ABSTRACT
The warm-up game is very important at the beginning of Circle Time. Many games and activities can be used to energise or warm-up the group. They are specifically designed to:
• generate a sense of 'group' identity by provoking laughter, fun and relaxation; • encourage pupils to value and respect each individual's contribution; • encourage emotionally 'safe' self-disclosure, the basis of empathetic understanding; • link in to the affective realm and thereby cause cognitive understanding of social,
learning and relating skills to be more effective because it is linked to an emotional experience;
• cause pupils to sit next to and work with new people for different activities, creating interaction between as many group members as possible;
• create the need for positive eye contact (one of the most significant features of relationship building) between group members.
