Impulse Jenga Game Kit

Objective: Strengthen students’ “Stop” skills by pairing a fun Jenga-style draw with impulse-identification prompts and breath pauses.

Materials Needed

• Standard Jenga® or wooden block stack
• Pre-labeled impulse prompts on each block (see list below)
• Timer or stopwatch (optional)
• Stop-Go Strategy Slides (for teacher reference)

Setup Instructions

1. Label each Jenga block on one side with a unique scenario prompt (see Block Prompts).
2. Stack blocks per normal Jenga rules.
3. Place the stack in the center of the playing area.

How to Play

1. Students sit in a circle around the block tower.
2. On their turn, a student gently removes one block from anywhere in the stack without toppling it.
3. They read the prompt aloud and answer two questions:
   1. Identify the Impulse: “What impulse or feeling might you have in this scenario?”
   2. Rate Its Strength: “On a scale of 1–5, how strong is that impulse?”
4. Practice Stop: The student places the block aside, then takes three slow, deep breaths.
5. Share Reflection: After pausing, the student briefly explains how the breathing felt and one healthy “Go” response they could choose instead of acting on the impulse.
6. The block is returned to the top of the stack, and play passes to the next person.
7. Continue until the tower falls or every student has had 3–4 turns.

Block Prompts (20 Scenarios)

1. You see a spoiler for your favorite show online.
2. A classmate blurts out a wrong answer in front of everyone.
3. You’re starving and sitting through a long lecture.
4. Your sibling borrows something without asking.
5. A friend rejects your invitation to hang out.
6. You get stuck in a slow-moving line at lunch.
7. You realize you left your homework at home.
8. Someone laughs while you’re speaking.
9. You receive a low grade on a project you worked hard on.
10. A teammate misses an easy play in gym class.
11. You’re excited about a surprise party but can’t tell the guest of honor.
12. Your computer freezes in the middle of a game.
13. A driver cuts you off on the way to school.
14. You can’t remember a friend’s birthday.
15. You spill a drink on your notes.
16. You find out there’s extra credit and wish you’d done more.
17. A group chat pings with 20 messages in a row.
18. You feel left out in a lunch group.
19. You lose your favorite pen in class.
20. You see a mean comment about you online.

Facilitator Tips

• Encourage students to label the emotion (e.g., frustration, embarrassment) before breathing.
• Prompt deeper reflection: “What changed in your body after the three breaths?”
• If the tower falls, guide a quick debrief: “What did you feel when it collapsed? How would Stop-Go help next time?”
• Use insights to inform later sessions, and refer back to students’ favorite “Go” responses on the Impulse Reflection Sheet.

Ready to build impulse-control one block at a time!

Impulse Reflection Sheet

Name: __________________________ Date: ________________


Use this sheet during each session of Impulse Control Mastery to track your impulses, practice Stop-Go, and set goals.

Session 1: Identify & Goal-Setting

1. What is one personal impulse you want to work on?

1. Rate its intensity on a scale of 1–5 (1 = very low, 5 = very high):

1. Write a SMART goal for managing this impulse this week:

Session 2: Practicing “Stop”

1. Describe a new impulse scenario you experienced since the last session:

1. What impulse did you feel, and how strong was it (1–5)?

1. How did you practice the “Stop” step (three deep breaths)? Describe what you noticed:

Session 3: Exploring “Go”

1. List your top three healthy “Go” responses (actions you can choose instead of acting on the impulse):
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

   1. ---

   1. ---

   1. ---

Session 4: Integration & Future Planning

1. Reflect on your progress so far. What has improved? What remains challenging?

1. Set a maintenance goal for continuing to use Stop-Go over the next month:

1. How will you remind yourself to pause and choose healthy responses in daily life?

Keep this sheet in your binder and revisit it whenever you need to strengthen your impulse control. Good luck on your journey to mastering Stop-Go!

Strategy Swap Discussion Guide

Session 3 Focus: Generating and sharing healthy Go responses to common impulse triggers.

Purpose

• Help students expand their self-regulation toolbox by brainstorming positive actions (Go responses) for everyday impulse scenarios.
• Encourage peer learning: students share strategies that have worked for them and learn new ideas from classmates.

Group Setup

• Divide the class into small groups of 3–4 students.
• Provide each group with a stack of scenario prompts (you can use extra blocks from the Impulse Jenga Game Kit or write prompts on cards).
• Distribute one copy of the Impulse Reflection Sheet per student—students will note their favorite strategies.

Discussion Steps

1. Review the “Go” Step
   • Quickly revisit Step 2 in the Stop-Go Strategy Slides:
     • Identify your long-term goal
     • Brainstorm one healthy response
     • Commit to your choice and follow through
2. Scenario Rotation (10 minutes)
   • Each group draws or selects three impulse scenarios (e.g., “You get a low grade,” “Your sibling borrows something without asking,” “Someone laughs at your joke”).
   • For each scenario, group members take turns suggesting at least two different Go responses.

     Examples:
     – Take a quick walk or stretch
     – Write a calm message instead of yelling
     – Ask a friend or teacher for help

   • One student records all suggested strategies in a shared chart or on their reflection sheet.
3. Strategy Swap (10 minutes)
   • After rotating through their own three scenarios, groups swap one scenario card with another group.
   • Each group reviews and adds one new Go response to the swapped scenario—avoiding duplicates.
4. Whole-Class Share (10 minutes)
   • Invite each group to present one scenario and their top two favorite Go responses.
   • As they share, ask the class:
     • Which strategy seems most useful? Why?
     • Which one might be hardest to try? What could make it easier?
5. Individual Reflection (5 minutes)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   • On your personal Impulse Reflection Sheet, under “Session 3: Exploring ‘Go’,” list your three favorite strategies from today.

Follow-Up Prompts for Deeper Thinking

• What underlying feeling (e.g., anger, anxiety) does each impulse reveal?
• How does your chosen Go response connect to your long-term goal?
• When might you need to adjust your response in a different setting (e.g., at home vs. at school)?

Next Steps: In the upcoming role-play activity, practice combining the Stop pause with one of your newly learned Go responses, and be ready to give and receive peer feedback.