Play & Pretend: JP: 6. Joining In - Story

Some children believe they are being left out where actually they haven’t been able to confidently integrate themselves into games.  They may feel anxious about joining in or do it inappropriately.  By giving them a starting script for joining in, we can reduce some of that anxiety and scaffold the initial approach, to set them up for success.

The goal of this story is for children to have a way of joining in with their peers.  They learn a script to ask to join in so that they are more likely to be well received by their peer.  They also learn a script in how to respond should the child refuse their request. This lesson normalizes being refused, teaches them that it’s okay if that happens, and encourages them to try another friend rather than giving up.  It also helps them to know when to suggest a game or when to go along with the game that is being played.