Play Pals Unit Plan
Play Pals & Fair Play Club
Kindergarten SEL & Social Communication Unit Plan
4 Sessions • Small Group
Target: Kindergarten (Ages 5–6)
Length: 20 min / session
Group Size: 4–6 students
Focus: Play & Emotional Reset
Role: Counselor / Teacher
Why This Unit Matters: Supporting Shutdowns & Frustration
In Kindergarten, peer play shifts from parallel to collaborative. When toys are shared unequally or rules feel arbitrary, young children perceive it as deeply "unfair." This cognitive rigidity frequently triggers an amygdala hijack: children either explode in anger or experience silent shutdown (freezing, crossing arms, refusing eye contact, retreating into silence). This unit equips students with concrete somatic resets, visual scripts, and actionable fairness routines to navigate rough play moments before withdrawal occurs.
Predictable 20-Min Routine
0–3m
Hello Circle & Body Check-In: Feeling thermometer check and group greeting song.
3–8m
Skill Spotlight & Puppet Demo: Explicit script modeling using social story puppets.
8–16m
Play Lab & Guided Practice: Hands-on toy task with controlled minor frustration triggers.
16–20m
Calm Anchor & Star Stamp: Group breath reset, celebration high-five, and transfer goal.
3 Golden Club Rules
1 Gentle Hands, Safe Body
2 Big Ears, Listening Eyes
3 Talk or Tap, Don't Trap!
*Tap = tapping facilitator's turtle card when voice freezes.
4-Session Scope & Sequence Blueprint
Spiral Skill Architecture
| Session |
Core Skill Focus |
The Frustration / Shutdown Antidote |
Anchor Tool |
| Session 1 |
Joining the Game Entering play without grabbing |
Handling "Not right now" without tears or walking away; the "Stop, Watch, Ask" 3-step footwork. |
Green Pass Card |
| Session 2 |
Sharing & Trading Navigating toy scarcity |
Coping when peers keep the prized item; substituting snatching with the "Trade Deal" or "Sand Timer Wait." |
1-Min Sand Timer |
| Session 3 |
The Freeze & Melt Recognizing early shutdown |
Catching tight jaw, clenched fists, and silence; executing the "Turtle Tuck & 3 Melt Breaths" before withdrawal takes over. |
Turtle Pause Shell |
| Session 4 |
Fixing the Fun Making fair play repairs |
Resolving perceived unfairness using "Rock-Paper-Scissors" or "Bug & Wish" rather than quitting the game. |
Fair Play Spinner |
Play Pals Kindergarten SEL Curriculum • Small Group Facilitator Guide Page 1 of 4
Implementation Phase 1
Sessions 1 & 2: Entering Play & Fair Sharing
Focus: Prosocial Approach & Turn Resistance
1
Session 1: "Joining the Game" (How to Step In)
20 Minutes
4-Part Instructional Flow
1. Hook (3m): "Pip the Penguin" puppet wants to join block building but kicks a block when ignored. Ask: "Did Pip's plan help him play?"
2. Teach (5m): Teach the "Stop, Watch, Ask" sequence:
• Stop: Stand 2 steps away (not hovering).
• Watch: See what they are playing (e.g., "zoo").
• Ask: Say: "Can I add animals to your zoo?" (Specific idea).
3. Play Lab (8m): Pairs practice entering a mega-block train line using their "Green Play Pass" card to prompt verbal request.
4. Wrap-Up (4m): Chant: "Stop, Watch, Ask a friend, play together till the end!"
Shutdown Risk Point
When a peer says "No, you can't play," kindergarteners often freeze, slump, or cry.
Adult Coaching Script:
"Hearing 'no' feels like a stomach pinch. Let's take a balloon breath. We can ask a different buddy or say: 'Can I play when you're done?'"
2
Session 2: "Share, Trade, or Timer" (Navigating 'Mine!')
20 Minutes
4-Part Instructional Flow
1. Hook (3m): Two puppets pull on the only golden magnifying glass screaming "It's mine! It's not fair!"
2. Teach (5m): Introduce the Fair Play Choice Strip:
• Share Together: Can we build one big city together?
• Trade Deal: "I'll trade you this dump truck for the crane."
• Sand Timer: Flip the 1-minute blue sand timer. When sand drops, it switches.
3. Play Lab (8m): "The Great Play-Doh Tool Challenge." Children are intentionally given only 2 rolling pins for 4 students. Adult prompts trade deals.
4. Wrap-Up (4m): High-five practice: "My turn, your turn, we don't grab, we learn!"
What Shutdown Looks Like
Student drops tools, stares at floor, curls fingers into shirt, and refuses to look at the timer or peer.
Facilitator Action:
Kneel at eye level. Hold out an open palm (no physical contact required): "You wanted that roller right now. It is really hard to wait. I will hold your spot while the sand runs."
Prep Box: 2 Animal puppets, 1 set large blocks, 4 Green Pass cards, 2 visual 1-minute sand timers, Play-Doh kit.
Prep Time: 5 mins
Play Pals Kindergarten SEL Curriculum • Small Group Facilitator Guide Page 2 of 4
Implementation Phase 2
Sessions 3 & 4: Catching the Shutdown & Problem Solving
Focus: Somatic Regulation & Fair Restoration
3
Session 3: "The Freeze & Melt" (Catching the Shutdown)
20 Minutes
4-Part Instructional Flow
1. Hook (3m): Freeze game! Music plays, students dance; when music stops, they turn into rigid ice statues. Ask: "How does an ice body feel? Tight and hard."
2. Teach (5m): Connect ice to feelings: "When a game feels unfair, our body freezes into an ice statue. We stop talking. Our hands get tight."
Teach the Turtle Melt Routine:
1. Spot the Ice: "My hands are tight, my mouth is closed."
2. Turtle Tuck: Pull chin to chest, take 3 slow "flower & candle" breaths.
3. The Safe Tap: Tap the Yellow Pause Card instead of walking away.
3. Play Lab (8m): "The Wobble Tower." Students build a tower. Facilitator gently wobbles it. When students feel the rush of frustration, prompt: "Ice check! Melt it down!"
4. Wrap-Up (4m): Practice holding the Turtle Pause card and saying: "I need a pause."
Somatic Clues to Name
Clenched fists inside pockets
Shoulders pulled up to ears
Refusal to answer any prompt
Golden Co-Regulation Rule:
Never force a shutdown student to speak right away. Say: "Your body is in ice mode. I will sit next to you while we warm up."
4
Session 4: "Fixing the Fun" (Repair & Fair Deciders)
20 Minutes
4-Part Instructional Flow
1. Hook (3m): Puppet puzzle problem: both want to place the final shining star piece. Puppet shouts: "You always cheat! I'm quitting!"
2. Teach (5m): Teach the 2 Kindergarten Fair Deciders:
• Rock-Paper-Scissors: "One, two, three, shoot!" Winner goes first; friend goes second immediately.
• The "Bug & Wish" Script: "It bugs me when you take the piece. I wish we could do it together."
3. Play Lab (8m): "Animal Rescue Simulation." Students must cooperate to get toy animals across a rug river. The adult inserts a minor unfair rule (e.g., "Only green animals can cross"). Students use their repair tools.
4. Wrap-Up & Badge (4m): "Fair Play Champion" badge ceremony. Each student names one way they will melt frustration on the playground.
Key Mastery Behavior
Student chooses a fair decision tool instead of knocking toys over or storming out of the group area.
Restorative Phrase:
"Games are only fun when both people feel good. Let's make a deal so we both win."
Prep Box: Wooden tumbling blocks (Jenga), 6 laminated Yellow Turtle cards, 1 floor puzzle, Fair Play star badges.
Prep Time: 5 mins
Play Pals Kindergarten SEL Curriculum • Small Group Facilitator Guide Page 3 of 4
Facilitator Toolkit
De-escalation Protocol, Rubric & Home Bridge
Assessment & Intervention
4-Step Protocol: When a Kindergartener Completely Shuts Down
Step 1: Reduce Threat
Lower your physical height. Sit side-by-side (never square-on). Stop asking "Why are you mad?" Reduce verbal output by 80%.
Step 2: Name & Validate
Whisper the somatic feeling: "Your body feels frozen. That was really unexpected and felt unfair." Expect no answer.
Step 3: Tactile Bridge
Place the soft squishy ball or Turtle Card near their hands on the floor. Say: "You can squeeze this while your body thaws."
Step 4: Re-entry Door
Offer low-demand return: "When you are ready, you can hold the timer for Sammy, or come build with me."
Kindergarten Play & Regulation Observational Rubric
Score 1 (Emerging) • 2 (With Prompt) • 3 (Independent)
| Target Competency |
1: Emerging (Shutdown / React) |
2: Supported (Needs Prompt) |
3: Mastered (Independent) |
| 1. Initiating Play |
Grabs toy or stands silently hovering. |
Uses "Stop, Watch, Ask" when adult points to card. |
Independently asks: "Can I play with you?" |
| 2. Toy Sharing / Waiting |
Melts down, cries, or snatches when toy unavailable. |
Accepts 1-min sand timer with adult encouragement. |
Proposes a trade or initiates sand timer independently. |
| 3. Frustration Awareness |
Immediate total shutdown; refuses eye contact/movement. |
Taps Turtle Card or takes 3 breaths with adult coaching. |
Names feeling: "I feel frozen/mad, I need a minute." |
| 4. Conflict Resolution |
Abandons game, knocks structures, or screams "Unfair!". |
Uses Rock-Paper-Scissors or Bug & Wish with teacher. |
Suggests a fair compromise with peer without tears. |
Caregiver Home-Bridge Note (Printable Snapshot)
Family Carryover
Dear Kindergarten Family: In our small group, your child is learning what to do when play feels hard or unfair. Instead of freezing up or feeling stuck, we are practicing two big words: "Freeze & Melt."
At Home, Try Saying: "I see your body is in ice mode. Let's do 3 turtle breaths together and smell the hot chocolate."
When Sibling Fights Happen: "Let's make a fair deal! Do we want to trade, share, or set the 1-minute phone timer?"
Play Pals Kindergarten SEL Curriculum • Small Group Facilitator Guide Page 4 of 4
