going I'm on a trip 1-8-08 Outcomes: break the ice, learn names, word association, concentration, a clear understanding of the alphabet, concentration, language, memorization, social integration, cooperation, listening skills. Description: The class sits in a circle. The first participant says, "My name is _____ and I'm bringing a/an _____." The object being brought should start with the same letter as the person's name. The next person repeats the previous person's name and object then comes up with his or her own. The next person, starting at the first person in the circle says all previous participants names and objects. Personal Reaction: I have played this game before but I still liked it. It really helped me learn my classmates' names. I remembered more than I thought I would. It annoyed me when people didn't pay attention and slowed the game down. This game could be playing with students with disabilities and should be played with students 8 years and older.
Imaginative Transformation 1-10-08 Outcomes: use of imagination, non literal thinking, creative, memory, level of acceptance for change, improvisation, turn-taking, patience, sharing, sense of humor, language, abstract thinking. Description: The class sits in a circle and passes a pen around. Each person, upon receiving the pen, "transforms" the pen. He or she claims the pen is something other then a pen. Personal Reaction: I thought this game was interesting, it revealed a lot about my fellow classmates and their thoughts. This game seemed to take a really long time, I think it would have been better that after everyone in the circle finished the object was replaced with something else to transform from. This game could be played with students 5 years and older and is suitable for children with disabilities.
Pass the Squeeze 1-10-08 Outcomes: motor skills, patience, ability to multi-task, self-confidence, cooperation, concentration, trust, body control, focus. Description: The class stands in a circle and one person starts by squeezing the person's hand who stands beside him or her. That person then passes the queeze around the circle. Personal reaction: I thought this game was very fun. It involved little risk but I feared that my hand twitched subconsciously and I had ruined the game a few times. Fortunately, this didn't happen. This game would be appropriate for children seven years and older.
Fruit Basket 1-10-08 Outcomes: listening, memory, body awareness, gross motor skills, following directions, focus. Description: designate each person in the class to be certain fruits (apples, oranges, bananas). Stand in a circle and call out one or more names of the fruits. When the name of the fruit that the person is, they must run out of their original spot into another one. Personal reaction: This game was fun and I enjoyed getting out of my seat. I'm glad there was no standing in the middle, out, or losing. I feel this game is appropriate for children ages five and up. If the game were to be used with younger children or bigger classes, chairs could be used to maintain order.
Pass the Snap 1-10-08 Outcomes: fine motor skills, coordination, ability to make eye contact, sharing, cooperation, inclusion, patience, imagination, memorization, ability to recognize and use nonverbal communication. Description: Everyone stands in a circle and one person starts by making a large arm motion then snapping towards one person, that person then does it to another and so on and so on. Personal Reaction: This game was surprisingly slow moving for college students, it was fun and almost challenging. This game would be suitable for eight year olds and higher.
Kitty Wants a Corner 1-15-08 Outcomes: verbal and nonverbal communication, strategy, following rules, ability to walk, take initiative, self control, patience, honesty, memory, call and response, sportsmanship. Description: Class stands in a circle and one student goes around and asks the others, one at a time, "kitty want a corner?" others run and exchange spots while the person in the circle tries to get into a spot. Personal reaction: our class was not very active, took a lot to warm up and take any risks. Some adaptations for exceptional students would be to do it in slow motion or have the kids skip. This game would be good for students six years and up.
Scream/Heads Up Heads Down 1-15-08 Outcomes: nonverbal communication, feel comfortable with group, risk taking, social skills, follow the rules, self-control, voice control, commitment, honesty, listening. Description: everyone in stands a close circle with their heads down. Everyone looks up and makes eye contact with someone, if two people look at each other at the same time they must scream and leave the circle. Personal Reaction: This game as exciting and a good ice breaker. It would be acceptable for children five or six years or older. This would be a good game for special ed students with physical impairments or with some speech problems.
Darling if You Love Me 1-17-08 Outcomes: acting, self control, risk taking, self esteem, memory, patience, following directions, physical skills, focus. Description: The class stands in a circle and one person in the middle goes around to the other students and says, "darlin' if you love me will you please, please smile?" and tries to make the other person laugh. The other person must answer, "Darlin' you know I love you but I just can't smile." If they do laugh or smile they must switch places and stand in the middle. Personal reaction: This game was very hard and nerve racking. I did not like it very much it caused me a lot of anxiety. It would be appropriate for students from seven years up. It would work with students with physical disabilities.
Wink Murder 1-24-08 Outcomes: eye contact, trust, honesty, body awareness, ability to wink, deductive reasoning, problem solving, creativity in dying/killing, strategy, timing. Description: Everyone stands in a circle and facilitator walks around the outside and swipes the hand of whoever is to be the murderer. Everyone walks around the class and the murderer winks at his victims who wait 5 seconds then pretend to die. The remaining students have to guess who the murderer is. Personal reaction: this game was suspenseful and fun. It was hard for me to have the courage to accuse anyone of being the murderer. This game would be good for eight year olds and older.
Digits/20 1-24-08 Outcomes: patience, listening, counting, anticipation, patterning, repetition, strategy, participation, spontaneity, team-work, focus, risk, timing, courage. Description: The class stands in a circle and one at a time they collectively count to twenty. Personal reaction: This game was very fun and exciting, it was quite difficult but once we achieved it, we were able to do it again much easier. This game would be good for children seven years and older.
Who Started the Motion? 1-29-08 Outcomes: cooperation, focus, creativity, strategy, courage, follow directions, listening, nonverbal communication, honesty, risk-taking, imitation, self control, deductive reasoning, secret keeping, hand-eye coordination. Description: Have one person go outside then a person in the class starts any motion. The person outside the room comes in then watches as the one person who started the motion ties to change it secretly. The excluded person tries to guess who started the motion. Personal reaction: This game was very fun, it was harder than I thought it was going to be. It would be appropriate for children 7-8 years and older.
Sound and Motion 1-29-08 Outcomes: concentration, patience, creativity, focus, courage, imitation, working as a group, multi-tasking, listening, nonverbal communication, risk-taking, self-control, deductive reasoning, secret keeping, hand eye coordination. Description: The class stands in a circle and does the "wave" with any motion. Personal reaction: this game was fun and creative, it would be appropriate for five years olds and up.
Free Association 1-29-08 Outcomes: spontaneity, risk taking, vocabulary, courage, listening, creativity, prior knowledge, being able to associate, being able to let go of justification, focus, patience. Description: Class stands in a circle and one person says any word and the next person says the first thing that comes to mind, go around in a circle with th. Personal reaction: this game was very revealing and funny. I had fun playing it. Children 8/9 and up could play this.
Rabbit-Donkey-Elephant 1-31-08 Outcomes: memory, quickness, focus, reflexes, listening, self-control, creativity, strategy, teamwork, multi-tasking, counting, cooperation, pantomime, Description: class stands in circle with one person in the middle who shouts out either Rabbit, donkey, or elephant. The students who is standing in front of this person must make the nose or of whatever animal is said and the two person on either side make the ears. If "donkey" is said no one must move or laugh. Personal reaction: this game was very fun but slow moving. It would be good for students 7 and older.
What are you Doing? 1-31-08