe what he or she wants from a vacation without specifying a destination. The final exercise from Tasker is called I Feel _____ and its a simple one. The benefits of high-quality communication make spending time on improving the way family members relate to one another a task that is well worth the time spent on it. Below are 18 games, activities, and exercises that you can use to help adults develop more effective listening and communication skills. Tell the group that obviously it took a long time and effort for us to find out the object in each round, but what if we didnt have time and only had one question to ask to find out the object, what would that question be? Empathy outcome research shows that exposure to an empathetic person has a palliative and even healing effect on patients. To keep them excited about the challenge, give them star stickers to add to a classroom chart or a paper cutout to stick on a bulletin board when they meet their goal. Why was clear detailed communication necessary for this exercise? Norman, B. But he also believes its not just others that benefit from empathy so does the person feeling it. Afterward, you can use these questions to guide discussion on the exercise: This game is easy to play but not so easy to win. It requires participants full attention and active listening. Social Skills for Middle & High School MEGA BUNDLE SEL Lessons & Curriculum. Your email address will not be published. Use some of the other tips and techniques mentioned in this article when you are planning your trip and while you are enjoying your trip; youre sure to see some improvements to your communication with your partner (Tasker, n.d.). Accept responsibility for your own feelings. After doing a few rounds of this, pass all of the papers back to their owners and give them a chance to read all of the nice things their peers have written about them. Using various colors of clay dough, each family member should use their creativity and imagination to create a design or structure that represents who they are as an individual. Encourage the students to complete whichever sentence stem calls to them, whether another student has completed it or not. Instruct your participants to assemble into four groups according to their suit (hearts, clubs, diamonds, spades), but using only nonverbal communication. Discuss how caring behaviors make both the giver and the receiver feel happy . Or, if a student is having trouble with a concept thats being taught, he should first check in with his partner to see whether he or she can explain it before asking another person. Ask your kids if they think these are good or helpful things to do. This activity involves the whole school, including staff members. Put a tick in each of the circles mentioned in 6. is a very simple activity, but its potential to encourage a positive emotional state should not be underestimated. For example, if a student missed a day of class and needs copies of handouts or lecture notes, she should first ask her partner. Note: Do not do this exercise with someone who harms or denigrates you or the group you belong to. When . Prosperity. Built with love in the Netherlands. This game is another one that can be frustrating for the couple but ultimately provides a great opportunity to build effective communication skills and unite the two in a common goal. Use this when you want people establish their commonalities. Tell your students that in the Group Circle, only one person may talk at a time and everyone else must listen quietly and respectfully. Cool School teaches empathy in a way that's sure to be more effective than the occasional adult lecture that can either confuse kids or make them feel singled out. As a family, make a list of different non-verbal actions. This means that not only must the speaking family member communicate clear and detailed instructions, but the blindfolded family member must also use their active listening skills to receive the instructions and implement them effectively. Theres nothing like traveling with someone to work on your communication skills! This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. It is about putting yourself in their position so you can feel the same way as them. Given the nature of the silent appreciation activity, it will only be suitable for classes where everyone has at least some writing abilityso it likely wont work for a classroom of preschoolers. However, the most important thing to remember when it comes to teaching kindness is to model the behavior you hope to see in the childrenbe kind yourself, and they will be more likely to mirror that kindness (Radke-Yarrow & Zahn-Waxler, 1984). Learn to understand each other, not to defeat each other. The couple should be in a quiet and relaxing environment, with as few distractions as possible. Teaching empathy tip #6: Understand the importance of perspective-taking, and nurture this form of empathy through practice exercises and group discussion. It can reinforce what we hear or it can interfere with the verbal communication we receive. By calling kindness out, were more likely to make it magnetic through that social force., Thu-Huong Ha is a freelance writer. Custodian Appreciation: Have your students write letters and put up signs showing their appreciation for the people who keep the school clean and tidy. The dialogues include back-and-forths such as: A: Im worried about having enough money to pay my bills this month. As a matter of fact, some experts consider gamification as an essential method in teaching empathic attitudes in a playful way. When we notice the good around us, it balances our attention a little bit., Feel free to do these exercises in any order youd like and for as long as youd like. Many people find this game uncomfortable at first, but with practice, it can greatly enhance your sense of intimacy with your partner. Tell students that they can use the box to write down positive messages, thank-you notes, or messages of appreciation or encouragement to their fellow students or the teacher, teaching assistant, or another adult in the classroom. Watch about 5 to 7 minutes of the program with the volume off. Making a trip successful requires tons of communication, coordination, and clear expectations, but it can also open you up to fun new experiences and relaxation. Instruct Participant A to read his or her lines out loud, but instruct Participant B to communicate his or her lines in a nonverbal way. Aside from all of the activities and exercises mentioned already, there are a few other fun exercises that can help your students build empathy. Write down the difference in time between the two watches at the foot of this page. Discuss these options with the whole group and decide together on what the best techniques are, then practice using them together. Once the instructions have all been given, have everyone open their eyes and compare their shape with the intended shape. Teen Light!). Often, you tend to think of video games as being violent. You can even recruit the other students to help you pass out rewards for students caught being kind. The couple sets a timer for five minutes and settles in their respective seats, making and holding eye contact with one another. Simply print the 8 page empathy activity sheets book on a home printer or at school. Dont forget to download our three Emotional Intelligence Exercises for free. Both partners should practice speaking and listening with patience and love, allowing their feelings for their partner to guide them toward true understanding rather than just reacting (Tasker, n.d.). Although weve mostly focused on verbal communication and communications via body language, facial expressions, and touch, there is another form that we havent mentioned: written communication. This exercise from the team at MindTools is a good way to help participants develop more empathy, consider other perspectives, build their communication and negotiation skills. Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. Give the group your instructions on how to fold the paper into the origami shape of your choice. A: Look at my scar from the cycling accident. You can check if you fully understood the other by asking; When you are speaking, you can ask the other person if he or she wouldnt mind sharing what theyve heard you say. Join 550,000+ helping professionals who get free, science-based tools sent directly to their inbox. Sharing this idea with students can encourage them to show kindness to their friends and families in unexpected ways. First, you will need to put together a handout with sentence stems (or prompts) on it: Make sure to leave plenty of room for students to finish these sentences, especially if they are younger writers. Plus, be the first to receive exclusive content & discounts. Check out this quote from Stephen R. Covey and take a minute to think about how vital communication really is. High-achieving people like Dr. Zakis students, he says, often struggle to do this exercise. According to Australias Better Health Channel, communication is the transfer of information from one place to another and within relationships, it allows you to explain to someone else what you are experiencing and what your needs are (Victoria Department of Health & Human Services, n.d.). There are many lessons out there of various lengths that utilize different methods of teaching kindness. What feelings did you experience as you communicated with your back to the other person? Use the following questions to guide your discussion after the follow-up: Charades is a popular game with kids since its fun, easy to play, and can result in some seriously silly situations. Explain that these positive changes are common outcomes of practicing kindness. Make sure each student received a different students handout. However, after you have sparked the conversation, make sure to take your seat in the circle, and become a member rather than a leader. This is a good opportunity for everyone to practice holding and passing the talking piece, as well as an opportunity for students to say a few quick words about how they are feeling or what is on their mind. This game takes some serious teamwork and good communication, and it can be repeated as needed to help a couple build their skills. But rather than debating or discussing the contentious issue, share your story of how you came to form your opinion and then listen to how they arrived at theirs. Divide your group of participants into groups of about 5 each. Thanks for sharing. Videos of lessons in action. Then, if you feel misunderstood, you can consider how to correct his or her perception. You will need a blindfold for one partner, some space to navigate, and some objects with which you can create a minefield or obstacle course. B: Geez, why so impatient? Once participants are in triads, each will have a distinct role: Some of the key benefits of this exercise are also found in reflecting on the activity after each participant has had a turn at each role. Both partners should have two blank postcards and something to write with for this exercise. These feelings have a purpose; they tell us that something is wrong or that something needs to be fixed, but they can also encourage us to do the wrong thing unless we learn how to keep a cool head. First, create a postbox to leave in the back of the classroom. Give the students a goal to meet, such as performing three kind acts per week or noticing five kind acts per week. For kindergarteners to second-graders, Nancy Elizabeth Wallaces The Kindness Quilt is a good book to read and discuss. Have family members come up with answers to the following questions and any others they might think of in relation to how they felt when angry. Before beginning this activity, choose a "talking piece" - this is an object that will be passed around the group, and signals that the holder has exclusive speaking rights. Empathy is important because it makes our relationship stronger and better. You can offer a prize to the winner if you think the group would be motivated by it. Starting the day with this activity can get students in the right frame of mind to be more kind and empathetic towards one another, and it can alert you to potential problems with specific students. Engaging in this exercise daily will give the couple a chance to practice their communication skills on a regular basis, as well as their active listening skills. This exercise is a great way to boost your bond and your skills at the same time. A manager can vary Dr. Carl Rogers' listening game by assigning employees to choose a partner and try this activity. This is an excellent activity to get kids in a positive mood, and its appropriate for kids of all ageseven teenagers can find at least one good thing in their lives. Dr. Zaki is quick to point out that we do not owe anyone our empathy. Check the time by your watch with that of one of your neighbors. Let your partner know what you need to feel safe sharing your feelings, and listen to what your partner needs to feel safe sharing his or her feelings. Plan your trip with a focus on doing things you both like, going to a place youd both like to visit, and trying new food, activities, and other experiences together. Sott, A. First, make sure you have enough people for at least three teams of two, enough playing cards to give out between 4 and 6 cards to each person, and 15 minutes to spare. Completing this worksheet will help students learn what empathy is, how to spot empathy, how to practice empathy, and why its important. This exercise will show how difficult it is to communicate without words, but it will also show your participants that it is not only possible, it gets easier as they start to pick up on one anothers nonverbal cues. You may be called upon to teach empathy to adults in training seminars, conflict resolution sessions, or spiritual/religious workshops. The couple sits back to back with an identical set of building blocks in front of each of them. Empathy Worksheets - Free! Example Activity: Students receive a clue about a staff member. Use these instructions to conduct the activity: After each participant has played both roles, end the activity and guide a discussion with the following questions: You will find this activity at this link, exercise #4. Its vital to keep your own body language in mind, just as its vital to notice and understand others body language. Observe the behavior from the listeners and the reactions from the speakers until youre sure each speaker has picked up on whats happening. Minefield is a physical game that will not only get both partners up and moving, but it will also require a great deal of trust and communication to complete the challenge. Empathy, Listening Skills & Relationships By: Lawrence J. Bookbinder, PhD Introduction, editing & additions by: Jan Johnson MA Introduction -- Empathy Defined Most individuals think of empathy as having a sense of understanding and compassion for another person, sensing what it must be like to be them. Listen to what your partner tells you and discuss what, if any, concrete steps you can take based on the information youve both shared. We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Team-building activities promote good listening. Once the scene is finished, have the groups switch roles. Take notice of how you feel, what (if anything) youve gained, and what youve retained. This is to be done in a fixed time limit (such as a minute or two). As Covey notes, communication is the foundation of all of our relationships, forming the basis of our interactions and feelings about one another. Built with love in the Netherlands. I think you could make those in a kind of a scratch-board where kids could scratch out the things they have done and see their progress over time. The Clap and Follow activity is a great way to practice using your body in conjunction with verbal communication. Before beginning this activity, choose a talking piecethis is an object that is passed around the group and signals that the holder has exclusive speaking rights. The speaker should remain focused on a single thought or idea. With this concept in mind, brainstorming ideas on how to be kind as a class should instill a sense of ownership in kids that helps them feel excited about practicing kindness. Collect the handouts and pass them out once again, randomly this time. For example, if you teach language arts, have the class define empathy and identify characters in literature that demonstrate empathy. This person must not see the maze prior to being blindfolded. If you received an award as the Employee of the Month, you may want to mold the image of something that represents hard work, or dependability. It is the ability to feel another person's emotions and be in someone else's shoes. Prompts for discussion include: There are a further two parts to this exercise Practice Paraphrasing, and Reflecting Feelings. What the couple discusses is up to them, but if there are salient relationship issues, this is a good time to talk about them. download our three Emotional Intelligence Exercises for free, 7 Kindness Activities for Elementary Students, Preschoolers, and Middle Schoolers, How to Teach Empathy to Children & Adults, 3 Empathy Worksheets for Students & Adults (PDFs), Other Fun Empathy Exercises for the Classroom. These index cards should have one topic written on each card; try to make sure the topics are interesting but not too controversial, as you dont want listeners to dislike the speakers if they disagree with their viewpoint (e.g., you should probably avoid politics and religion).
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