Conflict resolution roleplay ideas for kids
July 21, 2024 2:58 PM Subscribe
I'm doing an activity with middle school kids (age 10-14) to roleplay solving conflicts. In most examples I can think of, there's a clear "wrong" person. Instead, I'd like examples of conflicts where BOTH kids need to change or compromise.
A bad example - A kid borrows their sibling's laptop and breaks it.
This isn't what I'm looking for, because the one who broke the item is 100% in the wrong, and there's nothing to compromise on.
A better example - Two siblings share a bedroom, but one kid is messy and one kid is neat. They fight, calling each other "slob" and "control freak".
This example is ok but not perfect. There's more opportunity to compromise than the first example, since these siblings can collaborate to create a cleaning schedule. But the messy one is still more in the wrong.
Any other examples like this, ideally ones where the fault is equal? Thanks!
A bad example - A kid borrows their sibling's laptop and breaks it.
This isn't what I'm looking for, because the one who broke the item is 100% in the wrong, and there's nothing to compromise on.
A better example - Two siblings share a bedroom, but one kid is messy and one kid is neat. They fight, calling each other "slob" and "control freak".
This example is ok but not perfect. There's more opportunity to compromise than the first example, since these siblings can collaborate to create a cleaning schedule. But the messy one is still more in the wrong.
Any other examples like this, ideally ones where the fault is equal? Thanks!
Two siblings share a bedroom and disagree about something that is just a matter of personal preference - the room temperature, or whether to have the overhead light on, or what color the walls should be painted.
It's family movie night and two siblings disagree on what movie to watch. Maybe they disagree every time the family wants to watch a movie because they like different kinds of movies. Or the family is getting takeout or going to a restaurant and they can't agree on the food. Or they're on vacation with their parents and they disagree about what activities to do. One really wants to go the water park or museum and the other really doesn't.
Two kids are working together on a school project and disagree on what the end product should look like. Or maybe one is excited about the topic and wants to put a huge amount of work into it, well beyond what the teacher expects, and the other wants to meet expectations but sees no need to go beyond that. Or one wants to invite another kid to work with them, but the other doesn't like that third kid much and would prefer not to.
posted by Redstart at 4:16 PM on July 21
It's family movie night and two siblings disagree on what movie to watch. Maybe they disagree every time the family wants to watch a movie because they like different kinds of movies. Or the family is getting takeout or going to a restaurant and they can't agree on the food. Or they're on vacation with their parents and they disagree about what activities to do. One really wants to go the water park or museum and the other really doesn't.
Two kids are working together on a school project and disagree on what the end product should look like. Or maybe one is excited about the topic and wants to put a huge amount of work into it, well beyond what the teacher expects, and the other wants to meet expectations but sees no need to go beyond that. Or one wants to invite another kid to work with them, but the other doesn't like that third kid much and would prefer not to.
posted by Redstart at 4:16 PM on July 21
Response by poster: Thanks! I should have mentioned, the part with the insults is important to this question. I want it to start as an actual argument with name-calling.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 5:12 PM on July 21
posted by nouvelle-personne at 5:12 PM on July 21
I guess some of mine could start with insults. If the kids disagree about movies, they could call each other's movie choices (or each other) stupid or babyish. They could say things like, "You always want to watch the same movies over and over! That's so dumb!" or "You just think watching horror movies makes you cool! You only want to watch that so you can tell your friends you watched it!" or "You're just picking that movie because you know I'm scared of bugs. That's so mean!"
The one who wants to go to a museum could get called a nerd and the other could get called an idiot or a baby. The museum hater could say, "Why are you so obsessed with dinosaurs? You're such a loser!" and the museum lover could say, "All you want to do is go shopping and play video games. Talk about a loser!"
If they're arguing about how hard to work on the school project they could call each other "brown-noser" and "lazy slacker." Or, you know, whatever middle school students would actually say, which I'm sure would not be that.
posted by Redstart at 6:02 PM on July 21
The one who wants to go to a museum could get called a nerd and the other could get called an idiot or a baby. The museum hater could say, "Why are you so obsessed with dinosaurs? You're such a loser!" and the museum lover could say, "All you want to do is go shopping and play video games. Talk about a loser!"
If they're arguing about how hard to work on the school project they could call each other "brown-noser" and "lazy slacker." Or, you know, whatever middle school students would actually say, which I'm sure would not be that.
posted by Redstart at 6:02 PM on July 21
"A better example - Two siblings share a bedroom, but one kid is messy and one kid is neat. They fight, calling each other "slob" and "control freak".
This example is ok but not perfect. There's more opportunity to compromise than the first example, since these siblings can collaborate to create a cleaning schedule. But the messy one is still more in the wrong."
As I see this, there's no reason that the messier kid need be "more in the wrong" here. The neater kid might consistently request alterations/tidies that the messy kid just doesn't care about at all, that don't bother them and would be a pure favour for the other party - you can tweak the degrees of messiness and neatness in this scenario so that's the case.
E.g.:
"You never make your bed, slob"
"It's my own bed? It's none of your business, you neat-freak weirdo? You can make yours if you want?"
"Yeah but it makes the room look gross"
etc etc
posted by wattle at 8:08 PM on July 21 [3 favorites]
This example is ok but not perfect. There's more opportunity to compromise than the first example, since these siblings can collaborate to create a cleaning schedule. But the messy one is still more in the wrong."
As I see this, there's no reason that the messier kid need be "more in the wrong" here. The neater kid might consistently request alterations/tidies that the messy kid just doesn't care about at all, that don't bother them and would be a pure favour for the other party - you can tweak the degrees of messiness and neatness in this scenario so that's the case.
E.g.:
"You never make your bed, slob"
"It's my own bed? It's none of your business, you neat-freak weirdo? You can make yours if you want?"
"Yeah but it makes the room look gross"
etc etc
posted by wattle at 8:08 PM on July 21 [3 favorites]
This is a tough one!
How about two players on a soccer team – one practices like crazy, the other is more talented but doesn’t practice as much.
During a game their team is losing 1 – 0, the more talented player takes but misses a penalty. Luckily, their team gets a second penalty. The player who practices more insists on taking it, but also misses. The team ends up losing 1 – 0, and the two players each blame the other, with insults over levels of ability vs how hard one should try in training.
posted by Calvin and the Duplicators at 9:08 PM on July 21 [1 favorite]
How about two players on a soccer team – one practices like crazy, the other is more talented but doesn’t practice as much.
During a game their team is losing 1 – 0, the more talented player takes but misses a penalty. Luckily, their team gets a second penalty. The player who practices more insists on taking it, but also misses. The team ends up losing 1 – 0, and the two players each blame the other, with insults over levels of ability vs how hard one should try in training.
posted by Calvin and the Duplicators at 9:08 PM on July 21 [1 favorite]
They've been friends since earlier grades but lately have been growing apart. Different interests, different social circles, that kind of thing. Each still wants to be friends but blames the other, hotly insulting the non-overlapping things/people.
posted by teremala at 5:33 AM on July 22
posted by teremala at 5:33 AM on July 22
This is my life right now.
One kid likes to sing while playing, the other doesn't like their singing
One kid likes to give the other friendly advice, the other feels talked down to and yells at them to stop
One kid is a daredevil, the other is more sensitive and gets anxious over sibling's antics
One kid wants to keep a shared toy as good as new, the other wants to play exuberantly with it
posted by arrmatie at 6:30 AM on July 22
One kid likes to sing while playing, the other doesn't like their singing
One kid likes to give the other friendly advice, the other feels talked down to and yells at them to stop
One kid is a daredevil, the other is more sensitive and gets anxious over sibling's antics
One kid wants to keep a shared toy as good as new, the other wants to play exuberantly with it
posted by arrmatie at 6:30 AM on July 22
Mary and Cindy have been assigned a group project. Mary keeps slacking off and Cindy has to do more of the work, and keep the projects on schedule. Cindy stays up late to get the job done. Cindy calls Mary lazy.
Cindy has to rush to get the project (like a science project) to school, and in her rush, she drops it (or maybe she makes a bad decision that makes the dropping more decidedly her fault). Mary calls Cindy a klutz.
posted by hydra77 at 6:56 AM on July 22
Cindy has to rush to get the project (like a science project) to school, and in her rush, she drops it (or maybe she makes a bad decision that makes the dropping more decidedly her fault). Mary calls Cindy a klutz.
posted by hydra77 at 6:56 AM on July 22
Two kids both have a crush on the same other kid. One liked the other person first; the other person had stronger feelings. Both feel like the other kid should have been a good friend and gracefully yielded, and that the other kid is standing in the way.
posted by corb at 8:52 AM on July 22
posted by corb at 8:52 AM on July 22
« Older Slacklining for kids: how important is it to have... | Give me your most arid hand towels Newer »
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 3:33 PM on July 21