top of page
The Friends Traffic Light
TARGET:
3-5 years
INTENSITY:
3–5 min / As needed
LEARNING GOAL
Developing Emotional Awareness When Interacting with Others (aiming for a positive solution-seeking stance)
PEDAGOGICAL INTENTION
Managing My Emotions When Interacting with Others
Target SKILLS
Socio-emotional Intelligence
Co-Intelligence Human-Human
Simple Reasoning
MATERIALS
Color discs (red, orange, green)
DETAILED PROCEDURE
This activity works best one-on-one, or with one child at a time within a small group. Raise a red disc as an immediate stop signal.
Step 1
Signal the stop by saying: "Red! Stop! Nobody moves while we calm down."
Step 2
Switch to orange disc and guides breathing: "We breathe gently..."
Step 3
Raise green disc and announces: "Green! We can go back to playing calmly."
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7
Step 8
Step 9
Step 10
PROGRESS INDICATORS
The child stops their action immediately upon seeing red.
Research Foundations
Luria (1961)
bottom of page