To play the freeze game, select several different songs with fast and slow tempos. Instruct the children to dance when the music plays and freeze when the music stops. Have the kids dance at different speeds, such as slow during slow tempo songs and fast during fast tempo songs. After a few minutes reverse the speed cues and have the children dance fast during slow tempo songs and slow during fast tempo songs. Each child that does not fails to freeze when the music stops is eliminated. The last child standing is the winner. Freeze teaches children to go against their habits and inhibit their natural impulses.
To play the strike out game, instruct the children to stand in a circle, facing each other. Taking turns, each player must lightly strike out at the hand of another player. The defender can move his or her hands to avoid the strike. Whenever an attacker strikes a hand, the hand is out of play and once a player loses both hands, the player is out of the game. The last player left standing is the winner of the game. This game teaches children to practice self control by following the rules and waiting their turn.
To play the conductor game, gather several musical instruments ideal for children to play, such as bells, maracas, tambourines or wooden flutes. Have one of the children conduct the orchestra, by waving a baton, or stick, with varying tempos. When the conductor waves the baton fast, the children must speed up the tempo of the music and when the conductor waves the baton slowly, the children must slow down the tempo of the music. After a few minutes, reverse the directions. Play for a desired length of times and this is not an elimination game. Conductor teaches children to go against their habits and inhibit their natural impulses.
To play Simon says, instruct the children to line up, standing side by side at an arm’s length apart. Pick one child to be Simon, and have the child stand facing the other children. The child playing Simon must give instructions to the group of children. Valid instructions always begin with the phrase “Simon says.” The children are “out” of the game after following an invalid instruction that does not begin with the catch phrase, or after failing to follow an instruction after Simon gives the catch phrase. The last child standing is the winner of the game. Simon says teaches children to restrain impulses by controlling their mind and body.