Acting Out!: Avoid Behavior Challenges with Active Learning Games and Activities

by Rae Pica

Overview

Movement is not misbehavior! Current policies in the early childhood field ask teachers to treat children as though they exist from the neck up—even though research clearly demonstrates that the mind-body connection is vital to development. Rae Pica, founder and director of Rae Pica Keynotes&Consulting and author of the Moving and Learning series, advocates for active learning, not only because it’s developmentally appropriate but because doing so promotes a calmer, friendlier, and less challenging learning environment.

Section I provides theory, research, and language to advocate for active learning. Section II offers suggestions on how to update learning environments, and Rae offers some of her own past missteps in hopes that readers will be able to learn from her mistakes. Section III contains 200 ready-to-use movement activities that can be easily implemented into the day. Most require no materials, and every activity includes a “Curriculum Connection,” so readers can understand and clearly explain why the children aren’t “just playing.”

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781605546971
Publisher:	Redleaf Press
Publication date:	01/07/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Rae Pica is the founder of Moving&Learning and has been an educational consultant specializing in children’s physical activity since 1980. A former adjunct instructor with the University of New Hampshire, Rae is known for her lively and informative workshop and keynote presentations and has shared her expertise with such groups as the Sesame Street Research Department, the Head Start Bureau, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues, Gymboree, and state health departments throughout the country.

Table of Contents

Contents
Introduction
Section I: Rationale
What We Know about Sitting
What We Know about Fidgeting
What We Know about the Need for Active Learning
What We Know about the Link Between Physical Activity and Learning
Section II: Creating a Positive Learning Environment with Children on the Move
Implement Commonsense Solutions
Establish Rules
Employ Divergent Problem Solving
Use Positive Challenges
Make Corrections Creatively
Use Praise and Positive Reinforcement Wisely
Use Your Voice as a Tool
Monitor Energy Levels
Be Flexible
Don’t Insist on Participation
Create Tranquil Transitions
Don’t Underestimate the Power of the Outdoors
Section III: Activities
Circle Games for Community Building (36 total)
Cooperative Games to Promote Prosocial Skills (43 total)
Games That Foster Self-Regulation (37)
Brain Breaks (51)
Relaxation Exercises (33)

Editorial Reviews

Research-based, insightful, and accessible, Rae Pica’s newest professional development book is essential for teachers who want to understand, practice, and share the principles behind active learning.” —Texas Child Care Quarterly

“Thank goodness for the strong wise voice of Rae Pica! She clearly speaks the truth about the issues young children are facing when they do not have enough opportunity to move. This book not only addresses the problem but provides an extensive collection of approaches and activities to remedy the situation.” —Ellen Booth Church, early childhood author, keynote speaker, and product developer

“Children forced to sit at desks and listen? This book is the antidote. Pica suggests every manner of game, both physical and fun, to counteract the sterility of some of our contemporary preschools and kindergartens. Learning is not incompatible with joy!” —Roberta M. Golinkoff, PhD, Unidel H. Rodney Sharp professor of education, psychology, and linguistics and author of Becoming Brilliant: What Science Tells Us About Raising Successful Children and A Mandate for Playful Learning in Preschool

From the Publisher