Yes and...

Wouldn't it be great if your third grader would agree with you all the time? Well, we can't make that happen, but you can play a game together during which they pretend to agree with you... We've played during morning meeting. It's lots of fun, and it helps children develop elaboration skills.

You can play in pairs or small groups. The first player makes a statement. It could be as simple as, "It's going to rain tomorrow." The next player adds to that statement by saying, "Yes and..." For example, player two might say, "Yes and I am excited to wear my new raincoat." The next player might say, "Yes and that raincoat looks really nice on you." And so on...

A few children got stuck. This came up especially when another child spoke about a topic they didn't know much about. I suggested that children use their background knowledge to come up with a response. If they can find something to connect with, they should be able to come up with a "Yes, and..." For example, one child said, "The Celtics have the best record in the NBA." His partner didn't know very much about basketball, so she struggled to come up with a response. She might think back in her mind to find what she does know about the Celtics. She might have said, "Yes, and they will win while wearing their green uniforms."

Have fun with this game. You might even try playing it at the dinner table! :o)