Books published by publisher Hunter House Inc. ,U.S.

Children often find it difficult to make it through an entire day of structured activity — be it school, daycare, camp, or a boys/girls club. These games and activities are the remedy. Refocusing a child's mind after a long lesson or event, they re-energize youngsters and improve the mood of any group. Many incorporate call-and-response and improvisation, strengthening a child's cognitive skills while relieving fatigue and facilitating concentration. Each game requires only the children, a leader, and a heavy dose of enthusiasm — no props or preparation necessary! The book is clearly written and easy to follow, and its infectious sense of fun makes each of these activities the perfect antidote to late-afternoon weariness.

Philosophizing — considering life questions — stimulates thinking: processing information, reasoning, thinking creatively, evaluating alternatives. Many children are natural philosophers. They observe the world around them from a young age, have a keen sense of right and wrong, and ask endless questions. Stories — fables, fairy tales, parables — are a classic device for teaching lessons about life, morality, chance, consequences, and other cultures to audiences both young and old. Philosophy Sucks...Kids Right In! is a guide that parents and educators can use to structure and guide this process. Contributors Nel de Theije and Leo Kaniok have collected 40 short stories that encourage children to ponder the themes of happiness, love, friendship, peace, freedom, respect and equality — and more. An introductory chart clearly lays out the age groupings the stories are appropriate for, a primary theme, possible secondary themes, and the teaching purpose of the story. Many stories come with discussion papers that suggest areas of exploration with children of different age groups (4-6, 6-8, 8-10 and 10-12) and grades. The open-ended questions stimulate children to experience the stories more intensely, encourage self-reflection, and seek their own answers to the big questions of life.

Philosophizing — considering life questions — stimulates thinking: processing information, reasoning, thinking creatively, evaluating alternatives. Many children are natural philosophers. They observe the world around them from a young age, have a keen sense of right and wrong, and ask endless questions. Stories — fables, fairy tales, parables — are a classic device for teaching lessons about life, morality, chance, consequences, and other cultures to audiences both young and old. Philosophy Sucks...Kids Right In! is a guide that parents and educators can use to structure and guide this process. Contributors Nel de Theije-Avontuur and Leo Kaniok have collected 40 short stories that encourage children to ponder the themes of happiness, love, friendship, peace, freedom, respect, and equality — and more. An introductory chart clearly lays out the age groupings the stories are appropriate for, a primary theme, possible secondary themes, and the teaching purpose of the story. Many stories come with discussion papers that suggest areas of exploration with children of different age groups (4–6, 6–8, 8–10, and 10–12) and grades. The open-ended questions encourage self-reflection and stimulate children to experience the stories more intensely and seek their own answers to the big questions of life.

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.

Designed to help teachers and group leaders create dynamic and supportive play environments, this book features completely different games than the first one. These improvisational, noncompetitive games encourage involvement and cooperation — the participants 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. 39 black-and-white illustrations are included.

The games in this book help teachers, parents, and others who work with children maintain or restore order, refocus children’s attention, and break up the classroom routine. Most of the games are quite short and can be used between academic activities as a treat or quick break. Many are noncompetitive, most don’t require props, and none require special skills or training. All can be played with the whole class; there are partner games, small group games, and outdoor games. Clear, complete instructions are included for each activity, and icons denote appropriate age levels, time, and group size. Author Allison Bartl has tested all of the games herself and recommends that the teacher or parent fully participate in each game, both to relax and to provide a model of good social behavior. Tips and thoughtful quotations from Goethe, Rudolf Steiner, Seneca, Lao Tse, Mother Theresa, and others are also included.