Leader Guide

When I am Joyful (Optional Activity)

Students play a memory game, much like “Going on a Trip,” in which each person adds to the previous person’s responses. The difference is that they do it with dance moves.

How to Play:

  • Students form a circle with enough distance between them to move freely. (May require multiple circles for groups of over twelve students.) 
  • The first player says, “When I am joyful, I dance like this…” and then does one to two seconds of a crazy dance move. 
  • The second player says, “When I am joyful, I dance like this…” then does the first dance move, “And this…” and adds their own dance move. 
  • Subsequent players add their own move to the end of the growing list. So the third player would say, “When I am joyful, I dance like this…” (Does first dance move.) “And this…” (Does second dance move.) “And this…” (Adds their own to the end.) After playing the first round, try some of the variations listed below.
  • Variations (to be done instead of dance moves): 
    • Singing 
    • Clapping and Snapping 
    • Poses 
    • Secret Handshake (with the person to their left)—the secret handshake grows as it goes around the circle