Books published by publisher Huntly House

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.

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.

Through simple text, eye-catching drawings, and activities such as mazes, crosswords, and word searches, this book encourages kids to think about and act to promote peace at home, in their communities, and in the world. Harriet Tubman, Cesar Chavez, and Julia Butterfly are among those profiled as positive activists. The book differentiates public danger (gangs, drug-related violence) from private (sexual assault, domestic violence) and provides ways to stay safe and get help when necessary.

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.

Making the Peace is written to help high school students break away from violence, develop self-esteem, and regain a sense of community. It provides photographs, illustrations, exercises, role-plays, in-class handouts, homework sheets, and discussion guidelines to explore issues such as dating violence, gangs, interracial tension, suicide, sexual harassment, and the social roots of violence.

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 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 camp.

Language games allow children to stretch their communication abilities, enhancing vocabulary, conversation, and storytelling skills. A suggested age range accompanies each game in this book; some games may be adapted to different age groups. Language games for beginners focus on making children aware of the ways letters look, the presence of letters in their surroundings (on signs, for instance), and the different letter systems in different cultures. More advanced games include creating poems and haiku, making up stories, and joke-telling. 39 black-and-white illustrations are included in this wonderful resource for teachers, therapists, and social workers.

This invaluable resource helps K-3 teachers deal with restless, energetic students including those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The book contains quick movement breaks that can be used between other classroom activities to minimize disruptions and maintain a positive learning environment for all students. The activities, labeled according to appropriate age levels, length of play time, and group size, include shape recognition, stretching and relaxing, pantomime and imagination movements, balancing, and team relays. None of the activities require special skills, and there are enough for every day of the school year.

The Yoga Adventure for Children is an illustrated manual for teachers at primary schools and yoga teachers who wish to create children's classes. Featuring 80 drawings of poses, the book playfully acquaints children with yoga stretches and postures and the philosophy behind the practice. Blending yoga, play, dance, music, drama, and drawing, the book requires very little preparation before use. Parents too can share The Yoga Adventure for Children with their child at home. Practicing yoga together offers an opportunity to both parents and the child to laugh, play, and have fun together.Many yoga positions are inspired by animals and stimulate suppleness and strength, and all aspects of yoga are included in the games: relaxation, breathing, concentration, meditation, self-awareness, and visualization. Concepts like karma, chakra, and the elements are explained and developed without too much confusing detail. The games in this book can also be used to increase children's concentration and self-esteem, and to stimulate them to express more creativity, imagination, and better social skills.

This invaluable resource helps K-3 teachers deal with restless, energetic students including those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The book contains quick movement breaks that can be used between other classroom activities to minimize disruptions and maintain a positive learning environment for all students. The activities, labeled according to appropriate age levels, length of play time, and group size, include shape recognition, stretching and relaxing, pantomime and imagination movements, balancing, and team relays. None of the activities require special skills, and there are enough for every day of the school year.

When the circus isn't in town, children can still enjoy it at a birthday party, summer camp, drama class, or elementary school thanks to this colorful collection of circus-based games and activities. Ideal for children ages four through 12, the book draws on popular circus elements such as acrobatics, clowns, animal numbers, and balancing acts. The games are presented in a clear, simple way, range from ten to 45 minutes in length, and vary in complexity. Each section includes a "circus program" children can use if they want to plan an actual performance. Readily available props are used for some of the games, and costumes are encouraged for all! Noncompetitive and playable without special skills training, the activities in 101 Circus Games for Children provide delightful entertainment for participants and spectators alike.