Empowerment Through Play: 7 Simple Games and Activities to Prevent Bullying

Bullying is usually defined as a behaviour that is intentionally done to hurt someone physically, mentally, or both. Every one in four children is affected by bullying. It is very important to eradicate bullying. There are certain techniques, games and activities to prevent bullying by which we can create awareness about bullying and eradicate it.

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Things to be Noted While Choosing a Game

There are many different games and activities to prevent bullying by addressing and creating awareness. It is most important to find the right type of games and activities to prevent bullying, which includes the age of the children and the maturity level of the participants. Make sure that the activity is appropriate for the environment in which it is used. Consider the goals that you are trying to achieve through these games and activities.

When to Use Games and Activities to Prevent Bullying

Experts agree that there are certain games and activities to prevent bullying, but there is no one size that fits all the solutions. It is important to agree that anti-bullying games and activities help to prevent bullying. However, when to do games and activities to prevent bullying depends completely on the atmosphere. The victims and offenders of bullying must be brought to the normal mindset and create a peaceful and healthy relationship among them. Games and activities to prevent bullying should be a part of the curriculum and a healthy approach for students.

Importance of Supervision by Adults and Teachers

Although there are several games and activities to prevent bullying, it is essential to ensure that these activities take place with proper adult supervision. Since games and activities include certain physical contact, it may lead to injuries if not appropriately supervised. There may be chances of verbal abuse if the volunteer does not volunteer properly. If the games and activities are not appropriately monitored, serious issues may arise, which may desensitise the children to the real-life effects of bullying.

7 Simple Games and Activities to Prevent Bullying

There are certain age-appropriate games and activities to prevent bullying and create the impact and circumstances of bullying. The anti-bullying games and activities mainly include a pair or group of students where the interaction creates the awareness and impact of bullying. Some of the games and activities to prevent bullying include:

Circle Time

Circle time is a game that allows students to share their thoughts and feelings about bullying in a safe and secure environment. Some tips for leading an anti-bullying circle time are:

Ask students to share something that makes them feel proud, by which a positive and supportive environment is built from the outset. Secondly, explain what bullying is and why it is wrong. Then, encourage students to share their experiences with bullying as victims or witnesses. Listen non-judgmentally and offer support. Finally, motivate the students to stand up to bullying together and empower them to fight against it.

The Bully Box

It is a game played between two people or a group of students. The game starts with one person being the bully and the other being the victim. Here, the bully will try to do something the victim doesn't want. If the victim does what the bully wishes, the victim gets the point, and if they don't, the bully gets the point. This game continues until one of them gets five points. This game is to teach about bullying and how easy it is for someone to become a victim. This game should be played only under the supervision of adults.

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Chart Similarities and Differences

This game helps the child recognise and accept what makes the similarities and differences look beautiful. Make a simple chart of hobbies, characteristics, and traits such as being funny, tall, wearing a t-shirt, speaking English, etc. and see how different the people are in your life and how they make up the same community of living together. This game creates acceptance towards each other.

Imagine Being Someone Else

The main aim of this game is to teach empathy. Children have a fragile mindset; when they pretend to be someone else, they explore the minds and hearts of others, which helps them to understand things from different perspectives and respect them.

The Crumpled Heart Activity

The crumpled heart activity demonstrates how a person bullies someone, adding another crinkle to their heart. This game starts by having the printout of red paper hearts for each student and asking them to design it as if it were their own. Then, ask them to pass it on to another student to love and care for it as if it were their own. Now, ask the students to crumple it by saying hurtful and mean words. Then, ask the students to return to the student to whom it belongs by apologising for being so thoughtless. After apologising, ask the students to uncrumple the hearts and make them as smooth as possible. 

Now, ask the students to hold up and examine their crumpled hearts and ask them to describe how they look. Even after apologising, students cannot smooth out the wrinkles. This explains that the wrinkles may fade over time, but the victim's heart may not feel the same. This game and activity to prevent bullying teaches empathy and kindness to children.

Make Anti-Bullying Wristbands

This is a simple activity of preparing the wristbands with a personal note of bullying or an anti-bullying pledge, which children can wear all day. This activity requires strips of purple and orange cards and velcro dots. After a detailed discussion of bullying and raising awareness of bullying, ask them to mention their slogan against bullying and make them wear it for the rest of the day.

Make a Strong Message Chain

Make anti-bullying paperchains with paper with messages from students about how they work to prevent bullying, slogans, and pledges with an anti-bullying activity. This helps them to show how united the environment is among them.

Anti-Bullying Day

Anti-bullying Day, or Pink Shirt Day, is celebrated every year as part of the anti-bullying activity. This started with the two students who took a stand against the homophobic bullying who were harassed and threatened for wearing pink. The next day, students brought pink shirts and asked the rest of the students to wear them to prove that they stand against bullying. Pink is often associated with preventing bullying, as anti-bullying activities start with wearing pink.

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Conclusion

Games and activities to prevent bullying have become significant in creating awareness. These activities also play a crucial role in creating a safe and secure environment. The anti-bullying activity lays a foundation that helps the students be kind and show respect and empathy. The games and activities to prevent bullying have significantly impacted the creation of strong and impactful actions against bullying.

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