A crossroad for friendship
Describe the feelings of friendship and write a song about it.
Game details
A step-by-step guide to play the game
1
Gather the group of players.
2
Divide the players into pairs. Each pair should face each other, and all pairs play simultaneously.
3
One player (the talker) chooses a topic to discuss with their partner. The talker must put all their efforts into discussing this topic, regardless of interruptions. The other player (the listener) is instructed to talk about a completely different topic, constantly interrupting the talker and paying no attention to their words.
4
Allow the pairs to discuss for 2 minutes.
5
Now, the same player (the talker) chooses another topic to discuss, with the same instructions to continue talking despite interruptions. The other player (the listener) is instructed not to speak, react, or pay attention. They may look around or turn their back to the talker.
6
Allow the pairs to discuss for 2 minutes.
7
Next, the same player (the talker) chooses a third topic to discuss, with the same instructions to continue talking despite interruptions. The other player (the listener) is instructed to listen carefully to the talker, try to understand the topic, ask clarifying questions, and demonstrate active listening through verbal and non-verbal cues (e.g., eye contact, nodding).
8
Allow the pairs to discuss for 2 minutes.
9
Now, the players switch roles and repeat the activity.
10
Reflect together on how the players felt in both roles, their thoughts about each role, and the importance of active listening in helping others. Additionally, discuss techniques for active listening and strategies for improving listening skills.
Extra game information
It is better to gather all the talkers and all the listeners separately and give them the instructions (optional). If you want, you can put all the listeners in one line and all the talkers in another, facing each other.
If you have chairs, let the players sit down while playing, so in the second round the players/listeners grab the chair and turn their back to the players/talkers. It will be more obvious.
You can adapt the time you leave for the conversation, depending on the group.
Suggestions of topics to discuss (for the players/talkers), in case it is difficult for the players to start a conversation.
- How difficult it is to wake up every morning to go to school?
- How difficult it is to eat the worst food ever?
- How difficult it is when you are trying to concentrate on your favorite game and your youngest sibling/cousin/etc. is around disturbing you?
- How hard it is when you want to go out for a walk with your best friend, but your parent doesn’t let you because it is really late?
- How difficult it is when you want to eat ice cream, but it is winter, and it is not allowed?
- How difficult it is when you want to see a scary movie, but it is not allowed because you are too young to do so?
- How difficult it is when you are obligated to get out of the sea, but you haven’t finished swimming yet?
- How difficult it is when you want to keep on playing, but it is time to go to sleep?
- Talk about a friend that lives far away and you miss him/her?
This game is the second game of a package of games/activities to introduce children to Psychological First Aid. If you decide to play all the games as a package, it is highly recommended to make an introduction about PFA to the children, underlining the three basic steps of PFA: observe, listen, do/link. The four games/activities of the package are based on those 3 basic steps. The games/activities of the package are:
- The Great Observer
- Conversational Chaos
- Supportive Flowers
- A Race to Help
If you want more information about PFA you can find in the links below:
- https://pscentre.org/resource/a-guide-to-psychological-first-aid-for-red-cross-red-crescent-societies/
- https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241548205
- https://www.nctsn.org/resources/psychological-first-aid-pfa-field-operations-guide-2nd-edition
- https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/document/psychological-first-aid-guide-field-workers-2/
Of course, you can find even more information about this topic with a simple search online.
Variations
- You can make the game more simple, by skipping any round you want, for really large groups of players or/and for young players.
- You can adapt the number of changes or the number of mistakes the group of players can make.
Specific learning objectives
- Understand the concept of active listening.
- Differentiate between active and non-active listening.
- Recognize the importance of active listening in helping others.
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