TRAIN THE TRAINER PLAY ACADEMY MODULE
2014 – 2015
Itinerary Overview
Activity
Arrival of students
Intro
Stretch It
Breaking down the game
Instructions for
participants leading games
Prep and participants lead
games
Closing
Brief Description
Play Rock, Paper, Scissors, CHEER!
Welcome energizer, introductions, I want
to meet activity, what to expect, ground
rules.
Stretch zone activity.
Breaking down the format of a game by
using Change Maker as an example.
Divide participants into small groups and
they select a game to lead.
Groups have time to prepare their game,
collect any necessary equipment, decide
who will lead what and practice the game.
A way to visit the key learnings, inform
participants about the next steps and say
thank you.
Duration
10 min.
15 min.
Leader
20 min.
20 min.
10 min.
75 min +
20 min.
Materials Required for Play Academy:
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Today We Play – Play Kit
Copies of Change Maker (enough for copies
for every two participants)
Pinnies
Children’s Rights Cards
Children’s Rights Master List
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Pylons/cones
10 Dodgeballs
Watching Hands Cards
2 hula hoops
1 skipping rope
Legend for diagrams:
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TRAIN THE TRAINER PLAY ACADEMY MODULE
2014 – 2015
ARRIVAL OF STUDENTS
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Welcome students at the door
Teach one of the following games to students as they enter the gym and get them playing right away:
o Morra – You and another person throw out a number of fingers between 0 and 5 at the same time.
Once you throw fingers, first person to add up the fingers and shout out the total wins. The person
who lost stands behind the person who won and cheers that person on by chanting the person’s
name. They find another person to play against and the line of people cheering continues to grow
until there is one ultimate winner.
o Rock, Paper, Scissors, CHEER! – The traditional game of Rock, Paper, Scissors with a twist. Two
people play the game and the person who loses stands behind the person who won and cheers that
person on by chanting the person’s name. They find another person to play against and the line of
people cheering continues to grow until there is one ultimate winner.
INTRO
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10 MIN
15 MIN
Form a giant circle with all participants
Welcome:
o Welcome to <enter school name’s> Play Academy!
o Introduce the trainers
o The purpose of the Play Academy is to train you how
to run games that educate about understanding your
rights and how to protect them. You’ll have
opportunities this year to lead these games back at
your school.
Teach Welcome Energizer
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VJS77uID8M)
Play “I want to meet” and trade spots with someone in the
circle:
o Explain, when you say a statement that relates to you,
take one step into the circle and do the clapping
rhythm, then turn around and do the clapping rhythm again. Then join the circle again.
o Clapping rhythm:
 Tap thighs twice
 Clap twice
 Snap twice
 Put your hands in the air and say “yeah” softly
o Examples of statements you can call out:
 Someone who has ever played a game of rock, paper, scissors
 Someone who was a Junior Leader last year
 Someone who enjoys being a leader
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TRAIN THE TRAINER PLAY ACADEMY MODULE
2014 – 2015
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 Someone who is going to respect themselves and their peers during today’s workshop
 Someone who is ready to start the Play Academy!
Explain what to expect:
o We’re going to play various games that help to development leadership skills.
o Each person will have the opportunity to lead a game in a small group.
o The more you participate the more you’re going to learn and have fun.
Ground rules:
o Respect!
o Ask for any other rules from the participants
STRETCH IT
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20 MIN
Ask participants to gather around you and explain the game
Stretch It.
The purpose of the game: to identify strategies for staying
stretched to maximize learning and lead effectively.
Begin by leading students through a stretching exercise.
Ask them: How do you feel when you stretch a muscle you
haven’t used in a long time?
Tell them that in this activity they will explore what it means
to “stretch from the inside” and why this is an important skill
for leaders.
Create three zones in the room: Comfort Zone, Stretch Zone,
and Panic Zone.
Explain what each zone represents:
o Comfort Zone – is the area where we feel most
comfortable. It represents relaxation: zero stress.
Here we feel completely comfortable and at ease.
o Stretch Zone – is the area where we feel stretched. It represents excitement and enthusiasm. An
area that makes you feel a little nervous but you still feel that you are going to be okay.
o Panic Zone – is the area where we feel panicked. It represents uncertainty and anxiety: a high level
of stress. Here we feel afraid.
Explain that you are going to share a series of situations. With each call they will move physically into the
zone which, for them, matches how they would feel in that situation.
Here are some situations you can share:
o You have to hold a tarantula
o You have to go in front of the whole school and share an announcement
o You have to lead a game to 20 younger students by yourself
o You’re in charge of organizing a Play Day for your peers
o You have to lead a brand new game and have no time to learn it and prepare for it
For any situation where the participants are split up between the three zones, pause and ask:
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TRAIN THE TRAINER PLAY ACADEMY MODULE
2014 – 2015
Someone in the Panic Zone: How would the situation have to change so that you would move into the
Stretch Zone?
o Someone in the Comfort Zone: How would the situation have to change so that you would move into
the Stretch Zone?
Lead a discussion using the following questions:
o Which of the three zones is the best for learning? Why?
o Why do you think it’s important for leaders to be in the Stretch Zone?
o As you plan and work together, how can you help your peers to be in the Stretch Zone? What can you
do to make sure you are not in the Panic Zone or Comfort Zone?
Remind participants that leaders are change agents because they stretch themselves and help others
stretch as well. To help us develop as leaders, we should stay in the Stretch Zone. Support each other in this
workshop by helping each other stay out of the Comfort and Panic Zone.
Sometimes you will find yourself in a situation that you have no control over but what is the one thing that
you have control over? (Answer: yourself and what you do in that situation).
Share with participants: You’re going to have an opportunity to learn and lead games to your peers. These
are the same games that will be used on June 11th during Today We Play and you can use them throughout
the school year. All the games are from our Child Protection games manual used around the world.
o
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BREAKING DOWN THE GAME – divide whole group into smaller manageable groups
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20 MIN
Ask participants to sit in a circle
Hand out Change Maker to participants
Facilitator reviews key points of a game while the group leads
a game together
Key points to review:
o Title of the Game:
 Ask what the title of the game is
o Age Group
 Ask participants what the age group the game
is meant for
o Key Learning
 Explain that it is the lesson that will be taught
during the game (connect it back to Sport for
Development)
 Ask a participant to read it out loud
o Goal of the Activity
 Explain this is a quick way of triggering your brain on what the game is
 Ask a participant to read it out loud
o What you need
 Ask participants what equipment you’ll need to run the game
 Ask participants about the group size and how to adjust it if need be
o Opening questions
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TRAIN THE TRAINER PLAY ACADEMY MODULE
2014 – 2015
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 Ask participants how they could phrase the question in their own words
How To Play
 Ask for volunteers to read out the instructions.
Watch for
 Ask participants: What’s the point of watch for?
Play the game!
Discussion
 Explain the type of questions related to Reflect (present; questions that allow you to think
about the game just played), Connect (past; questions that allow you to draw on past
experiences) and Apply (future; questions that allow you to think about strategies you would
use in the future/ best practices)
 Strongly reinforce the notion that the game isn’t over until the discussion takes place (repeat
this throughout the workshop)
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PARTICIPANTS LEADING GAMES
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10 MIN
In a seated circle, explain that we’re going to break into
groups of four and select a game to run for the rest of the
group.
There are several copies of each game so each person in the
group will receive a copy.
Explain that each small group will have a total of 15 minutes
to lead their game which includes the RCA to the entire
group. There is only one rule, each person in the group must
have a role in leading the game. (if there are a couple of
students who always take the lead ask them to lead without
using words – #stretchzone!)
Ask students to create groups of 4. Groups must be gender
balanced.
Once they are in their mini groups, ask them to introduce
themselves to one another.
Provide a brief description of the games they can select from.
Ask participants to take 3 minutes to look at the games based on the diagrams and to select which game to
run who and how each group member will lead an aspect of the game. If timing is tight, you can assign a
game to each group.
Once the group has selected a game, ask them to check in with you to make sure no one else is leading the
same game.
PREP AND PARTICIPANTS LEAD GAMES
75 MIN +
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TRAIN THE TRAINER PLAY ACADEMY MODULE
2014 – 2015
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Provide 15 minutes for groups to decide who will lead which aspects of the game to the group and to
practice. During this time, they will collect any equipment they need for their respective games.
Encourage groups to play the game to test it out.
Explain that each group will have a total of 15 minutes to lead the game which includes the RCA and will
have 5 minutes to debrief the game as a group.
A note on debriefing after each game:
o Select from the following series of debrief questions and elaborate on other teachable moments the
participants bring up:
 How did it feel to lead a game?
 What was the most challenging part of leading a game?
 How did it feel to participate in the games led by your peers?
 Was it ever challenging to explain the rules of the game? Why?
 At what point during either leading a game or playing a game were you in the Comfort Zone,
Stretch Zone or Panic Zone? Did you have to alter your behaviour to make sure you were in
the Stretch Zone?
 How can we help one another to lead the games?
 Thank participants for getting into their stretch zones and congratulate them for doing a
great job (include examples of specific things the participants did really well).
Group 1 – leads a game. Facilitator leads a 5 min debrief.
Group 2 – leads a game. Half way through the game, call
freeze and challenge participants with a scenario: the game is
too easy or hard, how do you increase or decrease the level of
challenge? Facilitator leads a 5 min debrief.
Group 3 – leads a game. Half way through the game call
freeze and challenge participants with a scenario: a
participant has a broken leg. How do you adapt the game?
Allow all groups to come up with a solution. Ask group leaders
which solution they’d like to try.
Group 4 – leads a game. Facilitator leads a 5 min debrief.
Continue doing this until all groups have led their game.
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TRAIN THE TRAINER PLAY ACADEMY MODULE
2014 – 2015
CLOSING
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20 MIN
Ask participants to form a circle.
Share the Action Plan you created at the Play Academy.
Play “I want to meet” to start off debrief:
o Someone who led a game today
o Someone who stepped into their stretch zone
o Someone who learned something new
o Someone who wants to become a Junior Leader
Ask participants to sit down forming a circle.
Ask participants to share something they learned from today.
o If people are shy, ask them to pair-share for a minute
and then share with the group
Describe and share what Today We Play is going to look like.
Possibilities include:
o Full day
o Half day
o During gym time
o Going to a feeder school and leading it
Explain how to become a certified Junior Leader:
o In order to receive their certification for completing the training, they must run at least one game
with their teacher supervising
Revisit the significance of becoming a Junior Leader and their responsibility to role model the behaviours of
a great leader that we described earlier. Congratulate participants on successfully completing the Play
Academy!
Love clap (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CImUMxhrtIo&list=PLr42aW7BAkdwqBPJFlVd3l_FhskIJXm0y)
Thank everyone for attending and say goodbye.
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