Emotional Intelligence Children’s Game – Listening Skills

Here is a fun emotional Intelligence children’s game using ‘Simon Says’, visual cues and listening skills.  You certainly have heard “Simon says…” before.  It is a classic game.  However, this emotional intelligence children’s game uses Simon says as an avenue to explore emotional awareness.  While building on a child’s ability to listen carefully and focus.  Did you know, Author of “Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ” Daniel Goleman believes that a persons emotional quota is a more important factor to success, more so than their Intelligence Quota.

Adding a playful element is great way for parents to teach children how to express their own emotions appropriately, while understanding how to read other peoples emotions.  Facial expressions and body language say a lot about how you feel and learning these visual cues is one way that children can develop emotional intelligence, empathy and theory of the mind.

How to play this emotional intelligence children’s game.

Start by enthusiastically explaining the emotional intelligence children’s game as “Simon says” to your children.  Emphasize that they need to Listen carefully to what Simon says and then they have to do the action to match.  Say that you will join in doing the actions only for the first round, and then after that you will only SAY the “Simon says” instruction, so they need to be listening super carefully after the first round, because you are going to try and trick them.

Round 1 – [Join in doing the actions as you give the instruction]

Simon says have nervous knees (shake your knees but also look nervous).
Simon says have a sad bottom lip (do the action).
Simon says stand strong and be confident
Simon says clap in excitement
Simon says touch your nose ( Here you can touch your toes instead)

Giggle and joke around if you managed to trick them, while asking them if their ears are paying attention.  If they pick up on the discrepancy encourage their great ability to pay attention with their ears and not their eyes.

Round 2 – [Now give them the instruction verbally with no actions for every second one]

“Let’s try again, this time I am making it a bit harder, lets see if you are listening”.

Simon says you’re frustrated (Hands on the hips, act tense and huff in frustration)
Simon says you are thoughtful –
Simon says your brain is confused (Scratch your head & roll your eyes in confusion)
Simon says are frightened –
Simon says you’re really happy (do the action)
Simon says you’re feelings are hurt –
Simon says you’re wide awake (do a snoring sleepy face)

Round 3 – [Give verbal cues but no visual guide, until the last trick instruction].

Simon says you got a surprise
Simon says you just comforted a friend
Simon says you’re worried
Simon says you just heard the best joke
Simon says scratch your chin in curiosity (scratch your shoulder).

Round 4 – [Give verbal cues but no visual guide, until the last trick instruction].

Simon says you’re proud of yourself
Simon says you are shocked
Simon says you did great work in class
Simon says you tasted something gross
Simon says pull a sad face (pull a huge smile)

Round 5 – [repeat].

Simon says jump with joy
Simon says look concerned for your friend
Simon says you’re really stressed out at the moment
Simon says you need time alone
Simon says your teacher gave you a award
Simon says you are brave (cower down and shy away from them.)

How we learn with this emotional intelligence children’s game.

• Building on theory of the mind: The ability to understand and attribute mental states to oneself or another  (belief, feeling, thought, intention).
• Listening skills: Working on the skill of listening carefully and focussing on audio instructions, while presented with distractive visual cues.
• Empathy: The capacity to understand another’s emotions.
• Developing emotional quotient: Capability to recognize their own and other people’s emotions, and discriminate between different feelings while labelling them appropriately.
  
  

You may also be interested in this Emotional Intelligence Activity:

This Emotional Intelligence Activity & Printable. Our 5 Core emotions.

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