This is a communication and social skills activity I use with 3rd through 5th graders.

Objective: To help students get along with others. To promote positive communication. To enable students to work on their social skills.

Materials: Six different colored balls, chalkboard, & chalk

Activity: Ask for an example of a time when someone encouraged or complimented them.  Ask how it made them feel.

Divide students into two teams, A & B.

Students stand in circles. They begin tossing around a ball to each other in the same order every round. They must keep the ball in the air as long as possible. If a ball is dropped, if a negative comment is made, if they get out of line, or if they go in the wrong order, the other team gets a point. They also must start over.

When they have gone a few rounds, students will begin saying someoe's name, saying a positive comment about that person, then tossing the ball to that person. Continue this process. Once Ball 1 has gone through, Ball 2 is tossed in and they stop with Ball 1.

Ball 2 requires students to say something that person is good at doing. They must stay in the same order as they were with Ball 1. Ball 2 is now finished and they will use ball 3.

Ball 3 requires the students to ask that person what their favorite food is.