Cooperation for a Lifetime

It is essential that children have positive experiences with exercise and fitness.
Remember how it felt to be the last one picked for gym.  In the following games, this scenario does not happen:

Low Activity Games

Make 11

I use this game when I need time filler.  Groups form in a circle. Groups face each other and at the count of three, put out one hand with a number of fingers extended, trying to reach 11.  The purpose of this game is to get students to work together to figure out how to “make 11.”  The students work at this until they understand the game, then they repeat the game using both hands, trying to total 21 or any other number determined by the teacher.  This game teaches coordination, verbal communication, visual acuity, muscle reaction, and helps students develop their fine motor skills.  It also teaches the concepts of trust, team building, problem solving, and self-control.

Captain Video

Have you ever played the game telephone.  This is similar. The name of this game is derived from the students’ need to use their “special powers” of paying attention to small visual details, such as Superman looking through a wall or Wonder Woman dodging bullets using only her small metal wristbands.

This game is played in a circle, and after the teacher demonstrates how the game works, players face out from the center.  To start, one player (at first, the person demonstrating the game) stands in the middle and taps another player on the back (everyone will be facing outward at this point).  The second player turns around to face the middle to watch the first player, who then makes a simple movement or two before taking the place of the second player in the circle, but now facing in toward the middle.  The second players does not repeat the movement immediately, but goes to a third player in the circle, taps them on the shoulder, and repeats the movements, remembering them to the best of his or her ability.  This goes on from player to player until the last player turns around and is shown the movement(s).  The last player and the first meet in the middle stand back to back, and at the count of three do the movement so players can then see how much the movement has changed.  To finish the game, have the first and last players face each other and at the count of three do the movement again.  No special equipment is needed for this game and it teaches visual acuity, memory, and motor skills development.  It also teaches the concepts of adaptability, self-control, creativity, spontaneity, and following directions.

Moderately active games

Four Corners

There are four corners that players can go to, each of which will be clearly identified with a number from one to four.  One player starts in the middle, closes his or her eyes, and slowly counts to 10 aloud while the other players quietly go to one of the corners.  At this point, the person in the middle will call out the number of a corner.  Everyone who is in that corner joins the middle person.  One of them will be chosen as the new caller.  Everyone can help count.  The process is repeated until either one person or no one is left.  At that point, the game can start again.  The last person that gets called out is the next caller or he/she can choose someone to be the caller for the next game. This game teaches students how to stop quickly and safely, how to keep quiet and it also contributes to the development of fine motor skills and a sense of direction.  The secondary skills include creativity and problem solving.

Cranes and Crows

  To play this game, set up boundaries wide enough for a rectangle to accommodate all players with a middle line (it can be invisible between two markers).  Divide the group into two lines, with the players in each line standing side by side and facing each other over the middle line, two arms’ width apart.  Each group of players has a safety line about 20 feet behind it, parallel to the middle line.  One line of players is the “cranes” and the other is the “crows.”  The games leader or instructor stands at one end of the lines and shouts the names of the lines, “crows,” “cranes,”  or any word beginning with a “c,” or “cr,” such as “chrome,” “cranium,” “cone,” “cat,”  etc.  The reason for using other words that sound like but are not “crows” or “cranes” is to teach the players to listen carefully.  Only when a team’s name is called does it chase the other line and to tag them before they run back to reach their safety line, which is located about 30 feet in back of them, depending on the age and ability level of the group.  Any one who is caught joins the other team, changing from a crane to a crow or vice versa.  The teams then reform their lines in the middle and repeat the process.  It is important to make sure the players are aware of others that are around them so they do not bump into each other.

Active Game Ideas

Blob

This game derives its name from the science-fiction movie called “The Blob,” in which a massive alien organism attempts to take over the earth by devouring and absorbing everything in its path, thus allowing it to grow as it advances.  This game also teaches us that monsters are not always scary and we may have more “animal” in us than we think.

Directions: It is best to play this game in a large area with boundaries.  One student will start out as “The Blob,” and when he or she tags someone, that person joins hands with him or her and they try to catch others together.  When there are at least four, they can split into two blobs.  This repeats until everyone is caught.

The students learn such developmental skills as verbal contact, tactile contact, endurance, balance, visual acuity, visual ability, reaction, and running.  This game also teaches students the concepts of adaptability to change, problem solving, spontaneity, speed, pantomime, self-control, and cooperation.  Furthermore, the game provides children with a great cardiovascular workout.

Oh Deer

Divide group in two, a group of resources, and a group of deer.  Both line up facing each other, and then turn away from each other.  Resources line chooses to be either shelter (hands over head forming a roof,) water (hands on mouth or do the sign for drink or water), food (hands on stomach).  Deer chooses what they need in the same manner.  At a given signal, both groups turn to face each other, then deer run over to the resource that matches the one they have chosen.  If a deer does not find what needs are, it becomes a resource. 

To add excitement, add a third element, mountain lions, who try to eat the deer on their way to get resources; lions could face away from middle to begin also. Oh, Deer develops physical agility as well as mental alertness.  It teaches about survival while also developing such skills as tactile contact, adaptability, self-control, pantomime, visual ability, reaction, speed, and running.

These ideas are merely suggestions. As you continue to work with children, you will decide which games are ideal for your specific group. If you are new to working with children, you will quickly learn that directions must be very specific. Young children are truly an adventure.

Le Fevre, Dale, Best New Games. Human Kinetics. Illinois. 2002.

Cooperative Games

Games are an outlet for fun.  They teach problem solving, cooperation, social development, and  oral language skills.  They are a wonderful addition to any physical fitness program for children. First, they can be used at many skill and age levels.  Second, they require little or no equipment. Third they can be played primarily inside a gym or outside on a small field.  Fourth they teach positive social habits that last for a lifetime. The advantage of cooperative games is that they can eliminate the need for feelings of failure or incompetence.

My article is divided into three sections.  My first games will be good openers for game sessions.  My next section will consist of games that can be played anytime in a session. The last section will be appropriate games that incorporate cool down activities.

Beginning or Warm-up Activities

    Silver and Gold Friends

Players quickly form small groups.  The leader tells them to look at each other and find other team members wearing similar shoes, hair color, eye color, etc. The object of the game is to see who has the most similarities in any given  small group. Students may want to write down the similarities on a sheet of paper and discuss the results with the whole group.

    Webrings

Materials: Ball of yarn

Everyone is seated in a tight circle.  The first person asks a question to another person in the group.  They give the string to that person who in turn answers the question.  The person with the string asks a question to ,another team member and tosses the string to that player.  After everyone has had a turn asking and answering at least one question, wind up the string by problem-solving who will get the string next.  Then roll up the ball.  Continue to roll up the string until there is not any more loose string, and the ball is in its original position. This game teaches players to ask questions of others  that they do not normally associate with.  The goal is to find new friends.

 Anytime games

        Marvelous Multiples:

Materials:

Chairs

Music for musical chairs

This is  just like musical chairs except more than one person may sit on a particular chair after the music has stopped.  This game teaches community and creativity as the players learn how to sit on the same chair without squishing their partner (s).

       Incredible Shrinking Island

Materials: Masking tape, chalk, or gym lines.

This game operates on the same premise as Cooperative Musical Chairs.  Outline a large square on the floor with either masking tape or chalk.  This area is the safe island and the area surrounding the square is the ocean.  When the music begins children "swim" around the island.  The stopping of the music indicates that sharks are coming and  that all players must retreat to the safety of the island.  With each round, the lines are altered making the island smaller and smaller.  Players must work together to make sure everyone has a safe place to get away from the sharks and fit on the “island”.   Chairs also serve well as boundaries for the island if there is space for the people to get into the area. 

      Up, Up and Away!

Materials: Balloons

Blow up one or more balloons depending on the number of players.  The simple goal is to work together and keep the balloon in the air. You can add to the challenge for older children by restricting how they may elevate the balloon  Do not allow them to use their hands, but restrict them to use only their feet.

   Rollifric

Materials: Ball

Form a circle.  Sit down on the floor with feet towards the center of the circle, bodies touching. Place a ball on someone's lap.  The object of the game is to move the ball around the circle as quickly as possible without using hands.  The ball moves from one person's lap to another. Variations: Add more balls, add different size balls, add signals such as "Stop" or "Go,” and reverse directions at the sound of a whistle. 

Monarchy Madness

 Materials: Foam or soft play ball

 Play in a large area, with boundaries.  One player starts with a lightweight ball. Anyone he hits joins the monarchy family.  After one person is hit, the person with the ball cannot run, though those without the ball who  are part of the monarchy can run.  People in the monarchy must use teamwork and pass the ball to catch those who have not yet been hit by the ball.

      Tail Tales or T.T.

Materials: Bright scarf

Players form one long line or train by holding onto the waist of the child in front of them.  The child in the front becomes the head of the group. The child in the rear is the tail , and a colorful scarf is attached into  his back or side pocket. A belt loop in the back of the child may also be used to hold the scarf.  The "head” or first person in the group is to try to catch the scarf flapping behind the "tail.”  The front person may use their hands to catch the scarf.   All players must learn to work together to catch the tail without losing any of the players by running too fast or allowing players to accidentally break from the group.

       Drive He Said

Players form pairs.  One person in front is the car and the person in back is the driver. The car must put his arms up in front of himself in a relaxed fashion.  The car closes his eyes and the driver then guides the car carefully around obstacles such as chairs, tables, or other “cars,” etc.  After a few minutes, both players are asked to stop and the car and driver switch roles.  The second player is the car and the first is the driver.  This teaches trust as the car has no idea where his driver will take him.

Closing or ending games

 Squeezies

The group stands in a circle, holding hands.  The "squeezie" is passed around the circle with a hand squeeze.   For a variation  try two squeezes in opposite directions.  Finally, try the latter with eyes closed.    Another variation can consist of also putting a person in the middle  (with his eyes open ) and have them try to find out who is passing the squeeze.

   Copy Cat

Players sit in a circle.  The leader starts by making a funny or unusual face and “passés” the goofy face to a person next to them who must copy the funny face.  The second person makes a new silly face to pass to a third person, next to them.  Everyone gets a turn making and passing the funny face.

 Games can foster  creativity while teaching students to  work together.  Cooperative games teach mutual acceptance, create encouragement, fun, sharing, kindness, consideration and respect for others.  Studies show that children who regularly participate in cooperative games are three times as often more cooperative with others during free play.  What a wonderful lesson to teach for life.

Suggested References:

Cooperative Games at University of Wisconsin

http://www1.uwex.edu/ces/news/

The Educational Value of Cooperative Games

http://www.usafa.af.mil/dfe/educator/S02/millis0502.htm

Fire starter Activity Guide

http://www.freechild.org/Firestarter/facilitating.htm

Le Fevre, Dale, Best New Games. Human Kinetics. Illinois. 2002.