Games

Our day was filled with games, games, and more games!  Why do I love games so much you ask?  There are so many things that can be taught with a game and so many ways to incorporate games in your classroom and at your home. We were lucky enough to be invited to the University to participate in a college class called Games and Rhythms.  In this class, university students majoring in education (early childhood and elementary) prepare an hour of games for us.  This year, we had five stations including an obstacle course, a parachute, a relay race, a game involving throwing, catching, and hoping, and a dancing and following directions station.  At the end, they provide us with a small puppet show.  Upon arrival, we spent some time relaxing after our trip.  As we engaged in play for the little time we had left before lunch the eleven children we had all engaged in more ……(you guessed it)GAMES!  Children broke themselves up in groups and we had three different games going on at the same time!  At lunch we spent time reflecting about our day and the children were talking about how we can recreate the games we saw at the University at our school. 

Games can help children with the following skills:

• turn taking
• following directions
• listening
• counting
• analyzing
• interacting and building relationships with adults and children
• reading
• gross motor and fine motor skills

 

How can you incorporate a “game” night at your house?  What might you need to make this happen?  Do you have a game your family has made up you’d like to share? If you already have a game night, what are your favorite games? For teachers: What games are you classes favorites? Currently some of our classroom favorites include Apples to Apples (Jr), Sorry, Trouble, Monopoly (Jr), and card games (Go Fish, Garbage, Phase Ten, Slap Jack, War)!

Until next time!

-AIH