Cooperative Games

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Gathering Leaves

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Directions: On an Autumn day, gather beautiful leaves. Compile your leaves and use them for a table decoration or work of art. Take the time to admire one another’s collection.

Suzanne’s Notes: My kids and I had a fabulous time doing this a few years ago. We found lots of leaves that we used to decorate our house for a Halloween party. My son noticed that one of the Elm leaves had orange markings shaped like the word Boo!

When gathering leaves, be sure everyone can recognize leaves that may be irritating such as poison oak or other hazards such as thorns or snakes, etc. This isn’t a big deal; just know your area and use common sense.

Cooperative Learning Strategies

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The instructional methodology known as Cooperative Learning is, of course, cooperative. Implementing extensive Cooperative Learning strategies effectively in the classroom takes skill, however. I recommend Designing Groupwork, Strategies For the Heterogeneous Classroomby Elizabeth G. Cohen (Teacher’s College Press ©1986). Among quickie cooperative learning strategies, I like the following

  • Jigsaw
  • Fishbowl
  • Collaborative Concept-Webbing
  • Brainstorming of all kinds
  • Mural-making

Please, Please Smile!

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Directions: There are a couple versions of this game. In one version, a child sits in a parent’s lap. The child says to the parent “I love you but will you please, please smile?” The parent responds, “I love you but I just can’t smile!” The game is over when either player smiles, smirks, or snickers.

In another version of Please, Please Smile! a group sits in a circle. A volunteer picks a seated player, leans down and stares face-to-face saying: “Darling, I love you and I want you to please, please smile.” The recipient tries to stonewall, saying “Darling I love you but I just can’t smile.” If the recipient smiles, he trades places with the volunteer. If the volunteer smiles first, he chooses another player and repeats.

Suzanne’s Note: I love this game! It’s a great way to snuggle and giggle with your child. I played it with my daughter when she was 14. We had a sweet and silly time 🙂

Clap Happy

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Directions: Assemble a fun group of friends, family, co-workers, etc… A volunteer leaves the group while those remaining decide on a gesture or position that the volunteer should strike. For example, the group may decide that the volunteer should salute or touch her toes. When the volunteer returns to the group, she randomly strikes different poses. As she gets “warmer”, the group claps louder and more frequently until clapping reaches a crescendo when the correct pose is reached.

Suzanne’s Notes: This game is really great!  It’s fun to be part of the frantically clapping audience with the cooperative goal of helping the volunteer find his way. When you’re the volunteer, you get lots of supportive attention as well as perhaps good-natured ribbing! I have had lots of success with it at family holiday gatherings of mixed-age players.

Blob Tag

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Directions: In this version of tag, “It” chases the other players and tries to tag them. But in this case, when “It” tags someone, the two join hands. Every time another player is tagged, he or she joins hands with the growing blob of “It”.

Notes: Play this game outside in an area free of obstacles and hazards. It’s good for Mixed Ages.