I've done improv and TTRPGs with large groups of 7-9 year olds. So many theater teachers love to talk about how "kids are just so creative" and "just go back to your childhood" and act all enlightened about how the system just pushes us into boxes.

Kids fucking suck at improv. Their creativity is ass in any group project. They cannot relate to others and lack empathy. "I'M A BIG YELLOW ELEPHANT AND I AM BREATHING FIRE OUT MY ASS" okiedokie Philip, but actually it's Lisa's turn and we've already made characters. Michael is actually being burnt alive right now, so maybe instead of making it burn more, you think of a way you can help your good friend? Love the input though.

Kids are put into boxes, but those boxes are titled things like "be nice" and "you are not the only person in the world"
and "if you play the 'kick each other over the shins game' then at least one of you will cry. Which is okay, but you gotta be prepared for it"
and "GODDAMMIT DO NOT CLIMB TREES WITH A BROKEN ELBOW!**"
and "hey when your nose is broken, maybe don't play dodgeball?"
and "your friend didn't punch you out of nowhere, he punched you because you kicked him and those things are related, but yes I agree getting punched isn't nice, don't you think getting kicked isn't nice too?"
and "Hey remember yesterday when you came up to me, crying, because your friends wouldn't let you play with them? Well now Sophia, your friend, is telling me you won't let her play with all of you. Do you think Sophia feels like you felt yesterday? Oh I'm sure this game can accomodate one more person, since it's the same game you were playing yesterday when it could suddenly accommodate you"

[–] came_apart_at_Kmart@hexbear.net 4 points 1 week ago

one of the more amusing/instructive bits i remember picking up is how kids don't expect the adults to communicate with each other outside of what they see. like the benefit of cooperation and communication hasn't sunk in yet, so its a magic superweapon that can be used against them. the staff had this post meal meeting where the kids would have supervised play in a big field and we took about 20-30 minutes to identify the days issues like little douchey cliques to separate or who was acting shitty earlier in the day or who was having a hard time and needs a little extra, because they all floated between our tracks however they wanted.

the troublemakers and bullies were always baffled that yes, everyone else knows what clever moves you were pulling before lunch. like the adults were some other species of humanoid with a hive mind.