Abstract
In the last issue of Word of Mouth, I discussed several games that can be used for vocabulary or social-emotional development. In this issue, I describe two games that are useful for promoting interactive conversations and self-regulation.
Weiss, C., Singer, S., & Feigenbaum, L. (2006). Too much, too little, just right: A social communication game. Torrance, CA: Creative Therapy Store.
This game is intended for children aged 5 to 12 years. People communicate using not only words, but also tone of voice and body language. Many children, particularly those with autism spectrum disorder, however, fail to notice these relatively subtle social cues. This game teaches children to pay attention to tone of voice, observe body language, and note how these cues affect the message. Children assume two roles during game play: Messenger and Listener. They learn by observing others and by getting immediate feedback about their own expressive abilities. They learn to adjust volume, expression, gestures, and other physical cues to communicate effectively and achieve greater self-control. Acquiring these skills helps children develop more appropriate and satisfying social relationships.
The game is ideal for two to eight players, but can be played with larger groups or classrooms as well. The child who is the messenger takes an action or message card and a balloon card. The child does not show the cards to the listeners. A deflated balloon card indicates the child is to say or act out passively (too little); an exploding balloon indicates the child is to speak or act aggressively (too much); an inflated balloon indicates the child is to speak or act assertively (just right). Before beginning the game, all of these behaviors are explained, demonstrated, and practiced by the children.
Aggressively
Using a loud voice
Using a sarcastic voice
Using threatening body language
Standing too close
Passively
Using a very soft voice
Appearing shy or scared
Making poor eye contact
Slouching
Speaking hesitantly
Assertively
Making good eye contact
Standing at an appropriate distance
Speaking in a clear, confident voice
Message cards include statements such as Why should I? You did it. I already know that. Where is my book? Can I borrow that? I think that’s my pencil. Let’s play. Action cards ask children to pretend: you are riding a horse, you are brushing your hair, you are waving to get someone’s attention, you lost a game.
Listeners must decide if the messenger child is speaking or performing “too much,” “too little,” or “just right.” The messenger must be able to give accurate cues, and the listeners must be able to interpret the cues. Included with the game is an Express-o-Meter, a sliding ruler that allows you to give students feedback about whether they are communicating appropriately.
Bridges, R. (2002). Think, relax, play. Playworks/Childplay.
This game was designed for children aged 6 to 12 years, but it can be played with adolescents. The original intent was to develop self-regulation skills of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The game is useful for any students who need to develop executive function skills. The game’s therapeutic purposes include teaching
awareness and expression of emotion
motoric awareness and control
practice of simple relaxation skills
problem-solving
The game has four sections: feeling, stop, relax, and plan. The game is to proceed through all four sections to the finish line, but it is possible to play any one section if one wants to address just one of the skills. In fact, focusing on just one area works best for traditional therapy sessions.
Feelings Section
The first section contains landing spaces that require drawing a card. Each card states a situation to which the player is asked to respond with how he or she might feel if that were happening. There are two types of cards. Feeling cards may ask players to think about what feelings they may have in particular situations, for example, “Your brother or sister has the stereo on too loud while you are trying to do your homework”; “You struck out and your team lost the softball game”; “You can’t find the pencil you need for math.” Or, cards may request that player identify something about feelings: “How can you tell what someone is feeling?” “What happens in your body when you feel scared?” and “How do you show others you feel sad?” Clinicians can also make their own cards.
Tokens are given as rewards for cards answered and as directed in other sections when a skill is performed successfully. There are only four feeling categories—glad, sad, mad, scared—but clinicians could introduce a wider range of emotion words for more older or more competent students.
Stop Section
This section addresses impulsive behavior. The purpose is to help children practice stopping a behavior and catching themselves before an automatic response or reaction. A stop sign is on the spaces in this section. When players land on the stop sign spaces, they must roll the eight-sided die and refer to the corresponding number on the Stop Card. On the card are eight behavioral choices that the student is to do repeatedly as fast as he or she can until the player on the right says “Stop.” Players receive a point for stopping quickly.
The eight options on the card are as follows:
Skip around the room.
Say “yes” over and over.
Pat your head and rub your stomach.
Say “I’m mad” over and over.
Count to 10 over and over.
Sing a song.
Clap your hands and tap your feet.
Say “I will not!” over and over.
The author of the game maintains that this activity requires that students practice on several skills. First they must follow instructions; second they must do a behavior repetitively that could become routinized and thus keep them from focusing on the required directive; and third, the need to respond immediately to the verbal cue to stop.
Other landing spots in the Stop section include affirmations of actions for self-control, such as “You stopped just in time!” (2 tokens); “You didn’t stop in time” (go ahead 1, which leads to a Down Slide); and “Warning, STOP!’’ (go back 2). When going down a Down Slide, students may talk about a time they felt down or sad and what they can do to help feelings change or to do better. The intent is to provide students with problem-solving practice in making the connection that when feelings are upset, they can be changed.
Relaxation Trail
In this section, students practice a number of different relaxations skills to receive tokens, for example,
Breathe deeply 3 times
Say calmly, “I can relax.”
Tell of a relaxing scene
Tell or do something funny
Count to 10 to calm down
Think of puffy white clouds
Tense and relax your muscles
Exercise
All of these activities have been associated with increased relaxation. This section encourages children to increase their awareness of their bodies and how they can change tense feelings to relaxed feelings. Students can land on spaces in the Stop or Relaxation sections that send them to Stress City. Here they are required to talk about a time when they felt stressed.
Think Zone
Students with executive function deficits often act before thinking, thus creating problems for themselves. At the beginning of this zone, students must decide which of two paths to take. On the paths, students have opportunities to draw a problem-solving card when they land on a yellow lightbulb. The cards contain situations that challenge students to think about solutions to problems that will work, be safe, be fair, and produce good feelings. Sample problems include “You are angry with your mother. What are some OK ways of expressing (letting out) your anger?” “Someone is pushing you and you want the person to stop. What is a plan that will be safe and produce OK feelings?”
The Think Zone also has spaces that relate to problem solving such as “Rethink, your plan didn’t work (player is sent back 4 spaces); “Your plan was fair—go ahead 1.” “You plan was not safe—go back 1.” “Keep thinking of a good plan—miss a turn.” One space leads to Confusion Cave. To get out of the cave, students must share an experience in which they were confused.