5 Counseling Activities to Use During Lessons

Are you looking for a creative way to engage your students and make learning more fun? Introducing counseling activities into the classroom has been proven to improve learning outcomes in all subjects and grades. Research shows that game-based learning increases student motivation, improves cognitive skills, and helps solidify knowledge retention. Playing counseling activities in the classroom provides students with a dynamic, creative, and interactive approach to learning. Here are my top 5 games to bring into the classroom for counseling lessons!

#1: Use SCOOT

1. Begin by introducing the concept of the game “SCOOT” to the students. Explain that it is an active game that will involve them in quickly moving and answering questions.
2. Give each student a copy of the SCOOT game questions/cards. Place them at each student’s desk.
3. Then, explain the rules of the game. Explain that each student will start at their desk and then, on the signal (I say SCOOT in all different voice levels and accents so they have to be quiet and pay attention), they will all move one desk to the right and answer the question on that desk. As soon as they are done answering the question, they will move on to the next desk, and so forth.
4. Give the students a few practice questions to get them familiar with the game and to build excitement.
5. Once students understand the rules, begin the game.
6. As the game progresses, encourage students to move quickly between desks and answer questions.
7. At the end of the game, have the students count up the points they collected (if applicable) and then announce the winner.
8. Finally, have students review the answers to the questions in order to discuss any questions they had difficulty with.

#2: BOOM Cards

BOOM cards are a great tool to use in the classroom setting with students to help increase engagement and accelerate learning.

Firstly, it is important to select the right type of BOOM cards to ensure the content is suitable for your class. I have several counseling-related ones… check them out here!

The next step is to decide how you will structure the activity and how you will use the BOOM cards. Here are some potential ideas for using BOOM cards in the classroom:

• Use as a formative assessment to assess student understanding and progress. Maybe after the counseling lesson to see what they retained and understood.
• Make it into a game that students can play against each other or in teams. The highest score wins!
• Incorporate the cards into centers or group activities and have students rotate centers.
• Use for practice and review of content.

Once the activity is set, it is time to get students to play the BOOM cards. Throughout the counseling activity, encourage students to take ownership of the learning and explain their thinking. Finally, use the results report to further analyze student performance and inform instruction and intervention decisions.

#3: Old School BINGO

BINGO is an old tradition when it comes to counseling activities. It’s a great way to engage students in the classroom setting. You can create an environment that encourages students to actively participate in their learning.

1. First, it is important to create an environment of interest for the game of BINGO. This can be done by showing the students the materials that will be used to play the game, such as the BINGO boards and markers. Additionally, explain the rules of the game and the end goal, so that the students are aware of the challenge they will be up against.
2. Once interest is established, the next step is to educate the students about the material they will need to know in order to play the game. This could include a review of the subject material or an introduction to some new material that is relevant to the game. I like to use BINGO at the end of my counseling lesson.
3. With the students educated and interested, it is now important to motivate them to actively participate in the game. A great way to do this is to offer incentives, such as rewards for winning the game. This could include anything from extra credit to prizes.
4. Finally, it is important to inspire the students to want to do well and take their knowledge of the material a step further. This can be done by offering challenges, such as the opportunity to create their own BINGO boards related to the material, or having a competition between students to see who can get the most BINGOs.

#4: Play KAHOOT

KAHOOT is an interactive online game that can be used in the classroom setting to engage students and teach topics effectively. To use KAHOOT in the classroom, first identify the counseling topic that you want the students to learn. This can be anything from expectations to drug awareness.

Once you have identified the subject matter, create a quiz or game on KAHOOT with questions related to the topic. KAHOOT allows you to incorporate multiple choice, true/false, and short answer questions. Be sure to include a variety of challenging questions to engage students.

When you are finished designing the game, have your students join the game either with a link or code. Then, assign each student their own device, such as a laptop or tablet to play the game. Have students work in groups or individually, depending on your teaching style.

Once the game starts, students can interact with each other by answering questions and competing against each other. During the game, you can track the progress of each student, and provide guidance and feedback.

Using KAHOOT in the classroom will help to engage students and make learning more fun.

#5: Jeopardy

1. Create categories for the game based on knowledge related to the counseling topic you’re teaching. These can be broad topics or more specific topics, whichever you prefer.
2. Divide the students into teams and assign a team scorekeeper.
3. Ask questions that are in the form of an answer, such as “What is one way to be responsible?” The team that buzzes in first with the correct answer gets the chance to answer and gain points.
4. Provide students with feedback and/or comments on their answers, rather than simply “correct” or “incorrect.” Offer guidance and clues to help them refine their answers.
5. Keep track of scores and use positive reinforcement when teams answer correctly.
6. Encourage students to think critically, ask their own questions, and answer questions.
7. Adapt the game as needed to meet different levels of student understanding.
8. Vary the difficulty of the questions over time to ensure that all students have an opportunity to participate and learn.
9. Celebrate success when teams win and praise individual efforts, regardless of the outcome.

Playing games in the classroom have been an important part of education for decades. We now have the technology to make these games more engaging, immersive, and educational than ever before. As we continue to explore the potential games to teach, the result will be students who are not only more prepared to face the world but also more capable to understand and appreciate its complexities. Education is no longer simply about knowing the answers; it is about learning how to ask the right questions. This is what makes games a perfect fit for counseling lessons!

What’s your favorite game to bring to the classroom?

Want to know some games to use with individual students? Check out the article Spice up School Counseling with Games!