Hobbies And Interests
Name Games
Young children sit in a circle and ask the name of the child on their left. They then join hands and go around the circle, lifting up the hand of the child on their left and introducing them: ̶0;This is my friend, Sam.̶1; After going around the circle, play the game in reverse, with each child introducing the child on the right. For older children, have them think up an adjective that starts with the same sound as their name, for example, ̶0;Jolly Jenny.̶1; Go around the circle, with each child saying their name plus the names of the children that came before. The children can give each other hints and encouragement to help with remembering. Then go around the circle the other way or have each child name everyone in the circle.
Continuum
The children can get to know each other by organizing themselves according to a category, such as birthdays. They can line themselves up, January to December. Children with birthdays in the same month can organize further by date. You can have them line up alphabetically or by the color of the shirt they̵7;re wearing. Add a difficulty factor by having them communicate non-verbally. Try to stay away from categories that emphasize accomplishments. For example, with children on a baseball team, don̵7;t ask them to organize according to the number of home runs they̵7;ve made.
Change the Leader
The leader begins with an action, such as clapping hands or snapping fingers. Everyone follows what the leader is doing, and the leader can change the activity whenever she wants. At any time, the leader non-verbally makes someone else the leader. This can be done with a wink or a nod, a smile or a lift of the eyebrows. That person can then change the activity, until leadership is passed on to a new person. See how long it takes the group to realize there is a new leader to follow. Kids develop non-verbal communication skills by paying attention to find out who the new leader is and whose actions should be followed.
Ha
Have the children lie on the floor, in zigzag fashion, with the backs of their heads on the tummy of another person. Make sure all the kids are comfortable with this kind of contact. The kids close their eyes. Then the first child says ̶0;Ha.̶1; The next child should feel the rise and fall of the first child̵7;s tummy. That child will then say ̶0;Ha Ha.̶1; Down the line, each child takes a turn after they feel the rise and fall of the tummy they have their heads on, adding another ̶0;Ha̶1; each time. See how long they can do this before they are rolling on the floor with laughter.