Play Something Else
Cat and Jordy from the Catbears

A free assertiveness game for kids ages 5-10

Sometimes a friend really wants to play a game you just don't like. Saying yes feels easier, but it's no fun. Saying no feels mean. This is where assertiveness starts, and it's a form of everyday peer pressure kids face all the time, at recess, on playdates, and with siblings.

This free online SEL game walks children through that exact moment. Cat's friend Jordy wants to play a game Cat doesn't enjoy, and the child chooses what Cat does next, then sees how each choice plays out. The friendly characters and simple story help kids practice how to say no to a friend without being mean, and see that there's usually a way for both friends to have fun.

Share this resource with anyone who may find it useful, and help children build the social skills they need for everyday challenges.

A classroom of kids watching a Catbears SEL story on screen while the teacher leads the discussion

A story that starts the conversation about saying no

Put it up on the screen at morning meeting or circle time. The class helps Cat decide what to do when Jordy wants to play a game Cat doesn't like, and sees how each choice feels for both friends. It takes about five minutes and needs no setup, so it slots into a lesson, a counseling group, or a quick talk after a playground disagreement. Afterward, ask the class which choice was kind AND honest, and why that combination is so hard; that discussion is where it really sinks in.

Assertiveness and repair, made concrete

When a child picks "say yes and play it anyway" and then sees Cat left bored and unhappy, the feeling lands in a way a lecture never could. The game is built around those small consequences, so children connect a choice to its result on their own. Therapists and parents can use it one-on-one to practice saying no without being harsh, and to rehearse a win-win, offering a different game so both friends still get to play.

How to use it

You can watch it through and have a chat, that works. It fits a quick talk at home about a friend or a sibling, morning meeting or circle time in the classroom, counseling and social-skills groups, or helping a child who tends to go along with whatever others want. After you play, ask your child which choice felt best and why, talking it through is where most of the learning happens.

What this game teaches

Assertiveness: saying no to friends without being mean

Kids practice assertiveness, telling a friend the truth that they don't want to play a certain game, without being harsh about it. They get to feel how saying yes when you mean no leaves everyone flat, and how an honest, gentle no actually protects the friendship. This is the same skill kids lean on to handle peer pressure, and short guided stories like this give them a safe place to rehearse it.

Finding a win-win

The story also practices compromise, offering a different game both friends might enjoy instead of just walking away. Kids reach that lesson by choosing and seeing the result, so they learn that saying no to a game doesn't have to mean saying no to a friend.

About Catbears

Catbears is about helping kids get good at the hard parts of being a kid, starting young. This game about saying no is one of a growing set. Each one takes a real moment kids run into and gives the grown-up in the room a simple way to talk about it.

Questions parents, teachers, and therapists ask

It is made for children ages 5-10 (kindergarten through 4th grade). The story and the choices use simple language that early elementary kids can follow on their own or with a grown-up.

About five minutes. It is short on purpose, so it fits into a car ride, a bedtime chat, or a few minutes of circle time.

It focuses on assertiveness: saying no to a friend without being mean, being honest, and finding a game both friends can enjoy. These are the same skills kids use to stand up to everyday peer pressure.

Start by letting them know that saying no is allowed, and that it doesn't make them a bad friend. Then play through the game together and talk about the choices. Seeing what happens when Cat says yes and doesn't mean it, walks away, or offers another game helps a child find words for a kind, honest no.

Peer pressure is when a child feels they have to go along with what a friend wants, even when they'd rather not. It's often small and everyday, like being pushed to play a game you don't enjoy. This game gives kids a safe way to practice noticing that feeling and answering it with a kind, honest no.

For ages 5-7 we suggest playing together the first time so you can talk about each choice. Kids 8 and up can play on their own, though a quick chat afterward helps the lesson stick.

Yes. No sign-up, no download, no cost. We think every child should be able to practice these skills.