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Freeze & Focus

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jkinsella

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Session 1 Plan

Students will learn impulse control by playing the Freeze game, practicing pausing on command, listening attentively, and reflecting on their experiences.

Impulse control is key for classroom readiness and social interactions. Practicing pausing helps children learn to manage urges, follow directions, and build self-regulation skills.

Audience

Pre-K Students

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Interactive game and guided reflection build self-control skills.

Materials

Freeze & Focus Session 1 Slide Deck, - Freeze Game Cards, and - Session 1 Reflection Sheet

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

  • Print and laminate the Freeze Game Cards.
  • Review the Freeze & Focus Session 1 Slide Deck.
  • Copy the Session 1 Reflection Sheet for each student.
  • Arrange an open play area for the game.

Step 1

Introduction to Impulse Control

3 minutes

  • Gather students in a circle.
  • Show the first slide of the Freeze & Focus Session 1 Slide Deck defining “impulse” and “impulse control.”
  • Discuss examples of impulses (e.g., blurting out, grabbing toys).

Step 2

Teaching the Freeze Game

2 minutes

  • Explain the rules of the Freeze Game: when you say “freeze,” everyone stops and listens.
  • Model playing with a helper.
  • Answer student questions.

Step 3

Freeze Game Activity

7 minutes

  • Play upbeat music or chant as background.
  • Encourage students to move around (dance, march).
  • Randomly shout “freeze!”
  • When you shout “freeze,” students must pause immediately and show a ‘ready listening pose’ (hands to sides, eyes on teacher).
  • Give positive feedback or stickers for each correct freeze.
  • Repeat several rounds, extending movement time before each freeze.

Step 4

Cool-Down Reflection

3 minutes

  • Gather students back in a circle with their Session 1 Reflection Sheet.
  • Ask them to draw or point to the picture showing how they felt when they successfully stopped.
  • Invite a few students to share how they felt and what they did to “freeze.”
  • Praise all efforts and remind them to use “freeze” when they feel an impulse.
lenny

Slide Deck

Freeze & Focus: Session 1

Practicing Impulse Control through the Freeze Game

Welcome, friends! Today we will learn how to control our impulses by playing the Freeze Game. Our objective is to practice pausing on command, listening with a ready pose, and noticing how we feel when we stop.

Impulse & Impulse Control

Impulse: a sudden urge to act

Impulse Control: stopping and thinking before we act

Explain that an impulse is a sudden urge to do something, like blurting out or grabbing a toy. Then introduce impulse control as stopping and thinking before we act. Ask for examples from students.

Rules of the Freeze Game

• Move (dance, march) when music plays
• When teacher says “Freeze!” stop immediately
• Show your ready listening pose
• Wait quietly for the next direction

Review each rule with the class. Use a helper to demonstrate moving when music plays and immediately stopping when you say “Freeze!”

Ready Listening Pose

Hands to your sides

Eyes looking at me

Mouth closed and quiet

Model the Ready Listening Pose: stand tall, hands to sides, eyes on teacher, and quiet mouth. Invite students to practice with you.

Cool-Down Reflection

Look at your Session 1 Reflection Sheet

Draw or point to how you felt when you froze

Pass out the Session 1 Reflection Sheet. Encourage students to draw or point to the picture that shows how they felt when they successfully froze.

Great Job!

Remember: Pause, Listen, Freeze!

See you next time

Praise all students for their effort. Remind them to say “freeze” when they feel an impulse during the day. Give a sneak peek: next time we’ll practice pausing in different ways!

lenny

Activity

Freeze Game Cards

Description:
A set of simple, color-coded visual cue cards to signal “GO” (move) or “FREEZE” (stop) in the Freeze & Focus game. Designed for Pre-K learners to link visuals, colors, and words with actions.

What’s Included:

  • GO Card
    • Green circle background
    • Large word: “GO”
    • Icon: child dancing or marching
  • FREEZE Card
    • Red octagon background
    • Large word: “FREEZE”
    • Icon: child standing still with hands at sides

Prep Instructions (5 minutes):

  1. Print each card on cardstock (one GO card and one FREEZE card per set).
  2. Color or print in full-color so green and red are clear.
  3. Laminate cards for durability.
  4. Attach each card to a popsicle stick or small dowel for easy holding and visibility.

How to Use:

  1. During the Freeze Game Activity, hold up the GO Card to signal students to dance, march, or move.
  2. Hold up the FREEZE Card (or shout “Freeze!” simultaneously) to cue students to stop and show the ready listening pose.
  3. Repeat showing GO/FREEZE cards in rhythm with music or chants to reinforce impulse control practice.

Tip: Use the cards in tandem with verbal cues at first. As students become familiar, you can rely on visuals alone to support non-verbal signaling.

Return to Session 1 Plan

lenny
lenny

Activity

Session 1 Reflection Sheet

Name: _____________________ Date: _______________

1. Circle the face that shows how you felt when you heard “Freeze!”

( ) 🙂 Happy ( ) 😐 Calm ( ) 😃 Proud

2. Draw a picture of yourself stopping and showing the ready listening pose when you froze.












Return to Session 1 Plan

lenny
lenny

Cool Down

Session 1 Cool Down

Time: 3 minutes

Objective: Help students calm their bodies, notice how they feel after the game, and reinforce impulse control.

Materials

  • A small soft toy or “breathing buddy” (one per student) OR hands-on belly breathing if no toy
  • Quiet background music (optional)

Steps

  1. Gather in a Circle (30 seconds)
    • Invite students to sit comfortably on the floor with legs crossed.
    • Give each child their breathing buddy or have them place hands on their belly.
  2. Belly Breaths with Breathing Buddy (1 minute)
    • Explain: “Pretend your toy is a little balloon on your belly. When we breathe in, the balloon fills up. When we breathe out, it deflates.”
    • Model one deep breath: inhale (balloon rises), exhale (balloon falls).
    • Lead students through 3 slow breaths together, counting quietly: 1…2…3 (inhale), 1…2…3 (exhale).
  3. Gentle Stretch & Reset (1 minute)
    • Have students reach arms up to the sky as they inhale.
    • Then lower arms slowly as they exhale.
    • Repeat twice to release extra energy.
  4. Share Your Feeling (30 seconds)
    • Ask each student to choose one word to describe how their body feels now (e.g., calm, happy, quiet).
    • Go around the circle quickly, letting each child whisper their word or show a thumbs-up if they feel calm.

Closing:
Praise the class for doing a great job practicing impulse control and calming down. Remind them to use their belly breaths anytime they feel a big impulse or strong excitement during the day.

Return to Session 1 Plan

lenny
lenny

Lesson Plan

Session 2 Plan

Students will practice impulse control by responding to traffic-light cues in the Red Light, Green Light game—pausing on “red,” slowing on “yellow,” and moving on “green”—then reflecting on how it felt.

Linking color cues to actions builds self-regulation and waiting skills. Responding to “stop,” “slow,” and “go” reinforces impulse control in a fun, active way.

Audience

Pre-K Students

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Traffic-light game and guided reflection

Materials

  • Freeze & Focus Session 2 Slide Deck, - Red Light, Green Light Cards, and - Session 2 Reflection Sheet

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

  • Print and laminate the Red Light, Green Light Cards.
  • Review the Freeze & Focus Session 2 Slide Deck.
  • Copy the Session 2 Reflection Sheet for each student.
  • Mark an open area or hallway for the game.

Step 1

Introduction to Traffic-Light Cues

3 minutes

  • Gather students in a circle.
  • Show the slide defining green, yellow, and red signals (green = go, yellow = slow, red = stop).
  • Ask for examples of times we need to wait or pause.

Step 2

Teaching the Red Light, Green Light Game

2 minutes

  • Explain the rules: on green light move toward teacher, on yellow move slowly, on red stop immediately and show ready listening pose.
  • Model with a helper and answer questions.

Step 3

Red Light, Green Light Activity

7 minutes

  • Line students up at a start line.
  • Call out “Green Light!” students move toward you.
  • Call “Yellow Light!” students tiptoe slowly.
  • Call “Red Light!” all students must freeze and hold the ready listening pose.
  • Provide positive feedback or stickers for correct responses.
  • Repeat several rounds, varying speed.

Step 4

Cool-Down Reflection

3 minutes

  • Gather students back in a circle with their Session 2 Reflection Sheet.
  • Ask them to circle the face showing how they felt when they heard “Red Light!”
  • Invite volunteers to share and show their drawing.
  • Praise all efforts and remind them to use traffic-light thinking during the day.
lenny

Slide Deck

Freeze & Focus: Session 2

Practicing Impulse Control with Traffic-Light Cues

Welcome, friends! Today we will play Red Light, Green Light to practice impulse control. Our objective is to respond to green, yellow, and red cues by moving, slowing, or stopping and noticing how that feels.

Traffic-Light Signals

Green = Go

Yellow = Slow

Red = Stop

Explain the meanings of each traffic-light color. Ask students to share times they’ve seen these signals in real life (e.g., at a crosswalk).

Rules of Red Light, Green Light

• On Green Light: move toward the teacher
• On Yellow Light: move slowly (tiptoe)
• On Red Light: stop immediately and show the ready listening pose

Review each rule step by step. Model with a helper: move fast on green, tiptoe on yellow, and freeze tall on red.

Ready Listening Pose

Hands to your sides

Eyes looking at the teacher

Mouth closed and quiet

Remind students of the Ready Listening Pose from Session 1. Invite them to stand and practice it once more.

Cool-Down Reflection

Look at your Session 2 Reflection Sheet

Circle the face that shows how you felt on “Red Light!”

Pass out the Session 2 Reflection Sheet. Encourage students to circle how they felt when they heard “Red Light!”

Great Job!

Remember: Stop on Red, Slow on Yellow, Go on Green!

See you next time

Praise all the great stopping, slowing, and going! Remind students to use “stop, slow, go” thinking whenever they need to control their impulses.

lenny

Activity

Red Light, Green Light Cards

Description:
A set of color-coded visual cue cards to signal “GO,” “SLOW,” or “STOP” in the Red Light, Green Light game. Designed for Pre-K learners to connect traffic-light colors with movement cues.

What’s Included:

  • Green Card
    • Bright green circle background
    • Large text: “GO”
    • Icon: child walking or marching fast

  • Yellow Card
    • Yellow triangle background
    • Large text: “SLOW”
    • Icon: child tiptoeing

  • Red Card
    • Red octagon background
    • Large text: “STOP”
    • Icon: child frozen in ready listening pose

Prep Instructions (5 minutes):

  1. Print each card on cardstock (one set of three cards per group).
  2. Ensure colors are vivid; laminate for durability.
  3. Attach each card to a stick or ring for easy flipping/holding.
  4. Review the icons with students beforehand so they know what each color means.

How to Use:

  1. During the Red Light, Green Light Activity, hold up the Green Card to signal students to move forward at a normal pace.
  2. Show the Yellow Card to cue students to slow down (tiptoe) toward you.
  3. Display the Red Card to cue students to stop immediately and hold the ready listening pose.
  4. Combine visual cards with verbal cues at first; gradually rely on visuals alone as students become familiar.

Return to Session 2 Plan

lenny
lenny