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Social & emotional
The Turn-Taking Ball
Sit in a small circle, pass around a ball or tambourine, and follow one simple rule: you only take action when you hold the object. Sing a little tune as it goes around, say the next person's name, and turn waiting into part of the game.
- Age
- 18 to 36 months
- Duration
- 10 min
- Materials
- A ball or a tambourine
- Supervision
- Supervisé en continu
The steps on one A4 page, yours to keep. Free, with an account.
Step by step
- Sit in a small circle (2 to 5 children, or as a family) with a ball or tambourine in hand.
- Only the person holding the object gets to do something (shake it, say their name, make a gesture).
- Sing a simple little routine song every time the object is passed.
- Whoever passes the object says the next person's name.
- Praise waiting out loud ("You're waiting for your turn, well done!"). If a little one grabs it, calmly help them give it back and keep turns shorter.
- Make the wait longer, pass two objects in opposite directions, or move on to simple rule-based games around age 3.
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