You have checked the space, prepared the equipment and collected consent forms. Now twenty young people are in front of you, some excited, some nervous, some not sure they want to be there. The next five minutes – how you explain the rules – will shape the whole session. And at some point, something will go wrong: a grazed knee, an argument about a point. This lesson covers both moments.

01Rule communication as inclusion

The I-PLAY curriculum asks a powerful question: why is rule communication itself a form of inclusion, and what does it look like when it fails? When a briefing is long, fast and purely verbal, it quietly excludes people: those who do not share the language, those with hearing impairments or intellectual disabilities, and those who are simply anxious. A good briefing makes sure everyone starts the game with the same understanding.

02Six principles for an accessible briefing

1. 1Show, don’t just tell. Demonstrate the game with a few volunteers. The Digital Toolkit recommends replacing long verbal explanations with physical demonstration.
2. 2Keep it short. Explain only what is needed to start. Add details as the game goes on.
3. 3Use a few core commands. Agree simple signals such as “stop”, “go”, “switch” and “well done” – and, for multilingual groups, learn them in participants’ languages before the session.
4. 4Use visual support. Mark zones with colours or cones, use icon-based rule cards or plain-language versions of the rules.
5. 5Check understanding without testing. Run a short practice round instead of asking “Does everyone understand?”
6. 6Agree on signals for stopping play. A whistle, a raised hand or a clap that means “freeze” is essential for safety and for signalling rule violations calmly.

Remember to explain which rules you have adapted and why. This helps participants see adaptations as part of the game, not as favours for particular people.

03Responding to minor injuries

Most incidents in traditional games are minor: grazes, bumps, twisted ankles, a finger hit by a stone or a ball. Your response should be calm and consistent:

1. 1Stop play using your agreed signal, so that nobody else gets hurt.
2. 2Check the person calmly, and ask what happened and where it hurts. Do not move someone who may have a serious injury.
3. 3Give basic first aid within your competence, using the first-aid kit. If you are not trained, call someone who is.
4. 4Call emergency services if there is any doubt about a serious injury.
5. 5Inform parents or guardians for minors, and the accompanying person where relevant.
6. 6Record and review. Note what happened and adapt the space, equipment or rules to prevent it from happening again.

04Responding to conflict

Arguments are a normal part of play – especially in games where rules are flexible. Handled well, they are a learning opportunity. The Digital Toolkit suggests:

• Pause the game calmly rather than shouting over it.
• Return to the agreed ground rules: “What did we agree at the start?”
• Use active listening: let each side explain briefly, without interrupting, and repeat back what you heard.
• Reset boundaries neutrally: avoid taking sides, focus on the behaviour and the rule, not on the person.
• Be flexible: if the game itself is causing the conflict, adapt it or switch to a back-up activity.

Some situations require more than a reset. Discriminatory language – for example remarks linking performance to gender, origin or disability – must be interrupted every time, calmly and clearly, by naming the group norm. This is what zero tolerance looks like in practice.