GROUP GAMES ECE: Art, Music, and Language Arts

Slow and fast Slow - lift the parachute up and down together slowly. Fast - shake the parachute quickly Freeze Needs music with stops in it - shake chute and freeze when music stops. Vary by having a child or teacher bang a drum for "music". PARACHUTE GAMES develop gross motor skills, coordination, moving and thinking and muscle development. Social skills are also enhanced with teamwork and cooperation. Parachute Games Popcorn Throw beanbags on the chute. Children shake to make them jump like popcorn. Vary by using white cotton-balls instead of beanbags Beach ball Put a beach ball on the parachute, all hold chute and try and bounce it and keep it on *Materials Needed: Parachute, music, beach ball, bean bags.

Players are in pairs. “It” gives a direction, such as “back-to- back” and the pairs touch each other on that body part. Other examples would be, “foot-to-foot” or “nose-to-nose.” When “It” says, “CHANGE!” everybody, including “It” finds a new partner. Let each child have a turn being “it”. Back-to-Back *No materials needed

Touch Blue — When the leader says, “Touch Blue,” all players find something blue to touch, either on someone else or in the room. Continue with different colors.Variations — Have something, such as a bell that any player can come up and shake to be the leader. Also, the players could continue to touch the first color while doing a second, getting everyone all tangled up! Touch ‘blue’ *No materials needed

Musical Carpets — Carpet squares (1 per child) are placed randomly on the floor. These are “stones” in the “river.” When the music is played, the players hop from stone to stone, but must freeze when the music stops. As a transition idea, you could, prior to the game, tape a picture to the bottom of each carpet square, and ask each child, one at a time, to turn over their carpet and talk about the picture; then go on to the next activity. Another idea if you have movement mats (some type of movement like job, jumping jacks, etc.) to use those and when the music stops the children find a mat, choose a child and have them say what is on their movement mat, they then have to do that movement until the music stops again and the next child’s mat is picked. Musical Carpets *Materials needed: Movement mats Carpet squares Music CD

Played with homemade pins (such as dish soap containers) can be great for counting, scorekeeping, problem solving (What is the best configuration for setting up pins to maximize the number that will fall?) Don’t tell children how to keep score, they will come up with their own ideas, which then will clue you in to their number concepts! Bowling *Materials needed: Pins Blowling ball Paper to ‘keep score’

Hot Potato Have the children sit in a circle. Have a “potato” or some type of stuffed animal (I used a fish during ocean week) and have the children start passing it around the circle when the music plays. When the music stops whoever is holding the potato is ‘out’ and the circle gets smaller. Play until only one child is left. Children will soon learn that they need to pass it quickly, but carefully. This also helps to teach about taking turns. The kids usually do not like it when they are ‘out’, but this games helps to enforce following rules, and then they can encourage their friends who are still in the game. *Materials Needed: Some type of “potato” Music CD

Have the children hold hands and stand in a long line. Hold the child’s hand at the front of the line and move them in zigzags, spirals, and all around as the others follow behind. *See if the “head” of the snake can catch the “tail.” Sneaky Snake ourses&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fcontent%2Fcont entWrapper.jsp%3Fcontent_id%3D_239252_1%26displayNam e%3DLinked%2BFile%26course_id%3D_3632_1%26navItem% 3Dcontent%26attachment%3Dtrue%26href%3Dhttp%253A% 252F%252Fwww.drjean.org%252F *No materials needed

Children form a circle and one child is chose to be “it. “It” walks around the outside of the circle saying “duck” as he or she touches each player on the head. Players squat down as they are tapped. If “it” touches a child and says “goose,” that child must chase “it” around the circle before “it” can get back to “goose’s” place. If “it” is caught, he or she must sit in the center of the circle. “Goose” then becomes “it” and the game continues. *Adapt this game to different holidays. For example you could do “bat-bat-witch” in October. ourses&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fcontent%2Fcont entWrapper.jsp%3Fcontent_id%3D_239252_1%26displayNam e%3DLinked%2BFile%26course_id%3D_3632_1%26navItem% 3Dcontent%26attachment%3Dtrue%26href%3Dhttp%253A% 252F%252Fwww.drjean.org%252F Duck, Duck, GOOSE! *No materials needed

*Ball Relays– Have the children pass a ball over their heads and under their legs. The last person runs to the front of the line and continues passing over and under. When the first person is in his or her original position, their team wins the game. Relays where children must dribble a ball, kick a ball, or throw a ball into a target can also be played Various other types of relay games are also available. Have children go from one end to other until the next person can go. Teaches taking turns, patience, and encouraging teammates/ good sportsman ship towards other team. Relay Games *Materials needed: Balls size that would fit easily between legs, but not too small.

Doggie, Doggie Doggie Doggie where’s your bone? Have the children start by sitting in a circle. Have one child be a “doggie” in the middle of the circle. Have the doggie “go to sleep” by hiding his/her face so they are not looking. Give the bone to a child sitting in the circle. Have all of the children sit the same way with their hands behind their back or in their lap so the bone is hidden. Have the children sing Doggie Doggie where’s your bone? Somebody took it from your home. Wake up doggie! Then the doggie opens his/her eyes and goes to three friends to see if they have the bone by “barking” at them. The child shows his/her hands and if they have the bone or not. After three chances if the bone is not guessed say who took your bone? And at that time the child with the bone reveals it, and then they become the next Dog. The toy bone can be anything(I have played where there was actually a stuffed bone specifically made for this game) maybe also easy to make one out of felt. *Materials needed: A “bone”

I hope to buy a book like this oneday! From: early-childhood