The Recess Queen Worksheets: Recess Play and Conflict Resolution

Help kids navigate playground conflicts with The Recess Queen Worksheets! Download two FREE printable SEL worksheets to teach conflict resolution, recess behavior, and kindness. Perfect for classroom activities!

If you’re a teacher or a parent, you’ve probably seen the drama unfold on the playground. Social emotional skills are so crucial! Kids arguing over who gets to play with the ball, someone being left out, or a “you’re not my friend anymore!” moment. The recess queen worksheets came at the perfect time for me! If only there was a way to make recess more fun and less stressful for everyone.

Well, The Recess Queen book by Alexis O’Neill is a perfect starting point for teaching kids about conflict resolution and proper recess behavior. And guess what?

Printable The Recess Queen worksheet for kids to learn conflict resolution and kindness.

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I’ve got something exciting for you today—two FREE worksheets from my Conflict Resolution Printable Worksheet SEL pack, designed to make recess play smoother for kids. I’ve previously also shared some activities for making friends. These would come in handy with this bundle!

Let’s dive in and see how these worksheets can help!

When kids struggle with conflict on the playground, anger can build up quickly. This anger volcano worksheet helps them recognize their emotions and practice healthy ways to cool down before a situation escalates—just like The Recess Queen teaches about handling big feelings in social settings.

Social Skill Stories (written in language for kids):

Grab the keep my clothes on social skills story here Grab the waiting in line social skills story here Grab the hands out of pants social skills story here Grab the I can handle loud noises social skills story here Grab the I can walk in a straight line social skills story here Grab the feelings in colors social skills story here Grab 2000+ PGS social skills stories (non-editable) here

Grab the Free Token Board to Pair With This Social Story

If you are using this keeping clothes on social skills story, I highly recommend pairing it with a simple token board. Kids do so much better when there is something visual and concrete they are working toward, especially when we are teaching a new boundary or replacement behavior.

I created a FREE printable token board that you can laminate and use with Velcro coins, real tokens, or even little stars. Your student picks a preferred activity, earns five tokens for demonstrating the expected behavior, and then celebrates reaching their goal in a positive and structured way.

It works beautifully with this story, but honestly, it also works with accepting no, toilet routines, gentle hands, and any other social skill you are teaching. You can grab the free token board below and start using it right away in your classroom or at home.

[Grab the FREE Token Board Here]

Where do you find the book The Recess Queen?

This book is a true FAVORITE amongst so many teachers. You can find it linked below on Amazon.

The Recess Queen Activities PDF (I’ll List a Few Activities from TPT for This Book)

In The Recess Queen, the main character, Mean Jean, is the queen of recess until a new kid, Katie Sue, comes in and shakes things up.

It’s a great story for teaching kids about conflict, friendship, and how to share the playground. To go along with the book, I’ve created a variety of activities and worksheets, including some that you can find on my Teachers Pay Teachers (TPT) store. These activities target the key themes in the story, like conflict resolution, communication, and teamwork.

Here are a few of the activities that you’ll find in the PDF:

Conflict Resolution Role-Play: This activity encourages kids to role-play different playground scenarios. They practice using words that help resolve conflicts (think: “Let’s take turns” or “Can we share the ball?”).

This set of recess play and appropriate behavior are the best set for differentiated instruction, do you teach preschool? Kindergarten? Or special needs. This set of worksheets includes everything!

Coloring can be a calming activity that reinforces positive behaviors. These free kids coloring pages include social-emotional themes that complement The Recess Queen by promoting kindness, inclusivity, and friendly play.

>>> You can grab the entire set of color and blackline worksheets for recess conflict resolution and appropriate play below.

Looking for engaging activities to teach recess rules, kindness, and conflict resolution? These Recess Queen SEL resources are perfect for helping kids learn how to play fairly, use kind words, and build positive friendships on the playground!

✨ Recess Queen Worksheets – A 15-page printable set that guides kids through sorting fair vs. unfair behaviors, recognizing unkind words and actions, and problem-solving real-life recess scenarios. Great for reinforcing social-emotional learning! Check it out here ➝ Recess Queen Social Skills Worksheets

⌚ I Am a Recess Hero Watches – These interactive watches help students sort good and bad recess behaviors (actions & words) and wear their reminders on their wrist! Editable templates allow you to personalize them for each student. Grab them here ➝ Recess Hero Watches

Both resources are perfect for Pre-K, Kindergarten, and early elementary students learning how to be respectful and inclusive at recess! 🎉

SEL worksheet pack featuring 15 differentiated activities for recess behavior.

This super easy chart for recess behavior helps keep kids in check when they veer a little over:

Mockup of a printable worksheet teaching kids how to use kind words at recess.

Recess Behavior Reflection Worksheet: This worksheet helps kids think about what kind of behavior is expected during recess and what to do if things get a little tense.

Conflict resolution activity for kids based on The Recess Queen book.

Group Discussion Prompts: These are great for circle time, where kids can talk about how they feel when they are left out, what bullying looks like, and how to make sure everyone feels included.

By the end of the activities, kids will have learned some valuable tools to navigate playground challenges.

You won’t believe this, but even though recess is supposed to be a fun break, it can sometimes be the most challenging time of day.

That’s why teaching conflict resolution early is so crucial.

Just like recess, the school bus is another social setting where kids need to learn respect and boundaries. This bus etiquette guide teaches students how to interact politely, reinforcing similar lessons found in The Recess Queen about inclusion and fair play.

What is Bullying? How Do We Teach Kids Not to Bully Each Other?

So, what’s the deal with bullying? Well, bullying can take many forms. It’s not just about physical harm; it can also be verbal or emotional, like calling names or excluding someone from a game.

When kids feel left out or frustrated at recess, they need tools to express their emotions constructively. This frustrated social skills story aligns with The Recess Queen by helping children understand and manage social struggles in a healthy way.

The SEL scenarios in the set help kids identify themselves as one of the kids in the story who bullies or is bullied. This in turn really turns on the empathy light in their hearts and brains! Like this worksheet below. Crossing the bridge is a symbol of working together to solve a problem.

So how can you work to become a problem solver?

Social-emotional learning printable pack focusing on playground inclusion and teamwork.

And for little ones, it can happen without them even realizing it. Maybe they say something unkind out of frustration or leave someone out of a game because they don’t know how to include them.

That’s why we need to teach kids how to recognize what bullying is and how to treat each other with kindness.

Here’s what I think: instead of just telling kids, “Don’t bully,” we should show them how to be kind.

Fun and engaging recess behavior worksheets for early elementary students.

Teach them the power of words, the importance of sharing, and what it looks like to invite someone to join in.

For instance this worksheet below targets the scenario of actions of bullying, how would you feel if others behaved that way towards you?

Teaching kids how to share and take turns with SEL printables.

The worksheets in the Conflict Resolution pack encourage kids to use positive language and practice the “Golden Rule”—treat others the way you want to be treated.

Strong social skills, like making eye contact, help kids build friendships and avoid miscommunications on the playground. This eye contact social story supports The Recess Queen by teaching children how to engage with others in a positive and confident way.

How Do We Teach Kids Proper Recess Behavior?

Recess is a time for fun, but it’s also a time for learning social skills. Teaching kids proper recess behavior doesn’t mean just telling them what not to do—it’s about showing them what to do.

Mockup of a recess play reflection worksheet for young learners.

For example, instead of telling a child, “Don’t push,” we can teach them how to ask for a turn politely or use their words when they feel upset.

I always say, “The playground is a place for fun and friendship!” Kids need a safe space to practice social interactions, like taking turns, working together, and solving problems.

But, of course, they need some guidance. That’s where activities like the “Conflict Resolution Worksheet” come in. It helps kids think through situations where they might get upset and shows them ways to express themselves calmly and respectfully.

Understanding emotions is a key part of recess play and conflict resolution. These emotional activities for preschoolers connect well with The Recess Queen, helping young learners identify feelings and respond to social situations appropriately.

What is Included in the Conflict Resolution Printable Worksheet SEL Pack?

If you’re looking for more tools to help kids handle conflict at recess, this SEL (social-emotional learning) pack is just what you need.

Free printable conflict resolution worksheets for preschool and kindergarten.

The pack includes 15 printable worksheets designed to teach kids how to deal with all kinds of playground conflicts. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s inside:

Conflict Scenarios Worksheet: Kids can read through real-life situations (like being left out or someone cutting in line) and decide how to handle them in a peaceful way.
Words to Use Worksheet: This worksheet helps children practice positive phrases they can use to resolve conflicts, like “Can I have a turn, please?” or “I’m sorry I hurt your feelings.”
Recess Rules Worksheet: A fun sheet where kids can come up with their own rules for recess that everyone can agree on.
Friendship Building Activities: These worksheets focus on how to make and keep friends during recess. It’s all about inclusion, kindness, and learning to share.

Illustrated mockup of a classroom SEL activity for handling playground conflicts.

And remember, I’m offering two FREE worksheets from this pack for you to try out! You can grab them and see how they fit into your classroom or home routine.

Both resources are perfect for Pre-K, Kindergarten, and early elementary students learning how to be respectful and inclusive at recess! 🎉

Some kids need extra support in learning social cues and interactions during recess. This social skills worksheets for autism PDF provides structured ways to practice essential skills, reinforcing the same lessons about inclusion and kindness found in The Recess Queen.

Click on the image below to sign up and grab your free set!

So, the next time recess rolls around, you’ll be ready. With The Recess Queen worksheets and the Conflict Resolution Printable Worksheet SEL pack, kids will have the tools they need to play together harmoniously, share the swings, and work out their disagreements without tears.