Play this super fun game with kids of all ages to demonstrate good/not so good choices- the Safe Zone game!
So far you have done 3 activities with your child concerning good choices. (If you have missed it, see Related Posts.) This will be the last one in this series and by now I do believe that they have a good understanding about this concept. This topic can be used continually in your everyday talk. If they behaved well compliment them and use the words “well done you made a good choice to help your sister I am proud of you” or if they misbehaved you can say “you are being punished because you made a bad choice”. When my children ask me for something in a rude way, I correct them by saying “you chose the wrong way to ask me try again” this will reinforce the theme in a practical way.
For this activity you will need:
– Blindfold
– Sheets of paper and marker
– Inflatable hammer or pool noodle (optional)
– Tape
Activity
Count the children who will play. One will be blindfolded and each of the others needs one paper with a 0 on and one with a X on. Tape these papers randomly on the floor.
All the children stand together in the middle and the countdown begin. 5,4,3,2,1 go. Then the children run and stand on a paper. If they stand on a 0 they are safe if the stand on a X they are out. The child with the hammer/pool noodle must try to touch a child before he/she is in a safe zone.
To make it a bit more interesting you can take away one safe zone page so there is one short (almost like musical chairs) so if they don’t get to a safe zone they are out. This is if you have enough players.
Discussion
Did you see that when you made the right choice to stand on the paper with the 0 you were safe? But if you chose to stand on the X you were out.
Questions
– How did it feel when you didn’t make a choice fast enough and the hammer touched you?
– How did it feel to be out because you landed on a X?
– How did it feel to stand on the 0 and be safe?
– Do you think you will happy when you make a good choice in life?
You have so many things to choose every day. You choose if you want to listen to daddy and mommy or nor. You choose if you want to be naughty or not. You choose if you want to hurt your brother/sister or not. If you choose the wrong thing you will feel sad like you did when you are out of the game but when you make the right choice you will feel happy like you felt when you were in the safe zone.
Examples
Mommy says don’t run in the house. You choose
X – to run in the house and you break something
0 – you listen and rather go play outside
Teacher says you must be quite in class. You choose
X – to talk to your friend and get a demerit
0 – listen to teacher and get a star
(In the discussion you can take 2 paper plates clued together onto an ice-cream stick or any stick. On the one paper plate is a 0 and the other side a X. When you give the scenarios, you show them with the paper plates if it was the right or the wrong choice by turning the stick so the appropriate plate will show.)
Christian view
Philippians 4:8 “And now dear brothers and sisters, one final thing, fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
When we chose to think about good things it pleases God. That is making good choices. We choose to love our friends and think nice things about them.
Play this fun Safe Zone game to help kids understand their choices are important!
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