Philosophy EthicsTaking Turns So Everyone Gets a Chance
Philo the friendly owl sits beside a bright red swing set on a sunny playground, watching three children smile and wave at each other as they line up, each waiting for their turn to swing high into the sky.
- Explain why taking turns helps when only one person can use something at a time.
- Identify situations where taking turns is the fair thing to do.
- Predict how someone feels when they are left out and never get a turn.
- Compare taking turns with grabbing something all for yourself.
Key terms
- taking turns
- Letting each person use something one at a time, one after another.
- sharing
- Letting others have a chance with something instead of keeping it all.
- fair
- When everyone gets the same chance and nobody is left out.
- left out
- The sad feeling when others get a turn but you do not.
- a turn
- Your time to use something before it passes to someone else.
When One Thing, Many Friends
Some things can only be used by one person at a time, like a single swing, one bike, or one library book. When lots of friends want that one thing, they cannot all use it at once. Taking turns solves this: one person uses it for a while, then passes it to the next friend. This way the one thing can make many friends happy instead of just one.
Why Turns Feel Fair
Taking turns feels fair because everyone gets the same chance. A turn has a beginning and an end, and when your turn ends, it becomes someone else's beginning. Because the chances pass around to each person, nobody is stuck waiting forever and nobody is left out. That equal chance is exactly what makes taking turns a fair way to share something only one person can use.
What Happens Without Turns
If nobody takes turns, one person uses the thing the whole time. The other friends might wait and wait, or never get a chance at all. That makes them feel left out and sad, because they wanted a turn too. Hogging something might feel good for one person for a moment, but it leaves everyone else unhappy, which is not a kind or fair way to share.
Worked examples
One bike, four friends. How do you share it?
- Notice only one person can ride the single bike at a time.
- Since all four want a ride, set up turns so each gets a chance.
- Pass the bike to the next friend when each turn ends.
Answer: Take turns, because that lets all four friends get a chance to ride and nobody is left out.
A friend says sharing means all hold the ball at once.
- Think about whether four friends can really play with one ball all at once.
- Notice that only one person can actually use the ball at a time.
- See that taking turns is how you share something only one can use.
Answer: Taking turns is the fair way to share the ball, because only one person can really use it at a time.
Activity
Sort each picture: does this need taking turns, or can everyone do it at the same time?
Practice
There is one tablet and three kids who want it. Describe a fair turn plan.
Name one thing at school that needs taking turns and one that does not.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Sharing means holding it togetherFor things only one can use at a time, sharing means taking turns, not all holding at once.
- The fastest person keeps itBeing fastest does not make it fair; everyone should get a turn so nobody is left out.
Check your understanding
Only one child can ride the bike at a time. What is the fairest thing to do?
Mia never gives anyone else a turn on the classroom computer. How does that make her classmates feel?
There is one ball and four friends want to play. A classmate says 'We do not need to take turns because sharing means everyone holds it at once.' Is that right?
Recap
When only one person can use something at a time, taking turns lets everyone get a chance one after another. It feels fair because the chances pass around equally, so nobody is hogging the thing and nobody is left out.
Reflect
How does it feel to wait for a turn, and how does it feel when your turn finally comes?