Team-Building

Rise Together offers workshops and mini-programs for adults and children that focus on working together. Staff can benefit from these workshops in several ways: they learn to work together more respectfully and appreciatively and they learn the skills to facilitate team-building activities with their students. Individuals can also build skills in patience, risk taking, & conflict resolution, as well as build a sense of confidence and accomplishment. Research has indicated that school-age children who participate in cooperative games build self esteem, gain social support, learn social skills, are more available to learn academically, have better coping skills, learn appreciation and trust, are more nurturing, and work with others better.

1. What do these games have to do with violence prevention?

Children are exposed to an enormous amount of violence. Exposure occurs in the home, in the language that they hear, on the television shows, cartoons, and movies that they watch. They use violent video games and computer programs (if not in their own homes then on the playground or at a friend’s home.) Children are well schooled in violence. It surrounds them everywhere.

Playing together—all children included, all children important—builds a sense of community and respect among classmates or the group that is contrary to the violence that they learn. Children who are typically excluded are given a chance and are seen in a new way—as a member of the team. Children who may lack social skills thrive in a non-competitive environment. While competitive play can elicit more rule-breaking and disruption from these children, non-competitive play elicits less negative behavior. Additionally, in this atmosphere peers are more tolerant and the ability to cooperate is greatly enhanced.

2. How do non-competitive games fit into the Bullying Prevention Program?

The goals of this program are to reduce teasing and bullying and to increase the positive social climate of the school or program. One important way to teach about bullying and teasing is through use of class/group discussions and meetings. Getting the class/group to a place of respect, tolerance, and empathy is important. Children need to be taught how to cooperate, work together, and take care of one another. Having fun in a way that is all-inclusive is an important way to teach these skills.

Contact Molly or Shawn anytime to discuss the possibilities for your school or group or to get more information.



Cooperative Play

I tried to teach my child with words
They passed her over unheard
I tried to teach my child with books
He gave me only puzzled looks
Despairingly I turned aside
"How shall I teach this child?" I cried
Into my hands she put the key
"Come," she said, "Play with me."
(Author unknown)

Cooperative Play/Adventure Play focuses on the following:

  • More cooperation than competition
  • Challenging the individual to learn new behaviors and skills
  • Encouraging friend-making and inclusion
  • Promoting exploration, fun, and problem-solving
  • Empathy-Building

Begin by creating a learning environment characterized by the following:

  • Trust, Safety, Support, & Respect
  • Choices
  • Good Rules (Be Gentle, Be Kind, Be Safe)
  • An Experiential Learning Cycle (Give the Directions, Play the Game, Reflect on the Process and Outcome)

Here's a sampling of fun games:

Sticky Buddies/Bandana Buddies: Children can be taped or tied together and challenged to complete tasks such as touching toes, sitting down, or an obstacle course.

Maple Syrup Pull-Up: Try to stand up w/o putting hands on the ground due to a leak at the maple syrup factory. Do this by holding hands in pairs with toes touching. Attempt the stand at the same time.

People to People: Pair up the children. Moving to the rhythm of clapping hands, call out different commands such as toe to toe, hip to hip, finger to finger. At each command everyone must find a partner (any partner) and follow the command. When the command 'people to people' is given the children must find their original partner.

Trust Circle: Create a large standing circle. Demonstrate 'bumpers up' by holding your hands out in front of you. On the command of 'go' everyone is to try to cross the circle without touching anyone else. A variation for very young children is Up and Down the River. Create a river with ropes or tape and let the children choose a watery animal to be. Their challenge is to go 'up and down the river' without touching.

Car & Driver: In pairs, one child is the car and the other is the driver. The car may be blindfolded for a harder challenge. As the driver 'drives' the car, s/he takes care to be careful, avoid road hazards, and take good care of the car. This is a good activity for learning appropriate leadership and empathy. Making a road is helpful for the drivers.

Musical Islands: Place 'islands' around the space. As the music plays, children walk or dance around. When the music stops, each child must place a toe on an island (or get fully on if the islands are large enough). Each time, remove one island. The children will be challenged to make room for everyone on the islands and generously share the space. The music can start again when everyone has been included on an island.

Through the Hoop: In a standing circle, link hands with a hoola-hoop or old bicycle inner tube. The object is to get everyone through without letting go of hands.

Mookie: Forming to opposite standing lines (facing each other) call variations of the word 'mookie' while a person walks in between the lines trying to ignore the calls. This builds skills to ignore teases and taunts.


This handout was compiled by Molly Murphy Mercer. Please see Adventure Play by Nancy MacPhee Bower or contact Molly for more information at molly@risetogether.com.

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