Description

Students have a relay race with goldfish snacks.

Supplies

• Large box of goldfish
• 2 cups for every student in group
• One spoon for every student in group

How to Play

1. Prep work: Fill half the cups with 20 goldfish.  Put the empty cups at one end of the room or outside area and put the other cups filled with goldfish some distance away.
2. Let the students know that today they will be racing with goldfish.
3. Explain to the group that they must try to fill their other ‘fish tank’ (empty cup) with their twenty goldfish.
4. Tell them they can not use their hands to move the goldfish. They can only use their spoon.
5. Explain that they can try to move more than one goldfish at a time, but if any goldfish drops from the spoon they must pick them up and go back to the start.
6. Give each student a spoon and show them where their goldfish cup and their empty cup are.
7. On ‘Go’ allow them to start the race!  The first student with all their goldfish in their new tank is the winner!

Activity Prompts for Reflection

• What was a way you were able to show self-control during this activity?
• What was something that made it hard to focus during this activity?
• What are some ways you reacted positively during this activity?
• What are some ways you reacted negatively during this game?

Other Ways to Play

• Only put 10 goldfish inside the tank to make the game a little easier to complete.
• Make it more challenging by having students race with the spoon in their mouths, holding spoons behind their back, or skipping with their spoons.

Additional Notes

• Use the SEL Activity Prompts to tie other SEL competencies to this activity.