The Waiting Game: Learning Patience and Safe Choices
Materials Needed
- A timer, sand timer, or phone timer
- Three small toys or stuffed animals
- Paper and crayons
- Building blocks or LEGO-style bricks
- A small snack or surprise item
- Optional: music for a movement break
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Explain that waiting means staying calm until it is time.
- Name at least two things they can do while waiting.
- Practice waiting for 10–30 seconds using a calm strategy.
- Tell a trusted grown-up when something on a screen feels confusing or unsafe.
Success Criteria
I can:
- Use the words “I can wait.”
- Choose a calm waiting activity.
- Keep my hands and body safe while I wait.
- Ask a grown-up for help when I see something I do not understand.
Introduction: Hook and Objectives
Time: 5 minutes
Place a small surprise item where the child can see it but cannot reach it yet.
Say: “There is a surprise! We have to wait a little bit. What can we do while we wait?”
Invite the child to make one guess about the surprise. Then say:
“Today we will learn about waiting. Waiting can feel hard, but we can help our bodies stay calm. We will also practice asking a grown-up for help when something looks confusing or unsafe.”
Body of the Lesson
1. I Do: Show Calm Waiting
Time: 5 minutes
Set the timer for 10 seconds. Model the following steps slowly:
- Stop my body.
- Take a slow breath in.
- Take a slow breath out.
- Choose something safe to do.
Say: “I want the surprise now, but it is not time yet. I can breathe, count, or play quietly while I wait.”
Count slowly from 1 to 10. When the timer rings, say: “I waited safely!”
2. We Do: Practice Waiting Together
Time: 10 minutes
Say: “Now we will practice together. You may choose one waiting activity.”
Offer these choices:
- Count slowly to 10.
- Take three balloon breaths.
- Sing a short song.
- Build a tiny block tower.
- Draw a picture of something fun to do later.
Set the timer for 10–15 seconds. Practice two or three times.
After each turn, ask:
- “What did your body do while you waited?”
- “Which waiting choice did you like?”
- “Did waiting feel easy, tricky, or both?”
3. Safe Screen Choices
Time: 5 minutes
Use simple, child-friendly language:
“Sometimes a screen may show words or pictures we do not understand. We do not have to touch or type anything. We can stop, move away, and ask a trusted grown-up.”
Teach the three-step safety rule:
- Stop: Take your hands away.
- Close: Close the screen or put the device down.
- Tell: Tell a trusted grown-up what happened.
Practice saying: “I do not understand this. Can you help me?”
4. We Do: Waiting Game
Time: 10 minutes
Place three toys in a row. Give the child a simple challenge such as: “Wait until I say ‘Go’ before you pick a toy.”
Change the waiting time between 5 and 20 seconds. During each wait, the child may:
- Clap softly.
- Wiggle fingers.
- Take a breath.
- Look at the toy without touching it.
Say “Go!” and let the child choose a toy. Celebrate effort rather than perfect stillness:
“You waited and kept your body safe. That was great practice!”
5. You Do: Create a Waiting Plan
Time: 10 minutes
Invite the child to draw a picture showing what they can do while waiting.
Help the child complete this sentence:
“When I have to wait, I can __________.”
The child may choose to draw:
- Taking a breath
- Counting
- Playing quietly
- Looking at a book
- Asking for help
Let the child choose a title for the picture, such as My Waiting Plan or Things I Can Do.
Formative Assessment
Throughout the lesson, observe whether the child can:
- Copy a slow breath.
- Wait briefly without grabbing the item.
- Choose a calm activity.
- Say or show what to do when something on a screen is confusing.
Use gentle prompts when needed:
- “What can your hands do while you wait?”
- “Can you show me a slow breath?”
- “Who can help if you see something you do not understand?”
Summative Assessment: Show What You Know
Present this short scenario:
“You want a turn with a toy, but someone else is using it. What can you do while you wait?”
Ask the child to demonstrate one safe waiting choice and complete the sentence:
“I can wait by __________.”
Then present this screen-safety scenario:
“A screen shows words you do not understand. What should you do?”
Look for the response: stop, close or move away, and tell a trusted grown-up.
Conclusion: Closure and Recap
Time: 5 minutes
Reveal the surprise item or share the snack. Ask:
- “What does waiting mean?”
- “What can you do while waiting?”
- “Who can help if something on a screen looks confusing?”
Review together:
“Waiting means staying safe until it is time. I can breathe, count, play quietly, or ask for help. If a screen is confusing, I stop, close it, and tell a grown-up.”
End with a celebration: “You practiced patience and safe choices today!”
Differentiation and Adaptations
For a Child Who Needs More Support
- Begin with only 3–5 seconds of waiting.
- Use a visual card showing: Stop → Breathe → Choose.
- Wait alongside the child and model each step.
- Allow movement, such as gentle rocking or squeezing a soft toy.
For a Child Ready for More Challenge
- Increase the waiting time to 30–60 seconds.
- Ask the child to create a second waiting strategy.
- Invite the child to teach the three-step screen-safety rule to a stuffed animal.
- Have the child make a simple “waiting choices” chart.
Real-World Connections
- Waiting for a turn on a swing
- Waiting for food to cool
- Waiting for a caregiver to finish a phone call
- Waiting for a favorite show or activity
- Waiting for a grown-up when a device shows something unfamiliar