Use your I’s Game

Donna L. McGoff, M.S.

Learning to be assertive instead of aggressive can be very effective in reducing antisocial behaviours. And one of the best ways to teach children assertiveness skills is by training them to use “I-Messages”. An I-Message is a way to express your feelings in a non-threatening manner, by structuring statements in a specific way. When children use I-Messages to express themselves, they are more likely to be heard and less likely to get into conflict.

Use Your I’s is a board game that teaches children how to express their feelings without jeopardizing the rights of others. Game cards provide realistic situations that provoke emotions such as anger, guilt, humiliation, happiness, and embarrassment. Players learn to verbally describe their feelings to others and explain why they feel the way they do. Use Your I’s also helps children become comfortable using the first-person pronoun to share their feelings.