You may have heard of the Alphabet Relay, a fun group relay to brainstorm as many ideas as possible using the structure of the alphabet. The Girls Leadership version, an Emotional Alphabet Relay, is a game to help players express how they are feeling and reflect on their relationship with their emotions.
This version was co-created by our Training and Engagement Associate Director Catherine Castillo Cruz and the girls in our Empower Club at The Young Women’s Leadership School of the Bronx. Castillo Cruz frequently heard girls express anxiety over the simple reality of having feelings, saying “I’m too emotional” or “I want to control my emotions more.” They also struggled to express the complex feelings they were having. The Emotional Alphabet Relay was one way they developed to expand their emotional vocabulary and normalizing their feelings.
The rules are simple. Players divide up into teams of 5 to 6, and give each group one marker and a piece of flip chart paper with the alphabet on it, and space to write next to each letter. The groups are challenged to write one feeling word for each letter of the alphabet. Depending on the physical abilities of your students, you can also put the charts on one side of the room, and the groups on the others, so that one player at a time runs up with the marker to write the next word, then passes the marker to the next runner. That is the version that leans into the “relay” aspect of the game, allowing for running and energy release. This is great for PE teachers, or a day when everyone needs to push the desks out of the way. For even more creativity and a wider variety of feelings words, encourage players to use words from other languages. There are two key rules:
- Time constraints – the relay can be a race or simply have a limited amount of time; and
- Structural constraints – you need one word for each letter in the alphabet
The exercise is freeing because of the constraints. Sound counterintuitive? Sometimes, clear boundaries actually free the players to improvise. This is especially important for girls physically and mentally paralyzed by fear of making mistakes and the judgment of others. This exercise builds on some of our core values:
- Community – The pressure of singular performance is off! This exercise can only be done by a group working together.
- Growth – Because of the time limits, girls won’t have the chance to second-guess themselves. They can just focus on ideas instead of a “perfect” list (which doesn’t exist!).
- Play – School can be a serious place, and sometimes that means seriously stressful. This is a chance for girls to have fun without grades or pressure.
Once the race is complete, you can keep going with the competition to give points for each word not used by another team, or look at the various lists more collaboratively. This is an opportunity to consider together how you’ve been thinking about emotions.
- Are there “good” or “bad” emotions? Nope, all feelings are useful information.
- How could you think differently about the way you express your feelings? In-person is way more likely to succeed than online.
- Which of these emotions are manageable? Each participant might have their own perspective.
- Which feel overwhelming? A great way for participants to learn about each other.
- Any of these emotions do you feel judged for showing, and why?
- Is this impacted by gender norms and expectations?
- What about your culture? Are some feelings more accepted than others in your culture?
Try the Emotions Alphabet Relay with your team, classroom, or other group of young people and see how many words you can come up with!
This activity was originally shared at our SXSW presentation and was a fan favorite. We hope you enjoy it – if you want to share your own experience with the game, tell us in the comments below.
View this post on Instagram
Need resources right now?
Try 26 SEL check-ins for In-Person Learning This resource is intended as a foundation to ground students in a brave space.
Join us for an upcoming Workshop or Training.
Comments 0