Using Jenga to Teach Impulse Control

As a counselor, we often see students who display hyperactive or impulsive behavior.  One of my roles with these students is to teach them the skills they may lack.  These skills might include delaying gratification, concentrating, and making choices.

Jenga is a great game to illustrate and practice all of these skills. 

Below are some great questions to ask while playing Jenga to help the student make real-life connections:

• How do you make a good choice about which block to pull?
• What would happen if you pull a block without thinking first?
• You have to think ahead about what will happen when playing Jenga. How do you think ahead when making a choice in class?
• What happens in class when you don't think first before making a choice?
• How do you make choices in class?

Jenga is also a great time to reinforce any positive skills you notice, such as...

• I noticed you really took your time deciding which block to pull.  Good job!
• You are really thinking about what will happen if you pull that block. 
• I like the way you think about each option before choosing which block to pull. 

Need Ready-Made Multimedia Lessons? Try Ted Ed!

Finding the Right TedEd Lesson

TedEd allows you to search for multimedia lessons by:

• Age of the student (elementary, middle, high)
• Duration of the lesson
• Content of the lesson.

What is a TedEd Lesson?

Each TedEd lesson generally follows this order...

1. Watch. (Students watch an engaging YouTube video.)
2. Think. (Students answer multiple choice or short answer questions.)
3. Dig Deeper. (Students read additional information and can access links to other pertinent articles or websites that may be of interest.)
4. Discuss. (Students read discussion questions and answer online. Students can also read other users' responses.)

You can even create your own lessons!

Why Does This Matter?

TedEd lessons are a great way to flip lessons or incorporate technology into classroom guidance! 

Check out links to 2 great TedEd lessons below!

3 Tips to Boost Your Self-Confidence TedEd Lesson
Overcoming Obstacles TedEd Lesson