Random SEL Games and Ideas for RL

Contributions by: Sabrina L, Melissa Hernandez, Jessica Witt, Stephanie Hoerner, Ms. Banks, Erica Monique, Amanda Walsh Megan Dunbar, Deirdre Daly, Jen Gillespie, Lacy Lucien, Samantha Nieto, Kate Kuempel, Melissa Day Compiled by Samantha Nieto, School Counselor at Lasalle Language Academy, Network 4
Game Title	Best for Grades: (but can be adapted to all grades)	Description & Instructions
Hop In	All*	Similar to a “Cross the Line” activity. You can make this fun and light, or more heavy and vulnerable. Have students turn their cameras on if the statements apply to them/have them turn off the camera if the statement does NOT apply. For example: “Turn on your camera if winter is your favorite season” *For older students and more emotionally vulnerable conversations about Empathy, you can make statements like “turn on your camera if you lost someone due to COVID”
Pass the Stretch	3-8	Gets everyone moving and students learn cooperation and listening! Have students, one-by-one, demonstrate and lead a stretch, and pass it on the next person. You can do this randomly, or by going alphabetically. (think neck rolls, wrist rolls, side bends, etc).
Counting to 20	4-8	The goal is to count to 20, in any order, with no interruptions! Choose one student to start with by saying “one”. Then, any other student says “two”, “three”, etc. etc., but no one can talk over anyone else, and there is no order. If they do, you start back at “one”. This tests those listening and cooperation
This or That	All	As simple as the title! Make several statements, such as, “pizza or tacos” and have the students put a hand on their head for pizza or a hand on in the air for tacos. The students love this one, because it’s fast and fun! Can also be adapted to “stand up/sit down” for movement breaks!
Switcheroo	3-8	Similar to a “what’s different in this picture” type of game. Choose a student to be the model. Have all the other students “pin” that student so they can really focus on details. Have the model turn off their camera for 20 seconds and change something about their appearance or background, and then turn their cameras back on; the more subtle the detail changes the better! (putting their hair behind their shoulders, putting a pillow in their background)
Would you Rather (typing)	PK-2	This is to help students learn how to type in the chat. Choose some “WYR” statements: “would you rather have breakfast for dinner or dinner for breakfast” and have the students Type “A” for option 1 or Type “B” for option 2, then you can have them type longer words, eventually!
Blind Drawing	3-8	This is a fun one! Have students cover their eyes in some fashion: blindfold, blanket, hoodie. And call out an object they have to draw (animals are always an easy go-to), and have them try and draw it blindfolded!
Trivia	All	Trivia Fridays, or any day! Kahoot has a TON of free trivia questions!
Virtual Hot Potato	2-8	This can be used as SEL or in any subject for practice. Choose one student to start, they will then virtually throw the “potato” (can be rolled up socks, balled up paper, invisible) to another student with a comment or question or word. For example, if you are doing math practice they might say “Isaac, 2+2” and then throws the “potato” to Isaac. Isaac catches it & says the answer. If he’s incorrect -- the potato is “too hot” & he’s out for the round but gets to pick who throws the potato next.
I Spy	All	As simple as the title! Present an image, either digitally or to your camera and allow students to focus on it, then play “I, Spy” Could be adapted to all subjects (“I Spy the answer to 4*4)
The Mute Game	PK - 1	requires a picture of a mute/unmute button (I just quickly drew mine) Hold up a picture of a mute button and give students time to find the button. Hold up a picture of the unmute button and allow students to make noise! “Make an elephant noise” then hold up the mute button again, until everyone presses it. This will require a lot of patience, but they will learn how to use those functions, so that you won’t always have to do it for them!
Go To Sleep	PK-3	Students love how silly this game is! Ask students to close their eyes and give them a prompt “when you wake up, you need to... Jump like a kangaroo Steer a pirate ship Lick an ice cream cone Ride a surfboard...” This is a great movement break game and activates those imaginations!
Mystery Bag	All	Requires a bag and random items Give students a theme of what the objects could be. They then ask yes/no questions to try and guess what each of the items in the bag are!
Scavenger Hunt	K-5	This is like a virtual Show and Tell! Either make a random generator, or simply think of items to hunt for in their spaces. Keep it simple, such as “find something that is shiny.” Give them a time of 1 minute to find the item and bring it back. Those that are successful, can share what they find! Another adaptation is to do a 5 senses scavenger hunt (“bring back something that smells fruity but isn’t a fruit”). You could also do shapes, or colors! Keep in mind that not everyone has certain items (be culturally and socially aware), so be mindful of what you are asking students to retrieve and share
Freeze Dance	PK-5	Who doesn’t love a good game of freeze dance?! You could also use this time to teach the students how to mute, every time they “Freeze”!
Find an Item That Starts With….	2-8	Could be adapted for littles, just start with simple items Randomly select a student to find an item, that student then passes it to another student who then has to find an item that starts with the last letter of the previous item. For example, if the first student shows a “doll” the next student could show a “lemon” and then the next student could show “nail polish,” etc.
Digital Simon Says	All	A classic! To make it ~digital~ use phrases like “Simon Says, mute your microphone” “Simon says type ‘hello’ in the chat” “Simon says turn off your camera” “Simon says ‘pin’ the teacher’s video”
Collaborative Story	3-8	You can do this multiple ways, with a digital picture, or simply spoken words. You could also share your screen and write the words as the students go, so they can visualize. Create a theme for your story. Each student will say a word to make a sentence, and then a few sentences, and eventually a full-story. Example: The theme is “going to the store.” As the teacher, you start the story with the phrase “Once upon a time…” The first student says then adds any word to complete your sentence. This is a great way to make sure students are employing active listening!
Digital Charades	7+	This is a two-part process, one selected student will need to have their emails open, and Google Meet. Privately email or Google Chat the selected student a word to act out. In the Google Meet, the student will then act out the word for the other students to guess. This will teach students how to quickly access their emails and use Meet at the same time.
Zoom In	All	You will need a photo/image available for this. Place the image really close to the camera, slowly start to pull the image back, as the students are guessing, either in the chat or verbally. The image could tie into your lesson for the day, and start as an bell-ringer!
Describe & Draw	4-8	Try to choose simple items to describe. Choose an item to describe, such as a “butterfly.” Explain each step, without revealing what the image is; “draw a big number 3, then draw a big backward 3” Once you are done with the instructions, have students share their drawings, and giggle together! For our concrete thinkers, this may be difficult. Reassure them that this is a fun and silly activity.
Guess the Sound	All	As simple as the title! Here is a great track to play with students. For older students you could make it more challenging by playing sounds of specific animals (sound of a llama), etc.
Tomato Ketchup	3-8	This game requires honesty and positive attitudes! Choose one student as the “detective”. They turn on their mic and put their head down so they can't see the screen. Everyone else is muted. The teacher selects a student (by writing their name on a piece of paper and showing the camera) and that student switches their mic on and says “tomato ketchup” in a funny or disguised voice. The detective has to guess the student! This is a great community building game!
Choose 3	2-8	Similar to a scavenger hunt, but with a twist! This is a great problem solving type of game. Have students find 3 random items in their home, any items. Then give them a prompt, such as: “You are out of dog toys and need something to give your pet! Which item of the 3 you selected, would you choose?” Then have students explain their choice.
Noun Finder	1-4	Person, place, thing, and animal Randomly select a letter, then ask a student to name one of each that starts with that letter. For example, for the letter “Z”: Zoo keeper, Zimbabwe, Zipper, Zebra
Pass the Wave	1-8	Quick movement break game. Think “the wave” that is done at sporting events; each student raises their arms, and it gets passed on to the next person. Time yourselves and see how quickly students can get through it! To make it academic, have the students call out their answer to a prompt and then “pass the wave” to the next student!
Animal Call	1-6	This game requires a little prep work-- Assign on-camera motions to an animal; such as raising one arm up to signal an elephant, or putting two hands in front of you, with your fingers pointed down, to signal a bunny. Once everyone is aware of the different animals and their gestures, call out the animal name and everyone has to make that gesture, at the same time. Speed yourself up for a bit of a challenge!
Silly Ole Monster	2-8	Students will each need a piece of paper and a writing utensil (a marker would be best). One student thinks of a silly monster on their own. Then they describe each of the physical features to the class (“the monster has a circle body, 7 eyes, 4 pointy teeth, pokey hair, 3 legs, and a long skinny tail”). Then everyone shows their monster to the camera, and the original student selects the monster that is the closest to the monster they thought of.