Bøger i Smartfun Activity Books serien

This action-packed compendium offers parents, teachers, and anyone else who works with kids a wide array of ingenious sound and dance activities from a variety of cultures to get kids singing, dancing, listening, interacting, and involved. 101 More Music Games for Children includes games that facilitate musical development, such as sound games, rhythm games, game projects, and card and board games. All of them have simple, clear rules, and they stress excitement, humor, challenge, surprise, and cooperation rather than competition. Whether or not kids are "musical" or play an instrument, these activities can help them: develop musical skills such as spontaneous singing; create, play, and recognize various rhythms; appreciate the structure of sounds; and learn how to play with all kinds of instruments. Like its best-selling predecessor, this book encourages and enhances creative expression, social interaction, family relationships, and kids' budding powers of listening, concentration, and discrimination.

"101 Dialogues, Sketches & Skits: Instant Theater for Teens & Tweens is a collection of short theater dialogues that can be performed on the spot. Each dialogue is introduced with suggested interpretations for the performers. Written primarily for drama teachers working with students ranging in age from 12 to 18 years old, the sketches and skits can also be used in many other middle and high school classrooms as well as by professional and non-professional theater-training groups of any age. 101 Dialogues, Sketches & Skits is part of the SmartFun Activity series from Hunter House which includes over 25 titles that have sold more than 200,000 copies to date. These books encourage imagination, social interaction, and self-expression in children. To make the books easy to use, games are organized according to the skills they develop and then further marked with icons that highlight appropriate age levels, times of play, and group size. Most games are non-competitive, few requires props or equipment, and none require special skills or training. The series is widely used in homes, schools, daycare centers, clubs, and summer camps"--

The benefits of water exercise and play have been well documented, and it's never too early to begin. This practical guide for children 4 and above contains games and activities for every skill level. All 101 games -- from variations on classics like Follow the Leader to new ones like Message in a Bottle -- are simple, easy to learn, and enjoyable for youngsters to play over and over again. Best of all, they burn calories and improve a child's overall fitness level. A special section covers exercises, including water walking and jumping and balance activities.

The movement games in this book are intended to cultivate children's social and creative abilities. Some are based on playground games, others on professional theater and dance exercises. The games described are divided into ten categories including touch and reaction, concentration and puzzles, impersonation and cooperation, and music and movement.

With game consoles and the Internet, children are playing as much as they always have--but now, they sit still while doing it. Kids spend as much time watching TV, using computers, and playing video games as they spend in school each week. One in every three kids in America is considered overweight or obese, and the number one concern that parents bring up to pediatricians is keeping kids fit. Half of all children are not physically active enough for the development of a healthy cardiovascular system. "303 Kid-Approved Exercises and Active Games " helps 6-8 year old kids get off their chairs with fun and age-appropriate exercises. Exercise for children must be fun. These exercises have been used for personal training sessions, kids fitness classes, kids fitness camps, birthday parties and in schools; they have all been "Kid-Approved!." Kimberley Wechsler, a specialist in Kid's Fitness, took into account the fundamental attributes of being a child while developing these exercises. Children have specific physiologic differences that make them unique. They grow, mature, and develop skills at different ages, so what may be skill appropriate for one child could be harmful for another child. These exercises reflect the emotional, social, physical level of this age group. At this age, children feel confident with the basic skill of fitness and are now ready to be challenged to more complex moves. They are now at the skill level in which physical challenges like balance, muscle building, hand-eye, hand-foot coordination, increasing challenges for their fine and gross motor skills, and functional training can be more added. They are growing in their intellectual and emotional processes as well, which now allows this age group to follow and understand simple rules of a sport. They are also introduced to the concept of friendly competition and sports fitness. Children also enjoy using their imagination and fantasy, so exercises require the use of their imagination. There are games and fitness challenges that require kids to take an active role in learning new skills, and there are introductions to new sports. Kids still enjoy outside participation so families, friends, educators and counselors can participate in all of the 303 activities. Kids at this age can't seem to sit still--their minds are always thinking and their bodies are always moving. Children have short attention spans, so most of the activities can be played within a 15 minute period of time and many choices are offered throughout the book. "303 Kid-Approved Exercises and Active Games" supports children's energy and directs it in a positive way; the activities take advantage of a child's natural tendency to be active with unstructured or free play. "303 Kid-Approved Exercises and Active Games" develops intellectual, emotional, and social skills for children, all the while promoting an active and healthy lifestyle.

This book is not just for classrooms or families with overweight or unhealthy kids--every family that has children with televisions, computers, and/or video games under one roof should take care to exercise regularly. 'Tweens spend as much time sitting down watching TV, playing video games, or using computers as they spend in school each week. According to statistics from the U.S. Health and Human Resources Department, one third of American children are overweight or obese due to our lifestyle choices. The number one concern that parents bring up to pediatricians is keeping kids fit, and half of all children are not physically active enough for the development of a healthy cardiovascular system. In this age of electronic media, where we become watchers instead of doers, we are simply forgetting the many wonderful ways of playing and exercising together. 'Tweens in particular are susceptible to overweight issues; the drop-out rate of structured sports programs is highest at this age group."303 Tween-Approved Exercises and Active Games" is written specifically for kids ages 9-12 years old. Kimberley Wechsler, a specialist in Kid's Fitness, took into account the fundamental attributes of being a child while developing these exercises. Children have specific physiologic differences that make them unique. They grow, mature, and develop skills at different ages, so what may be skill appropriate for one child could be harmful for another child. These exercises reflect the emotional, social, physical level of this age group. Children of this age group are now at the skill level in which physical challenges like mind, body, meditation, balance, muscle strengthening, and sport performance building exercises become very important. Sports skills and drills can now be developed, and competition is highlighted and welcomed within this age group. Kids at this age like to show off their talents so it is important for teachers and parents to observe and provide positive feedback on all of their accomplishments. At this age, tweens want to belong to a sport, group, or identify with a sport celebrity to begin to define who they are and what their likes are; friends also tend to become more of an influence than parents at this age. Bad behavior patterns and peer pressure have now developed--making it more difficult to change current patterns--but it can be done. "303 Tween-Approved Exercises and Active Games" can help tweens build confidence in high-pressure situations and build their social skills through playing team sports. Kids within this age group are now experienced with the basic fundamentals of fitness and prefer games, sports, and exercises that are more challenging and competitive. They are physically, intellectually, emotionally becoming young adults. They can think abstractly, make decisions, understand rules and challenge rules; they are more mature then kids 6-8 years old, and their games and physical challenges must reflect these characteristics. They have formed a sense of self-identity and they are more independent, yet their friends are very important to them. Many of the exercises are written to include their friends--they can challenge their friends or work as a team with their friends. Tweens have a preferred Fitness Personality--a style of fitness that suits their likes. Therefore, they can choose their style of exercises from 303 physical challenges. They can choose to do them independently, with a friend, or with a group of friends. They can choose from many styles of fitness in "303 Tween-Approved Exercises and Active Games" mind/body, military style fitness, sports performance, functional resistance, strength training, plyometric style, outdoor challenges, circuit/interval/obstacle course training. "303 Tween-Approved Exercises and Active Games" allows 'tweens to choose the type of exercise. By giving each challenge/game a point value, 'tweens can freely choose their exercises and will receive a complete workout each and every time. Teachers and parents can join in on the fun too!

This sequel takes us even deeper into the craft of improv--the magical art of creating something out of nothing--with all new games. Author Bob Bedore emphasizes how you can use improvisation, creativity, and teamwork any time, any place, to get your imagination flowing, win over a crowd, or be a wittier conversationalist.

This ingenious book uses the postures and movements of zoo animals to teach yoga movements to children. The first part of the book covers theoretical and practical information for parents and teachers working with yoga. Part two takes readers to every part of the zoo, from the insect and reptile houses to the ape cage and the oceanarium. Here youngsters come face to face with a tiger, look in the eyes of a giraffe, do the monkey dance, and walk as gracefully as a flamingo. Part three introduces the rules of the yoga lifestyle through a number of animal fables. Part four contains background information about the animals described in the book.

Drama games are not staged plays but a dynamic form in which children explore their minds and the world around them. They can use their play-acting in sensory games, pantomimes, story games with puppets, in creating masks and costumes, and much more. Drama games allow children to get more in touch with themselves and what they want to be, and are a delightful way to discover the freedom, creativity, and expression of acting- and living. The "SmartFun"Activity series encourage imagination, social interaction, and self-expression in children. To make the books easy to use, games are marked according to appropriate age levels, length of play time, and group size, using helpful icons. Most games are non-competitive and none require special skills or training. The series is widely used in homes, schools, daycare centers, clubs, and summer camp.

"303 Preschooler-Approved Exercises and Active Games" is written specifically for children ages 2-5 years old. In the Building Blocks of Fitness section, each fitness and sport skill is taught in different stages. This allows teachers, counselors, or parents to teach their preschooler a skill that sets the foundation of a more difficult skill; the next level adds a new and more complex element. By doing this, the preschool child will be safe and will feel confident about themselves. Children will learn: - Sportsmanship- Socialization skills- Self-control- How to focus and follow rules- How to share- Reasoning and thinking skills The preschool years are filled with milestones and major physical changes; young children will develop physically, intellectually, emotionally, and socially. During this time, lifestyle behaviors begin to emerge that can define a pattern of behaviors all the way through adulthood. It is vital to a child's health to instill healthy lifestyle habits, behaviors, and disciplines during these young years. Through creative physical activities and easy-to-follow guidelines, this book will teach families how to navigate their dynamic and hectic lifestyles into a healthy and active lifestyle. Being physically active is an invaluable gift for a child, a gift that keeps on giving even into adulthood. What motivates a five year old will be different than what motivates a twelve year old. It's not a "one size fits all" when it comes to fitness. Children have specific physiologic differences that make them unique; they grow, mature and develop skills at different ages, so what may be skill appropriate for one child could be harmful for another child, fitness programs, exercises and activities must be designed specific to each developmental stage. Think of fitness in terms of building a pyramid. In order to have a strong foundation, preschoolers must learn the basic building blocks of fitness. Each year, as kids grow older, they are building on the foundations that were created in the previous years and moving on to more complex movements and skills. Moving from hitting a stationary ball to one that is thrown, bouncing a ball with two hands to bouncing it with one, and progressing from a bike with training wheels to one without, are all milestones that are accomplished during childhood. Kids will play longer and harder than those at the earlier stage of development. They can actually follow multi-task directions (e.g., run to the cone, jump up and down three times, then run back to me) and enjoy playing in a group more. For quick access and easy to follow directions, the activities are organized into six sections of different games and exercises that can easily fit into a child's allotted playtime. Throughout these sections, children can become more aware of their bodily functions, develop sportsmanship and team-working skills, increase energy expenditure, help strengthen muscles and bones, and improve cardiovascular endurance. Preschoolers can decrease the risk of serious illnesses later in life while increasing their creative development. Play and exercise helps children to grow and learn about how the world works. "303 Preschooler-Approved Exercises and Active Games" is a physically active way to bring fun and laughter into a child's life.

This lively and imaginative book is being used in homes and schools in over 13 countries to help children learn about music and sound while they develop the ability to listen, concentrate, be creative, improvise, and trust one another. Using audiocassettes or CDs, of popular songs and simple instruments children and adults get to play listening games, concentration games, musical quizzes, trust games, guessing games, and more. The games are not competitive– they encourage and reward children for participation, not for winning. The SmartFunActivity series encourage imagination, social interaction, and self-expression in children. To make the books easy to use, games are marked according to appropriate age levels, length of play time, and group size, using helpful icons. Most games are non-competitive and none require special skills or training. The series is widely used in homes, schools, daycare centers, clubs, and summer camps.

101 Life Skills Games for Children is a resource guide for parents, teachers, and therapists featuring games that teach important life lessons to younger children and teens. Aimed at children ages 6 to 12, this useful, fun game book is organized into three chapters: I-Games, You-Games, and We-Games. The games address aggression, resentment, honesty, flexibility, stereotypes, performance, self-confidence, respect, and group conflict. The book also offers new strategies for such problems as how to integrate the new girl into the group and how to stop boys from fighting in line. Based on years of research, the book packs skill-building games with step-by step instructions and clearly specified objectives to help children grow as individuals and as part of a group.

This sequel takes us even deeper into the craft of improv--the magical art of creating something out of nothing--with all new games. Author Bob Bedore emphasizes how you can use improvisation, creativity, and teamwork any time, any place, to get your imagination flowing, win over a crowd, or be a wittier conversationalist.

Designed to create dynamic and supportive play environments, these improvisational, noncompetitive games encourage participants to gain as much as they contribute. By expressing themselves physically and emotionally and by exploring a range of possibilities, players gain self-confidence and a greater awareness of the feelings and experiences of others. Illustrations.

"101 Dialogues, Sketches & Skits: Instant Theater for Teens & Tweens is a collection of short theater dialogues that can be performed on the spot. Each dialogue is introduced with suggested interpretations for the performers. Written primarily for drama teachers working with students ranging in age from 12 to 18 years old, the sketches and skits can also be used in many other middle and high school classrooms as well as by professional and non-professional theater-training groups of any age. 101 Dialogues, Sketches & Skits is part of the SmartFun Activity series from Hunter House which includes over 25 titles that have sold more than 200,000 copies to date. These books encourage imagination, social interaction, and self-expression in children. To make the books easy to use, games are organized according to the skills they develop and then further marked with icons that highlight appropriate age levels, times of play, and group size. Most games are non-competitive, few requires props or equipment, and none require special skills or training. The series is widely used in homes, schools, daycare centers, clubs, and summer camps"--