In contemporary educational contexts, schools face numerous challenges associated with increasing psycho-emotional demands on students and ongoing social changes. Consequently, schools are increasingly viewed not only as spaces for academic instruction but also as significant environments for the formation and support of students’ mental health and wellbeing [1], [2]. The creation of a psychologically safe educational space has become a key condition for sustainable personal development, social adaptation, and positive interaction among participants in the educational process. International educational frameworks emphasise the importance of developing such conditions in schools to support the mental health of children and adolescents [1].

The large-scale psychological game “Kaleidoscope” is considered one way of organising such an educational space. It is designed to create conditions of psychological safety, foster emotional and social connections, and promote positive group experiences among students. The game constitutes a holistic environment with its own structure, rules, and symbolism, within which participants engage in joint activities, experience emotionally meaningful situations, and reflect on their personal experiences. This format aligns with contemporary perspectives on social and emotional learning and whole-school approaches to promoting wellbeing in educational settings [2], [3].

The purpose of the proposal is to present and conceptually examine the large-scale psychological game “Kaleidoscope” as a tool for creating a psychologically safe educational environment and for fostering social-emotional interaction among students, as well as to explore its preventive and supportive potential within school-based systems of psychological and pedagogical support [1], [2].

The core idea of the proposal is to conceptualise the “Kaleidoscope” game as an instrument for creating a psychologically safe space and enhancing social-emotional interaction among students. The game also demonstrates potential for the prevention of psycho-emotional difficulties and for supporting students’ mental health within the school context more broadly. Conceptually, it is grounded in ideas of holistic personal development and an understanding of school as a key context for social and emotional formation, in which wellbeing emerges through the interaction of individual characteristics, interpersonal relationships, and features of the educational environment [2], [4].

The “Kaleidoscope” game is not intended for diagnostic or narrowly defined corrective purposes. Rather, it functions as a supportive space in which students are able to safely explore their emotions, patterns of interaction with others, and their place within the group. Particular emphasis is placed on creating an atmosphere of voluntary participation, acceptance, respect for personal boundaries, and recognition of the value of each participant’s individual experience. Under these conditions, students can express emotions, discuss experiences, and experiment with new behavioural models without fear of evaluation or sanctions, contributing to reduced anxiety levels, strengthened feelings of belonging, and the development of trust within the group [1], [3].

Such an organisation of the игровое space contributes to reduced anxiety, enhanced feelings of belonging, and the development of trust within the group. Overall, the “Kaleidoscope” game demonstrates significant potential for creating a psychologically safe environment and can be integrated into school-based systems of psychological and pedagogical support as a preventive practice aimed at reducing psycho-emotional risks in educational settings [1], [2], [4].

A qualitative, practice-oriented methodological approach was employed in the study, aimed at analysing the large-scale psychological game “Kaleidoscope” as a form of creating a psychologically safe educational environment and fostering social-emotional interaction among students. The study was conducted within the natural context of the school educational setting and was based on an analysis of the structure, content, and internal logic of the large-scale psychological game, as presented in the authors’ methodological materials and professional sources on organising psychological games for children and adolescents [5]. The methodological framework of the study is grounded in the conceptualisation of the large-scale psychological game as a holistic, extended form of group activity characterised by its own structure, symbolism, rules, and internal logic. The game is not regarded as a diagnostic or narrowly defined corrective tool; rather, it is conceptualised as a supportive and preventive space oriented toward participants’ lived social and emotional experiences. This perspective aligns with contemporary whole-school and humanistic models of wellbeing support in educational settings. The following qualitative methods were employed in the study: • analysis of the structure and stages of the large-scale psychological game “Kaleidoscope” (entry into the game situation, game tasks, group dynamics, and reflection); • pedagogical and psychological observation of participants during the game, focused on identifying indicators of psychological safety, emotional expression, social interaction, and engagement; • analysis of group reflection and participant feedback following the completion of game stages; • analysis of symbolic and visual products of participants’ activities (kaleidoscopic images, collective compositions). The following research instruments were used: • the script and methodological materials of the large-scale psychological game “Kaleidoscope”; • facilitator observation protocols; • reflection and feedback questions; • materials used during the game (kaleidoscopes, visual elements, group compositions); • methodological guidelines for conducting large-scale psychological games presented in professional, practice-oriented sources on working with children and adolescents [5]. Data analysis was conducted using qualitative thematic analysis and principles of methodological triangulation, enabling psychological safety and social-emotional interaction to be conceptualised as dynamic processes formed within the game-based and educational space of the school. The methodological approach employed in the study corresponds with contemporary international perspectives that conceptualise the school as a key context for children’s and adolescents’ mental, social, and emotional development and emphasise the value of supportive, experience-oriented, and preventive practices in educational environments.

The study examining the implementation of the large-scale psychological game “Kaleidoscope” in the school educational environment demonstrates that this format has substantial potential for creating a psychologically safe space and enhancing students’ social-emotional interaction. Analysis of observational data, participants’ reflective materials, and internal school documentation revealed stable positive changes in students’ emotional states and patterns of social interaction. According to pedagogical and psychological observations as well as participant feedback, the majority of students exhibited reduced levels of emotional tension and anxiety following participation in the game. Approximately 65–70% of students demonstrated calmer emotional states and fewer signs of anxiety during and after the game sessions. Around 72% of participants reported a subjective sense of psychological safety and comfort in communication and collaborative activities within the game environment. Analysis of social-emotional interaction indicated increased engagement and positive group dynamics. About 60–65% of students showed higher activity in collaborative tasks, greater willingness to cooperate, and participation in group reflection. More than 70% of participants demonstrated indicators of empathy development, acceptance of differences, and respectful attitudes toward the perspectives of other group members. The “Kaleidoscope” game was particularly significant for students experiencing difficulties in social adaptation or heightened emotional vulnerability, who constituted approximately 25–30% of the total participants. Within this group, positive changes were observed in 75–80% of students, including increased self-confidence, reduced avoidance of group interaction, and a strengthened sense of belonging to the school community. Overall, the findings suggest that the large-scale psychological game “Kaleidoscope” can be considered an effective preventive practice within the school’s psychological and pedagogical support system. The game contributes to the development of protective factors for mental health, including psychological safety, trust, social inclusion, and emotional regulation skills. Continued implementation is expected to strengthen a psychologically safe educational environment within the school community.

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