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8 Classroom Games to Help Teach Boundaries

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rebekah

February 03, 2025

9m

Teaching boundaries can be one of the most impactful lessons for students, helping them build meaningful relationships and interact respectfully with others. 

But learning about boundaries doesn’t have to be dull or lecture-based. As Benjamin Franklin said, “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

And interactive games are a fun way to impart these skills while keeping students involved and engaged. 

Whether you’re working with elementary students, teens, or even young adults, these boundary-focused classroom games will help create a safe and respectful learning environment while teaching essential social-emotional skills.

How Do You Teach Setting Boundaries?

kids in classroom

Teaching boundaries isn’t as simple as shouting, “No touching!” across the classroom. It’s about creating a foundational understanding of mutual respect, personal space, and the nuances of social interactions. This starts with collaboration, clear communication, and a dash of creativity to make the process as relatable and engaging as possible. 

One effective approach is to establish the concept of boundaries through storytelling or role-playing. For example, you could create scenarios where characters successively cross personal lines—like standing too close or cutting into someone’s space during a conversation. Students then discuss how they might feel and brainstorm positive ways to set limits. 

Overall, consistency is key. It’s not enough to teach something once and then forget about it. 

Instead, you should reinforce the message through everyday classroom interactions. Use examples from real life, like when lining up, forming groups, or even during playtime, to remind students of the lessons they’ve learned. The goal is to normalize respect for boundaries no matter where they are in their day. 

The ultimate goal? Make boundary-setting tangible. And that’s where games come in. Structured activities, infused with lessons of personal space and respect, work wonders in driving these ideas home. 

What to Consider When Choosing Classroom Games for Boundary Setting

kids in elementary class playing tug of war

As you’re picking the right games to teach boundaries, remember—it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. You’ll need to keep a few essentials in mind to make sure your activities hit the mark. 

Explaining Personal Space First 

Let the games begin? Not so fast. 

First, make sure your students understand why personal space matters. Use visual demonstrations to simplify things. Stickers or duct tape work great—you can create physical markers of personal boundaries on the floor. 

For instance, you could set up tape circles or safe-distance zones to visually represent how far apart people should stand. This makes abstract ideas more concrete for young learners. 

Using Symbols and Objects to Clarify the Message 

Kids love visuals, and objects they can hold and interact with are especially effective for such lessons. Think colored bean bags that signify “safe zones” or traffic light cards students can flash to indicate if someone is standing too close (“red” for too close, “green” for comfortable). 

These tools make abstract concepts less abstract, in other words, more relatable, and help to reinforce learning. At the end of the day, the more hands-on the game is, the better the chances students take the lesson to heart. 

Respecting Cultural Differences 

Now, here’s something tricky you’ll need to tackle as a teacher—the way boundaries differ across cultures. There’s no universal rule for how much personal space individuals need. 

For instance, students from Argentina might feel comfortable standing close, reflecting a “contact culture,” while someone from Japan may prefer more distance. Striking a balance guarantees more inclusivity, though it can admittedly be tough to do. Your best bet is to explain to your students that what feels “close” or “too far” varies by place, person, and even age (for example, younger kids naturally stand closer to each other than adults). 

Over time, you can also guide your students to use cues like body language and expressions to gauge the comfort level of those around them.

Age-Appropriate Games 

Different age groups respond differently to activities. For younger students, simple games like “Bubble Boundaries” (using hula hoops as personal space zones) can make a big impact. Older kids might appreciate role-playing or more advanced trust exercises. 

There’s no rule of thumb here, but remember that the complexity of the game should scale with the age and maturity of the students—it’s no fun to lose them halfway through because the activity seemed “babyish” or irrelevant, or worse, too advanced.

Merging Fun with Learning 

While boundaries are a serious topic, that doesn’t mean the lesson can’t be enjoyable. Games like “Red Light, Green Light” can teach physical boundary-setting in a way that’s active and entertaining. 

On the flip side, cooperative games such as building a class tower using plastic cups (individually placed) encourage spatial awareness and teamwork. Just have fun with it!

8 Classroom Games to Help Teach Boundaries

young kids playing in classroom

Without further ado, here are a few classroom games you can play with your students to help make boundary setting more fun that you could ever possibly imagine:

1. Simon Says 

Simon Says is a timeless classic, and it’s a classic for a reason. 

In the game, students must follow commands only when prefaced with the phrase “Simon says.” Quick reflexes are required to dodge tricky instructions! For example, “Simon says raise your right hand” is fair game, but “Raise your left hand” without “Simon says” disqualifies a player.

This game teaches kids to pause and process information before acting—an essential boundary-setting skill. It helps them practice listening carefully and distinguishing between acceptable actions and situations where stopping is appropriate.

2. Red Light, Green Light 

Red Light, Green Light emphasizes impulse control and respecting rules, both of which are critical to understanding boundaries. The game helps students practice self-regulation and reinforces the idea that there are cues and signals they should pay attention to in interactions.

So, how do you play? To start, one student serves as the “traffic light” while the others stand in a line. When the traffic light says, “Green light,” students move forward. When “Red light” is called, everyone must freeze. If someone is caught moving during “Red light,” they must return to the start.

3. Follow the Leader 

To play Follow the Leader, assign one student as the leader who demonstrates actions (clapping, jumping, etc.) for others to mimic. Be sure to rotate leaders so everyone gets a turn to lead. 

This game is effective because it encourages students to observe the actions of others closely and respect signals. It’s a great way to show that while following instructions is part of teamwork, students also have the autonomy to become leaders and guide others in a collaborative way.

4. Beach Ball Toss 

This interactive activity, great for kids of all ages, creates opportunities for students to reflect on various situations in which these kinds of boundaries may arise. They practice articulating what’s acceptable and brainstorming respectful responses. 

How do you play? It’s simple. Write questions or prompts (like “What would you do if…?” scenarios) about boundaries on a beach ball. Toss the ball around the room; when someone catches it, they read and answer the question closest to their right thumb. 

5. Space Bubble 

Have students pair up and one partner will hold a hula hoop around themselves or create an invisible “space bubble.” Their partner must interact cautiously without stepping inside the “bubble.” 

Space Bubble is perfect for visually demonstrating physical boundaries and personal space. It reinforces the idea that everyone has a comfort zone, and that respecting it is key to healthy interactions.

6. Six Foot Freeze 

This unique, active game reinforces spatial awareness and the importance of maintaining appropriate distances, especially in situations that require public or professional etiquette. 

To play, just divide students into groups and have them move around the room freely. At random, call out “Freeze!” and measure if they’re six feet apart. 

7. Airplane Arms 

Airplane Arms adds a playful twist to teaching spatial boundaries. It brings awareness to how one’s movement impacts others around them and encourages students to pay attention to others’ space while navigating their own. 

In it, each student stretches their arms out to the sides and walks around the room like airplanes. If someone bumps into another person’s “airplane,” they’re momentarily “grounded.” 

8. Measure and Guess 

This final game is a collaborative one that teaches students that personal boundaries can vary from person to person. It’s a hands-on way to discuss the concept of “different strokes for different folks” while respecting individual comfort levels.

The rules are simple. Introduce a partner activity where one student draws an imaginary circle around themselves to represent personal space, and another student guesses how far that boundary extends using a ruler or yardstick to estimate distances. 

Practice Setting Boundaries With Your Students Often

kids playing in classroom

Teaching boundaries isn’t something you can check off a list after one activity—it’s an ongoing practice. Incorporate these games into your classroom regularly to create a strong, lasting foundation of respect and understanding. 

The more your students practice setting and respecting boundaries, the better equipped they’ll be to handle real-world situations.

If you’re looking for structured resources to complement your lessons, check out our Circles Complete Curriculum. Designed to teach everything from personal space to social boundaries, it’s ideal for helping students of all levels master these critical skills. Learn more here

By turning boundary lessons into engaging games and activities, you’ll not only teach students valuable life skills but also create a positive and inclusive classroom culture.

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rebekah