Do you remember what you played as a child? Almost all the games you remember are role-playing games. It is this type of game that makes maximum use of both the intellectual and emotional qualities of the child, developing a wealth of imagination. At the same time, we should not forget that play activity is the leading one for children in general and for kids in particular. The whole world, all the complex relationships between objects and people, are learned by children through the prism of games. This is why role-playing games for children are so important - this is nothing more than an educational program that helps children try on social roles that are significant to them and understand the essence of the interaction between the participants in the chosen storyline.
It’s easy to guess that it’s quite boring for one child to play a play for one actor, and full-fledged role-playing games for children require a companion, or even better, several. So much the better - it means your two children will happily pick up any idea and turn it into exciting action! Therefore, in the section on creativity and games for two children, we have highlighted the topic of role-playing games in a separate article.
Role-playing games for preschoolers - the key to understanding the world
If you think about it, role-playing games with a plot can be imagined as a theatrical performance, where children come up with a plot and direct the actions, after which they try on fictitious roles and bring the production to life with the help of their imagination and the surroundings at hand. The development of a plot-based role-playing game occurs smoothly, having starting points, the actual development of the plot and a climax, which marks the end of the game.
Most often, the plan for the role-playing game itself is offered to children by their parents, teachers or other significant adults, on whose shoulders the organization of the plot-based role-playing game falls. But, having shown the game once, you can relax; now the children will play it on their own, complementing and changing it according to their taste and desire. Children, transforming into fictional characters, strive to understand both the mechanism of interaction between the game characters, their motives, and the essence of manipulation with any objects. The oar rows, the stethoscope allows you to listen to the lungs, the crown allows you to identify the princess or king. The doctor treats, the mother cares. Everything in the child’s head falls into place, and the essence of previously incomprehensible things becomes crystal clear.
Purpose of role play
The most thoughtful and logical, the most exciting and delightful games are role-playing games, every child would tell you if they knew what role-playing games are. In itself, such a game does not have an ultimate goal, even if the princess has already been saved and the treasure has been obtained, the game can continue with new adventures.
If we think about what the actual purpose of role-playing game is, then it is worth paying attention to what role-playing game gives children in general. It is from this that the main goal of the role-playing game follows - children’s mastering of interpersonal communication skills and teaching them how to interact in a given context of the situation or in joint professional activities that are played out in the game.
Role of parents
Despite the fact that many children themselves are great at coming up with stories and playing, it is still adults, and ideally parents, who can not only become closer to their offspring, starting from six months, but also find out what is really in their heads what they care about. This is a good way to identify problems at home; just invite them to play family. Any violence or problems will be displayed during the game (dad screams, mom swears, cries, etc.). Even fantastic plots of productions will be based on real events.
An adult should actively play with children, but not correct them, but simply observe, play by their rules. There should be no criticism or raised voices. If there is a need to fix something, then it would be optimal to disassemble each game at the end and then tell you how to do it correctly. In this case, the adult plays the role of an experienced peer friend, not an adult mentor.
Don't limit the kids, let them express their fantasies and thoughts. And you will be able to look into their souls, discover unexpected talents, observing them, approving, but not criticizing, even if they make ridiculous mistakes. As is right, they will definitely learn everything before entering school, but in the meantime their way of thinking and vision of the world allows them to develop their imagination and talents.
Attributes for role-playing games - the starting point of the plot
Just as the performance requires props, children need the necessary attributes for role-playing games to get used to the role and create a plot. It is difficult to guess from what object children's role-playing games will appear - two shawls can become a knight's cloak and a princess's dress, children boldly declare a refrigerator box to be a spaceship, and an ordinary ball becomes a magic ball.
Such attributes for role-playing games help children get into the role, and are also the starting point for constructing a game script. If the organization of role-playing games occurs at the suggestion of adults, then they themselves often offer some items that set children up for the appropriate game.
Roles of children in role-playing games
If your two children are eager to learn role-playing games, you have probably noticed that they independently assign play roles. There is nothing wrong with this if both kids agree. But if one of the children constantly turns out to be a villain or sick, and constantly plays the same role, it is worth advising the children to switch roles, this may be useful for them. Perhaps the idea of switching roles simply did not occur to the kids. If your proposal is rejected, it’s okay, let the children learn to negotiate and interact.
Some role-playing game scenarios involve changing roles, and some, on the contrary, have a long plot in which changing roles in role-playing games can break the entire game. Children know better.
Examples of role-playing games for two children
Any preschool institution has a file of role-playing games, and these variations are played out more than once by children in the group. However, at home, two children of different ages often cannot find a starting point for play. To do this, sometimes parents can offer them some ready-made interesting options for the game - role-playing performances according to the parental scenario quickly acquire originality and literally after a couple of tens of minutes they lose the slightest similarity with the original scenario.
Here we will give some examples of role-playing games, both new and those that have been popular for more than a year, and even for more than a century. However, ready-made versions of role-playing games can always help you out or inspire you to create a completely new plot.
Option number 1: “Cozy house”
This option always tops children's role-playing games. You yourself probably remember from your childhood a table-book half-opened and curtained with a blanket, under which a real home was located. Unfortunately, book tables have almost gone out of fashion, but the memory of this game remains.
But you can make a house for children from almost any auxiliary materials: you can buy a ready-made children’s tent, you can move chairs and put blankets on them, you can get a large cardboard box, or curtain the most ordinary table - any option is suitable! As soon as you create an impromptu home for your kids, they will immediately begin to make it cozy, arrange lighting, and steal everything there that may be useful in their opinion. Moreover, absolutely any plots can develop in the house; it is rather an attribute of the game.
Option No. 2: “Big Swim”
Wonderful role-playing games - children's variations on a marine theme. So playing ship is one of the most favorite children's entertainment, and not only among boys. Take a basin, box or bathtub as the watercraft itself, a clothes dryer designed to represent sails, toy fishing sets, sabers and bandanas.
During a trip, pirates or sailors can catch magnetic fish, eat sea biscuits or improvised food, try to pretend to sleep in a hammock, row oars, drown in turns and, accordingly, save each other, look for treasures and escape from pirates, rob ships - if they themselves are pirates .
Option number 3: “Holiday - holiday”
Another game that kids often play is organizing a party. Most often, parents need a couple of tips, a motivating idea and guidance at the very beginning of the game.
To organize a birthday you need: a birthday person - either one of the children, or a doll, or a cat, a cake - or something that will act in this role, dishes, plastic or even real products. Children pour tea for each other and the dolls, give gifts to the birthday boy, and can sing and dance. If implemented successfully, you can repeat it a couple of times.
Option No. 4: “Cosmonauts”
Often, when coming up with various role-playing games, it is enough to come up with a starting point from which a child’s imagination will create its own game. For astronauts, such a point can be either a spaceship or spacesuits.
You can make a spaceship out of a cardboard box, a colander on your head is a sure sign of an alien, helmets for young astronauts can be made from improvised materials. Give children something similar to the necessary paraphernalia - and they themselves will enthusiastically conquer space.
Option No. 5: “Shop”
Another timeless role-playing game is the shop game. Let one of the children be the buyer, and the second the seller, and then the children switch roles. You can sell anything, and for payment you can use candy wrappers, small iron money, old business cards from your father, or just scraps of paper. At the same time, you can learn to count and learn about currency (children, having watched enough of Scrooge McDuck and Peppa Pig, often trade in dollars).
“Products” can be laid out on the display case, put them in a bag or package, weighed, checked the “barcode”, drawn price tags, and do much, much more with them.
Option number 6: Classic of the genre - “Hospital”
Probably the most famous story-based role-playing game is Hospital. Children are happy to practice the latest treatment methods on each other, get used to vaccinations, give sweet candy medicine, and even stand in line at the doctor.
If you decide to teach your children to play role-playing games, the hospital is the easiest and most accessible option.
A game of patient and doctor that is brilliant in its simplicity and effectiveness. A special kit is often used, but improvised means are also suitable. Most often, the youngest child becomes the patient, and the eldest child is the doctor, but it happens in different ways.
Option No. 7: “Kindergarten”
In kindergarten, children play various role-playing games, but only at home can they play the game... “kindergarten”. Children willingly play in kindergarten, especially since this topic is very close to at least one of them. And look at what the children do in kindergarten, what they do and how they spend their day.
The older child can dress the baby, take him to kindergarten (a place reserved for the garden or to his mother’s), feed the younger one, play with him, put him to bed, that is, project onto himself in a playful way the ordinary life of the kindergarten.
Option No. 8: “War”, “partisans”, “Indians”...
For boys, most role-playing games are children's variations on the theme of war and struggle. This is logical and due to socio-genetic prerequisites. Armed with pistols or swords, or having equipped several regiments of transformers for war, the boys selflessly lead the fighting troops to inevitable victory.
But it is worth noting that any fighting completely captivates children of both sexes. One has only to hand them weapons - and goodbye, pacifism! The rival and the enemy will be overtaken, killed, reanimated and cured. And the arsenal of toy weapons is amazing.
Option No. 9: “Family” – “mothers and daughters”
One of the popular and most famous is the family role-playing game. Projecting the roles of mother and father onto themselves draws children into the unknown world of adults. They try to independently understand and feel the feelings of adults, dressing, feeding, rocking and putting to bed baby dolls and dolls, discussing with each other “adult” problems of raising children.
Well, while the children are playing dad and mom, you can look at your family from the outside.
Option number 10: “Zoo”
If you collect all the figurines of small animals around the house, especially from Kinder Surprises or Lego Zoo, then it is quite possible to create a zoo rich in flora and fauna. Children together can take dolls and soldiers there on excursions, feed the animals, learn information about unknown species (yes, what does the platypus eat?) and even rent animals for circus performances.
Option No. 11: “Barbershop”
Another well-known story-based role-playing game is hairdressing. Arm your kids with hairpins, elastic bands, a hair dryer, hair gel and an ordinary comb, and children of both sexes will enthusiastically change each other's image and lead them to the heights of style.
Just don't give me the scissors. What if one of your children is the unrecognized Zverev? And then you feel embarrassed to go out with your child...
Educational games for children from 5 to 10 years old. Formation of personal behavior skills in role-playing games
Role-playing games for children from 5 to 10 years old
One of the most powerful ways to develop personal behavior skills is through role-playing. As was shown in the first chapter, role is the basis of children's play. Psychologists have long used this fact to form a more objective and adequate, and therefore more correct, view of the world and people’s relationships. In the nature of the game, as well as in the role that the playing child takes on in general games, the individual characteristics of individual children and their character traits appear quite early. General games are of great importance for character development. Endurance in relation to pain, a sense of dignity, responsibility, trust, justice, compassion for the weak. In no other period of his life will a child learn so much and so effectively as in his childhood games. That is why play activities should be carried over into the period of schooling: the child’s internal capabilities in this case develop much more freely.
Let's look at some role-playing games that influence a child's personal development.
☺ Game “Exchange Roles”
The game technology is very simple. For a short time, you and your child exchange roles. “Come on, you will be mom (dad), and I will be daughter (son)!” For example, invite your child to set the table for breakfast, as mom does, make sure that the “children” (for example, dad and mom or grandmother) do not forget to wash their hands, “behave” correctly at the table, etc.
For older children, role reversal play is even more significant. For example, your son came home “out of sorts” from school, got a bad grade, did not fulfill his duties, etc. You need to have a serious talk with him. Try changing the form: “Sit down, I need to talk to you seriously” to “Sit down, talk to me.”
Invite your child to express everything that you or he thinks you should tell him. Undoubtedly, you will see an absolutely amazing result of mutual understanding. This will reveal that you and your child see the problem differently, and what the difference is. You will get to know your child from a new, unknown side. But he will also understand you and your mood, attitude, feelings much more deeply.
☺ Game “Empty Chair”
Your little daughter came running to you with a complaint about her older brother. Don't rush into investigation and disassembly. Place an empty chair, invite the girl to sit opposite and say: “Imagine that Vitya is sitting on this chair. He is good? Bad? What don't you like about it? What will we tell him? Get started. What did you do to him? What did he answer you? And so on. With a calm attitude and reorientation to play activities, the child will gradually calm down and significantly reconsider his assessment of the situation. It is possible that Vitya’s role will turn out to be different and that the daughter herself is not entirely right, Vitya is not so bad.
☺ Game “Step into the future”
A game in which expected events are played out. Any mother knows the stress a child experiences when he has to visit a doctor. He pictures in his imagination situations associated with painful procedures, regardless of the actual state of affairs. (For example, you should visit a regular pediatrician, whose examination is usually painless.) If your child is very anxious, encourage him to play a game at the upcoming doctor's visit. Let him choose the role he likes: doctor or patient. And start playing. Play the whole situation sequentially.
Here you are going to the clinic, you came to the doctor, go through all the stages of the examination, prescribe procedures, write prescriptions, go to the pharmacy and get treatment. Try to play out different scenarios. (Which child likes it best.) Look at the result. Children tend to express their excitement through play and objectively become calmer. It is possible that after such a game your child will even want to go to the doctor in order to satisfy his curiosity: is everything really the same as in the game?
☺ Game “Dreams”
We often see different dreams. Children are no exception. Usually a child does not remember what he dreamed. But there are special cases when the dream is very emotionally charged and occupies the child while he is awake. More often these are disturbing dreams or nightmares. If the child wakes up and continues to experience terrible dream events, invite him to play in this dream. Assign roles and go! Offer your child the role of a strong hero, let him destroy, break in the game something or something that frightened him.
Play out the dream events so that they have a favorable or even happy outcome. It’s even better if the events in the game take on a comic twist. Take the time to play, and you will greatly help your child and calm his nervous system.
The game “Dreams” will also help when the child is simply excited or very worried before some event. In this case it has a different shape. Invite your child to imagine that he has “fallen asleep” and is “having” a dream. The dream is cheerful and pleasant. “In his sleep” he performs various actions. Invite him to act out his behavior “in his sleep.” Help him direct the game's plot in a calm and optimistic direction. As our practice shows, children really like this game.
☺ Game “Double Bilboke”
This is an ancient game that develops coordination and attention in joint activities. This game trains the ability to adapt to another person, “adjust” to him, and is a good model of interaction and development of personal self-control. The game is played by two people and can take place both indoors and outdoors.
Fix a rectangle of fabric measuring 30 x 50 cm on the short sides on two sticks. Cut two holes in the fabric on the right and left. A small ball is attached to a string 80–100 cm long in the center.
By folding and stretching the fabric, two players make the ball fly. The task of each player is to catch the falling ball into his hole. Each hit counts as one point. They play up to five points or up to three in a row for one player.
The game is aimed at developing in the child attention to another personality, trying to evaluate it both through comparison and through association.
A group of children is playing. The driver goes out the door, and among the others they make a guess for one person. The driver enters and asks those in the room questions:
- What plant does this person look like?
- What animal does this person look like?
— What color dress (shirt) is best to dress this person in?
☺ Game “Guess me!”
Based on the answers received, the driver must guess the “mysterious” child. If one of the children finds it difficult to answer the question asked, then they are skipped and the question is asked to the next one. If the driver guessed correctly, then he remains in the group of players, and the “guessed” child becomes the driver.
☺ Game “Living Pictures”
This game was known to our great-grandmothers. Its psychological content is quite diverse. It characterizes a person’s ability to understand and, as they say, “feel” another person and at the same time teaches this. All participants in the game stand in a circle. One (the driver) is in the center of the circle. He must use facial expressions and pantomime to portray one of the participants in the game. The rest must guess who it is. The one who first guessed the person depicted becomes the driver.
It is important not only to be able to play, but also to be able to organize the game. For this purpose, a certain skill is also required.
☺ Game “Entertainer”
This is a group game. Each participant is asked to take turns recalling a fun game and organizing it in a group. The group members give the “entertainer” a rating for the game performed on a five-point scale. The total amount of grades given is calculated. Whoever has more at the end of the game wins.
☺ Game "Concert"
This game is characterized by the fact that it is prepared in advance, and the preparation process for the child is no less entertaining and attractive than the game itself.
One of the participants in the game takes on the role of entertainer. He prepares in advance and posts in a prominent place before the game a poster stating that a concert will take place at which the following participants (list) will perform. If this game is played in a family, then all family members should be participants, including pets and random guests. The task of each participant in the future concert is to come up with a number, props, costume and prepare it all. Then the concert itself will take place at the appointed time. All participants act as spectators when they are not busy in the room. Prizes are then awarded by voting. It is important that all participants receive some kind of prize. To do this, you need to come up with the appropriate number of nominations. From the most ordinary (for “best number”, “costume”) to unconventional (for “the widest smile”, “for working with all four paws”, “the longest skirt”, etc.).
☺ Game “Xop song”
This game is aimed at developing collective activity and joint coordination. The “conductor” comes forward (optional). Everyone chooses a song to perform together. This should be a song that is familiar to everyone and has a simple melody. (You can prepare cheat sheets with words in advance and distribute them to the players.) At the “conductor’s” sign, all children begin to sing loudly, then at the “conductor’s” clap.
There is silence, but everyone continues to sing mentally. At the next clap, they sing out loud again. And so on several times. The one who gets it wrong becomes the “conductor” and directs the performance of another song. The winners are those players who lasted the longest in the “singers”.
☺ Game “Compliment”
Participants are divided into pairs (possibly randomly), and these pairs must speak kind and good words to each other for a while, without stopping or repeating themselves. One speaks, the other speaks in response, again the first, again the second, etc. The longest-playing pair wins.
☺ Game “Teases with salt”
To be able to communicate, a child must know the people around him well and be attentive to them. At the same time, he must be able to “look at himself from the outside,” and correctly imagine how he looks in the eyes of others. The solution to these two problems is provided by the fun game "Teases" . Teasing and all sorts of nonsense are especially popular among children 5-7 years old . Children love to tease. “Teasers” indirectly negatively evaluate the behavior of another person, give vent to negative emotions, and restore justice. Often, ridiculous rhymes are used by children not with the goal of offending their playmate, but simply to entertain the company, as a unique form of showing children’s sense of humor. The desire to make others laugh and have fun themselves is typical for children. The proposed game is precisely aimed at giving the “teasing” a positive, fun (and not offensive) context.
First option. All participants sit in a circle (for example, at a table) so that everyone can see each other and take a salty stick in their teeth. Then they must tease each other with words and facial expressions, but not to drop the salty stick from their mouth. As its tip begins to get wet in the mouth, it is bitten off and swallowed without releasing the stick from the mouth and without using the hands. The one who dropped the stick can leave the game, but as an option, he can remain in it (put the stick in his mouth again), receiving penalty points for each loss of the stick. The winner is the participant who teased the longest and never dropped the stick from his mouth.
The second version of the game "Teases". At least ten children participate in the game. All participants in the game stand in a wide circle. The first player comes to the center of the circle, tells the adult presenter in the ear who he is going to “tease”, and begins to imitate one of the participants in the game in a funny way. Everyone else watches him and guesses which of those present was portrayed. If the player accurately portrayed his friend and he was guessed the first time, then the person guessed changes places with the “leader”. If the person is not recognized the first time, then the teaser leaves the game. The game takes place in a circle. The winners are those who managed to stay in the game the longest.
Cheat sheet for the presenter
To develop collective behavior skills, it is good to use active motor games. You can offer your child ball games.
1. All children are divided into two teams and stand in a circle. They must quickly pass the ball from hand to hand in a circle without dropping it or throwing it through the air. Whichever team held the ball longer won.
2. Children move freely around the playground, the driver holds the ball in his hands. At the leader’s command, everyone freezes, and the driver must hit one of the players with the ball without moving from his place. The one who is hit by the ball is eliminated from the game. The last one left on the court wins.
3. Children stand in a circle and begin to throw the ball to each other, as in volleyball. The one who did not catch the ball squats in the center of the circle. From time to time, players throw the ball at those sitting in the center of the circle. If one of them catches the ball, he again stands in the circle. The winner is the last player in the circle.
☺ Running games
1. Children are divided into pairs, and on command, each pair, holding hands, runs to the finish line. The winner is the couple that comes running first and does not loosen their hands.
2. All children stand in a wide circle. The driver selects one player, calling him, and tries to catch up with him. They run around the outside of the circle of children. The one who is being caught up can shout out any name of the person standing in the circle. The one who was named quickly leaves his place and runs away from the driver, and the first running player takes the vacated place. The one who “fell” into the hands of the driver becomes the driver himself.
3. At the signal, everyone starts running around the court, and the driver tries to “smear” one of the players. The one who gets caught becomes the driver’s assistant and also chases the players, trying to “smear” them. The winner is the one who is the last one left “ungreased”.
☺ Game “Siamese Twins”
All children are divided into pairs, preferably equal in height. Then each pair, taking a piece of blank paper, stands facing each other. On command, the children press their foreheads against each other, with a piece of paper sandwiched between them. Music begins to play, and pairs of “Siamese twins” slowly dance to it. Their hands should be behind their backs; the sheet is held by their foreheads. You can't stay in place without moving. If the leaf falls to the floor, the couple stops and freezes in the position in which they found themselves when the leaf touched the floor. Children must maintain these poses until the end of the game, creating interference for other pairs. The couple that dances the longest while holding the piece of paper wins.
☺ Game “Air volleyball”
The game develops coordination; in addition, it instills in children a spirit of mutual assistance, perseverance, and perseverance. All participants in the game are located evenly on the court - so that the distance between any two players is at least one and a half meters. Then an inflated balloon is thrown into the group of players. The players' task is to hit each other's ball without letting it fall to the ground. However, players cannot move or lift their heels off the floor. Whoever moved or touched the ball last before it fell to the ground receives a penalty point. Anyone who receives three penalty points is eliminated from the game. The winners are the two players last remaining on the court.
☺ Game “Funny tennis”
The game allows you not only to develop coordination, but also to better feel the other person and learn to coordinate joint actions. Two players stand behind each other's heads at a distance of one meter. The first player bends his torso forward, horizontal to the ground. A tennis ball is placed on his neck, under the back of his head. Sharply straightening his torso, the player “throws” the ball with his head and neck to the back player. The second player catches the ball, turns his back to the first and “throws” the ball to his partner in the described manner. Each loss of the ball gives one penalty point. The game continues until five points. Whoever gets them faster loses.
☺ Game “Catch up with the chip”
Groups of four play. Two sit opposite each other at the table. On the table in front of them is a sheet of paper with a drawn playing field.
A chip is placed in the middle cell of the playing field. The right to move first is played out. Now the couple that goes first “throws” their right hands forward, palms up or down. For a couple sitting on the right side of the table, the winning option is for both participants' hands to match (both palms facing up or down). If the position of the palms coincides, then they move the chip one square in their direction, if not, then one square in the direction of the opposite pair. The couple sitting on the left side of the table is interested in ensuring that their “thrown out” palms do not coincide: one looks up, the other down. In this case, they move the chip one square in their direction. If their palms coincide in position, then they move the chip one square towards the “enemy”. The task of each playing pair is to “bring” the chip as quickly as possible to the cell closest to itself. The one who did it first wins. The number of cells on the playing field can reach nine, but this will significantly lengthen the game.
Complex patterns of behavior in a group are formed in a child through the accumulation of personal experience, often through “trial and error.” He can be helped by offering story-based games that simulate relationships in adult society.
☺ Game “Etiquette”
This is a challenging game that helps children learn certain behavior patterns. It is carried out in several stages.
The first stage is “Greeting” . All participants in the game sit on chairs so that they can see each other. Then they take turns coming out and greeting everyone else. The main task: the greeting of each player should be somewhat different from the others. For example, one said “Hello!”; another - “Good afternoon!”; the third waved his hand; the fourth - “saluted”; fifth - bowed; the sixth waved and said, “Hello!” etc. Children can combine several greetings into one, and an adult can help them. When everyone has greeted each other, the second stage of the game begins.
The second stage is “Compliment”. Children elect a King and Queen from their group, who are seated on the throne (you can put two chairs on the table, depicting a “throne”).
All other participants in the game are subjects who take turns approaching the “throne”, bowing to the King and complimenting the Queen. When all subjects have said their compliments, the roles of King and Queen pass to the next participants, and so on until everyone has received their “share” of bows and compliments.
The third stage “Invitation to dance” . Participants approach each other and invite them to dance. The invitees thank you.
The fourth stage is “Treat” or “Gift” . Children take turns “treating” each other to ice cream (chocolate, candy, apple) or “giving” each other a “gift”. In return they receive words of gratitude. Each player must “treat” someone or “gift” something and thank them when they “treat” them.
Fifth stage “Farewell”. All children take turns saying goodbye and leaving the room. Game over.
Then everyone discusses together who was the best in the game at its various stages.
☺ Game “How many friends do I have!”
Children are asked to indicate three qualities they would like to see in their best friend. Then the guys must name one quality of those present for which this person can be praised. Then they compare the list of “best friend qualities” with the qualities of those present and count the matches. Based on the results, they determine how many potential friends each person has in the group.
☺ Game "Twins"
The game allows the child to more clearly grasp the content of specific concepts and their antipodes. It is especially useful for mastering moral categories and norms.
The children are told a story: “Once upon a time there lived two twins. One was called Vitya, and the other Mitya. They were very similar, and they could only be distinguished by what and how they did. Vitya always did everything right: he spoke correctly, studied, behaved correctly. But Mitya did everything the other way around, that is, incorrectly.”
Now we will find out who was Vitya and who was Mitya in each case. So:
— One boy ate soup with a spoon, and the other with a fork. Who is Vitya and who is Mitya?
— One boy went to bed in the evening, and the other in the morning. Which one is which?
“One boy tried to get only A’s, and the other got C’s.” Who is Vitya and who is Mitya?
— One, entering the house, took off his hat, but the other did not. Who was Mitya?
— One boy ate a lot of sweets, but said that he didn’t touch them at all. Another did not take sweets without permission and waited until he was called for tea. Who was who?
— One boy sat quietly in class, and the other chatted. Who is Vitya and who is Mitya?
These questions can be continued by contrasting right and wrong behavior.
Another form of this game involves the child himself suggesting correct and incorrect forms of behavior using the mechanism of opposition.
— Vitya honestly admitted that he accidentally broke the cup, and Mitya... (Then the child completes the phrase himself.)
— Vitya washed his hands before eating, and Mitya...
“Mitya was the very first to enter the class, pushing the girls away, and Vitya...
- Mitya was waiting for his grandmother to iron his shirt, and Vitya...
“Mitya thought it was very funny to scare a girl by suddenly shouting in her ear, and Vitya...
This can be continued as long as the game is of interest to the children. You can invite the children to come up with their own ideas about what Vitya did and what Mitya did. This option causes a particularly violent and active reaction from children - you will hear many possible correct and incorrect forms of behavior. Depending on the age of the children, the concepts embedded in the formulations can be
change - from simpler to more complex.
☺ Game “Report”
The game will help you master new forms of behavior and teach you how to communicate. Participants in the game must prepare and conduct a “television report.” As a topic, you can choose an event that is familiar to all participants in the game. (For example, a report about a past excursion, yesterday’s lesson, summer holidays, etc.)
All participants in the game are divided into pairs. One of the pair will be a “reporter” and the other will be a “TV guest.” The “reporter” prepares in advance several questions on the topic that he will ask his guest. Then the playing couple sits on the stage in front of the rest of the spectators. The “television report” begins. The “reporter” introduces the “guest”, names the topic of conversation and asks the first question; "guest" answers; should
second question, and so on. During the conversation, the “reporter” can describe some events, make comments, and ask impromptu questions. In turn, the “guest” can also deviate from the topic and ask counter questions. When the “report” is over, another couple takes up space on the “screen”. This continues until everyone shows themselves in the role of “reporter” and “guest”.
The game will be more interesting if each pair develops its own theme. For each “report”, the players currently playing the role of spectators give the couple their ratings: 3, 4 or 5 points. Each participant gives marks separately. Then the scores are summed up, and the sums of each pair are compared with each other. The winner is the couple that scores the most points.
☺ Game “Experiment with a laboratory mouse”
This game is for older children (from 9 years old) aimed at developing skills of understanding another person and leadership. Two people play, the rest of the children are spectators. Pairs of active players change sequentially. The essence of the game is that one player plays the role of an “experimenter”, and the other plays the role of a “laboratory mouse”. The “mouse” leaves the room, and the “experimenter”, together with other children, decides what task the “mouse” should perform. For example, go to the table and sit on a chair or go to the window, etc. Tasks should be dynamic and fairly simple. Then they invite the “mouse” into the room without explaining what is required of it. She does what she wants, and the “experimenter” watches her. When the actions of the “mouse” are close to what is required of it, the experimenter tells it: “Good girl.” This is the only word that the “experimenter” can pronounce, and this must be done with the same intonation. The game ends when the mouse finally does what is asked of it. The pair that completes the task fastest and most accurately wins. She can be given a comic “Diploma of Candidate of Mouse Sciences.”
☺ Game “Cossacks - Robbers”
A classic game from our grandparents. All participants in the game are divided into two teams: one is the “robbers”, the other is the “Cossacks”. The “robbers” are hiding, and the “Cossacks” are catching them. However, when the "robbers" hide, they leave "traces" indicating the search route. These are arrows indicating the direction, or notes, which may contain a direct indication of the stage of the route, or may be encrypted in the form of a rebus or riddle. It all depends on the imagination of the players. The game “Cossacks-Robbers” is more interesting the more effort put into its preparation (a route has been developed, notes have been prepared, etc.). The game continues until all the "robbers" are caught.
We recommend watching:
Educational games for children from 5 to 8 years old
Educational games for children. Thinking games
Educational games for younger students
What is a plot-based role-playing game?
Games for developing children's attention
Role-playing play in preschool age - age-specific features
It is difficult to underestimate the role of role-playing games in a child’s development. This simultaneously stimulates the development of the baby’s intelligence, his logic and memory, and finding relationships between objects and people. At the same time, there is an impetus for the development of creativity in the child and abundant food is given to his imagination. Since children's role-playing games involve several roles and communication between characters, the child's general socialization and active development of speech occur.
A simple story-based game begins to transform into a role-playing game at about the age of two. If your youngest child is already two years old, then he and his firstborn can create their own stories and play together with pleasure. In such a game, the older child will be the leader, and the baby will be the follower.
If your first-born is already preparing for school, or even has already become a primary school student, his games will already be more mature and become more thoughtful. This is already a whole imaginary world, and not just a plot-based role-playing game - the older age of the child is also accompanied by a large amount of life experience and a wealth of acquired knowledge about the world.
The duration of the game is directly related to the age of the child. For example, in early preschool age, a role-playing game with a plot is quite simple and involves the performance of three or four actions. Older age already presupposes a long plot, which can not even be played out in one day; sometimes such a role-playing game can last for weeks, with subsequent developments.
Nevertheless, games have a strong influence on the development of children; role-playing games are most effective for children to assimilate social norms and adapt to society. Well, role-playing games will help you direct your children’s energy in a useful direction and carve out some personal time.
“ROLE PLAYS AND EXERCISES FOR GROUPS OF DIFFERENT COMPOSITION”
Card file No. 1 “ROLE-PLAYING GAMES AND EXERCISES FOR GROUPS OF DIFFERENT COMPOSITION”
GAME “COWS, DOGS, CATS”
Goals: development of the ability for non-verbal communication, concentration of auditory attention. Objectives: fostering a caring attitude towards each other, developing the ability to hear others. Age: junior school age (6-10 years). Form of work: each participant is individual. Lesson form: gaming. Time: 20 minutes. progress of the game. The presenter says: “Please stand in a wide circle. I will go up to everyone and whisper the name of the animal in their ear. Remember it well, because later you will need to become this animal. Don’t tell anyone what I whispered to you.” The leader whispers to each child in turn: “You will be a cow,” “You will be a dog,” “You will be a cat.” “Now close your eyes and forget human language. You should only speak the way your animal “speaks.” You can walk around the room without opening your eyes. As soon as you hear “your animal,” move towards it. Then, holding hands, the two of you walk together to find other children who “speak your language.” An important rule: do not shout and move very carefully.” The first time you play the game, you can play it with your eyes open.
Literature: Obraztsova T.N. Psychological games for children / Tatyana Nikolaevna Obraztsova - M.: IKTU Lada 2010. - 57 p.
GAME “IF I WERE…”
Goal: Formation of self-disclosure skills. Objectives: development in adolescents of communication skills, awareness and expression of their feelings, activation of mechanisms of self-knowledge and self-expression. Age: high school age (14-17 years old) Form of work: each participant is individual. Lesson form: gaming. Time: 10 minutes. Progress of the game. Each participant chooses a thing (ice cream, lampshade, chair, pen, etc.) and immerses himself in its world, imagines himself as this thing, feels its “character”. On behalf of this thing, he tells how it feels in the world around it. About her worries, her past and future. When talking about an extraneous random object, participants involuntarily talk about themselves, which leads to self-disclosure and the formation of skills to manage their emotions.
Literature: Makartycheva G.I. Training for teenagers / Makartycheva G.I. – S.: St. Petersburg “Rech”. – 192 p.
GAME “DEFENDING THE PROFESSION TO PARENTS”
Target
: development of communication skills, figurative and logical thinking.
Objectives:
learn to defend your professional choice with reason to your parents
Game material:
not required
Age:
15-17 years
Form of work:
each participant is individual
Form of lesson:
game
Time
: 15-20 minutes
Game
: 1st stage. Roles are distributed between schoolchildren: “student” (plays himself), his “parents” or “relatives” (father, mother, grandmother, older sister, etc.). Stage 2. The presenter reads out the instructions. Instructions: “Imagine that a student comes home and declares his professional intentions (if a profession has not yet been chosen, the student can declare that he does not care and is not going to think about it at all). Parents do not agree with the student’s position and try to dissuade him. A domestic conflict plays out, and the one whose arguments are more convincing wins. Try not to resort to violence, because... violence is a sign of weak arguments.” Stage 3. The presenter sits down from the players and invites them to start the game. The leader’s interventions should be even less than in the game “Professional Consultation”, because the home scene is simulated, not professional consulting assistance. Stage 4. Discussion of the game. If the game is used in “Professional Consultation”, you can do without any discussion at all. When used independently, you can clearly formulate the arguments of both sides and discuss them in detail, trying to connect them with the correct construction of your personal professional plan.
Literature
: Pryazhnikov N.S. Career guidance at school: games, exercises, questionnaires / Pryazhnikov N.S. - M.: VAKO, 2005. - 288 p.
EXERCISE “DONKEY SKIN”
Goal: improving mutual understanding in the group, correcting the behavior of some group members. Objectives: correction of students’ self-esteem; stress relief; team building. Age: early teens (from 13 to 15 years old). Form of work: in pairs. Lesson form: gaming. Time: 10 – 20 min. Game material: none Progress of the game. “Sometimes we feel better than others, and sometimes we feel worse. But real heroes feel equal to those around them. Now we will try to feel it. We found ourselves in an enchanted forest and are wandering around in it. Let everyone now imagine that all the other heroes are worse than him... They are all weaker than you, not as smart, not as beautiful as you... You are the only real hero. And not just a hero, but a Prince or even a King of a magical land. How do you walk and how do you feel? (1 minute) Now freeze for a moment. Let each of you imagine that he is worse than others. You are now wearing a donkey skin. The witch put it on you. It's not that easy to remove. And everyone around you sees you like this and laughs. They are much stronger and smarter than you. How do you walk and how do you feel? (1 minute) Now stop and shake your arms and legs, break the spell. We are in a magical clearing. Break into pairs. One of you must become the King, and the other must become the Donkey Skin. Let the King tell his partner what gives him a feeling of superiority, what he feels in this state (1 - 2 minutes). Now let “Donkey Skin” talk about his feelings (1 - 2 minutes). Now the spell has subsided, and all the heroes are equal again. No one is better or worse than others. What do you see in each other? What can you do in this state? What do you feel? Tell each other about this” (1 – 2 minutes) Questions for discussion: • What makes you feel like you are a King? • Is there something unpleasant about superiority? • What are the benefits of Donkey Skin? • What are the disadvantages? • What are the benefits of equality?
Literature. The practice of fairy tale therapy / Ed. N. A. Sakovich. - St. Petersburg: Rech, 2004. - 224 p.
THE ACCUSER GAME
Goals: modeling the situation of a teenager’s experiences at the time of accusation and identification with him. Objectives: identifying the range of problems in relationships with teenagers. Age: high school age (15-17 years). Form of work: in pairs. Lesson form: gaming. Time: 25 – 30 minutes. Description and methods of playing the game. The group is divided into pairs. The situation of a teenager being late from a walk is played out. Within the pair, one acts as an accuser; he must formulate every sentence as an accuser; the other is the accused, whose task is to silently listen to complaints, listening to his experiences. Then the partners change roles. At the end, participants share their experiences in the role of the accuser and in the role of the accused. As a result, parents must come to the conclusion that both lose in both positions: relationships are disrupted, and the level of trust in each other drops.
Literature: Makartycheva G.I. Training for teenagers / Makartycheva G.I. – S.: St. Petersburg “Rech”. – 192 s
GAME “OUR HAIRDRESSER”
Target
: getting rid of complexes.
Tasks
: creating a positive attitude in the group, self-disclosure, relieving tension.
Game materials
: hairpins, elastic bands, comb.
Age
: middle school age (9-11 years)
Form of work
: in pairs.
Lesson form
: gaming.
Time
: 15-20 minutes.
Course of the lesson
: Players are divided into pairs, each pair has a “client” and a “hairdresser”. The “hairdresser” must give the client an original hairstyle. To do this, you can use different elastic bands and hairpins, foams, gels, and mousses. But all products should be easily washed off with water. It is not recommended to use hairspray - it can get into your eyes, and its smell is not always pleasant. Scissors are prohibited - a bad haircut is difficult to fix. When all the hairstyles are ready, you can hold a competition of hairdressers and models and determine the most unusual hairstyle, or you can encourage each couple. Then the players in pairs change roles.
Literature
: Obraztsova T.N. Psychological games for children / Tatyana Nikolaevna Obraztsova - M.: IKTU Lada 2010. - 57 p.
EXERCISE “THE PATH OF TRUST”
Goal: building trust. Objectives: learn to trust team members. Game material: blindfolds for every second child and a bell. Age: from 7-12 years. Form of work: in pairs. Lesson form: game. Time: from 5 minutes. Instructions: Separate in groups of two. I want to offer you a game called “The Path of Trust”. It consists of the following: one of the two of you takes the role of a blind man and puts on a blindfold so as not to see anything, and the second will be the leader. When you are the presenter, you must guide the “blind” child around the room so that he feels calm and confident. Pause from time to time so that your friend can touch different things: big and small, smooth and rough. You can lead him to a place where an object makes a sound or smell. Just don't say anything at the same time. In five minutes I will ring the bell - then you will switch roles. And in another five minutes I will call again - and then you return back to the circle, and we will talk about what you experienced during the walk. Before you start, agree with your partner how he will lead you: by the hand or in some other way. For older children, you can lengthen the intervals to ten minutes. Analysis of the exercise: - How did you feel when you were “blind”? — Did your “guide” guide you carefully and confidently? -Did you know where you were all the time? —Have you found anything interesting that is interesting to touch, smell or listen to? — How did you feel in the role of a guide? — Did you try to bring your partner to those places where he would definitely like something? — What did you do to gain and strengthen the trust of your partner? — When were you better: when you led or when you were led?
Literature: Fopel K. How to teach children to cooperate? Psychological games and exercises. Volume 3 / Fopel K.; lane from German – M.: Genesis, 1998. – 160 p.
GAME “LIVING MIRROR”
Purpose: developmental, communicative. Objectives: unity, creating conditions for more complete mutual understanding and receiving feedback - the opportunity to look at your movements “from the outside,” through the eyes of other people. Game material and visual aids: none. Age: high school age (15-17 years old) Form of work: 3 people. Lesson form: gaming. Time: 8 minutes Game progress. Participants form groups of three. The music turns on, and one person from each trio begins to make any movements that he wants to it. Two other participants act as a “living mirror” - they repeat all his movements (1.5-2 minutes). Then the roles are changed so that each of the participants is in the active position.
Literature: Gretsov A.G. Psychological games for teenagers / Andrei Gennadievich Gretsov, Tatyana Nikolaevna Bedareva. – L: Nauka, 2000. – 157 p.
GAME "BUILDERS"
Goals:
developmental
Objectives:
development of cognitive abilities
Game material and visual aids:
no
Age:
primary school age
Form of work:
3-4 people
Form of lesson:
game
Time:
unlimited
Progress of the game
: A presenter is selected. The rest serve as “builders”. They must tell what kind of house they are going to build. Everyone’s task is to come up with a description of a beautiful house without repeating itself. At the same time, you need to tell in detail what rooms will be in this house, how best to furnish them. The author of the most original and interesting story becomes the winner.
Literature:
Obraztsova T.N. Psychological games for children / T.N. Obraztsova – M.: IKTU Lada 2010. – 57 p.
EXERCISE “CREATING A STATUE”
Goal: building trust. Objectives: learn to trust team members. Game material: none. Age: from 8 years old. Form of work: 3 people. Lesson form: game. Time: 10 minutes. Instructions: Break up into threes. Two of you will be Sculptors, and the third will be “a large piece of marble.” He lies down on the floor and closes his eyes. The task of the Sculptors is to make a beautiful Statue out of it. You yourself must decide what this Statue will look like, how it will hold its head, in what position it will stand. The child from whom the Statue is made must try to maintain the position that is given to him. When the Sculptors finish their work, it will be necessary to put the Statue on its feet. At the same time, the Statue must strain its body very much so that it is hard and strong, like marble. The sculptors carefully lift the Statue from the top and place it on its feet. Then you can call me so that I can admire this “work.” Since everyone will not be able to finish the work at the same time, you can give the freed children the role of the audience so that they examine the “works of art” with you. Ask the children who were Statues to memorize their uniform so they can show it to the whole class. When all the figures are ready, you can walk around the “workshops” and examine each Statue separately. Repeat this game later so the children can play different roles. Analysis of the exercise: - How did you feel when you were a Statue? — Did the Sculptors treat you carefully? — Did you trust the Sculptors? — Did you like the shape they gave you? — How did you feel when you were a Sculptor? — Did you enjoy working with “marble”? — Was it easy for you to work with your partner? —Are you happy with the Statue you got? —Which Statue did you like the most?
Literature: Fopel K. How to teach children to cooperate? Psychological games and exercises. Volume 3 / Fopel K.; lane with him. – M.: Genesis, 1998. –160 s.
GAME “STUBBY CAPICULAR CHILD”
Goals: overcoming stubbornness and negativism Game materials: gymnastic hoop. Form of work: 6 people each. Lesson form: gaming. Age: from middle preschool to middle school (5-10 years). Time: 20-25 minutes. Description: Children entering the circle (hoop) take turns showing the capricious child. Everyone helps with the words: “Stronger, stronger, stronger...”. Then the children are divided into pairs “parent and child”: the child is capricious, the parent persuades and calms him down. Each player must play the role of a capricious child and a persuading parent. Note: only for mentally healthy children!
Literature: Caduson H. “Workshop on play psychotherapy” / H. Caduson., Ch. Schaefer - St. Petersburg. : Peter, 2001.- 416 p.
GAME “DIRECTOR Psychological games for children.” Part 1/ Obraztsova T.N.; Lada, 2010
GAME “SHARKS AND SAILORS”
Goals: to promote team unity and relieve the state of aggression. Objectives: learn to control your emotional state, develop coordination of movements, dexterity. Age: junior school age (6-10 years). Form of work: 6 people each. Lesson form: gaming. Time: 15 minutes. Description and methods of playing the game. Children are divided into two teams: sailors and sharks. A large circle is drawn on the floor - this is a ship. There are many sharks swimming in the ocean near the ship. These sharks are trying to drag the sailors into the sea, and the sailors are trying to drag the sharks onto the ship. When the shark is completely dragged onto the ship, it immediately turns into a sailor, and if the sailor gets into the sea, then he turns into a shark. You can only pull each other by the hands. An important rule: one shark - one sailor. Nobody interferes anymore.
Literature:
Obraztsova T.N. Psychological games for children / Tatyana Nikolaevna Obraztsova - M.: IKTU Lada 2010. - 57 p.
