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Play Power: Games and Activities for Young Children

NEW! NEW! NEW! The popular book is back in a PDF version for your computer!

118 different activities designed to promote motor skill development and fitness in children. This comes to you on a disc in PDF format that you can view on your computer or print out specific activities.

DESCRIPTION: Motor skill development for children is the key to future learning in the preschool and early childhood environment. Presented in an easy to use lesson plan format, this book is over 136 pages long and includes 118 different activities for simple equipment play, parachute play and non-competitive group games. It provides an introduction to important words and phrases in perceptual and sensory motor development activities, a typical lesson outline and how to best use the book's valuable information. Upon ordering, you will receive a disc that contains a PDF version of the original Play Power book (different from the video we offer). Simply place the disc into the disc drive of your computer and, using Adobe software (a free download), you will be able to view the entire book and even print out individual lessons. It has been said; "Thoughts which do not get into muscles, never fully posses the mind."

$15.00 + tax & shipping

WHY IS THERE A NEED FOR THIS TYPE OF BOOK?

It is obvious that today's children benefit by exposure to a variety of learning situations. For sensory and perceptual input to be effective, children need stimulating and challenging experiences appropriate to their developmental level. Perceptual and sensory motor activities are basic to academic skills (reading, writing, spelling, mathematics).

Our goal is to return the focus to each child and his / her individual needs and abilities. We don't compare our differing abilities and past performances. We don't emphasize winning and losing. By eliminating stress associated with competitive sports, it is easy to foster an atmosphere of cooperative play. PLAY POWER is cooperative play consisting of games and activities that the children play together rather than against one another, just for the fun of it! Through this kind of play we learn teamwork, trust, and group unity. The emphasis is on total participation, spontaneity, sharing, the joy of play, acceptance of all players, playing our best, changing rules and boundaries to suit players, and recognizing that every player is important. Therefore, a major benefit of these success oriented activities is self-esteem!

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

Use this as a guide and modify it to your own needs and situation. Have enough confidence in your creativity to teach in a manner that is simple and comfortable for you. You will find that our WORDS THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW is a wonderful resource for carry through and expansion of all lessons. Be prepared to use it frequently.

PLAY POWER OVERVIEW

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

WORDS THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

TYPICAL LESSON OUTLINE

HOW TO GET STARTED

CHAPTER ONE: LOW ORGANIZED GAMES
TITLES OF LOW ORGANIZED GAMES FOUND IN CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION TO LOW ORGANIZED GAMES

CHAPTER TWO: PARACHUTE ACTIVITIES
TITLES OF PARACHUTE ACTIVITIES FOUND IN CHAPTER TWO
INTRODUCTORY LESSON

CHAPTER THREE: SIMPLE EQUIPMENT PLAY
TITLES OF SIMPLE EQUIPMENT PLAY FOUND IN CHAPTER THREE

INTRODUCTION TO BALL PLAY
Activities with BALLS

INTRODUCTION TO ROPE PLAY
Activities with ROPES

INTRODUCTION TO BEAN BAGS
Activities with BEAN BAGS

INTRODUCTION TO HOOPS
Activities with HOOPS

INTRODUCTION TO RHYTHM STICKS
Activities with RHYTHM STICKS

INTRODUCTION TO MAT SKILLS
MAT Activities

HOW TO CLOSE AN ACTIVITY

GAMES THAT REQUIRE LITTLE OR NO EQUIPMENT

TITLES OF LOW ORGANIZED GAMES FOUND IN CHAPTER ONE

ALLIGATORS IN THE SWAMP
ANIMAL PARADE
BARNYARD SALUTATION
BIRTHDAY PARTY
BODY DRILL
CATERPILLARS AND CACOONS
CONFUSION
CROSSING THE SWAMP
"DOGGIE, DOGGIE DROP YOUR BONE"
EXERCISE FAMILY
FIND THE BELL
FRIENDLY MUSICAL
FROGS AND FLIES
GEIGER COUNTER
GHOST CARD
HIT THE DECK
HOCUS POCUS
JACK OR JILL RABBITS GO HOME
LOST SPACESHIP
MERRY MUSICAL HOOPS
MUSICAL BEAN BAGS
NAME BALL GAME
NO NAME BALL GAME
"NO THANK YOU!" BALL
OVER AND UNDER
PASS ‘N COUNT
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN
RODEO ROUND UP
SARDINES
SNICKERS AND HOOTS
SQUIRRELS IN THE TREES
STOP THE MUSIC
TOOTHPICKS
WHISTLE STOP

TITLES OF PARACHUTE ACTIVITIES FOUND IN CHAPTER TWO

ABC'S AND 123'S
ALLIGATOR SNACK TIME
BALL ROLL
BIG GULP
BUMPS
CAT AND MOUSE
CLOSING PARACHUTE LESSON
COLOR SHAKE
CRAB WALK, CAKE WALK
DOORBELL
EXCHANGE PLACES
EYES, EARS, NOSE, CHIN
FAST FOOD GAME
FIND THE GHOSTS
FIND YOUR HOME
FROZEN MUSHROOM
FRUIT SALAD
GOOD NIGHT
INTRODUCTORY LESSON
LIFT: "HI AND HELLO"
LOG ROLLING
MAKE A TENT
MUSHROOM
PARACHUTE CATCH
PARTNERS TOUCH
PASS THE PARACHUTE
POP, POP, POPCORN POP
POP THE BUBBLY
PULL AND RELAX
SHADOW SHOOT
SHAKING THE PARACHUTE
STARFISH
STORY OF THE STORM
TAKE A WALK
TAKE IT IF YOU CAN
TRAVEL
UMBRELLA
VOLCANO
WALK THE LINE
WHOOZ MISSING
YING YANG BALL SHAKE

TITLES OF SIMPLE EQUIPMENT PLAY FOUND IN CHAPTER THREE

ALLIGATOR CRAWL
BEAR WALK
BEGINNING BALL BOUNCING
BEGINNING BALL CATCHING
BEGINNING BEAN BAG TOSS
BOWLING
CIRCLES, TRIANGLES AND SQUARES (with ropes]
CONTINUING PLAY WITH ROPES
CRAB WALK
CREEP
CROSSING THE MIDLINE (with rhythm sticks)
DOG WALK
EGG BEATER (with hoops)
EMPHASIZING BODY PARTS (with hoops)
FLIP THE PANCAKE (with bean bags)
FORWARD ROLL
FROG JUMP
GORILLA WALK
GROUND BALL
HALOS (with hoops)
HOME BODY (with ropes)
HOW TO CLOSE AN ACTIVITY
INCHWORM
INNING AND OUTING (with ropes)
INTRODUCTION TO BALL PLAY
INTRODUCTION TO BEAN BAGS
INTRODUCTION TO HOOPS
INTRODUCTION TO MAT SKILLS
INTRODUCTION TO RHYTHM STICKS
INTRODUCTION TO ROPE PLAY
KEEPING SEQUENCE (with rhythm sticks)
KING COBRA (with ropes)
LAME DOG WALK
LOCOMOTOR ACTIVITIES (with bean bags)
LOG ROLL
MOVEMENT EXPLORATION (with hoops)
MOVEMENT EXPLORATION WITH BODY PARTS (with balls & bean bags)
MOVEMENT EXPLORATION WITH ONE STICK (with rhythm stick)
RABBIT JUMP
ROPE JUMPING STEERING WHEEL (with hoops)
STEPPING STONES (with bean bags)
TAP AND MARCH (with rhythm sticks)

Example Lesson Plan from Chapter 1

ALLIGATORS IN THE SWAMP

SET UP and MATERIALS:
Empty space (indoors or outdoors) with set boundaries. Children need to know how to do ALLIGATOR CRAWL.

PROCEDURE:
One child is in the middle of the empty space lying on stomach as the starter alligator. Remaining children gather around this alligator and touch him shouting on command from the teacher, ALLIGATORS IN THE SWAMP. Children then run within bounds of the alligator space while the alligator does the ALLIGATOR CRAWL trying to touch as many children as he can. Children who are touched become alligators too. Game continues until all children are touched. The last child touched becomes the new starter in the next game.

SPECIFIC GOALS:
Cross laterality
Spatial awareness
Directionality
Vestibular stimulation
Cooperative play
Large motor activity

SUGGESTIONS and VARIATIONS:
This game is effectively played in a space covered by mats as with two or three mats placed side-by-side making a very visible boundary. Children are not to stay on edge of mat for more than three seconds and must always try to run within the bounds of the alligator space. ALLIGATORS IN THE SWAMP can be a nice follow-up to mat practice of the ALLIGATOR CRAWL

Example Lesson Plan from Chapter 2

POP THE BUBBLY

SET UP and MATERIALS:
1. Parachute in available indoor or outdoor space.
2. Children are barefoot (if indoors).

PROCEDURE: 1. Position the children at the seams of the parachute sitting in ready position. The children grasp the parachute with the claw hold grip.
2. Select one child to demonstrate CREEPing on his seam. The teacher explains that by CREEPing around and about on the parachute we will be able to POP THE BUBBLY! However, the entire group must know how to do the CREEP.
3. Several children are given the opportunity to CREEP around and about on the parachute. The children sitting down will need to SHAKE THE PARACHUTE up and down when the teacher says, “Shake!” After two minutes, the teacher calls out Freeze! so that each child on the parachute can return to their spot, sitting in ready position and new children can be selected to CREEP on top of the parachute to POP THE BUBBLY.

SPECIFIC GOAL:
1. Balance
2. Directionality
3. Tactile stimulation
4. Cooperative play
5. Large motor activity

SUGGESTIONS and VARIATIONS:

Example Lesson Plan from Chapter 3

STEPPING STONES

SET UP and MATERIALS:
1. At least two bean bags for each child.
2. Children sit in ready position against one wall facing the opposite wall which will be the other boundary.

PROCEDURE:
1. Sitting in ready position the children see the demonstration.

2. The teacher has one child demonstrate by placing his bean bags about six to eight inches apart on the floor. The teacher explains that the challenge is to move only by stepping on the bean bags which is why this activity is called STEPPING STONES.
3. At the direction "Start!", the children stand on the bean bags with one foot in front of the other. While balancing one foot on the front bean bag, each child will reach behind and pick up the back bean bag and place it six to eight inches in front so that the back foot can now take a step forward.
4. Children travel across the room by repeating this STEPPING STONE pattern. Once the children have reached the far wall or boundary they should return to ready position unless otherwise instructed by the teacher.

SPECIFIC GOAL:
1. Balance
2. Directionality
3. Spatial Awareness

SUGGESTIONS and VARIATIONS:
1. If you have three bean bags for each child, then, the children can easily mark their original starting points and return to it easily.
2. Encourage the children to place the bean bag no farther than the length of a normal step.
3. Moving sideways on the bean bags, the children can "step, together, step" or employ crossing the midline by "cross, step, cross."