Gossip hurts people's feelings, self-esteem, reputation and in some instances it can alter people’s lives. While in grade school, someone might start a rumor that a first grader wears diapers to bed, which will embarrass the kid and hurt the kids feelings. If the rumor is repeated enough it could hurt his self-esteem. As kids grow into adults, their words carry even more weight. At the work place, gossip could potentially lead to someone getting passed over for a promotion or not getting a job they interviewed for. So why not start teaching the harm of gossip to young children?
Gossip is when a person repeats something that someone said about another person, which is not true or may be true but was never intended for the general public. Once it is said, there is no getting it back and the more people who hear it and repeat it, the more it will spread.
The cartoon series Veggie Tales, which is produced by Big Ideas, has a character named the Rumor Weed that demonstrates this in a way children can understand. The weed grows each time the rumor is told and the bigger it gets the more damage it does to the town. In the end, the Rumor Weed is defeated by the truth being told.
Material Needed to Play the Game
- Water hose
- Sprinkler – the less water it sprays the better.
- Kids
Rules for the Gossip Water Game
The object of the game is to not let the water get on the ground. Give the kids a time limit and then check to see what is wetter, the kids or the ground. This demonstrates how hard it is to stop gossip once it is started. The kids will not be able to catch all of the water, which gives the adult a change to drive home how important it is not to start rumors or gossip.
After this, move the sprinkler to a dry area and try again or simply let the kids play in the water.
Applying Gossip to the Game
Just like gossip starts from one person or one place, the water in the game will also start from the water faucet outside. The easiest way to stop the rumor is to not start it, just like the easiest way to stop the water is to not turn it on.
But once the gossip is spoken there are still ways to stop it. Not repeating what a person hears will help end the rumor. And if the person who started the rumor will tell the truth, the gossip is more likely to stop.
During the game, the water drops symbolize gossip. The more water the kids stop with their bodies, the less gossip is spread. They can use their hands, clothes, hair and anything else. A fun sprinkler to use, is one with small tubes that wiggle and spray the water in unpredictable patterns. Kids may try to step on the sprinkler and not allowing water to come out, which an adult can point out is like not repeating gossip they may hear.
Gossip is a hard concept to convey to children, but it is one that needs to be taught. By teaching it through a game, many kids will remember playing in the water and hopefully some will remember the importance of not starting gossip.
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