Description
TEACHING KIDS ABOUT THE THINGS THEY CAN CONTROL
Looking for a great self-control game kids and teens? You’ll love our Things I Can Control Game! The questions and prompts invite students to identify and reflect on what’s in their control, the kind of choices they can make, and the steps they can take.
Ways You Can Use The Things I Can Control Game:
- Small Groups for Social Emotional Learning Support and Skills Practice
- Individual counseling sessions as an assessment tool.
- The actual act of playing the game provides insight into children’s social skills, decision-making process, frustration tolerance, level of respect for rules & boundaries, and problem-solving abilities.
- Playing also builds social skills!
- Fun for Family Game Night!
- Community and relationship building classroom group activity
Now Available in Both Print and Digital Game Formats
You now get to choose between playing the printable card game format or the digital Google Slides™ version. So whether you are in person or need an interactive self-control activity for distance learning, teletherapy, or virtual small groups, we got you covered!
How to Play The Things I Can Control Connect Game
Taking turns, players/teams choose a number based on the spot they would like to place their pawn. Then answer the corresponding question/prompt about things you can control. Move game pawn to cover the number just answered. Players continue to take turns answering questions/prompts and moving their pawn pieces until the first player/team has completed a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal line of either 4 or 5 in a row.
For a Free “Sample Example” of how the digital game works, please download my Conversation Starter Connect Game!
How to Play The Printable Things I Can Control Game
In the spirit of other popular shedding-type card games, the player to get rid of all their cards first by wins. Players try to “match” the top card in the discard pile, by either laying down the same number, color (or shape, if using the black & white set), or type of action card. If the card contains a things you can control question or prompt, that player shares their response. The player may choose to decline responding by using 1 of their 2 Pass Tickets. Actions cards add fun twists and turns to the game. Actions include:
- TAKE 3: The next person in line must take 3 cards before taking their turn.
- ROTATE RIGHT / ROTATE LEFT: All players pass on, or “rotate,” their cards to either the left or right, so that everyone exchanges hands with each other.
- GO AGAIN: Player gets to “go again,” gaining an additional turn.
- FREE!: Player who discards a FREE card is “free” to choose a new color (or shape) for the discard pile and then discard an additional card based on the color (or shape) they changed it to.
- FREE + SPY!: Player who discards a FREE+SPY card can spy on one player by peeking at their cards and then is “free” to choose a new color (or shape) for the discard pile and then discard an additional card based on the color (or shape) they changed it to.
Make sure to check out our FREE 50 Things I Can Control Checklist!
