Suggested Grade/Age Range: Grades 4-6 (ages 9-11)

Activity Objective: The goal of this activity is to have children use both verbal and non-verbal communication to express themselves to their peers. The important factors for effective communication are discussed around both speaking and listening.

Learning Goals
Big Messages to Kids

Link to Ontario Curriculum

Materials Required:

• Paper bags (two class sets)
• Connectors
  These can be any materials that can connect together (e.g., puzzle pieces, connecting blocks, etc.)
• Bin for all the materials

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Place one connector in each bag and ensure there are two class sets to play two rounds of the game

Task Time: 60 minutes

Ensure there are around 5-7 minutes after each round for a brief discussion and then time for a whole class discussion at the end

Activity Description:

Activity: Round 1

1.       Explain to the class that they will be playing a game where they will have to use both verbal and non-verbal communication skills to try and ‘connect’ with others

• Show children an example of a connector and tell them that the goal of the game is to find another individual (or more than one) to connect with, but they cannot show each other what their connector looks like. Instead, they will have to use verbal communication (Round 1) and non-verbal communication (Round 2) to describe the connectors and see if they can connect

2.       Have an individual come up to demonstrate the activity with you

• The types of descriptions used for the connectors will depend on the materials used for connectors

3.       Hand out a paper bag to each individual in the class. Once everyone has one, give each individual a moment to look discreetly inside their bags to see which connector they have.

4.       Have the class walk around and try to “connect” with others. Give them around 7-10 minutes to play the game

• While circulating amongst the class, if you notice individuals who are not able to find a connection, encourage them to not give up and to keep trying

5.       As connections are being made, instruct the connected individuals to place their connectors on a table or on the carpet where everyone can see it

Discussion: Round 1

6.       Gather class around the displayed connectors and have a brief discussion about the game playing process. Ask them:

• “Who connected on the first try?”, wait for a show of hands, and then follow up with the question, “How did that make you feel?” Many individuals may reply “good” or “happy” and take this opportunity to talk about how when we feel seen or heard in our attempts to communicate, this makes us feel good about ourselves
• “Who took a few more tries to connect?”, wait for a show of hands and then follow up with the question, “How did that make you feel?” There may be an array of responses here ranging from positive to negative. Talk about how sometimes effective communication takes a few tries and it is important to keep trying and to not give up
• “Who was not able to connect?”, wait for a show of hands. Acknowledge the efforts for not giving up even if it becomes frustrating. Tell them that they should feel proud of themselves for continuing to try.
• Emphasize that sometimes communication does not go well and it is important to keep trying with different people until we are heard and get what we need.

Activity: Round 2

7.       Move onto Round 2. This time, explain that the class will try to “connect” with others only using non-verbal communication.

• Review over what non-verbal communication is and have class come up with a few specific examples. Emphasize that with non-verbal communication, we really have to pay attention to one another

8.       Give each child a paper bag with a connector from the second set of connectors and have them play the game. Again, give them about 7-10 minutes. Once connections are made, have the children place them on the table or carpet

Discussion Round 2:

9.       Gather class together on the carpet for a whole class discussion. Repeat the discussion questions from Step 5. Also add in: (write down some important points on the board or on chart paper, especially ones that reflect the Big Messages for Communication)

• “Did you notice anything different when just using non-verbal communication?”
• “How can you tell if someone is really listening to you?”
• “When you have something very important to say, what should you do?” (e.g., speak clearly; make sure the other person is listening; keep telling until you get the help you need)

Wrap-up Discussion:

10.   Reinforce the Big Messages for Communication:

• Say what it is that you need
• If you have something important to express, make sure the other person is listening

Activity Extensions:

Children can write down the verbal and non-verbal cues important for effective communication. Once they have done so, they can role-play in partners communicating various messages (e.g., requests for help, resolving small conflicts, etc.) and take turns as speakers and listeners

Additional Comments:

• During the verbal portion of the activity, noise levels in the classroom may be quite high due to children possibly talking over one another. This is a great point for the discussion to follow about what ineffective communication looks like and the importance of listening. If the noise levels escalate to an inappropriate level, the activity can be briefly paused for this discussion to take place earlier
• Connectors can be puzzle pieces that fit each other, shape blocks that fit into one another, or any other prop that can be matched together

Additional Resources:

You may choose to review the Communication Literature Review before implementing this activity. It can be found here.