Today is National Stop Bullying Day. Let’s visit the concept behind bullying and look deeper into respect versus fear. To respect yourself, others, and things such as the environment, animals, and personal belongings, is extremely important in life, and is the number 1 rule at #CRSFcamp. However, how does one receive respect?
To earn respect as well as to show respect for others and things can sometimes get lost in translation and ultimately transpire into fear, especially with children. We, as coaches, mentors, and family members, should focus on embodying qualities of a good leader in order to earn respect for the right reasons.
The Partner Challenge is a great activity from the Healthy Choices, Healthy Children: Rise Above Bullying Edition that you can use with your team or group that show children what it means to earn respect as well as to respect others.
Partner Challenge
What you will need for this activity:
· Enough space for everyone to move around safely, such as a gym or outdoor area
1. Start by having everyone stand in a large circle, mentors feel free to join too!
2. Establish a GO word, a word that will start the activity. Get creative, it can be puppies, your favorite football team, anything! Once they hear the GO word, they must begin cha-cha-ing throughout the group chanting, “mingle, mingle, mingle!” as Coach Travis is demonstrating below.
3. After they’ve mingled for a little, shout, “STOP,” and have the group find a partner closest to them.
4. This partner is now their Secret Handshake Partner. Have each partnered group come up with a secret handshake together.
5. Once they have had time to come up with a secret handshake, say the GO word and begin mingling again.
6. Repeat Step 3 and find a new partner.
7. This is their Wacky Dance Partner. Have each partnered group come up with a wacky dance together.
8. Repeat Step 3 one more time, and establish a third and final partner. This partner will be their Double High-five Partner.
9. Confirm with everyone that they know who their three different partners are. When everyone is ready, say the GO word and begin mingling again.
10. While the group is mingling, begin to shout out each of the three different partner challenges. Have the participants have to run to those partners and complete the challenge. Once complete, continue to mingle again
11. Shout each partner challenge a few times to mix them up, then ask them to stop on one of them, whether it’s the Secret Handshake Partner, Wacky Dance Partner, or Double High-five Partner. Once they’re with their partner, ask them to answer the following question with their partner:
“What is one way you will be a positive leader and earn respect?”
12. Repeat step 11 until all three challenges have been completed and the question was answered with each different partner (three total). Encourage them to come up with a different answer for each partner.
13. If you have time, you can have the participants share their partners’ answers with the entire group.
If there is additional time, ask everyone in the group to share who they respect most in their lives and why. This is a great opportunity to reflect on a personal example of someone who has earned their respect and someone they can look up to.
For more tools and information please head over to our Materials page to download HCHC: Rise Above Bullying Edition.