LifeSkills Handbook Activity 23
This is a single activity session plan from The Lifeskills Handbook. There are 61 activity sessions altogether. The handbook is available from our resources section where you’ll also find downloadable storybooks, books and posters to help you in your work.
LifeSkills Handbook Activity 23
Communication: Fight and Flight
Purpose of activity: To understand that in some situations, assertiveness and negotiation don’t work.
Life skills: Communication & Interpersonal Relationships, Self-awareness, Critical Thinking
Materials
- Small prizes for the winners of the race and the screaming contest.
Steps
- Take children into a large open space where they can run and scream without disturbing anyone.
- Tell them that you are going to teach them two methods of being assertive. However, first you want them to race each other. (Find a short race they can run, for example, to a nearby tree or wall and back again.)
- After the race, explain that there are some situations where assertiveness and discussion (fight) do not work. These are usually situations where you are threatened with violence. In these situations, flight (running away) is the best option.
- Announce that now you will have a screaming contest. The person who screams loudest wins.
- After the contest, explain that in some situations, screaming may be the best defence, particularly if many other people are nearby. These situations include children being followed or touched by people they do not know or like.
- Give prizes to the best runner and loudest screamer.
- Ask the children to brainstorm some situations and to explain whether they would run or scream, and why.
- You can finish your session with some games.