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Learn the significance of effective communication for children's mental health and well-being. Explore fun and engaging group activities to enhance communication skills and teamwork. Discover why it's crucial for kids to talk openly about their feelings in today's challenging world.
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Contents • Summary of the importance of being able to communicate effectively • Activity suggestions – broken down into age groups • Resource bank
Summary of the importance of being able to communicate effectively
Communication Skills • Communication is the process by which we exchange information between individuals or groups of people. It is a process where we try as clearly and accurately as we can, to convey our thoughts, intentions and goals. • Life and health, work and relationships are all dependent on effective communication • Ineffective communication (either through misinterpretation or delivery) can lead to mistakes, misunderstandings, frustration or anger and can lead to unnecessary harm and upset. • Different people process and convey their thoughts and emotions in different ways and therefore establishing good communication between two or more people, when both the sender and recipient understand the same information, is not always easy • During childhood and adolescence, communication skills are still developing. Social interactions become increasingly important whilst immature self awareness and self regulation can sometimes lead to what is said and what is meant being two different things!
Communication and Mental Health “We all have mental health – it is about our feelings, our thinking, our emotions and our moods. Looking after our mental health is important.” - Anna Freud Centre One way of doing this is through being able to talk about our feelings and reach out when things are not going so well. “Encouraging children to understand and be open about their feelings can give them the skills to cope with the ups and downs that life will throw at them as they grow up. It is important that our children understand that emotions are normal and that they have the confidence to ask for help if they are struggling.” - HRH The Duchess of Cambridge, Patron of the Anna Freud Centre
Why it is more important than ever for children and young people to talk “Our young people today face constant stressors and challenges – happening in their own lives and in the world around them. Many of the issues facing our young people today, such as, bullying, suicide, the onset of major mental illnesses, the effects of trauma, and gender identity discrimination require our time and attention, global awareness and compassion, as well as new programs and guidelines on how we can protect and empower the next generation.” - World Federation for Mental Health - President Professor Alberto Trimboli
How to listen well “Nature gave us one tongue and two ears so we could hear twice as much as we speak.”- Epictetus
A range of fun, practical group activities that require good communication skills * Please note some of these games will need to be outside or somewhere spacious • Extreme rock/paper/scissors – fun game in a group of 15 or more, best for students aged 12 and over, helps teamwork: https://www.icebreakers.ws/large-group/extreme-rock-paper-scissors.html • Minefield Game – see slide 12 • Global Warming – see slide 13 • Hoola Hoop – How low can it go? – see slide 14 • Malteaser Challenge – see slide 15
Minefield Game Objectives: To build communication, listening skills & trust Equipment Any bits of equipment (hurdles, hoops, cones, skipping ropes), blind folds, bibs Rules In pairs, 1 student wears a blind fold while the other is the navigator The navigator has to guide their partner through the course (20m x 10m) by using verbal signals only (no touching!) Teacher’s/ role / responsibilities Explain the rules and objectives Do no give the children any hints of how to succeed Students switch roles after the task is complete Task can be made harder by: Add more bombs (obstacles Navigators cannot enter the minefield Navigators cannot speak
Global Warming • Objectives: • Communication, listening & group problem solving skills • Breaking physical boundaries with others • Equipment: • Gym mats (start them in a square and remove 1 after each completion) • Rules: • Every student needs to be on the island (not in the ocean) for the team to succeed. (no lifting!) • When the team thinks they are all on the island they tell the teacher who counts to 5. If they stay out of the ocean for that time they succeed • After a successful attempt, the ocean raises and the island shrinks • Teacher’s Role/ Responsibilities: • Explain the rules and objectives • Do not give the children any hints of how to succeed • Only intervene if: • The children are trying something dangerous, the team is not sticking to the rules or someone is not being a good team member
Hoola Hoop – How low can it go? • Objectives: • Communication and listening skills • Group problem solving skills • Co – operation • Equipment: • Hoola hoop • Rules: • Students have to have their 2 index fingers touching the hoops at all times • The hoop starts at chest height and must be lowered onto the mat • If one finger comes off of the hoop the task must be restarted • Teacher’s role: • Explain the rules and objectives • Do not give the children any hints • Extension – if groups complete this fast, they team together and try it with a high jump bar or use blind folds
The Malteaser Challenge Objectives: • Communication, listening & co-operation skills • Group problem solving skills Equipment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71V2cU9RbHA • Measuring Tape & 3 x Malteaser chocolates Rules: • Students choose how long to extend the measuring tape. • Only 1 student can hold the ‘box’ end of the measuring tape. Only 1 finger can touch the measuring tape. The finger that touches the measuring tape, can belong to any other member of the team. • As a team, the team must successfully ‘catch’ a Malteaser using only their mouth. The student who is the ‘catcher’, cannot touch the measuring tape at all. Team with the longest ‘roll’ wins! .Teacher’s role: • Explain the rules and objectives, and do not give away any hints
Circle Time Topic Titles – Part 1 Please carefully select the questions or topics based on your knowledge of your students and allow students to pass if they do not wish to contribute. • If you could be a superhero, what super powers would you choose and why? • How would your best friend describe you? • What would you not want to change about your life? • If you had an unexpected free day, what would you like to do? • If you were an animal, what animal would you be and why? • Name two things or people who always make you laugh. • If you could have a face to face conversation with anyone, who would it be and why? • What gives you hope? • What demonstrates respect in your friends/teachers/family • What change would you like to see in your school or community? What can you do to promote that change?
Circle Time Topic Titles – Part 2* • A time when you had to let go of control • A time when you were outside of your comfort zone • An experience of letting go of anger or resentment. • A time when you were in conflict with your teachers • An experience where you discovered that someone was very different from the negative assumptions you first made about that person. • An experience of feeling that you did not fit in. • I feel happy when… • I feel sad when… • I feel excited when… • I feel overwhelmed when… • I feel alone when… • If I were a famous actor/actress, I would be … • If I were a famous athlete, I would be… • When I grow up, I want to … • I can’t wait until… * adapted from Kristi Cole and Paul Dedinsky’s packet of Restorative Justice Practices, Milwaukee Public Schools. Safe Schools/Healthy Students
News and Views Activity Look at different ways information is communicated through the media: • Live interviews/Talking • Through Twitter • Through Instagram • Through books • Through websites • Through YouTube • Through Social Media – emojis Choose an example from each to prepare an argument for your preferred method of communicating. This could be done in a debate, through a written piece, a comparison graph or group project.
Instagram – Can a picture paint a thousand words? Discussion Activity
"Edited this selfie on several apps" "Took over 100 shots to get this one" Essena O Neil Not real life…
Lele Pons 24.3 million Instagram followers/9.1 million Youtube subscribers Strike a pose… Rules for all photos: • POUT LIPS • HAVE FULL HAIR AND MAKE UP • LEAN BACK SLIGHTLY FOR TRADEMARK POSE • FILTERS!
The art of the casual bathroom selfie More Rules: • HAVE PERFECT HAIR AND MAKE UP • POUT • MAKE SURE LIGHTING IS RIGHT • USE FILTERS TO MAKE SURE SKIN LOOKS GOOD!
Brooklyn Beckham11 million Instagram followers The Art of the Gym Selfie • BLACK AND WHITE SHOTS TO LOOK MORE COOL AND ARTY • TENSE ARMS TO MAKE MUSCLES LOOK BIGGER • LOOK DOWN TO LOOK GOOD
Hannah Stocking12.2 million Instagram followers Having fun on the beach or how to look good on the beach? Even more rules for beach photos: • HAVE PERFECT BEACH HAIR AND MAKE UP • HOLD ARMS IN AIR TO LOOK LONGER AND THINNER • HAVE ONE LEG IN FRONT OF OTHER • TAKE AS MANY SHOTS AS NECESSARY TO GET THE RIGHT ONE
