Age Group: Pre-K-5 (Note: The original version is appropriate for Pre-K – 2; use a challenging variation for 3-5.)
# of Students: Minimum of 6 students, but more are welcome
Overview
Students will learn about the value of friendship and the power and kindness behind a compliment. There is a variation for more high energy and challenge.
Materials
Open space
Duration
10 minutes (or longer with repeated games)
Instructions (Original Version)
1. Gather students to sit in a large circle.
2. Discuss what a genuine compliment sounds and feels like. “I like your shoes,” is a compliment, but “You tell really funny stories and it makes me laugh and feel good” is more meaningful.
3. Explain the game.
Instructor: “We are going to learn about the value of friendship and the power of compliments. We will start sitting in a circle and I will begin. I will turn to the person to my left and give them a genuine compliment. They will say ‘thank you,’ and turn to the next person on their left and give them a compliment. They will say ‘thank you,’ and this will continue all the way around the circle until it comes back to me.”
4. Check for questions.
5. Begin game.
Instructions (Variation)
For older students and higher energy, play a relay race version.
1. Split students into two teams. They will all start at one side of the room at the starting line.
2. One student from each team will run at one time. The first student from each team will run to the other side of the room, the finish line.
3. Once student #1 is in place, student #2 from each team will run to meet student #1.
4. Student #2 must give a genuine compliment to student #1 from their team. An instructor must be at that side of the room to make sure that the compliment is meaningful. If it is surface-level or not specific, the student should run back to their team and then try again.
5. If the compliment is thoughtful, then student #3 will run across the room and compliment student #2.
6. This will continue until the last student runs across the room to the finish line.
7. To win and end the game, the original student (student #1) must run back to the start of the relay, touch the “starting line,” and run back to the finish line to compliment the last student.
8. Once the last compliment has been given, they must all sit down. The first team to sit down wins.
Reflection Questions:
1. How did it feel to receive a compliment?
2. How did you feel when it was your turn to give a compliment?
3. Was it harder to give a compliment than an observation? Why?
4. If you had to recreate your compliment, what did you change?