Communication is Playing Catch

Communication is like playing catch

Read the book from author Mamoru Itoh, I want to tell you about my feelings or watch this video short.
Then with your own children or with a group, play catch while you read.  We used homemade beanbags as they are easy to toss and to catch and safe for indoors (more or less). Beanie babies also work well. To attach language and movement is very powerful in comprehension and retention and its also fun.  Take time with this process and ask for examples.   Make sure to clarify the big words "communication" and "acknowledgment."

Playing communication catch

"Communication is like playing catch. I throw the ball and you catch it. Then you throw the ball and I catch it. And again I throw the ball...."
Toss the beanbag bag and forth

"If you are too close together or if you are too far away from each other, its not easy to play catch"
Move in close and throw, move out far and throw

"Communication doesn't begin with both people speaking at the same time"
Both players throw the beanbag at the same time

"There are times when you are unexpectedly rejected"
One player throws and the other hits the ball away
Ask for examples, eg. I said "Hi" and my friend told me to go away. I didn't even do anything!

"There are times when you throw the ball wanting to play catch with another person, only to have that person throw it to someone else."
One player throws and the other catches and throws it to someone else
Ask for examples, eg. I went to talk to my friend and they turned away and excluded me from the conversation

Continue through the book playing catch and engaging everyone in the "conversation."

Role playing communication catch

Throughout the play, kids can recognize and understand times when they have played communication catch. In some parts of the book, try role playing communication and acknowledgement.

"Acknowledging means listening to everything another person has to say and taking what that person says at face value"

Role play- acknowledging
Person one: "My fish died."
Person two: "Oh, your fish died.  I see you feel sad."

Role play- NOT acknowledging
Person one: "My fish died."
Person two: "It's just a fish."

This role playing brought up a real conversation between two sisters.  It started like this:
"When I lost my tooth at your baseball game, you didn't care."
"I did too care"

Together, we were able to re-do and repair this miscommunication and both sisters felt relief.

💓Karen

How to make bean bags at home

http://theinspiredhome.org/sew-bean-bags-tutorial/