Great Games for Young Children: Over 100 Games to Develop Self-Confidence, Problem-Solving Skills, and Cooperation

As I was setting up for a staff development workshop one night, I overheard one teacher tell another about a little girl who’d had a terrible crying jag over being eliminated from a game of Simon Says. The second teacher clucked in sympathy and the conversation moved on from there. There was no discussion of the fact that perhaps the game should be modified in the future so it didn’t make children feel bad—that the intention of a game is to have fun.
You’ve witnessed it yourself, I’m sure: Children chosen last for teams; children sitting against the wall, watching forlornly as their classmates continue to play Hot Potato without them; and children who engage in the most atrocious behaviors to ensure they’re not the ones eliminated from a game of Musical Chairs—Rae Pica, author of the new book Great Games for Young Children
The games in this book provide benefits for the whole child, meaning each game benefits all three domains of child development: cognitive, social/emotional, and physical. These new and classic games, each with a noncompetitive twist, are sure to get children up and moving. You’ll find everything you need to know to play over 100 great games, including outside games, musical games, circle games, concept games, and cooperative games. Perfect for rainy days, sunny days, and every day, each game in this book offers heart rate raising, team-building, friend-filled fun!
Rae Pica has been a movement education consultant for 25 years. She is nationally known for her lively workshops and keynote speeches and has shared her expertise with such groups as the Sesame Street Research Department, the Head Start Bureau, Gymboree Play & Music Centers, The Centers for Disease Control, and Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues. She lives in New Hampshire.