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Taking Turns

Kindergartners learn to take turns — letting everyone have a turn, one at a time — so that playing together is fair and fun for all their friends.

KindergartenCASEL: Relationship Skills25 minutes1 class periodCASEL SELExplicit teaching4 StandardsCASEL
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain taking turns.
  • ✓Wait for your turn.
  • ✓Share.
  • ✓Play together.
Essential Question

When you play with friends, you can’t all go at once! Taking turns means everyone gets a turn. How do you take turns?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

Taking Turns Check

Project each item and have children answer about taking turns.

🤝 Understand taking turnsTry it
Answer each question about taking turns.
The Lesson · SEL Flow (Check-In · Learn · Practice · Apply · Reflect)

25 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Check-In — One at a Time

3 min

You can’t all go at once — taking turns helps everyone play!

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Do a check-in.
  • Ask about sharing.
  • Be caring.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Check in.
  • Share.
  • Get ready.
2

Learn — Taking Turns

7 min

Children learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send children to Taking Turns Check.
  • Explain waiting.
  • Explain sharing.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Answer.
  • Learn wait.
  • Learn share.
3

Practice — Practice

7 min

Children practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Take turns with a toy.
  • Wait patiently.
  • Say “your turn!”

🎒 Student Actions

  • Take turns.
  • Wait.
  • Say it.
4

Apply — Turns

5 min

Children apply.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Take turns in a game.
  • Share.
  • Play together.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Take turns.
  • Share.
  • Play.
5

Reflect — Reflect

3 min

Children close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Say what taking turns means.
  • Say how it feels.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Say how.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the CASEL 5 Social & Emotional Learning Competencies.

CASEL
Relationship Skills

Take turns and share.

CASEL
Relationship Skills

Cooperate in play.

CASEL
Social Awareness

Understand fairness.

CASEL
Self-Management

Wait patiently.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Turn picture cards.
  • Sentence frame: “It’s your ___!”
  • Role-play taking turns.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with “everyone gets a turn.”
  • Use a toy.
  • Practice waiting.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Take turns in a group.
  • Explain being fair.
  • Lead a turn-taking game.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🤝A game or toy
  • 💻Taking Turns Check
  • 🖍️Crayons
  • 🧸Toys to share
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

take turnsone at a timeturnyour time to gowaitto be patientsharegive some to othersfairthe same for allkindcaringtogetherwith friendspatientwaiting calmly
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What does taking turns mean?
Everyone gets a turn, one at a time.
QUESTION 2
What can you do if you both want a toy?
Take turns or share.
QUESTION 3
How does taking turns feel?
Fair and kind.

Reflect: take turns.

Have children take turns with a family member playing a game. A printable turns sheet is in the SEL library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Relationship Skills: Taking TurnsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Relationship Skills: Taking TurnsQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Relationship Skills: Taking TurnsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: fair, kind, patient, share, take turns, together, turn, wait
  1. waiting calmly
  2. caring
  3. with friends
  4. your time to go
  5. to be patient
  6. the same for all
  7. one at a time
  8. give some to others

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What does taking turns mean?
  2. What can you do if you both want a toy?
  3. How does taking turns feel?
Answer key — Part A: 1) patient · 2) kind · 3) together · 4) turn · 5) wait · 6) fair · 7) take turns · 8) share
Part B: 1) Everyone gets a turn, one at a time. 2) Take turns or share. 3) Fair and kind.