Adapted Games and Activities: From Tag to Team Building

Nothing sparks a child's or adolescent's interest like a new game! Adapted Games & Activities: From Tag to Team Building provides a wealth of games to get your students and participants moving and having fun, regardless of their cognitive or physical ability levels. By offering exciting activities that entice your students to participate, you'll not only help them reap the enormous physical benefits of exercise, but you'll also provide opportunities for them to learn to share, express feelings, set goals, and function independently.

The activities in this book have been proven to work in the real world of school and recreation settings. Author Pattie Rouse, an experienced adapted physical educator and recreation and sport leader, has designed and pilot-tested these games to enhance success while challenging participants to think and use their physical abilities. The games and activities range from low to high organization, from teacher directed to community based. You'll find the following in Adapted Games & Activities:

-Teacher-directed games and activities provide you with a way to work on specific skills and movements with your students and participants—and have fun at the same time.

-Success-oriented tag, chase, and dodge games use a nonthreatening, interactive approach to give participants a sense of belonging and self-confidence, regardless of their physical abilities.

-Team-building and cooperative games and activities teach group dynamics, self-esteem, respect, and trust.

-Higher-organization games are for those students and participants who need a greater challenge.

-Lead-up sport and leisure activities help your students and participants work toward playing sports in a school or community setting by developing sport-specific skills and tactics.

Except for the higher-organization games, all games are simple, with few rules, so they're easy for students to comprehend. And since little or no equipment is required, your prep time is kept to a minimum. Better yet, you'll find variations for each game, as well as modifications and teaching tips, so that you can easily tailor each game to your participants' cognitive and physical abilities. And all the activities emphasize cooperation and team building to encourage social interactions, develop self-esteem, and build community spirit.

Participants who enjoy and feel successful in physical activities are more likely to want to participate in the future, both in and outside of your program. Using Adapted Games & Activities will help you provide a foundation of success so that your students may experience a lifetime of physical fitness—and the sense of accomplishment that goes along with it.