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Type: Games
Skills: Physical & Motor Skills,
Social & Emotional Skills
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Most of us think of physical activities only as a form of exercise or entertainment. But there are many that can help your kids prevent aggressive behavior. Snowball play with newspaper is just a way for kids to let off steam and helps prevent aggressive or unacceptable behavior.
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What We Learn |
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Kids will learn appropriate ways to diffuse aggressive energy by ripping and crumbling the newspaper. Next, They will learn self-regulation, because they will not be taking their emotions out physically or verbally on other children. They’ll learn that there are appropriate ways to express their emotions. And finally, they will learn to rely on their provider to support their needs. |
Supply List |
Stacks of newspaper or old socks
Large bins for the newspapers and/or socks |
How-To |
Get out your stacks of newspaper and begin by allowing your children to squish or crumple up the newspaper. They can also tear the newspaper into smaller sheets before squishing them into balls, which is a great stress reliever. Once done, place the newspaper balls in a large bin.
Before you begin the game, you should establish the rules of the game with the kids. Here are some suggestions:
Establish a specific area where the snowball play will take place. This provides an area for the kids that do and don’t want to be involved.
Establish limits, such as: no hitting in the face, no throwing at people who don’t want to play, and listen to people when they say, “Stop.”
You can also encourage counting by calling out, “1, 2, 3 …Throw!” Then have them all throw at the same time.
Once their rules are set have children pitch the crumpled newspaper balls at each other and at you. You’d be amazed at how much tension this releases.
As an alternative to newspaper, you can use old socks and roll them inside themselves to form a ball. |
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