Duration: 60 minutes
Participants: 4 – 20
Aim:
The aims of this exercise, specifically designed for pre-school and primary school kids, are numerous:
- to develop an understanding of diversity;
- to foster open communication;
- to strengthen the sense of teamwork;
- to celebrate difference.
By recognizing people’s similarities and differences, we can become better players and citizens. In order to strengthen the sense of teamwork, it is crucial to make children understand the concept of diversity, and help them recognize (and correct) stereotypes. Playing games can allow them to find common ground and to interact with one another, celebrating the difference within the team and the classroom.
Tools:
This exercise requires hula hoop circles, traffic cones, different types of balls (football, tennis, rugby, volleyball, beach ball), ropes and a space in which to play – it could be a school courtyard, a park or a room big enough to accommodate the activity.
Preparation:
This exercise is structured in five different parts.
1) Icebreaker
2) Agility
3) Throwing, Passing, Bouncing
4) Fun 4-3-3
5) Debriefing
Instructions:
The following pattern is just an example of the many activities that can be performed with the tools listed in the Tools section.
- Icebreaker (10 minutes): children sit in a circle, facing each other. The facilitator taps each child on the shoulder and says their name. Once the first round is done, the facilitator points at one of the kids and the rest of the group has to say their name in chorus, increasing the pace round after round.
- Agility (10 minutes): the facilitator prepares rows of traffic cones and fitness circles. Children jump inside and outside the fitness circles placed on the ground, then do the slalom between traffic cones. After the first warm-up round they will repeat in pairs, standing side by side with their adjacent legs tied together with the use of ropes. This will teach them coordination and will naturally foster their sense of cooperation.
- Throwing, Passing, Bouncing (15 minutes): the facilitator gets all the children to stand in a large circle and begins the game by throwing a ball to one of the kids, asking a simple question about them, such as “what is your favourite food?”. Once the kid answers the question, it’s their turn to ask another question (e.g.: what is your favorite sport?) and throw the ball to another peer. Every two passes, a new ball is introduced into the circle, and must be passed based on the type of sport it is designed for (e.g.: a basket ball must be bounced, a soccer ball must be kicked etc.).
- Fun 4-3-3 (15 minutes): the facilitator scatters all the balls around the playfield. Children will have to autonomously form two teams placed at the two ends of the field. Once the playfield is ready and the teams are formed, an unusual football match begins: each team is assigned a specific type of ball, and must collect as many as possible, bringing them back to their starting spot (which ideally substitutes the gate). No team has gatekeepers, and each player can interact with one ball at a time. Additionally, each team must try to empty the opponent team’s gate, thus creating a group dynamic reminiscent of the pervasive action of the 4-3-3 technique in football, where both the central and lateral parts of the field are simultaneously used. Due to the fact that this is not a traditional football match, children are allowed to carry the ball with their hands, bounce it, throw it, kick it and pass it to teammates however they like. At the end of the 15 minutes, the team who collected the most balls wins.
- Debriefing (10 minutes): during this phase the facilitator will get the group to sit in a circle and will begin to collect feedback.
Debriefing (10 minutes):
The facilitator asks each kid to share one positive and one negative feeling about the practice, and introduces concepts such as cooperation, win, loss, listening and interpersonal communication.
Tips:
Any of these activities can be modified to accommodate the needs and tastes of the group.
Prepare a list of questions for the Throwing, Passing, Bouncing part and read them out to the group before the exercise as a source of inspiration.
Make sure you have a sufficient number of traffic cones, balls, hula hoop circles and ropes to meet the needs of the group. Last but not least, shy kids should be encouraged to take part in the game, but never forced to do so.
