Class Games and Activities that Promote Well-being in Philippine Schools

Educators and teachers play various strategies to actively involve their students in the learning discussion. This aims to motivate students, promote active participation, and facilitate deeper understanding and retention of material learning. We also boost their awareness to lighten the educational material to lift their moods before, during and after the discussion proper.  

‍

Different techniques for collaborating and engaging with students may consider the duration, type of activity, focus of the students, and clarity of the chosen activity. Students may participate in different activities that integrate discussion and well-being. Having a creative, fun, and interactive learning environment may contribute to a holistic approach to student engagement. The aim of activities is to emphasize the importance of creating a connection between them. Building a rapport with the students helps educators and teachers participate in the class to captivate social interaction, cognition and retain attention, and elevate productivity at class.

The following are the collection of activities that may create an interactive and fun experience while uplifting the well-being of students at any educational level. These partition into traditional, online, and hybrid setups. In this list of activities, we highly recommend adjusting categories based on your limitations and the accessibility of the students. 

Traditional Set-up: Let’s Get More Moving 

1. Stretching and Exercise (Duration: 2-5mins)‍

Benefits: Moving more can release some distress from our body. By doing light to moderate stretching, students could stand on their designated seats and follow basic stretching that promotes mindfulness and flexibility of an individual.

Tips to Set-up this Activity: While doing stretching, you can set a mood by playing music as your background. It can be collaborative by choosing music to lighten the environment for a meantime.

2. Outdoor Activity (2-8mins)

Benefits: Outdoor play is great, creative, fun, and interactive for students and helps them for a while to change scenery to feel unwind and calm. Outdoor activity could be walking, playing popular Filipino outdoor activities (such, Patintero, Agawan Base, and Piko) serves as a way to create interactive games with co-students or team players, exploring nature and its bodies. The purpose of this activity is to boost mood and improve physical and mental health.

Tips to Set-up this Activity: Ensures everyone’s safety by allowing them to create rules and setting boundaries while engaging outdoor activities. Building self-independence allows students to enhance their critical thinking and establish welfare from educators, teachers, and adult caregivers.

‍

‍

Online Set-up: Connection without Contact.

1. “I Spy” (Duration: 2mins) 

Benefits: Allowing students to participate in this activity promotes focused,  exercising memory ability, and activating sensory motors. This gives everyone an opportunity to speak and recite to the activity. This game promotes a sense of connection with their classmates and building relationships within the class. 

Tips to Set-up this Activity: After playing the game, start to give reflection on the importance of being actively participatory to the educator's class. In the online setup, students can engage by sending a specific signal to the facilitator to submit their responses. Points are awarded to the quickest participant to signal with the correct answer.

2. “My name comes from…” (5-10mins)

Benefits: Recollecting information and telling a story promotes students to establish a sense of comfort and confidence with lifting their names and it’s origin. The main purpose of the game is to be interactive collectivism and commonality between origins and cultural names. This ensures building self-esteem and providing support from peers.

Tips to Set-up this Activity: Have a whiteboard and write the names of the students then start to select one-by-one (particularly not in order) and ask their origin names.

‍

Hybrid Set-up: Having 2-in-1 

1. Outlet Creativity through Creative Activities

Benefits: Indulgence of creative activities, such as playing a musical instrument, drawing, painting, or any other form of artistic expression, can feel super therapeutic. Getting creative and making some art can help students to express their emotions. These activities allow students to have fun in a healthy way. And, at the end, l feel a sense of accomplishment from what art they created.

Tips to Set-up this Activity: Encourage students to express their emotions through art, music, or creative writing. They could write whatever comes into their head (free writing), or paint an emotion they are feeling. With this, we can promote and know the unfolding and hidden emotions of current situations in the class. This may be done in Traditional and Online mode as part of discussion or having a class forum.

‍

Many activities could be done in Traditional, Online, and Hybrid classes. By promoting creativity, fun, and interactive activities in classes, educators and teachers should also be attest on balancing informative and collaborative learning techniques. One of the tips to reclaim the retention, positivity, and purpose of calm during discussion is to relax. Relaxation techniques create an individual feel calm, focused, and engaged with the discussion. Before and after discussions, let’s practice breathing exercises, a common mindfulness technique. It promotes students to feel the environment and be present with their surroundings. The 4-7-8 method are practically exercised by: 

‍

i. Closing your mouth and inhaling sharply through your nose for four (4) seconds

ii. Holding your breath for a further seven (7) seconds

iii. Breathing out heavily through your mouth

‍

This may help students to feel better while focusing and learning new things. Establishing safe space and uplifting mental health awareness in educational settings can be eased with students to connect with them and feel casual during discussions. By harnessing the transformative power of creative games and fostering a culture of empathy and understanding, educators can empower students to thrive academically, emotionally, and socially.

‍

How can Empath help you? 

If you are a teacher or educator seeking for mental health support in your school, feel free to reach out to us for any partnership inquiries! You may contact us in this email: partnerships@empath.ph

‍

References: 

Leone, L. (2020). Brain Breaks & Ice Breakers for Virtual Meetings:

A National Council for Behavioral Health Staff Compilation. https://www.napsa-now.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Handout-Brain-Breaks-and-Ice-Breakers-for-Virtual-Work-Final.pdf

8 Mental Health Activities for Kids and Teens. (2023). Indy’s Child: https://indyschild.com/8-mental-health-activities-for-kids-and-teens/#google_vignette 

Cain, J. (2022). Games and Activities That Strengthen Positive Mental Health. American Camp Association. https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/games-activities-strengthen-positive-mental-health 

Mental Health Games and Activities: Awareness, Research and Resources. (2024). https://www.mylifereflections.net/2023/08/mental-health-games-and-activities.html#google_vignette 

4-7-8 Breathing Techniques. Gundersen Health System. https://www.gundersenhealth.org/health-wellness/mental-health-relationships/4-7-8-breathing-technique