Cooperative Games and Sports, Joyful Activities for Everyone (Second Edition) [Paperback]

Terry Orlick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 2006 | ISBN-10: 0736057978 | ISBN-13: 978-0736057974 | Edition: 2

Children live what they learn through games and play. Through Cooperative Games and Sports, you can teach children how to play with—rather than against—each other, using 150 field-tested games and activities that are designed to build a child's self-worth through cooperation, acceptance, inclusion, and fun.

The premise of cooperative games is that everybody wins and everybody has fun. With activities like cooperative musical chairs, partner gymnastics, and math and spelling games, children learn valuable concepts, plus you aren't left scrambling for expensive equipment in the process. These versatile games allow you to adapt the rules, equipment, and number of players to your own participants' capabilities and to different physical settings. You'll also find a chapter dedicated to teaching you how to create your own games.

Cooperative Games and Sports shifts the focus from the outcome of a game to the experience of playing it. With instructive photos and straightforward terminology, it is your guide to building positive interactions that teach children—and adults—the value of playing simply for the sake of playing.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Terry Orlick, PhD, is a professor in the school of human kinetics at the University of Ottawa in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He has worked with children in creative ways for more than 30 years as a teacher, coach, researcher, and parent, and he has written hundreds of articles and several books dedicated to enhancing the lives of children and parents. He created the unique Positive Living Skills Program (PLS), which teaches children skills for positive interaction, focusing, relaxation, stress control, and positive thinking.

Orlick has also served as president of the International Society for Mental Training and Excellence and received the Honor Award for Excellence in Teaching from the University of Ottawa. In 2001 he was honored by the International Society of Sport Psychology for his significant contributions to national and international sport psychology through leadership, research, and community service.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Human Kinetics; 2 edition (March 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0736057978
• ISBN-13: 978-0736057974
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #404,967 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Terry Orlick, PhD, is a world-renowned leader in the applied field of sport psychology, mental training, and excellence. A former gymnastics champion and coach, Orlick has served as a high-performance coach for over 34 years to thousands of Olympic and professional athletes in more than 30 sports. He has served as a performance-enhancement consultant and mental skills coach in several Summer and Winter Olympic Games, as well as a consultant for various professional teams and leading business corporations.

Former president of the International Society for Mental Training and Excellence, Orlick has authored more than 20 highly acclaimed books. He has created innovative programs and books for children and youth to develop humanistic perspectives and positive mental skills for living, including Cooperative Games and Sports (2006, Human Kinetics) and Feeling Great: Teaching Children to Excel at Living (2004, Creative Bound).

Orlick, a graduate of Syracuse University, the College of William & Mary, and the University of Alberta, is a professor in the School of Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa, Canada, and founder of the innovative Journal of Excellence. He holds distinguished service awards from numerous Olympic and education associations, as well as certificates of merit from governments, universities, sport organizations, and schools for distinguished service to the community. He has given lectures on the pursuit of excellence in virtually every corner of the world. Orlick lives with his family at Meech Lake, Quebec.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Activity Ideas!, August 18, 2007

By 

Margaret Dupee (Ottawa, ON Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Cooperative Games and Sports, Joyful Activities for Everyone (Second Edition) (Paperback)

I just finished reading Terry Orlick's new Cooperative Games and Sports book and loved it. The best thing about it was that the games and activities are designed to focus on the fun of playing together rather than the outcome. I have ordered 10 more copies of the book to give as gifts to my friends that have children.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Positive and Fun, July 10, 2008

By 

Sheryl L. Chatfield "slccmh" - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cooperative Games and Sports, Joyful Activities for Everyone (Second Edition) (Paperback)

I have used several of these activities successfully with elementary school aged children with and without disabilities. I am not a big fan of competitive games or games of elimination so I prefer activities such as offered in this book. I was attracted to the word 'joyful' in the title because I think that 'joy' or spontaneous enjoyment are lacking in a lot of peoples' lives - and I was pleased to find this book not only includes 'joyful' activities but that it was written using positive and encouraging language. I have purchased several books promising appropriate activities for young people and found that they frequently include games and activities that are not original and/or have the potential to cause discomfort or embarrassment, or that there is a focus on games of elimination, and/or the activities just don't sound like fun. None of these issues applies to this book. Although the activities are grouped by age, I find this book most helpful for working with younger children.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great early childhood resource, June 22, 2008

By 

Rachel B. Cornette (San Diego) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Cooperative Games and Sports, Joyful Activities for Everyone (Second Edition) (Paperback)

This book is a great resource for recreation planners and teachers of all age groups. Orlick used trial and error to figure out which games were best for each age group, and I feel that they are accurate observations, especially with the preschool age group. It's hard to find games for that age that promote cooperation and are fun. You'll find quite a few here!