August 1, 2010
Great Group Games for Kids promotes self-esteem and bonding with 150 engaging and age-appropriate activities
MINNEAPOLIS: According to a 2007 study from the American Academy of Pediatrics, play “contributes to the cognitive, physical, social and emotional well-being of children and youth.” Accordingly, this manual—filled with inventive games, physical challenges and original art projects—will quickly become a go-to resource for educators, parents and community leaders who are serious about children’s healthy development. Geared towards elementary-age children, this guide to constructive games teaches mentors and their charges how to play with purpose.
Great Group Games for Kids: 150 Meaningful Activities for Any Setting (Search Institute Press, August 2010), by youth and community development consultants Susan Ragsdale and Ann Saylor, boasts an impressive array of activities for youngsters. Based on the authors’ experiences culled from over a decade of service at the YMCA, the games foster eight laudable personality attributes that help children form lasting, healthy friendships with their peers.
A creative way for adults to cultivate positive qualities in school-age children, such as “empowerment,” “constructive use of time” and “positive identity,” Great Group Games for Kids includes activities that will keep kids entertained in safe and supervised situations. Each activity features easy-to-use instructions including an estimated time, required supplies, necessary preparations and a list of questions to encourage personal reflection after the game has ended. This compendium of beneficial group pastimes has tips to help instructors avoid conflict among participants as well as blank pages for notes. Great Group Games for Kids also has an open invitation for leaders to share suggestions on the authors’ blog at www.greatgroupgames.blogspot.com.
By using activities such as the “birthday scramble” and “gossip on the run” that are found in Great Group Games for Kids, group leaders can take advantage of teachable moments and make a positive impact on impressionable youth.
Susan Ragsdale co-founded the Center for Asset Development and has over 15 years of experience in youth and community development at the YMCA. She has contributed to numerous publications focusing on personal development. Susan lives in Nashville, TN.
Ann Saylor co-founded the Center for Asset Development and has published over 100 articles on youth development. She has also worked with numerous committees and programs to encourage leadership and character-building. Ann lives in Nashville, TN.
Other titles available from Search Institute Press:
Empowering Youth (9781574822540)
Great Group Games (9781574821963)
Great Group Skits (9781574822656)
Supporting Youth (9781574822533)
Book Details:
Title: Great Group Games for Kids: 150 Meaningful Activities for Any Setting
Authors: Susan Ragsdale; Ann Saylor
Publisher: Search Institute Press, Distributed by Independent Publishers Group
Publication: August 2010, $16.95 (CAN $18.95), Paper, ISBN-13: 9781574822847, 228 pages, 6 × 9
Available at bookstores everywhere and through Independent Publishers Group, 814 N. Franklin St., Chicago, IL 60610. Toll-free number for orders only: 1-800-888-4741. Visit us online at www.ipgbook.com.
Publicity Contact
Suzy Winther
612-692-5542
suzyw@search-institute.org
