INTRODUCTION...

1.  FIRST, ESTABLISH A SENSE OF COMMUNITY
Consider focusing at the 'BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR'-on Getting to Know You. Each day, help children  develop a sense of community.  This can be an extended to a long-range project based on children's interests and input.
 
2.  Encourage students to explore the unique qualities of themselves and of others. Have kids examine their current personal interests such as their “favorite" foods, colors, and activities. Have them think about their family tree and history, cultural backgrounds, etc.
 
3.  Help children identify similarities and differences between people. Highlight the commonalities among people and point out how Variety is the Spice of Life. You can do this by using analogies in the natural world; by referring to the numerous types of animals that exist within a species, such as different kinds of dogs (or flowers).

4.  Provide many opportunities for cooperative learning.

Note: A small number of children exhibit signs of difficulty adjusting to the start of the school year; most of those difficulties are short-lived and come at predictable times in a child's life -- at the start of kindergarten or first grade, in a change to a new school, or during the passage from one level of school to another.

Categories that are a great resource for the 'Beginning of the year'!

• Beginning School Year Activities/Ideas! Most catetgories linked together...
• Connecting Kids all year long
• Connecting Program Staff to Families
• Newsletter Tips and Articles
• Ideas to include on your 'Wish Lists'
• Doing the Days of September
• Autumn/Fall and Back to School Display Board Ideas

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MAKE TRAVELING FUN!!! TIPS, GAMES, BOOKS, IDEAS...

BETTER FAMILY VACATIONS
Everyone dreams of a perfect family vacation. There will be a lot of together time with family members enjoying themselves. Everyone will find time to relax and unwind, and everyone will come back refreshed. Yet anyone who has ever taken a family vacation has discovered that they're far from perfect and that you never know what to expect. If you plan carefully, however, you can create better family vacations in which everyone comes home with fond memories.
Try it...
 

FOR ALL PARENTS
Adjust your expectations for family vacations. Instead of thinking of them as time to relax, think of them as family time where you may need to work a bit to bring the family together. (You can always take time off for yourself to unwind at another time.)

Get everyone's input on possible family vacations and activities. Your getaways will be more successful if everyone is involved in the planning from early on. Make sure the kids have a good say in what is planned, where you go, and the activities you want to do (and want to avoid). You may even need to plan one favorite activity per person so that everyone gets the chance to do something he or she really wants and the rest of the family can get to know that family member better.

If you're divorced, be careful not to get your children caught in the cross hairs of competing vacations. Some kids think it's too much to go on two vacations (one with dad's family and another with mom's family) because it keeps them away from their friends too long. Balance your children's needs along with your own.

Be realistic about budgets. Family vacations can get expensive rather quickly. If your kids want spending money, let them know their budget before you go.

If you have kids in two different age groups (such as a preschooler and a young adolescent), find activities that both enjoy, such as swimming or water parks. Also let each child choose an activity he or she really wants to do and have the whole family go along and enjoy that activity.

Consider vacations with different goals. One year have a vacation that's about relaxing and being together. Another time have a vacation that's more adventuresome, where you're exploring a national park or a major city. Another time, consider taking a family service trip during which your family volunteers and helps others. 

Whenever you take a family vacation, remember to expect the unexpected, have a sense of humor, and be open to surprise and discovery. This will help you keep your balance and your sanity!

This article is from MVParents.com To find simple, practical, and proven ways to help your kids succeed visit their website! It's a great site to both visit and subscribe!

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FOR PARENTS OF KIDS 6-9

Pack a traveling bag with activities that kids can do while traveling and on vacation. Include blank tablets, washable markers, puzzle and activity books, playing cards, handheld video games, books to read, and so on.
 
Consider putting away several new activities (such as a new card game, puzzle, or board game) and wrapping it like a present. When kids get bored, bring out a present for them to open and discover.
 
Be intentional about playing together as a family while you're on vacation. The best part of a family vacation is being together and having fun together.

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FOR PARENTS WITH YOUTH 10-15
 
Encourage your teenager to bring a friend. This often will raise your teenager's enthusiasm level greatly.
 
You may need to rethink and redefine a family vacation for this age group. Don't be surprised if your teenager is more enthusiastic about taking a trip to see a favorite music group, go to an amusement park, or visit a first-class water park.
 
Consider taking two or three shorter vacations instead of one longer vacation. Sometimes teenagers are more agreeable to short getaways (so they don't miss much time with their friends) than long ones.
From MVParents.com

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TRAVELING FUN IN THE CAR!

 

 

1. WHAT CAN YOU TAKE TO KEEP KIDS BUSY?

This is what Cassie in Michigan does when traveling in the car, plane or train with her grandchildren!
 
I give my grandchildren things like pipe cleaners, stickers and paper, aluminum foil (they mold it into whatever they want), scotch tape and post-it-notes, band aids (by the time you get somewhere they may be wearing the entire box--and that's OK if it keeps them happy! With this--you won't later find melted crayons on your back seat! 

2. Depending on the age of your children-- you can add:

•Books to read as well as age appropriate activity books, comic books and sticker books
•Threading sets (pictures with yarn)
•Magnetic Travel-size games such as Monopoly, Sorry, Battleships, Chess, Backgammon, Checkers, and Chinese Checkers
•Travel-size Magna- Doodle and Etch-a-Sketch
•Small Lego sets in Ziploc bag to store the pieces  
•Travel Desk sets
•Wipe of easels (white-board) with board markers
•Miniature worlds: little houses, etc. with figures, hand-sized playsets
•Small magnetic puzzles 
•Small wind-up toys
•Decks of Cards such a "Go-Fish" and regular...
•Miniature cars--sold in portable sets
•Small sets of plastic figures such as dinosaurs and animals
•Yarn and string for finger knitting and making Cat's Cradle, etc.
•Blank Paper for Tic Tac Toe and Hangman
•Hand-held toys with the sound turned off
•DVD players-and favorite movies
•CD players
•Handheld electronic games
•A map to mark follow and mark off--how about a compass too!
•And of course...favorite snacks!!!

The aluminum foil that Cassie suggests is great! Kids can mold it into anything they want! Challenge them to come up with something really creative such as crowns, animal shapes, masks, jewelry, a headband and more...

 

3. AN ACTIVITY SET  MADE TO TRAVEL... along the same lines--game and activity sets have been made and packaged for travel.  Fun travel games are great for keeping kids occupied on long trips. You can put your own travel box (such as above ideas) -- or purchases a kit such as shown--this one includes travel games for kids of all ages; checkers, car bingo, solitaire games, tangrams, doodle board, license plate games, and more. This one at about $13.99 comes with magnets, dice, a dry erase pen and double sided activity cards. idea/and above photo from Family Travel Gear...

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4. DON'T FORGET THE BOOKS!  Check out the Book List in Summer Reading and the bottom of this page. There is an excellant list of books for kids and teens to read during 'ROAD TRIPS'!

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5. "MAKE OF CAR" SCAVENER HUNT

Materials: List of cars, pencil and lots of time, time, time...
Players: Small to medium groups

Here's a game for the kids to play on that next long car ride. It's a car scavenger hunt and here's a list to get you started.
Print this list and have players mark off which cars they have spotted.
If there are several players, take turns as to who marks off the next car that you pass or that passes you--or make a copy for each child!

• Accord
• Aerostar
• Alero
• Astro
• Audi
• Aurora
• Blazer
• BMW
• Bonneville
• Camaro
• Camry
• Caprice
• Caravan Caravel
• Cavalier
• Celebrity
• Cherokee
• Cirrus
• Civic
• Concord
• Contour
• Corolla
• Corsica
• Cougar
• Dakota
• Denali Escort
• Excursion
• Excursion
• Expedition
• Explorer
• Galant
• Grand Prix
• Hummer
• Infiniti
• Interpid
• Intregue
• Jimmy
• Kia Laredo
• Lexus
• Lincoln
• Lumina
• Mazda
• Mercedes
• Montana
• Monte Carlo
• Mustang
• Mystique
• Navigator
• Park Avenue
• Pathfinder
• PT Cruiser
• Probe
• Ram
• Ranger
• Sable
• Safari
• Saturn
• Silhouette
• Silverado
• Suburban
• Sunbird
• Sunfire
• Tahoe
• Taurus
• Tempo
• Tracer
• Tracker
• Transport
• Towncar
• Venture
• Villager
• Volkswagen
• Voyager
• Windstar

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 6.  PLAY 'COLORED CAR' GAME

Have kids look for cars of a certain color. Be sure to play along with them too. You can time the game so that the person who has spotted the most cars of a certain color wins.

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7. A - Z BACK-SEAT TRAVELS: A way to keep kids occupied while LONG TRIP traveling...

 Need:
1 small notebook
1 large zipper- seal plastic bag
A pen or pencil
Crayon or markers
 
What to do:
1. Before you go on the trip, write name, the place you are going to, and the date that you are leaving on the cover of the notebook.
 
2. At the top of each page, write one letter of the alphabet, beginning with A and ending with Z.
 
3. Place the notebook, pencil, and crayons in the plastic bag and take them on the trip with you.
 
4. As you travel, look for special landmarks or things and write their name next to the appropriate letter. For example, lake would be written on the "page with "L" at the top.
 
5. Draw a picture of that item on the page, and color the picture with the crayons.

You can use blank pages at the end of the book as a travel diary, detailing everything you saw and did on the trip.

Kids will have a full book of vacation memories!

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8. HOW FAR AWAY IS THAT ________?
Pick an object in the distance and have everyone guess how far away it is. Set your odometer and clock it!

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9. PLAY 'RYHME THAT WORD'!

• Think of words.
• Children take turns seeing how many “real” rhyming words they can think of.
• When one word is worn out, choose another word. Remind the kids to use “nice” words only!
• Example: Rhyme words with “time”...
  Chime, climb, crime, dime, grime, I’m, lime, mime, prime rhyme, thyme, slime, bedtime, centime, daytime, enzyme, lifetime, mealtime, meantime, nighttime, pastime, ragtime, sometime, springtime, sublime, maritime, overtime, pantomime, paradigm

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 10. SINGING CAN BE FUN on long car rides. Turn off the DVD'S, CD's and radio --and pick a few of your children's favorite songs and sing them. Try to get the kids involved, taking turns singing the songs in your funniest voices.

For 1 cent to $10.76-- Amazon.com has "ALL-AMERICAN CAR-I-OKE". Yes, karaoke for the car! It'a a kit including a book of 15 great family sing-along tunes and activities galore, an accompanying CD of music, and three booklets of lyrics for the back seat and the way-back.

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11. THREE NOUNS

1. Think up three nouns.
2. Everyone takes turns creating a sentence with those three nouns. 3. Alternate the noun giver and sentence makers.
         An example for the nouns: Orange, dog, store
         "The DOG is happy because
          ORANGE colored chew bones
          are stocked at the STORE."

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12. How about putting together a "TRAVELING SCAVENGER HUNT"?  Will you be traveling in the city, on a highway, or in the country? Adjust your list to the places your trip will take you...then...make identical lists for each player. (You join in too!) The first to spot the item gets to cross it off of the list!

 Ideas:

• Maple tree
• 3 kids in the back seat of a car 
• flasing red light
• Person on a bike
• Lady walking and wearing a hat
• Dog 
• Seafood restaurant,
• Coney Island Restaurant,
• Stuffed animal or doll in a back-seat car window
• Motorcycle
• Man with white hair driving a car
• Trailer being pulled behind a car
• Church with a steeple, etc.
• Rail road tracks, etc.
• A lake, river, stream or pond
• A sign that says "Welcome to the State of ________"

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13. Get ready for your trip by making LITTER BAGS FOR THE CAR!

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14. LEARN TO SING THE ABC'S BACKWARDS!  Who can do it first?!!
Why? Just for the fun of it!
Have cards with the alphabet and point to the letters starting with "Z" and go from there...
Z Y X W V U T S R Q P O N M L K J I H G F E D C B A

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15. This one will keep the kids quiet for awhile! CHOCOLATE FACE
Have the kids place a piece of chocolate candy in their mouth--- and see how long it takes to melt! No sucking and chewing it! The one to keep the chocolate in their mouth the longest is the winner.
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SOME OLDIES BUT GOODIES!

#16. 20 QUESTIONS 
One person picks something to be, such as a famous person or an animal, and then the rest of the passengers ask 'yes or no questions' until someone guesses who the person has chosen to be.
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17. I'M GOING ON A TRIP (OR PICNIC OR WHATEVER)... This game is good for one play-- until they learn the trick

The leader (lets say Sarah) starts by saying, "I'm going on a trip and I'm bringing a sun hat." Each person in turn responds with an appropriate traveling item. "I'm going on a trip and I'm bringing _____." Leader confirms by saying "Yes, you can bring ____" or "No, you can't bring that" or something similar.

The Trick:
The first letter of the item they bring must match the first letter of their first name. So Leslie can also bring lotion or lipstick. Paul can bring pants.
Note: This is one of the easier trick games to figure out, so be sure to remind players not to tell the secret. Don't give hints. Kids love figuring this stuff out on their own.

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 18. ROCK PAPER SCISSORS…

"Rock" is a fist..."Paper" is a flat hand...and "Scissors" are the pointer and middle fingers making snipping motions. Partners shake their fists three times---and then show their chosen motion on the count of three. Winning hands are decided as follows:

Rock breaks/dulls scissors... Scissors cuts paper... Paper covers rock.

Play three or 5 times...and see who has the most wins. This is also a good method to see who goes "first" in games.
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19. I SPY

One person says "I spy with my little eye, something that is _______ (name a color)". Then others try to guess what the object is and the one who guesses it takes the next turn.

With older kids instead of this I Spy -- Play I'M THINKING OF: The leader looks about the area and says, "I'm thinking of something that is the color_________. Say what the color it is. Children guess what they think it may be. Winner is the next leader.

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20. GUESS THE NUMBER GAME

The leader picks a number within a range and players try to guess the number. Example: Leader says, "I'm thinking of a number between one and 50". Leader can say "higher or lower-- as the children guess. Correct number guess is the next leader.

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21. WHO CAN?
Can your kids...

•Roll their tongue (85% of people can). 
•Wiggle their ears; wiggle their nose.
•Show they are double jointed.
•Touch their ear with their elbow (I don't think anyone can!).
•Whistle (can they whistle by blowing both in and out?).
•Twiddle thumbs (try to do it in both directions at same time!).
•Rub their stomach and pat head at same time.
•Make owl hoots with clasped hands.
•Make a popping sound with hand tapping their puckered large "O" shaped mouth.

How about you? Can you???

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TIP: If a child is starting to become a challenge, put him/her in charge of a game or go first. It often will change the behavior.

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22. WHAT AM I COUNTING?
Have one person start counting aloud an object in everyone's view: Windows, white shirts, shoes, etc. Who can guess what the person is counting?

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23. CATEGORIES
Choose a category such as animals, vehicles, countries or food. Each person is to name something that belongs to that group. Challenge players to work in A to Z order: ant, bee, cow. Or, you can name items like hammer, saw, level and the child responds with "tools."

One more option is to have each word begin with the last letter of the previous word: Japan, Netherlands, Somalia, etc.

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GOOD 'ROAD TRIP' SONGS...

"99 BOTTLES OF BEER"
is a traditional song in the United States and Canada. It is popular to sing on long trips, as it has a very repetitive format which is easy to memorize, and can take a long time to sing.If the 'Beer' lyric bothers you--substitute the word 'milk'  or 'pop' (meaning soft drink/soda)

The lyrics are simple:

Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall, Ninety-nine bottles of beer.
Take one down, pass it around, Ninety-eight bottles of beer on the wall.

The same verse is repeated, each time with one less bottle. The song is completed when the singer or singers reach zero.

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THE ANTS GO MARCHING ONE BY ONE...

The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching one by one,
The little one stops to suck his thumb
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching two by two,
The little one stops to tie his shoe
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching three by three, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching three by three, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching three by three,
The little one stops to climb a tree
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching four by four, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching four by four, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching four by four,
The little one stops to shut the door
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching five by five, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching five by five, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching five by five,
The little one stops to take a dive
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching six by six, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching six by six, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching six by six,
The little one stops to pick up sticks
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching seven by seven, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching seven by seven, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching seven by seven,
The little one stops to pray to heaven
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching eight by eight, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching eight by eight, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching eight by eight,
The little one stops to shut the gate
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching nine by nine, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching nine by nine, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching nine by nine,
The little one stops to check the time
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching ten by ten, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching ten by ten, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching ten by ten,
The little one stops to say "THE END"
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

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FOR KIDS & TEENS...
GOOD ROAD TRIP READS!!!

• The Daring Book for Girls
Andrea J. Buchanan

• The Dangerous Book for Boys
Conn Iggulden
Equal parts droll and gorgeous nostalgia book and heartfelt plea for a renewed sense of adventure in the lives of boys and men

• The Everything Kids' Travel Activity Book: Games to Play, Songs to Sing, Fun Stuff to Do - Guaranteed to Keep You Busy the Whole Ride! (Everything Kids Series) Erik A. Hanson

• RandMcNally Kids' Road Atlas (Backseat Books) Kristy McGowan
Rand McNally's Backseat Books® series is your source for fighting those boredom blues. Kids' Road Atlas features real road maps, great travel games, state-by-state puzzles, state facts (including the nickname, capital, flower, tree, and bird), an index, and much, much more. An answer key is also included...

• The Everything Kids' States Book: Wind Your Way Across Our Great Nation (Everything Kids Series) Brian Thornton

• Where's Waldo? The Ultimate Travel Collection (Waldo) Martin Hanford.
The essential travel companion! Now Waldo can wander everywhere his fans do, thanks to a compact bind-up of five classic adventures. Waldo seekers young and old won’t want to hit the road without this paperback compilation of his world-famous excursions.

• Frommer's National Parks with Kids (Park Guides) Kurt Repanshek
Millions of families visit the national parks annually.
We sent our author out to hit the trails and campsites to figure out how to beat the crowds and enjoy an unspoiled family experience of nature.

• Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
This Newbery Honor book is a dramatic, heart-stopping story of a boy who, following a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness must learn to survive with only a hatchet and his own wits. Ages 12-up. ...

• This is Texas by Miroslav Sasek
Following the runaway bestsellers This is New York and This is Paris, Universe is pleased to reissue another title from M. Sasek's beloved and nostalgic children's travel series.

• A Kid's Guide to Washington, D.C.: Revised and Updated Edition Inc Harcourt
For children on school trips or traveling with their families, here is kid-friendly information about popular monuments, museums, exhibits, shopping, sporting events--and even day trips outside the immediate metropolitan area. Originally published in 1989, this handy guide now features completely updated text and photographs, along with the puzzles, games, and wonderful tidbits

• Road Trip Trivia: A Big Book of Backseat Brainteasers (Klutz)
It is a truth universally acknowledged that backseat occupants on a trip of any duration are in serious peril of dying of boredom. Just ask them. Klutz has addressed this crisis before with gratifying success.

• Ballpark: The Story of America's Baseball Fields by Lynn Curlee
Grade 3-5…In this succinct and thoughtful overview, Curlee traces developments in the game from the mid-1800s to the construction of landmark arenas. The early 1900s saw the building of intimate playing fields such as Boston's Fenway Park and Chicago's Wrigley Field. Yankee Stadium, "the House that Ruth built…"

• Lady Liberty: A Biography by Doreen Rappaport
A powerfully moving, authentic portrait of the Statue of Liberty, told through the eyes of those who created her and illustrated in glorious detail.

• The Complete Book of Travel Games (The Complete Book Series)
School Specialty Publishing-- Everyone can enjoy their next trip with The Complete Book of Travel Games!

• Rand McNally Schoolhouse Intermediate Geography And Map Activities (Rand McNally Schoolhouse) Rand McNally and Company Action and adventure accompany geographers on their journey around the world with this fantastic activity book.

• Rand McNally Schoolhouse Beginner Geography & Map Activities
Rand McNally--- Big, bright illustrations make finding information fun and easy for young geographers. Schoolhouse's Beginner Geography…

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 HAPPY TRAVELING!

 

 

 

 

 ...AND A HUSH FELL OVER THE ROOM (From Training Series)

 Many strategies can be used to help a child transition smoothly…
The following information is designed to offer some tips and tools for planning effective transitions.

• Keep in mind that you may need to use more than one tool or idea to address children's transition needs.
• Learning key strategies to keep your program on task will help you handle students who have trouble moving from one location to another-or switching from one activity to another.
• Keeping youth productive will gain more active program time in the process!

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A.  Getting Attention: The first step for children to pay attention is the awareness that someone wants their attention. At times young children have a remarkable focus on what they are already doing; attention signals need to be strong enough to get through their present concentration.

B.  What ever strategies you’ve decided upon, the important thing is to have the children practice.

• For instance, if one of your choices is to use the “lights on and off method” tell the children the rule and then say, "Talk now and when I turn out the lights, stop. Ok, that was good, but a few people were talking; let’s try again”.
• Keep practicing the first week or two.
• Practice again, if you see it has stopped working or if many kids are not listening.

C.  Be clear and specific.
Children are more likely to hear your requests and pay attention when it is clear what you want them to do.

• Keep directions short and simple.
• Allow children time to process your requests for their attention and follow the directions given.
• Consider that afternoons are low energy times for many children and it may take longer to process attention-getting techniques.

D.  Be aware of temperament. Some children can be easily distracted and/or exhibit impulsive behavior.
When this is the case, speak calmly, use one-step directions, and give them a gentle touch.

E.  Teach the difference between being silly and serious. Tell children that there is room for both of these behaviors.

• Practice by saying, "Act silly!" Let them be silly. Then say, "Now, act serious."
• Model this at the beginning of the year so when you say, "I need to have serious behavior," they respond accordingly and are attentive.

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Some ideas are:

1. Use a clapping pattern; Clap or tap in a pattern, for example, clap slowly twice and then clap fast three times. The students are to stop what they are doing and repeat the pattern. If necessary, do it again until all children have responded and are quiet. If your classroom or program used this method, there are many ideas that can be combined with this)

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2. Lights switched on/off:  Children look at the caregiver and listen when the lights are flicked off and on.

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3. Whistles are harsh and can be annoying, however can be effective when outside or for an emergency.

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4. The word “freeze!” For an emergency or when attention is immediately desired, the word, “freeze,” works well. When the children hear the word,” they KNOW something is serious and important! Every program/classroom should have a 'Freeze' option in place!

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5. When you say, "Voices," teach the children to respond with a quiet, "Shhh..." Use this if the children are too loud. If you want their attention, say, "Voices" again and they respond with a quieter, "Shhh..." Say it a third time very quietly, "Voices." All children should be quiet and ready to listen.

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6. Shout "AND A HUSH FELL OVER THE CROWD!" and the kids reply with a drawn out "HUSH!”

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7. Hold up your hand and say, "Give me five." The children put their hands in the air and shout "five!" As they count down to one, they get progressively quieter until "one" is said in a whisper. Or, after saying, "Give me five," everyone puts their hand in the air and counts loudly using their fingers from 1 to 5.

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8. Every school has a mascot.  Shout your school name and have the children respond with the name of the school mascot. Example: Caregiver shouts, "Baldwin” and the children respond with, "Lions." After they shout the mascot name they are to be silent.

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9. Just clapping is another way to get  applause...

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10. Do you need a moment of peace?

Tell your students that they will often be playing, "The Still Waters Game"; they will know the game has begun when you say, "1, 2, 3, --- 3, 2, 1… still waters has begun." Ask them to freeze like an ice cube and remain silent when they hear that sentence. Time the children to see how long they can remain still. The goal is to beat their best time. Hold your fist in the air and each time you see someone move or talk, put a finger up. Once you have all five fingers up, check your watch and tell the group how long they were able to remain still.

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11. One favorite attention getter is a teacher/leader saying, “Bump-da-da-Bump-Bump” and the children reply in unison, “Bump-Bump!” This is said to the tune of ‘Shave and a Hair Cut---Two Bits’.

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12. Use, "Teacher Says," like "Simon Says." For example, "Teacher says, touch your nose," “Teacher says, Clap once," then "Teacher says, look at me." This can also be used to line up! Teacher says, "Line Up!"

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13. For getting attention, you can:
Shake a shaker, touch a wind chime, ring a bell, use a rain stick, play music or use any kind of sound maker as a signal for students to be attentive.

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14. Here is a fun transition INCENTIVE that can be used during football season!

 

On a large green poster board, draw a PROGRAM VERSION of a football field. -10-20-30-40 ← 50 → 40-30-20-10-…

At the beginning of the school year, introduce the football chart. Place two small football cut-outs on the center 0 yard line with 50 yards at each end. Tell the kids that you’re going to play a game for six weeks. (Staff is one team and kids the other.)  

Decide which transitions you’d like to shorten—explain that each day during that transition they will be timed. If everyone is ready within the time, the children score 10 yards. If not-staff scores.

The quarters are divided within weeks. At the end of the six weeks if the children won---celebrate with a “football themed” event! You could also do a version of this for “cleaning up”-

 No nagging and good job--they get to score; many reminders and lack of responsibility-staff scores.

 You could also time this to end near Super Bowl weekend! This can be adapted to just about any sport--as the baseball version demonstrates! (the small figures from clip art were cut out from a 'Google Search'. The boards took some thought and awhile to make-but the school-age kids love the novelty of it! Barb)

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15. Laughing Handkerchief
When the group sees a handkerchief thrown into the air, they laugh as loud as possible. When the handkerchief hits the ground, they go silent

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16. Use humor! Say in a robotic voice, "Ms. Linda to SAC (or Grade 2) - Come in SAC" and smile! This method is especially good when used with individual children….

• Other methods for getting individual attention: Engage children with your facial expressions, such as smiling and making eye contact; say “excuse me”; put your hand on child’s shoulder; obstruct the child’s view of activity.
• Be welcoming; use children's names to get their attention. Use your body language to convey warmth and acceptance.

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18. When needing attention-

Instead of saying, "Boys and girls" Say your “school’s name combined with SAC (Grade). (Or whatever your program is called) Example: Hampton SAC—you attention is required.

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19. Say, in a normal tone of voice, "Clap once if you can hear me." Those listening will quiet down and clap one time. Then say, "Clap twice if you can hear me." More children respond with two claps. Finally say, "Clap three times if you can hear me." By this time you should have the attention of your group. (Personally I never cared for this one-it can take longer than other methods-but it is popular in many areas. Barb)

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20. Post a schedule with approximate times of routine activities.

• The schedule informs children of “What comes next”; this prepares the children for upcoming transitions.
• Student reminders are required to accustom the children to look at the schedule.

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21. For Pre-K and K-Club- sing the following words to the Frere Jacques tune: "Are you listening? Are you listening? Everyone! Everyone! If you are listening, if you are listening, look at me, look at me." Other ways to end the song are: "Snap your fingers" or "Pat your head."

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22. Music (Click here to see comments on using music in transtions)

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23. Let the children know when they need to do something; give them the reason why it is necessary.

• Get into the habit of saying, ‘We’re going to…because…”
• When children understand the whys, they are more apt to cooperate.

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24. THE TALKING STONE, STICK OR MOUTH (Use with Pre-K and up!)
Often during circle or group time, many children want to talk at once. One way to help children learn how to take turns is to use a visual clue.

 

Teachers/caregivers might try using a "talking stick" or "talking stone". You can use a colorful rock or decorate your stick in a special way. This technique helps young children learn to respect the speaker and to wait and listen. Continue with this idea and soon the children will be reminding each other.
This version is adapted from preschoolrainbow.org; however, I've used this method for the last 20 years when having group meetings with youth. I've  made a "Talking mouth" out of a rolled up pair of white socks and in the past used a stone and feather. It works!!! Until recently, I didn't know that it has Native American origin. It was something that I just thought of... 20 plus years ago!

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25. Say to the students in a loud voice "All set?" They answer, "You bet."

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26. FUN IDEA! USE THE CHANT 'BOOM CHICKA BOOM'!

This chant can be used to facilitate classroom transitions.  If your group/class is noisy, start chanting loudly, then lower your volume with each successive repetion.

For the next-to-last time it is said, whisper the words. For the last repetition, only lip-sync or mouth the words.
                                                                

BOOM CHICK BOOM!

I said a boom chicka boom
'Students repeat'

I said a boom chicka boom.
'Students repeat'

I said a boom chicka rocka
Chicka rocka, chicka boom
'Students repeat'

I said a boom chicka boom.
'Students repeat'

Oh yeah (echo), uh huh (echo), next time (echo)

A little softer (echo).

A little louder...
A little slower...

A little faster...

The end!!!

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TIPS

1. To get children’s attention, use one method consistently. If you are committed to a method it will usually work; if you don't commit 100%, it won't work.

• Meet with the children at the beginning of the school year and discuss what method or methods you will use.
• Present a few ideas to them—and have kids decide which to use! Do this each year.
• You can add fun by keeping tally and charting their opinions.

2. Students will welcome any attempt you make to add transition activities into your daily routines, especially if they involve a little movement or a challenge. You will be surprised at how these activities change your group environment. If you periodically change the activities, you will keep their interest piqued as they wonder what you will do next.

3. Be sure all children know what is expected when these systems are used. Individual guidance may be necessary for children who have difficulty with transitions or are new to your program. With consistency, your group will easily follow the routine when they hear the selected music or signal!

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Return to top of page

You may also be interested in:

• Pre-K and K Transition Ideas
• Pre-K and K Cleaning Up Ideas
• Attention Getting Strategies for School Age Kids
• Clean Up Transitions for School Age Kids
• Selecting Teams or Groups
• Transition Games for Gathering Time and Waiting in Lines

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BULLYING AWARENESS PREVENTION WEEK is OCTOBER 14-20th in 2010! However-practice it all year long!

Be sure to check out the five wonderful display board ideas at bottom of page!

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According to the National Association of School Psychologists,
bullying is the most common form of violence in our society. In a 2001 national survey of students in grades six through ten
   • 13% reported bullying others.. 
   • 11% reported being a victim of bullies 
   • Another 6% said that they both bullied others and were bullied themselves. 
   • These numbers mean that over five million children are affected by bullying. Source: Surfnetkids
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A Quick List to What is Bullying and Harassment? 

Bullying is the conscious desire to hurt, exclude, or put some one else down to make you feel better. Bullying can be in looks, actions or words. Bullying is not a joke. It is unacceptable. Each student has the right to feel safe, happy, and wanted.
 
BULLYING COULD INCLUDE:
   • Being ignored constantly. 
   • Being excluded from the group. 
   • Having rumors spread about you. 
   • Being made fun of.

YOU ARE HELPING A BULLY BY: 
  • Providing an audience. 
  • Not supporting someone who is being bullied. 
  • Passing on harassing notes. 
  • Passing on rumors. 
  • Laughing at a bully's actions.

ARE YOU BEING BULLIED OR HARASSED?
WHAT CAN YOU DO? POSITIVE STRATEGIES TO HELP COUNTER BULLYING... 
  • Be assertive. Explain to the bully how you feel. 
  • Discuss it with friends. Get help from them. 
  • Consider your behavior. 
  • Avoid situations which lead to bullying. 
  • Ignore it. Don't let the bully know that you are upset. 
  • Go to peer mediation. 
  • Go to the school Counselor. 
  • Talk to a trusted person. 
  • Tell your Co-ordinator/Counselor. 
  • Talk to your parents. 
  • REMEMBER-IT IS OK TO LET SOMEONE KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING!

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WHY DON'T YOUNG PEOPLE TELL ADULTS? (About being bullied?) 

1. They are ashamed of being bullied
2. They are afraid of retaliation
3. They don't think anyone CAN help them
4. They don't think anyone WILL help them
5. They've bought into the lie that bullying is a necessary part of growing up
6. Thy might believe that adults are part of the lie--they bully too
7. They have learned that "ratting" on a peer is bad, not cool

  • Students typically feel that adult intervention is infrequent and ineffective and that telling adults will only bring more harassment from bullies. 
  • Students are also reluctant to tell teachers or school staff as many adults view bullying as a harmless rite of passage that is best ignored-- unless verbal and psychological intimidation crosses the line into physical assault or theft.
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 HERE'S HOW THE SCHOOL CAN HELP ... 
  • Provide a reporting method. 
  • Provide counseling. 
  • Give advice on how to handle the situation. 
  • Arrange peer mediation. 
  • Keep confidentiality if requested. 
  • Listen sympathetically and carefully and take your problem seriously. 
  • Support you. 
  • Investigate all incidents. 
  • Bring both the victim and the bully together for conflict resolution. 
  • ALL BULLYING AND HARASSMENT WILL BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY

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 If your school has anti-bullying activities-join them and take part.
If they don't--start some of your own. Some schools and programs have taken the following measures to help youth:

GOOD IDEAS:

1. BULLY BOXES...
Kids can put notes in the box if they are too worried to tell someone. If your school has boxes like these use them wisely. Advise the kids to always make sure that anything they write about is the truth.

2. SET UP A BUDDY-SYSTEM...
Older students can sometimes volunteer to help new or younger students coming into the school or your program by getting to know them.
 

3. SPECIALS CAMPAIGNS
such as a "no-bullying day" can be a big help.
 

4. COUNSELING
is a good way of talking to someone.
Can you have someone come in and talk about Kids who are being bullied, or who are bullying others? Some schools have set up PEER COUNSELING where kids volunteer to learn how to help other kids.
 

5. MEDIATION
Some schools and programs have introduced mediation where two people who disagree about something agree that a third person, either an adult of another student, HELPS to find a solution to a problem. This can be helpful in many situations, but not in all cases of bullying...
A bully may refuse to take part because they have no interest in ending the bullying. A victim may feel that a negotiated solution is not fair when it is the other person who is completely in the wrong.
 

6. Taking part in PLAYS AND OTHER DRAMA ACTIVITES
can help people to understand what it feels like to be bullied and to think about what they can do to stop it. This is something that SAC programs can facilitate.
 

7. PEER SUPPORT
where older students volunteer to discuss things such as bullying, friendship, or drugs with groups of younger students.

POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES FOR BULLIES... 
  • Counseling. 
  • Confronting the Bully with the victim. 
  • Have the bully listen to the victim's hurt. 
  • Initiate peer mediation with the victim . 
  • Contact parents/guardians. 
  • Insist on and monitor a behavior contract. 
  • Take away privileges. 
  • Suspend Bully from school. 
  • Ask Bully to leave the school. 
  • Take legal action. If you are bullied or harassed you CAN do something about it!

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PRACTICE...
Tip From Barb Shelby-

There are several good ideas in this category; many of them will give you information and activities to help derail Bullying.
 
• When you come right down to it (After you read all Tips and "Learn" what to do) rather than spending a lot of time DISCUSSING problems, have children actually PRACTICE WHAT TO DO to prevent or stop those problems.

  • THIS MEANS to teach children skills and give them the words and tools to handle conflicts, bullying and challenges. Have children practice. Practice with their voices and with their bodies and non-verbal communication. Coach them to experience success.

  • As far as challenges in your program? Don't allow it. Build a strong "Program Community" where the kids connect and feel good about themselves and their group. Some of the posts in the "Connecting & Feeling Good Category" may help with this.

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HANDS ARE FOR HELPING BULLETIN BOARD 

Children and adults alike trace and then decorate and sign their hands as they pledge, "Hands are for Helping, not for Hurting." The hands are then displayed. This has been a project around the world...

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TIP:

To initiate a discussion with chidren, USE MESSAGE BOOKS as learning tools! Stories are a great way for children to learn what other children are doing in similar situations.

 There are "Bully Theme and  Message Book suggestions" for children  posted on this site. There is also a list for adults with Anti-Bully and Conflict Resolution Themes.

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Several recent studies indicate that cyber bullying, or online aggression, is a growing public health concern, according to Mike Stobbe's AP article Studies:
Cyberbullying is on the Rise which was released on November 27, 2007. The article notes that a recent study found that as many as one in three U.S. children have been ridiculed or threatened through computer messages, although another study concluded that the problem is less common, with one in 10 kids reporting online harassment.

While in-person bullying remains a concern, research has found that many children are the victim of either in-person or online bullying but children are infrequently the victims of both types of bullying. Researcher Michelle Ybarra, president of Internet Solutions for Kids, a nonprofit research organization, found 64 percent of youths who were harassed online were not also bullied in person. Source School-age Note of the day-January 11, 2008

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RESOURCES AND ACTIVITIES

 STOP BULLYING NOW!

 Education World offers ten lessons designed to teach students to respect diversity and resolve ideological differences peacefully. It includes activities for teaching kids about empathy, anger management, and effective conflict resolution.  For the following activities Visit Here...

1. KIDS BULLYING KIDS
Students anonymously complete a survey about their experiences with bullying, evaluate the results, and discuss solutions to the problem.

2. COLORING A PEACEFUL WORLD
Students discuss conflict resolution techniques and color posters about those techniques.

3. THE AVERAGE KID
Students determine the traits they have in common with other students in the class and create a visual profile of the "average" boy and girl in the class.

4. PLANTET X
Students work together to create a Bill of Rights for a colony they are founding on a distant planet.
 

5. REACTING TO CONFLICT
students learn about the different ways people respond to conflict and then explore some sample scenarios to learn about their own conflict styles.

6. THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO
Students learn a song to help them deal with anger.

 7. SIMON SAYS "WHO ARE YOU?"
Students play a variation of Simon Says that highlights their similarities and differences.
 

8. UNDERSTANDING NEEDS AND FEELINGS
Students learn about needs and feelings, then write an ending to a story showing how a child deals with his or her needs and feelings.

 9. THE TALKING STICK
Students use a "talking stick" to practice listening and communicating. You can only 'talk' when you are holding the stick.

 10. BULLYING REALITY QUIZ
Students take an online quiz about school violence and create their own quiz on bullying

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TIP:
CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE OF BULLY POLICE

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 ENTER THE TELL US YOUR STORY CONTEST!!!

Parents and teachers--Encourage your child and students to enter the "Tell Us Your Story" contest. Winning entries are posted to the Kids Against Bullying Web site.

Have you ever been bullied? Have you seen bullying? What happened? how did you feel? We want to hear more about it!

Be a kid against bullying--and you could win cool prizes!
What: Send in your stories, poetry, or artwork on the topic of bullying. Entries can be about topics such as: What is bullying? How does bullying make me feel? What can I do to stop bullying? ...or Tell them YOUR story--- (No names used).
When:
Entries can be submitted anytime...Click Here 

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ABOUT BULLYING CANADA WEBSITE -- The website has been created by youth for youth from across the Country (Canada)! They are all fully non - paid volunteers and donate many hours a week to the website.

CATEGORIES ON THE SITE ARE:
   •  WHAT IS BULLYING
   •  FIND RESOURCES
   •  TALK TO SOMEONE
   •  GROUP CHAT OR ONE ON ONE CHAT
   •  NEWSLETTER SIGN UP

If you would like to get involved please contact them, and someone will be in contact with you.

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WHAT CAN WE PROVIDE IN OUR PROGRAMS AND CLASSROOMS TO HELP KIDS FROM BEING BULLIED?

In sharing  bullying prevention strategies in School Age Notes, Nancy Mullin proposed providing activities that promote self-confidence, build self-control and resilience, and foster community connections among children...

TIPS:

   • Bullied children benefit from participating in a wide range of activities that help them develop common interests with peers, hone friendship-making skills, and build relationships.

   • Children who tend to be easily left out because they lack social graces or have difficulty reading social signals need guidance to practice pleasant ways of entering play, making conversation, and "understanding" the nuances of give-and-take relationships.

  • Form friendship circles to provide isolated youth with social supports. Children who tend to bully others benefit from opportunities to practice self-control, perspective taking, prosocial behavior, and positive ways to engage their peers. Offering cooperative alternatives to competitive games can also help reduce aggression."

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TIP: See the many "Connecting and Feeling Good Activities on this website.  Also read Building Self-Esteem Tip Page

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SCHOOL FACTORS IN BULLYING

  • The social context and supervision at school has been shown to play a MAJOR PART in the frequency and severity of bullying problems. While teachers and administrators do not have control over individual and family factors which produce children who are inclined to bully, bullying problems can be greatly reduced in severity by appropriate supervision, intervention and climate in a school.

  • Supervision of children has been found to be of prime importance. Just as low levels of supervision in the home are associated with the development of bully problems in individual children, so are low levels of supervision at school, particularly on the PLAYGROUND, SCHOOLYARD, and in the HALLWAYS.

  • Also, the appropriateness IS VERY IMPORTANT OF INTERVENTIONS BY ADULTS WHEN THEY SEE BULLUYING, or are made aware of it.

  • The social climate in the school needs to be one where there is WARMTH AND ACCEPTANCE OF ALL STUDENTS, and one where there are high standards for student and teacher behavior toward one another. TEACHER ATTITUDES toward aggression, and skills with supervision and intervention, partly determine how teachers will react to bullying situations. Curricula, administrative policies, and support are also very important.

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WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOUR SCHOOL,  Program, and Kids can do about Bullying?  

 
1. Unite with other communities in the Fourth Annual National BULLYING AWARENESS PREVENTION WEEK, Oct. 4 - 10, 2009  It takes a community to prevent bullying of children. The Fourth Annual National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week, Oct 4-10, 2009 encourages communities nationwide to work together to increase awareness of the prevalence and impact of bullying on all children.

Families, students, schools, organizations and other groups can unite with PACER to prevent bullying in several ways. Activities and materials such as contests, toolkits, and online bullying prevention training are available on to help reduce bullying in schools, recreational programs, and community organizations.
 

FOR ACTIVITIES FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS CLICK HERE
PACER has designed free web sites, downloadable activities and helpful information for teachers, administrators, parents and community organization to engage and educate children about bullying prevention in grades K- 5.

FOR ACTIVITIES FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CLICK HERE
There are resources designed for teens, teachers, administrators, and parents and other professionals to engage, empower and educate students, schools and communities about bullying prevention for middle and high school students.
 

2. SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT...

Lyn Mikel Brown is concerned that "bully prevention" programs gaining prominence in public schools are MORE OF A PROBLEM THAN A PANACEA. Writing in Education Week (March 5, 2008) she proposes "10 Ways to Move Beyond Bully Prevention." The first suggestion she offers is to "STOP LABELING KIDS"...

Bully-prevention programs typically put kids into three categories: bullies, victims, bystanders. Labeling children in these ways denies what we know to be true: We are all complex beings with capacity to do harm and to do good, sometimes within the same hour. It also makes the child the problem, which downplays the important role of parents, teachers, the school system, a provocative and powerful media culture, and societal injusti ces children experience every day.

Labeling kids bullies, for that matter, contributes to the negative climate and name-calling we're trying to address.
From Exchangeeveryday-3/26/08

 3. FOUR EASY WAY TO DEAL WITH BULLIES IN THE CLASSROOM OR PROGRAM 

    •OBSERVE: Quietly watch students as they interact during free time. 
    • ASK: An anonymous survey can reveal when and where bullying occurs. 
    • EDUCATE: Teach students what bullying is and the damage it can cause. 
    • ENFORCE: Hold bullies accountable for their actions with fair consequences.

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POSITIVE DISPLAY IDEAS FOR ANTI-BULLY THEME AS WELL AS KINDNESS!

  

Happy School Board and photo is courtesy of Classroom Display Blog

"I'm particularly fond of Happy School as the idea for this hall display came from a child with some special needs who knew exactly the kind of school he needed, one where bullying just wasn't tolerated." LindaH

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Photo and description of 180 Ways to Be Kind is courtesy of Classroom Display Blog

"It's Anti-bullying week at the moment and I thought as a change from previous years I'd pick out some more positive displays. Rather than being against something these displays promote things that will help to create a whole school culture where bullying is less acceptable. LindaH

Let's face it bullying isn't an issue we can make a fuss about for one week a year and in many ways it's much more important to change the ethos of the school."

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Creator of the Love One Another display is unknown...Please contace us if you know the artists!

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 BULLY OR BUDDY?

Bully or Buddy board is from PE Central--made by Pam Johnson at Prince Edward Elementary School, Farmville, VA.

This is a wonderful idea for any class, school or after-school program!
Suggested Grade Level: 3-5
Materials:
Multi-colored construction paper and left over art scraps(fur, feathers, etc.)

 "Each year our students sign an Anti-Bullying oath and in all classes we discuss the characteristics of a "Buddy" and the contrasting "Bully". This board called "Bully or Buddy?" shows several creatures that either the students or the teacher can make. (Big noses, wild hair and large feet make them more appealing). A buddy or bully characteristic is printed on the front of the creature. The students, after reading the trait, will decide which one it is describing.

Some traits to use are: takes turns; helps people and says encouraging words; likes to push people and hit them; can't follow  class/program/school rules; likes to tease people and call them names; kind and considerate; cares about other peoples' feelings; has a lot of friends, etc." Pam Johnson

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This could just as well say "LET'S HARVEST KINDNESS!" This idea works well with an Autumn Harvest Theme-but also addresses Aniti-Bully Week October 4-10 and World Kindness Week November 9-15. It can stay up all Fall!!!

Each time a deed of 'Good Character' (Kindness) is noted-it is recorded on a small card and placed on a pumpkin and through-out the garden! Great for September through November... 

Origin of this board is unknow-will you please contact this site if you know the creator? Thank you

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GO to page 2 for comments and tips from readers! Some good ideas!

You may also be interested in the 'Kindness' Category and 'Community Service' Category. Acts of Kindness and Service go far in building altruism and preventing Bullying!

 Back to top of page!

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READ THIS BEFORE YOU START DRAMA ACTIVITIES

Develop and build a sense of safety and trust when introducing Drama activities into your program. The following games and exercises are ideal in establishing that trust between the players; they also will sharpen concentration and get everybody in a good mood!

IMPORTANT! It is advised to use these exercises-as well a pair and group improv--early in your drama club to rely on each other.

These games and exercises are useful in any drama and theater education environment--- as well as any environment in which group dynamics is important! You may discover that youth may want to repeat some of these games and exercises more than once during their dramatic experience!!!

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PANTOMIME GAMES

MIRROR EXERCISE
Everyone should remember the old "I Love Lucy" series; a favorite of most  is the episode when Lucy meets Harpo Marx. In one scene, Lucy has dressed exactly like Harpo; as the latter crosses a room, Lucy crosses it the same way. Harpo looks at his "reflection" and proceeds to “mirror” these crazy movements with arms, hands, legs, etc. Lucy matches him, move for move. A very funny scene - and exceptionally well done. This is exactly the same premise for "The Mirror Exercise".

• There are two players. "A" is the follower (mirror) and "B" starts all the action. "A" reflects all B's movements and facial expressions.
• Simple activities for "B" to initiate are washing his/her face, getting dressed, brushing teeth - etc.
  This exercise promotes inventiveness, clowning, and timing - the children should be encouraged to be as specific as they can with each movement. When "B" is finsihed, it is "A's" turn.
  

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PASSING THE FACE
Apart from a drama activity, this can also be used by actors just prior to a performance, in the green room. It enables the participants to overcome their fears, and become more relaxed and at ease with themselves.

• The whole group should stand in a circle, holding hands.
• One person in the circle begins by turning to the person on his/her right and making a face – it could be an emotional face or a funny face.
• The next person then makes another face and passes it to the person next to him/her, and so on.
• The expressions should not be copied, but variations of a theme to be explored-- such as each one thinking of a different emotional or funny face.

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FOLLOW THE LEADER

• All players except one are in a circle; one player in the middle. The middle player closes his/her eyes -- and the rest of the group quietly chooses a leader.
• The middle player opens their eyes and tries to guess the leader by actions.
• The entire group follows the leader, in everything he/she does.
• As soon as the middle player discovers who the leader is --the game is over.
• Participants should be encouraged to be as specific as they can with each movement  This only works if movements are clear, not too fast, and if the group `follows the leader` as fast and as precisely as possible.

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HUMAN PROPS

• Ask one player to start doing an activity that somehow broadly defines a location. Example: When someone starts typing she/he might be in a home or office.
• The other players then become the other objects in the environment.
• If the first player recognizes the objects, he/she can start using the props built by other players in the environment.
• Tell players to go for the obvious: in just about any room you could be a plant, a door or a table.
• Extension: When done, ask the first player to name any `object` built in the environment. You can use this as a handle for a performance. When a player is asked to sit down, and there are no chairs on the scene, another player can become the chair for the first player to sit on.
• Other examples are ticking clocks in haunted houses, cabinets and closets. Ideas are endless.

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PANTOMIME TUG OF WAR

Divide the group into 2 groups and have them mime a Tug-o-war fight.  See that the “mimed rope” does not stretch or shrink and Remember Chivalry---somebody wins and one group graciously looses. 

• Variation: Do 2 per 2. Played in pairs. One player holds his/her hand open with fingers upward--about 2-3 inches from their partner’s face. The leader then starts moving their hand about slowly, while the partner attempts to keep their face at exactly the same distance from the hand. Without touching, it should seem as if the hand is pulling or pushing the face about. Switch sides and partners after a minute or two. Variation: Use both hands.

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THE PASSING GAME
The leader suggests an IMAGINARY object to be passed around in a circle. This object to passed around can be a pea, a huge balloon, or a sack of potatoes...etc.
The object is passed around from person to person and the idea is to try to keep it from falling and to indicate its size and weight by the action. (No talking)

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BODY TALK GAME

With bodies and expression (no words) have children take turns acting out the below commands. One at a time, each takes a piece of paper from a container. As youth pantomime it, the group or Team guesses the action. 

Hooray!
 
I'm sorry.
 
I didn't do it!
 
Shame on you.
 
I didn't mean to do it.
 
What did you say? 

I don't know.
 
Come here, quick! 

Good job!
 
Oh No! and so on- 

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Return to top of page 

  INDIVIDUAL, PAIR AND GROUP PANTOMIME SUGGESTIONS -

Group instructions are below this list

  • Try to open a window to a fire escape.

 • Attempt to open a stuck door.

 • Opening a birthday present that they've always wanted.

 • Eating a bowl full of something really disgusting.

 • A monkey eating a banana.

 • Become a swan swimming gracefully on a still peaceful lake--next become a frog jumping in a pond.

 • Imitate the actions involved in everyday activities: mowing the lawn, making a bed, moving the trash can, sweeping the floor, digging the garden, etc.

 • Buying shoes, hats, food or a car.

 • Putting on a pair of shoes: ballerina-fireman, then acting out the character.

 • Making a telephone call.

 • Watching TV.

 • Felling trees.

 • Spending a day at the beach. Contrast a hot day with a cold or wet day.

 • Spring cleaning.

 • Going camping and setting up a camp (put up a tent, chop wood, build fire, etc.) This is a good group pantomime!

 • Shipwreck.

 • Family car ride (flat tire, something left at home).

 • Trip to the zoo.

 • Going out into the snow.

 • Having a picnic (maybe cows (or bees) arrive unexpectedly).

 • Walking in the country (rainstorm).

 • Going on a train journey (lose ticket).

 • Flying a kite (tangled in a tree or lost).   

 • A misunderstanding or quarrel.

 • Interviewing a famous person.

 • A deep sea diver meets trouble.

 • Having a nightmare.

 • Turning into robots.

 • Share the Work! Pairs of children working at something-with an imaginary object between them. (Spreading a sheet; pulling taffy, etc.)

 • Become an elephant in a circus. Show how enormous and heavy you are by walking around. Now climb onto your stool and raise you trunk.

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 GROUP PANTOMIME INSTRUCTIONS

• The actors (youth) work in groups of 4 - 6 and are instructed to pantomime a single general activity.
  • Examples: Playing different sports at school, performing with an orchestra, circus acts, hospital work, etc.
• To communicate the idea of a GENERAL activity, each actor must pantomime a SPECIFIC one. 
  • For example: "Office work".
    One actor mimes being a typist, another delivers the mail, another is a "boss" at a desk (perhaps on the phone), a client visits the office to see the boss, etc.
• Make sure the actors understand they cannot SPEAK - only work with their bodies, facial expressions, etc.
• Actors should brainstorm details and ideas before-hand.
• The audience then guesses what is being portrayed.

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 MIMING TIPS!

 1. As a teaching tool--Can you show a Video or DVD of Pantomime greats such as Red Skelton, Vaudeville Stars, or Mr. Bean? (The 2007 movie- Mr. Bean’s Holiday) 

2. When working with “pretend objects” give it “space.” Even the smallest objects have space.

3. Believable actions: have one student come forward and demonstrate brushing teeth. Most likely, the student will brush their cheek or down their throat. Show that for it to be believable, it must be pantomimed the way they really do it. Youth need to practice and observe themselves and the way they do things. Tell them to be conscious of all their actions.

4. Tell group that when we do a pantomime you need to face the audience. To show an example, set up a kitchen with chairs or blocks. Demonstrate that some things are in front and some in back. Demonstrate how easy it is to turn your back on the audience. Now rearrange the kitchen so your face can be seen by the audience no matter what appliance or counter you are working at.

5. Start out simple: Perform a pantomime of doing a household chore (making a cake or doing dishes, etc.) Give it 1 or 2 minutes and no story. Starting out with the familiar is good.

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Drama Menu Links

1.)  The Different Types of Drama click here

2.)  Pantomine, Tips and Games

3.)  Improv Games and Exercises

4.) A Variety of Drama Games/Activities

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The first thing to teach the participating group is the word Chivalry.
In improve - Chivalry means not clinging to your own ideas, your own status, or your own personality as a character. Chivalry is daring to give up control. Players should allow themselves to be changed by other players. They should be happy to change; change in improv is a good thing!

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WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
One player is in the middle, the others sit aside. Any person can give the middle player a task, which she performs, and then she asks `What happens next`? Any player may suggest what needs to happen next, but the idea is for the group to construct a coherent story. The player in the middle should only and strictly be doing what they’re told; it is up to the players at the side to construct the story. This game is also known as And Then.

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YES! LET'S ______!
This is an excellent warm-up, and great introduction to Accepting .
Pick a group activity, such as throwing a party or organizing a picnic. One player starts, saying,” Let’s ______" filling in what he/she wants to do. Then he/she actually starts doing what he/she said she wanted to do. A second player jumps in, saying "Let’s________." (It’s doing something else-- to advance the group activity) Both players say "Yes, let’s do that" and start doing whatever was suggested. The third player jumps in and suggests what to do--- and again all the players loudly agree to do it, and actually do it. Continue till everyone has suggested something.

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ENERGY 1-10
Everyone is positioned in a big circle, squatting down. All participants count 1 to 10. This is done in unison -- moving up slowly with increasing energy level. 1 is barely audible, 10 is as loud as possible—with everyone standing straight, hands reaching up. It’s important to watch each other, to ensure all are at the same energy level. Also make sure that the increase in energy is very gradual.

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ALIEN, COW AND TIGER
(To prevent confusion-write directions for characters on a whiteboard)
Everyone is in a circle. There are 3 things a player can be:

   • An Alien: hold you index fingers up next to your head, as little antenna’s and say `Bleeb bleeb`, bending inwards into the circle.

   • A Cow: bend forward, hold your right hand on your tummy and go `Moooo`

   • A Tiger: push your right hand forward, imitating a claw and roar.

On your signal, each player decides to become one of the three. The idea is for everyone to become the same, which obviously won’t be the case, the first time. Re-do this until everyone is in sync.

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POPCORN
Everyone finds themselves a spot, and squats down. The facilitator talks the group through the exercise.

• “Everyone is a piece of corn, the floor is a big pan, and we’re going to make popcorn. --- We slowly start heating the pan”… As the pan gets hotter, the corn starts to `pop`.  A player `pops` by jumping up, clapping hands above their head, and saying `pop`. Make sure the `popping` starts gradually, `popping` is a group thing, and in the end, `popping` should stop.
• Variation: Forget to take the pan off the fireplace, and have the popcorn start burning.

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ONE WORD AT A TIME STORY
This is an exercise to train group narrative. All players sit in a circle. A story is told one word at a time. Each player provides one word of a sentence. The end of a sentence can be indicated by a player saying `period` although that is not necessary.

This is more difficult than it sounds, especially with newbies. If you’re working with novice players have them try a familiar story-such as Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs. Summarize the story before they get started, to make sure they’re all on the same story. Don’t be surprised if gagsters manage to smuggle atomic bombs and crashing aircraft into the story. If so, ask the group if they can see/understand the reasons why their story isn’t as it could be. If the group is large- divide it into 2 or more story circles.

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RUMORS
Form a circle with improv participants. One person starts by saying "Did you hear about _____?" and then points to someone else in the group. That player immediately replies with the answer to the fill in blank “Did you hear about______? After which everyone gasps or giggles. The person left of the second person restarts. The blanks can be anything: something as simple as soup, or something as convoluted as the white bear that ate a Russian kid for lunch in Novosibirsk last Thursday.

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ACCEPTING CIRCLE

• Put everyone in a big circle. One player starts by making a little gesture, perhaps with a little sound.
• His or her neighbor then tries and does exactly the same. This continues around the circle. Although we expect the gesture/sound not to change, it will!
• Watch for movements that suddenly change left/right arm or leg. This is not supposed to happen, but it will. Once happened, it should be accepted by the next player.
• Also watch/listen for little moans or sighs that players might make before or after their turn - these should also be taken over by the next player.

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EMOTIONAL MIRROR
Players are in pairs, facing each other. One starts talking in gibberish, with a specific emotion (angry, happy, in love, your choice). The other instantly copies the emotion of the first player, and speaks in his own gibberish. There is no need to try and copy the other player’s gibberish; both players keep talking---no pausing allowed. After about 10 seconds, the second player changes emotion, and the first one immediately follows.

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PEOPLE PICTURE
Range: 9+ (Number of Participants: 2-20)
Materials: Pictures of people, as many as participants See Notes
Participants will use pictures as inspiration in creating characters, and interact with others as their characters. They will try to determine which picture the other participants used for their inspiration after interacting with them.
How to Play:

• Participants spread themselves out in the room, so that each person has enough space to think without distractions.
• The leader passes out a picture to each participant, explaining, "DO NOT let anyone else, even me, see your picture. You have three minutes to look at the person in your picture and become that person. Decide what kind of personality he or she has, how old the person is, what kind of life they lead, etc. Use the picture to help you decide - are there details about the person's clothes, their surroundings, and their face which give you ideas? Try to create a "story" for this person, as well as a voice, mannerisms, attitude.
• All of your characters will attend a party at the end of the three minutes." The participants should not talk to one another before the three minutes are up.
• At the end of the three minutes, the participants hand in their pictures. As soon as they hand in the picture, they transform into their character. The leader should explain that they need to talk to the other characters, as if they are at a party. The participants should attempt to talk to everyone else, and try to remember things about the other characters.
• The party lasts five to ten minutes, depending on the number of participants.
• At the end of this time, the leader asks everyone to discard their characters and become themselves.

The leader then shows the participants the pictures that were used, and asks the group to identify whose character matches with the picture. Don't tell the participants that this will happen ahead of time. The temptation of "fooling" everyone is too great to resist for some people, and these people will purposefully make their character unlike their picture if they know there will be guessing. The group should discuss their reactions to their pictures and to others' as well as how everyone developed their character.

Notes:
The pictures can be cut out of magazines, and then pasted onto oak tag or poster board for stability. Try to get a good assortment of pictures of people -all ages, races, levels of attractiveness; don't put any famous faces in the selection. The more interesting the setting and the appearance of the person, the more there is for the participants to use for inspiration. Remember, there are no wrong answers - but the participants should be able to answer "why" questions about the character and picture.

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CROSS THE CIRCLE
Everyone is numbered around the circle as 1, 2, OR 3. The leader call a number such as 2. All number 2's must cross the circle in one role of leader's choice as:
   •A ballerina
   •A panther
   •A moonwalker
   •Someone who’s stuck in the mud……..
   •A fashion model……
  •Whatever your imagination comes up with!
After all the number 2's cross cross the circle-a different number is called; they are told to cross the circle in the manner the lead directs.

 

CROSS DIFFERENTLY
Name a child to cross the circle to an empty chair in any way they like…walk…crawl…hop….twirl…whatever. They call someone else who must cross in a different way.

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ANIMAL SCENES
Players find a partner; partners separate and run around. The leader calls out a phrase and the players must find their partner and depict the scene. The last pair to depict the scene is out.
Examples:
   •Frog on a log: One student gets down on all fours (log) and the frog sits gently on their back.
   •Bird on a perch: One student gets down on one knee (perch) and the bird sits on the perch.
   •Lion in a den: One person stands with their feet a part (den) and the lion lies down on the floor.

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EIGHT RULES WHEN DOING IMPROV

  • Don’t negate or deny the other player-follow where they're going 

  • Don’t ask questions

  • Make choices based on actions

  • Do make assumptions

  • Do give and take

  • Listen, watch and concentrate

  • Work to the top of your intelligence

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 Page 2-Return to Page 1 of Bully Categoy

 

THE FOLLOWING ARE COMMENTS FROM READERS IN THE 'DISCUSSION FORUM' of the former website  After-School-Care.com.  Please add your thoughts and experiences in the bottom page comment box or use the Contact Page.  

  From Eric Pitonyak - Holly,Michigan
Originally Posted: 2/7/2008

Here we go!!!! Bullying...
What an important subject!!! I work for Rochester Community Schools in Rochester Hills, MI and I live in Holly, MI. There is bullying at both places. In fact, bullying is a huge problem everywhere we go, from schools, to work, to neighbors, everywhere! How do we stop it?

It's a tough thing to battle, but I believe in making a difference. I am starting to travel to Middle Schools giving assembly talks about the specific subject of bullying. I have a huge passion to stop the torture that some kids go through. Below, I have put a couple of my own thoughts to maybe help your site cut down on this massive nation-wide problem.
 

BULLY BOXES
I think they are a good idea. If a child does not feel comfortable talking to an adult about them being bullied,they can write an anonymous note. But, this gets me thinking...why don't they feel comfortable talking to an adult? They should have an adult in their life that they can turn to with this type of situation. In fact, every adult should make every kid feel that they can talk to them about their struggles. WE SHOULD BE THOSE ADULTS!!! Set aside our own problems at work and let's make a difference in the lives of these children. Some of them are crying out for help and we are not listening to them. Show them that you care and want to HELP.
 

NO-BULLYING DAY
Some people and even schools have no bullying day or anti bullying week. To me, this is horrible. Why is there a selected day or couple of days that kids cannot bully someone else? It is telling the kids that during this time, we are cracking down and won't put up with any bullying. WHY ISN'T THIS a No Bullying YEAR???
Make the kids know that you will not tolerate and form of bullying, EVER!! It's ridiculous, why should any student or any human go home feeling unloved or unwanted? We are all created equal, let's treat each other with respect and love. We are put on this earth to love OTHERS.
 

COMPETITIONS 
I think games/competitions do nothing but help the bully out. What good comes out of a competition where one person wins and one loses? Yes, it's making the student who won the game feel great, but why aren't we thinking of the student who did not win? Maybe you still do a competition, but instead of giving just the winner a prize, why not give them both a prize and tell them BOTH that you are very proud of them and you appreciate both of their efforts, making them both feel good with encouraging words.

PARENTS

Parents can be a huge problem. I've had  numerous parents that I talked to regarding their son/daughter bullying someone say to me "They are just kids being kids" or "That's what kids do".

There's the problem!!!! Even parents won't step up to stop this horrible problem; they have the excuse of "It's a kid thing". The reason "It's a kid thing" is because the parent isn't telling them they are doing anything wrong or hurting someones feelings. Bullying should not be a lifestyle and something we brush off our shoulders. It does nothing positive for anyone. It brings people down, lowers self esteem, creates suicidal thoughts and many times, people follow through with suicide. There is no reason for anyone to have to feel down about themselves. Let's change the way people think about bullying.

I think it's so important that your entire program / school is on the same page with putting bullying to a stop. Get enthusiastic about it, get motivated, do whatever you have to do to get all adults to understand the importance of stopping a bully from destroying his/her target.

I hope to get some feedback and people to back me up on this. Again, I have a huge heart to stop bullying and we need to approach it very seriously. Eric Pitonyak

UPDATE: Eric is no longer working for Rochester Schools but is now a Youth Minister and Youth Motivational Speaker. He continues to share his passion with schools and youth groups on the topic of Bullying.

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From Barb-Posted: 2/7/2008

Hi Eric!  I agree with everything you have said!!! Welcome to the site...and thank you for your insightful comments. I think what you wrote speaks for itself; however, I would like to add to what you say about competition.

You wrote:
"Competitions ... Yes, it's making the student who won the game feels great, but why aren't we thinking of the student who did not win? Maybe you still do a competition, but instead of giving just the winner a prize, why not give them both a prize and tell them BOTH that you are proud of them and you appreciate both of their efforts, making them both feel good with encouraging words."

I hope all caregivers and teachers read the above and take heart.
As a consultant and in my writing, that is a point I repeatedly stress. Watch the level of competition and when prizes are involved---ALL receive something for being a good sport!!!
 
Besides building skills, I emphasize that the focus in play should primarily be on "Having a good time, Program Community/Team Spirit, and Sportsmanship" -- where all congratulate each other at the end of each game period with a "high five and good job!" Maybe I'm going off topic a bit but I believe it all goes together.

You also say "...
Parents can be a huge problem. I have had numerous parents that I have talked to about their son/daughter bullying someone say to me "They are just kids being kids" or "That's what kids do". There's the problem!!!! "

Yes to that! You've given us much to think about. Please keep us informed as to how your talks are going. Good Luck! Barb

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FROM SARAH IN OAKBROOK
Posted: 2/7/2008
Three "Hip, hip hoorays" for you Eric!

Barb has a category here for us to copy things TO GIVE TO PARENTS. Maybe we should start getting some good "Non-preachy or threatening message type things" in there about the Bullying topic. I think putting TIPS in newsletters and in info. centers is a start. I know I just saw a MVparents.com in that category. if we present it as general informational tips--it may help...Sarah

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FROM CASSIE IN MICHIGAN
Posted: 2/7/2008

I agree with you Eric...not enough has been said about parents and adults not doing their part. I think largely they just don't know what to do--so don't do much---or give bad advice. Welcome to the site...Cassie

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FROM ERIC PITONYAK
Posted: 2/7/2008

I hope I didn't sound preachy. I have an obvious passion to change the way people, not just kids, treat each other. I strongly believe that we can slowly change our schools into a more positive, encouraging environment where everyone will enjoy being.

There is so much criticism and put downs these days, we need encouraging words to one another. Even if someone does something bad or wrong, gently correct them and guide them in a more positive lifestyle. If someone sees bullying happen, use positive reinforcement to correct the bully. Being happy and smiling is probably my favorite thing to do.

Reading some of the entries, I like the point that said "...bystanders can also play a role in bullying."
 
Very true! In fact, I believe that if someone witnesses someone being bullied and does nothing about it, they are just as guilty as the bully themselves. Everyone should keep their eyes open and speak up when they witness bullying happen.

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From GoGreen in Oregon
Posted: 2/10/2008

I've been doing some reading and just read that:

"Bullies appear to have little anxiety and to possess strong self-esteem. There is little evidence to support the contention that bullies victimize others because they feel bad about themselves. "

Some of my background is Psychology; at the time of my education--it was thought the opposite. Being not quite sure of the statement, "Bullies possess strong self-esteem...", I did some research of my own--and saw three current studies that say the same! Indeed, that bit of info was a surprise!

Eric, you say.....
"NO BULLYING DAY" Some people and even schools have no bullying day or anti bullying week. To me, this is horrible. Why is there a selected day or couple of days that kids cannot bully someone else? It is telling the kids that during this time, we are cracking down and won't put up with any bullying. WHY ISN'T THIS a No Bullying YEAR???..."

It's good to see your passion and I hope you continue to advance the cause. You also wrote you hope you "don't sound preachy".
You don't- you sound passionate. However, I think you DON"T mean, that having a set time for Anti- Bully recognition is bad... WHAT you're saying is that we all should be working at it all the time! One week a year doesn't cut it. (Sorry to be putting words in your words!)

Adding to that, the one day, or one week is a START It's the baby-steps--that eventually make a difference.
What a great concept--an Anti-Bully Year! Some good stuff up above! gg
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FROM SARAH IN OAKBROOK Posted 2/11/2008

Read this article  at kidshealth It's helped me! A website with simple words that kids (and adults) can use when needing to address a Bullying issue. BE SURE TO READ THE SIDE-BAR IN PURPLE, "ALL ABOARD" it talks about getting the entire school onboard---students, teachers, students and staff---where all make it a "Bully-Free-Zone".

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Self Esteem begins to develop at a very early age. By getting children off to the best possible start, we give them a gift that they can carry with them for the rest of their life! Share yourself with your children. Bring your talents, skills and hobbies into their lives, program, and classroom.

Our goal isn't to mold cookie-cutter children, but to nourish each child's individual spirit! To help them stay in touch with their feelings, explore ways of dealing with outside influences and to increase their sense of trust and kindness... 

Some ways are by presenting:

   • Skill Building Sports

  • Gym/Yoga/Exercise

  • Cooking/Snack preparation

  • Outdoors

  • Knitting/Sewing/Crocheting

  • Woodworking

  • Science/Nature 

  • Party Planning (involving youth in any planning)

  • Caring for Animals    

  • Community Service & Random Acts of Kindness

  • Creative Arts/Crafts

  • Foreign Languages/Sign language

  • Drama

  • Interest Clubs/Classes

  • Dancing/Singing

  • Music 

  • Youth helping with younger children 

Helping children develop a positive self image is an important task we face as caregivers, parents, and teachers. Fortunately, there are many things we can do. Some of them are:
 
1.  Model appropriate behavior; children model after people they respect. Let them know that you feel good about yourself. Also let them know that you make  mistakes and learn from them.

2. Give children time with their friends; peer groups are very important.

3. Don't give into "learned helplessness". When children say they can't do something, show them how in stages so they can. You can also say, 'If you could,  how would you start it?"  Don't do it for them. When a child says, "I can't do that. End their sentence with the words, "Not yet!"

4. Clearly define limits, rules and boundaries; be consistent.

5. Don't make children feel attacked or defensive when there are challenges; work with them to find solutions or alternative behaviors.

6. Help children discover how THEY feel about their accomplishements, NOT how OTHER people feel. Example:" Mrs. Green, (or Mom) I got an A on my test!" "Great I saw how hard you were studying this morning."

7. Make children feel lovable and competent. 

    Suggestions:

• Look  children in the eyes when you talk to them.

• Go down to their level when you talk to them.

 • Use their ideas.

• Don’t change or improve their projects.

• Put up all work-- good or bad.

 • Allow them their creativity; leave the "blue grass and raggedy edges" alone!

• Notice the positive in them; give them individual attention.

• Use their name; greet them daily.

• Present activities within their skill range.

 • Give them responsibility and jobs.

• Have reasonable expectations.

• Give sincere praise and recognition. Instead of saying, "Oh, that's beautiful!" Be specific and say,"Oh, look at the reds and greens!"

• Help the rejected child learn ways to make friends.

 • Know the general development of children's varied "ages and stages".

• Listen to them!!!

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HOW TO PRAISE A CHILD

 

When working (or being a parent) with  children and youth, it's not uncommon to praise them for a job well done. However, according to Becky A. Bailey, author of "Conscious Discipline," how you praise them can make the difference between encouraging and discouraging behavior.

Bailey explains that general praise, such as saying someone is "always helpful," can burden a child, by making him or her feel pressured to live up to a set standard. If the praise "relies on value judgments too often, you teach children that 'good' equals 'pleasing others' and 'bad' equals 'displeasing others.' "

To give praise effectively, Bailey recommends STATING SPECIFICS of what is praiseworthy. For example, instead of saying "Nice job" after a child puts away his toys, say, "You cleaned your play area very nicely."

Bailey emphasizes that some phrases - or tags - that describe values can't be used enough, such as telling a child that he or she was helpful, thoughtful or kind.

  Something to think about...Do you know that ...

   • At grade 1…
       80% of children have high self esteem

  • At grade 5…
       20% of children Have high self-esteem.

    • At grade 12…
       5% of youth…Have high self-esteem.

    • As success goes up…
       Self-esteem goes up!

Barbara Shelby ~ KidActivities and SAC Consulting, Training and Assessments

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