Club Curriculum Guide Candy Connection Club Playbook
Facilitator Guide
Sweet SEL Curriculum Map
A Whimsical 6-Week Journey Through the Sweetest Social-Emotional Skills
The Sweet Mission
Using colorful candy metaphors and whimsical physical activities, this club helps elementary students learn self-regulation, cooperative communication, and daily empathy practices in a sweet, stress-free space.
Sweet Routines (45 Mins)
Welcome Circle (10m): Warm-up & Candy Check-in
The Sweet Concept (10m): Playful Skill Intro
Candy Challenge (20m): Co-operative active play
Gumdrop Gratitude (5m): Celebrating a peer
The Candy Trail Scope & Sequence
Week & Station
Social-Emotional Skill
Cooperative Adventure Game
W1: Peppermint Port
Establish safety, warm name-recognition, and write group contract rules.
Sweet Connection Web & Candy Contract signatures.
W2: Lollipop Lake
Identify physical signs of big emotions and basic breathing paths.
Bubblegum Breathing & Candy Calm Down Toolbox.
W3: Gumdrop Mtn.
Embracing and fixing mistakes; practicing optimistic self-talk.
"Flip the Candy" mistake response challenge.
W4: Licorice Loop
Active non-verbal listening, physical alignment, and cooperation.
"Quiet Candy Towers" non-verbal cup-stacking.
W5: Cotton Castle
Perspective-taking, understanding peers, and school kindness.
"Sneak-a-Smile" secret positive sticky-note bomb.
Candy Connection SEL Club • Elementary Guide Page 1 of 2
Candy Connection Club Playbook
Facilitator Guide
Sweet Implementation Strategies
Practical Tips to Keep Your Sweet Connection Club Energetic, Warm, and Safe!
W1 Sprinkling Safety
Use name games instantly. Use high-spirited cheers to build a club culture of belonging. Complete the Candy Contract together to set clean, friendly safety borders.
W2 Sweet Self-Regulation
Teach Bubblegum Breathing : imagine blowing a giant bubble slowly, then letting it pop gently. This physical imagery helps young children easily control their breathing.
W3 Gumdrop Mountain Growth
When students get frustrated or fail a task, yell: "Gumdrop Oops!" Celebrate failures with high-fives as positive, happy steps toward learning the trick.
W4 Cooperative Connections
Ensure group challenges involve physical cooperation. If children clash during the challenges, pause and ask: "Is our candy bridge breaking? How can we rebuild it?"
W5-6 Kindness Projects & The Final Chocolate Championship
Support students as they plan their Cotton Candy Smile Bomb (sticky-note cards to leave around the school). Celebrate Week 6 by handing out official, custom candy-wrapped graduation certificates!
Sweet Transition Tip: "The Peppermint Breath"
Before transitioning from dynamic movement games to calm sitting circles, always do a 30-second Peppermint Cool Down . Have students stand tall, take a deep breath in through their nose as if smelling sweet mint, and slowly blow out as if cooling hot cocoa. Repeat three times to instantly lower their energy levels!
Candy Connection SEL Club • Elementary Guide Page 2 of 2
Launchpad Slides Candy Connection Club
Welcome to the
Sweetest Club!
We are starting a magical, colorful adventure today. Together, we'll play games, learn cool tricks to manage big feelings, and make incredible friends!
Station 1: Peppermint Port Launch
Ready to travel?
Candy Connection Club
The Sweet Routine
1
Welcome Circle
A happy check-in game to share our feelings and warm up our minds.
2
Candy Challenge
A super fun cooperative game requiring total teamwork and coordination!
3
Sweet Gratitude
A quick circle to say "thank you" to a friend who helped us out today.
Our Daily Roadmap First Station: The Circle
Candy Connection Club
Candy Game Time!
The Peppermint Web
We will toss a colorful yarn ball across our circle. Before you throw, share your favorite sweet candy and one thing that makes you happy!
Hold your string tightly before tossing!
Make sweet, underhand tosses.
Build a beautiful peppermint web!
Circle Reflection
"Look at our big web. How do our individual yarn strings make the whole circle stronger?"
Active Connection Building support paths
Candy Connection Club
Our Sweet Candy Contract
Just like a candy factory needs rules to keep sweets clean, our club needs simple agreements to keep our hearts safe and happy! Let's pledge to:
Be Safe
Keep physical bodies and words sweet.
Sweet Words
Speak kindly, and encourage peers.
Include All
Invite everyone to play and build.
Have Fun
Bring energy and try your best!
Sweet Pledges Write on your "Candy Contract" worksheet now!
Candy Connection Club
The Sweet Journey Map
W1
Peppermint Port
Creating our safe sweet contract.
W2
Lollipop Lake
Managing feelings and cool breath.
W3
Gumdrop Mtn.
Mistakes as sweet steps to grow.
W4
Licorice Loop
Active listening & quiet building.
W5
Cotton Castle
Spreading secret smiles.
Connection Contract Worksheet Candy Connection Club
First-Day Sweet Pledge
Sweet Club Member Name:
Sweet Launch Date:
My Sweet Candy Contract
An agreement to speak sweet words, support our crew, and ensure every friend has a happy, fun time!
Part 1: My Sweet Promises
1. I will speak sweet and supportive words to my crew members by...
2. I can make sure everyone feels included and welcome in our club by...
3. When I get frustrated, or feel my energy levels rising too high, I will try to...
Part 2: The Gumdrop Handprint Pact
Trace your hand or write your official signature inside the white box below to seal your sweet promise.
Candy Connection SEL Club • Student Worksheet Student Contract
Icebreaker Challenge Cards Candy Connection Club Activity
Printable Challenge Cards
Gumdrop Challenge Cards
Cut along the dashed lines to make 8 sweet cooperative game cards! Pull one card at the start of your club sessions to energize the circle and practice positive teamwork.
1. Peppermint Twist
Goal: Line up in order of your birthdays (Jan to Dec) without talking! Use hand signals and counting fingers.
Circle Talk: How did you guide each other without speaking?
2. Lollipop Toss
Goal: Gently throw a soft ball in a pattern around the circle, calling out names. Try adding a second ball!
Circle Talk: What kept your focus sharp during the game?
3. Gumdrop Count
Goal: Count up to 10 out loud. Only one person says a number at a time. If two speak together, start over at 1!
Circle Talk: How did we listen to each other's silence?
4. Candy Mirror
Goal: Stand face-to-back with a partner. Follow and mirror their slow motion moves exactly like a shadow!
Circle Talk: Did you prefer leading or following?
5. Sweet Harmony
Goal: In small groups, search and find three surprise habits or traits you all share (e.g. "We all love dogs!").
Circle Talk: How does finding shared things help us?
6. Back-to-Back Bubblegum
Goal: Sit back-to-back, lock arms with your partner, and try to stand up smoothly together as a single team!
Circle Talk: What happened when one person pushed too hard?
7. Sweet Dreams
Goal: Say two real facts about yourself and one wild dream/future hope. The group guesses which one is the dream!
Circle Talk: What was the coolest dream you discovered?
8. Cotton Candy Story
Goal: Create a sweet fairytale in a circle, but each child can only add exactly three words when it's their turn!
Circle Talk: How did you adapt your idea to keep the story sweet?
Candy Connection SEL Club • Challenge Cards Activity Cards