Cooperation activities kindergarten
40 Cooperative Games For Kids
Cooperative games are a wonderful way to build a wide variety of transferable learning skills including communicating clearly, problem-solving, overcoming challenges, time management, decision-making, following instructions, and thinking on your feet. While they may require more coordination and group cohesion than competitive games, the added effort is sure to be worth it.
This collection of 40 fun and exciting team-building activities, board games, and physical activity ideas focus on promoting empathy while ensuring children have a great time!
1. Lego Copycat GameIn this simple game, kids are divided into groups of builders and messengers. The messengers can see what the first group of builders is creating and has to communicate it to the other group to see if they can copy it by listening to the directions.
Learn more: Frugal Fun for Boys
2. Fun Game of SpudSpud is a fantastic game for practicing throwing skills and improving balance while also building spatial awareness. All you need is one playground ball and you’re ready to go!
Learn more: Playworks
3. Family Favorite Spy Alley Board GameIn this cooperative board game, players work in teams as spies and have to figure out their opponent’s secret identities through careful reasoning, uncovering clues, and deciphering code books.
Learn more: Board Games
4. Beloved Game for KidsThe classic party game of flashlight tag is best played in the dark. Kids are sure to love tagging their friends and shining their flashlight beams before calling out their names. Like all variations of tag, this one builds emotional resiliency and social skills as well as self-regulation and effective communication.
Learn more: Petoskey Provisions, Gifts, & Wisdom
5. Caterpillar TagIn this simple cooperative game, the chaser tries to tag the last person in the caterpillar line. The caterpillar will try to stay in the way of the chaser, protecting the last person in the line. This is a fantastic game for developing gross motor skills such as agility and balance.
Learn more: Fit Kids, Healthy Kids
6. Island Cooperative GameThis team game puts players’ communication skills to the test as they work together to survive on an imaginary deserted island. Apart from problem-solving and critical thinking skills, it’s an easy way to develop creativity and cooperation. You get to decide what kind of resources the island will have and can make this game as easy or challenging as you like!
Learn more: Mrs. Fintelman Teaches
7. Popular Board Game: PandemicWhether they are scientists, dispatchers, or researchers, players must work together to save the world from a deadly pandemic. This is a wonderful game for developing reading skills while devising survival strategies and basic math skills to understand the various charts and tables of data.
Learn more: Z-Man Games
8. Play a Game with Hula HoopsIn this fun game for kids, teams are tasked with constructing a hut with a limited number of hula hoops, before finding a way for their entire team to pass through the hut, one at a time. Why not throw in an additional hoop or challenge players to move backward for added fun?
Learn more: Lead by Adventure
9. Social Word GameMaster Word makes a great cooperative family board game for fostering engaging discussions among fellow players. The game time and vocabulary used can be increased or decreased depending on the age of the children playing. It’s an excellent game for increasing inference skills and developing word recognition and reading fluency.
Learn more: Coopgestalt
10. Team Build With Tennis BallsThis team-building game encourages creative thinking and physical activity as it challenges players to pass a tennis ball between a group as quickly as possible. Players are sure to enjoy finding clever shortcuts to increase their speed!
Learn more: World of Work
11. Duck, Duck GooseDuck, Duck Goose has been a classic kid’s game for decades and with good reason: It requires no equipment and helps develop balancing and spatial awareness skills while making for plenty of laughs and excitement!
Learn more: Kid Spot
12. Red RoverRed Rover is a classic team game, requiring no equipment. One team decides who they want to call over from the other team and the chosen player has to run and attempt to break through the row of students holding hands. Whether or not they succeed, everyone is sure to have a great time!
Learn more: The Genius of Play
13. Escape Pod GameWhy not transform your home into an escape room fit for an Alice in Wonderland adventure? This kit includes riddle sheets, suspect cards, challenging clues, and even background music to create a truly immersive experience. Escape games are a great way to develop productivity, improve memory and strengthen emotional bonds.
Learn more: Escape Kit
14. Beloved Board GameCastle Panic is a fantastic cooperative game where players must band together to achieve a series of goals in order to protect their caste against threatening monsters. The catch is that players can only succeed by contributing to the welfare of their team.
Learn more: Board Game Geek
15. Storybook DrawingIn this simple arts and crafts-based activity, one student begins drawing a picture of an object of their choice and the others have to add to it, taking turns until they’ve told a complete story. This is a fantastic game for teaching the elements of narrating such as plot, setting, and characterization, and at the same time, encouraging creative self-expression.
Learn more: The Inspired Treehouse
16. Cooperative Obstacle CourseIn this physically-demanding game, players have to cooperate to make it through an obstacle course. You could try adding trampolines, bikes, tunnels, balancing challenges, and slides, or just use what you have around the house or classroom such as tables and chairs.
Learn more: What Can We Do With Paper and Glue
17. Cooperative Board GamePlayers have to work together to get Max, the bobcat home safely before he is caught by other animals. This game is simple enough to be played by primary students and can be a starting point for a discussion about food chains and animal habitats.
Learn more: Family Past Times
18. Race to the Treasure Board GameWho will get to the treasure first- you or the ogre? Players have to use cunning thinking and ingenuity to quickly build a path toward their pot of golden treasure. This award-winning game encourages players to strategize and develop their social skills to win!
Learn more: Mastermind Toys
19. 15 SecondsAll you need for this classic team-building game are some interesting questions and a timer. Everyone has fifteen seconds to answer a question about a subject of the leader’s choice, such as their favorite films, foods, or hobbies. While simple, this is a great game for quickly building rapport between players and creating a more cooperative learning environment.
Learn more: Fun Attic
20. CodenamesCodenames is a classic word game that challenges players to reveal all the top secret agents without hurting any bystanders or alerting the undercover assassin. It’s a twist on charades that requires more concentration and strategic focus.
Learn more: Ultra Board Games
21. Build a Tower of CardsStudents are sure to enjoy building a tower of cards by sharing ideas and working together towards a shared goal. This STEM-based activity can easily be incorporated into a math or science lesson as students discuss the elements of engineering and architecture.
Learn more: Education World
22. Balloon BopIn this fun, active game, players stand in a circle and hold hands. They are challenged to see how many times they can tap the balloon into the air while continuing to hold hands. While simple, it is sure to captivate players and encourage cooperative play!
Learn more: Responsive Classroom
23. BandidoA bandit is trying to escape through underground tunnels. Will your team be able to band together to stop him? The rules are intuitive enough to be understood by younger players, making it a great way to build observation and strategy skills.
Learn more: Walmart
24. Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle: A Cooperative Deck-Building GameFour students (Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville) have to save Hogwarts from the forces of evil. Fighting villains, gaining health points, and joining forces are the only ways to beat the masters of the Dark Arts at their own game.
Learn more: Best Buy
25. MysteriumA group of psychic mediums has to solve the crime by banding together. They have to communicate with a ghost to determine all the details of the murder including the weapon, the location, and the motive. Will they succeed? Only time and a little mysterious intrigue will tell.
Learn more: Ultra Board Games
26. Smaug’s JewelsSmaug’s Jewel is a classic P.E. game that can be played indoors or outdoors and helps develop group communication and strategic thinking skills. One player is designated as Smaug and has to protect the jewels, which could be a ball or pylon, while the other students try and steal the treasure without getting tagged.
Learn more: The Physical Educator
27. IcebergsThe object of this classic P.E. game is to get onto the iceberg with the correct number of team members. Students will practice organization and group cooperation skills all while getting a challenging workout.
Learn more: Active Superstars
28. Toxic Waste Dump P.E. GameThe object of this game is to get everyone from one side of town to the other without touching the toxic waste. It’s a fun game of strategy, hand-eye coordination, and agility.
Learn more: Playworks
29. Caterpillar RiotThe goal of the Caterpillar Riot is to collect as many objects as possible by moving the caterpillar forward with a hula hoop. It’s a deceptively simple-looking game that requires a great deal of collective strategizing.
Learn more: Stef’s Phys. Ed Games Binder
30. Race to the GalaxyThis space-themed game involves hula hoops, placemats, and a galactic storyline that is sure to get players excited! The interstellar planet is almost out of resources (beanbags) and students need to use hovercrafts (hula hoops) to move around collecting fuel.
Learn more: S&S Blog
31. Hoot Hoot Owl Board GameCan young players join forces to get all the owls safely back to the nest before sunrise? Only time and group ingenuity will tell. Kids will learn how to follow directions and take turns while building their self-esteem and creating a sense of community.
Learn more: Board Game Geek
32. Tell Me a Story CardsThis imaginative storytelling game consists of animals who can sing and dance and allows for an infinite number of creative new stories to be told each time. Why not have them write the story down or read it aloud for added practice?
Learn more: Eeboo
33. HanabiIn this inventive game, players have to work together to put on a spectacular fireworks show. They are sure to love launching the rockets in their final ensemble performance!
Learn more: Games.ca
34. Wheelbarrow RaceWheelbarrow race is a classic game that encourages kids to work together to get to a designated finish line. Having a common goal helps develop empathy and makes the game a lot more fun!
Learn more: Party Games 4 Kids
35. Human Knot GameThe Human Knot is a popular cooperative game that has been around for a long time. Team members have to untangle themselves from a knot of hands without breaking their grip. It makes for a tricky challenge no matter how many times you play!
Learn more: Team Building
36. Water Balloon PassThe objective of this fun, outdoor game is to catch the water balloon before it hits the ground. Participants continue to move further and further apart until someone finally drops the balloon!
Learn more: Fit Kids Healthy Kids
37. Pass the FrogThis easy-to-organize game has many variations, but the basic premise is that students must work together to get a frog around the circle as quickly as possible using different body parts such as hands, elbows, or knees.
Learn more: The PE Specialist
38. Feed the WoozleKids are sure to love feeding silly snacks to this ferocious monster. This is an excellent game for building fine motor skills, dexterity, and body awareness as well as developing verbal communication, counting, and basic numeracy skills. Building self-esteem and a growth mindset couldn’t be easier!
Learn more: Amazon
39. Llamas UnleashedThis barnyard-themed game features llamas, goats, rams, and alpacas who are running wild and need to be collected and brought back to the farm!
Learn more: Unstable Games
40. Fingertip Hula Hoop GameIn this creative team-building game, students have to stand together in a circle with their arms raised above their heads and lower the hula hoop to the ground using nothing but their fingers without dropping it.
Learn more: Meraki Lane
Related posts:
Top 20 Fun Cooperative Games For Kids
Playing is much more fun when you play together to attain shared goals.
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Cooperative games for kids help teach them the importance of teamwork and patience. Children can play co-op games with their friends or family members. The main objective of these games is not ‘winning’ but teaching them ways to work together towards achieving a common goal. These games also help develop your child’s communication, deduction, and planning skills.
Read on for a curated list of cooperative games we have listed in this post for children of all ages to have a fun learning experience.
20 Cooperative Games For Kids
1. Tower building
Image: Shutterstock
Tower building is a cooperative game for kids that can be played by adults too. It teaches teamwork and develops your preschooler’s counting skills. Children as young as three years can play this game effortlessly.
Age group:
3 years and up
You will need:
- A pair of dice
- Blocks
How to play:
- Make teams of two. If your child is young, pair them with someone older.
- Keep the blocks in a common area accessible to all teams.
- A member of each team rolls a dice.
- The number on the dice is the number of blocks they must lift to build their tower.
- The team with the highest tower after every team member rolls the dice wins.
Did you know?
Playing tower building will help your children develop hand and eye coordination and strategic thinking skills.
Related: 20 Best Building Block Activities For Preschoolers
2. Candy Land
Image: Shutterstock
Candy Land is one of the oldest and easiest cooperative games. It doesn’t require any reading skills, and there is no strategy involved. Thus, even very young children with limited counting abilities can play this game.
Age group:
3 years and up
You will need:
- Candy Land board game set (you can make it yourself at home, too)
How to play:
- Candy Land comes with a set of cards with colored marks on them and a board with a colorful maze on it.
- Each player has to pick the topmost card, check the color on it, and move their marker to the next square of that color.
- If a card has two marks of one color, the player has to move their marker to the second occurrence of that color from their current location.
- Some cards might have the name of a location. These locations are specified in certain squares on the maze. The player can directly move to that location.
- The first player to reach the end of the maze is the winner.
3. Dragon’s jewel
Image: Shutterstock
This cooperative game is best played outdoors or in a large play area. It is a great game to teach teamwork and develop communication and quick-thinking skills. You can also develop your child’s gross motor skills with this game.
Age group:
4 years and up
You will need:
- Football or basketball
- Cones for marking
How to play:
- Make a circle with the cones.
- Place a ball at the center of the circle. This is the dragon’s jewel.
- One player is the dragon.
- Divide the other players into teams of two or three.
- Each team takes turns to work together and get the dragon’s jewel. The dragon tries to tag them before they get to it.
- If the dragon tags a player of a team, the team is out, and the next team continues the game.
- If a team manages to capture the jewel, choose a new dragon for the next round.
Point to consider
Have kids incorporate different types of movements, such as hopping, jogging or skipping when trying to get the jewel. It’ll make the game more exciting.
Related: 60+ Interesting Football Facts And Information For Kids
4. Bandido
Image: Shutterstock
Bandido is a popular board game for young ones who love mysteries and puzzles. This game makes your child think about their next move and improves their critical thinking skills.
Age group:
4 years and up
You will need:
- Bandido board game set
How to play:
- Each player has three cards, and each card has a piece of a tunnel — it could be a bend, a straight pass, a branch, or a dead end.
- The first player starts with a card, and the other players add their cards.
- The goal of the game is to prevent the imaginary prisoner at the start of the tunnel from escaping.
5. Airplane game
Image: Shutterstock
Try this game if you want to improve your child’s listening and speaking skills. Listening and speaking are essential components of effective interpersonal communication.
Age group:
3 years and up
You will need:
- A cloth for blindfolding
How to play:
- Blindfold a child. This child is the pilot.
- Select another player as the navigator.
- Make the other members stand in different places. They are the trees.
- The navigator has to guide the pilot across the runway without letting the airplane crash into any of the trees. The navigator can give only one instruction at a time.
Quick tip
Ask the members standing as trees to change their spots after every minute. It will make the game more challenging and stimulating.
6. Outfoxed
Image: Shutterstock
Outfoxed is one of the best cooperative games that can be played by children and adults alike. If your child loves playing detective, they will take to this game in no time.
Age group:
5 years and up
You will need:
- Outfoxed game box
How to play:
- One of the foxes in the game has stolen a pot pie. The players have to find the culprit.
- Slip a card with the name of the culprit into the special contraption provided for this purpose.
- Each player rolls the dice and decides whether they want to collect clues or reveal the answer.
- Each wrong answer brings the fox closer to escaping.
- Every right answer gets the player a new clue of the culprit or two new suspect cards.
- The player who gets the right culprit or eliminates all of the suspects but one is the winner.
7. All over
Image: iStock
This game is great for sleepovers and family holidays. The more the players, the more enjoyable the game.
Age group:
4 years and up
You will need:
- Big, softballs according to the number of players
- A rope
How to play:
- Divide the players into two teams and make them stand on two sides of the rope.
- Once the leader shouts, “All Over!” the players throw, kick, or roll the ball towards the opposite team.
- The players of each team have to catch the incoming balls while launching their respective balls.
- Once the passing stops, count the number of balls caught by each team. The team that catches the maximum number of balls wins.
8. Pandemic
Image: Shutterstock
If your child often imagines emergency situations and rescue missions, this board game is perfect for them. Pandemic is the right choice for a family game night or a rainy afternoon to engage your children for hours. You can also use this opportunity to teach your children about the current Covid-19 pandemic.
Age group:
8 years and up
You will need:
- Pandemic board game set
How to play:
- Each player is out in the world as a part of a disease-fighting
- All the players work together to prevent the outbreak of diseases and keep the world safe.
- They travel across the board to different countries, treat infections, collect cures, and build research stations within a stipulated time, that is, before the diseases spread beyond recovery.
Related: 25 interesting Family Games to Have Fun Together
9.
Ghost Fightin’ Treasure HuntersImage: Shutterstock
This is another very popular board game that includes treasure and ghosts. Children love finding treasures and are curious about ghosts, so this game is a great co-op game for kids.
Age group:
6 years and up
You will need:
- Ghost Fightin’ Treasure Hunters board game set
How to play:
- The aim of the game is for the players or treasure hunters to find all the treasures in a haunted house.
- If there are three ghosts in a room, that room is considered haunted.
- If six rooms are haunted before the players get the treasures, all of them lose.
- You can go together or separately, fight the ghosts, or run back with the treasure. Each step needs planning and strategy for getting the treasure before the ghosts get you.
10. Assassin
Image: Shutterstock
If you have a group of children, this game is a good option for you. Prepare to spend a few hours laughing with your children as they enjoy playing this game.
Age group:
5 years and up
You will need:
- A group of children
How to play:
- Make the children sit in a circle with their heads down.
- One person (preferably the adult) should walk around the circle and tap one child on the head. This child is the assassin. No other player knows who the assassin is.
- The child looks at the others and assassinates them by winking at them.
- The other players can guess who the assassin is but are out of the game if they make a wrong guess.
- If the assassin is successful in assassinating every other player, they are the winner.
11. Iceberg
Image: Shutterstock
This game is fun, especially for younger children. It involves a bit of quick thinking and is best played in large groups.
Age group:
3-10 years
You will need:
- Bedsheet, tablecloth, etc. for the surface
How to play:
- Divide the children into two teams. Give each team a bedsheet or a tablecloth.
- Spread the sheet on the floor. This is the surface for the game.
- The whole team should stand on the surface. Anyone standing outside the surface is eliminated from the game,
- Next, ask the players to step off and fold the sheet in half. Stand again on the sheet.
- Continue in this fashion till there is no space for all the players to fit on the sheet.
- The team that makes the maximum folds while accommodating the most number of players wins.
Related: 15 Best Group Games For Kids
12. Race to the treasure
Image: Shutterstock
Here’s another cooperative board game that requires strategic skills but offers loads of fun. This is a great co-op game for the whole family, even if your children are very young.
Age group:
3 years and up
You will need:
- Race to the treasure board game set
How to play:
- The players take turns to draw cards. .
- If you draw a path card and not an Ogre card, you move further in the race.
- Retrieve three keys on the way to get the treasure.
- The aim of the game is to reach the treasure before the Ogre does. If he does, you all lose.
13. Band-aid tag
Image: iStock
This is a cooperative outdoor game you can teach your children to play. Besides playing together, this game tests and develops your children’s flexibility.
Age group:
4 years and up
You will need:
- A group of children
How to play:
- Select one person as “It.”
- The person must run behind other players and tag them.
- The tagged person must hold their hand (the band-aid) over the part where the “It” tagged them.
- When a person runs out of band-aids (gets tagged two times), they freeze.
- Two other players have to come over to the frozen player and unfreeze them by counting to five.
- Continue playing the game, changing the “It” from time to time.
14. Rope circle
Image: Shutterstock
This is a cooperative game for kids of all ages. It is best played when there is a large group of children. Adults can play it at gatherings, too, for a good time.
Age group:
3 years and up
You will need:
- Jump ropes
How to play:
- Divide the players into teams of two players each.
- Tie one wrist of each partner with the jump rope – the left wrist of one person and the right wrist of the other person.
- Then tie a second jump rope joining the other wrist.
- Make sure the ropes are not tied very tightly.
- The players should attempt to free themselves from one another without actually untying the ropes or breaking out from the circle.
15. Barnyard
Image: iStock
If you want to teach animal names and sounds to your children, play this game with them. This game is perfect for sleepovers and birthday parties when there are many children.
Age group:
3 years and up
You will need:
- Pieces of paper
- Pen
How to play:
- Write various animal names on the pieces of paper. Include four to five pieces of paper for each animal name.
- Ask each child to pick one piece of paper. The child is the animal mentioned in the paper. No other child must know what animal another child is.
- Next, ask the children to scatter over the play area.
- Once the game starts, each child wanders over to other children and tries to determine the similar animals like them.
- Children who find all the members of the same animal are the winners.
Related: 19 Awesome Party Games For Kids Of All Ages To Have Fun
16. Ball builders
Image: iStock
This is a game that children of all ages love. It teaches children the value of teamwork and develops their communication and gross motor skills.
Age group:
3 years and up
You will need:
- Tennis balls
How to play:
- Divide the players into teams of two or three.
- One player in each team will be the holder, and the others will be the builders.
- The builders start handing over tennis balls to the holder.
- The aim is to see how many balls the holder can hold without using their pockets or other clothing. They cannot hold the balls against any other surface other than their own bodies.
- Each ball must be held for at least 10 seconds.
- The players can take turns doing it.
17. Bedsheet ping pong
Image: Shutterstock
This is a great game for family game night. As versatile as this game is, it is also very simple. You can use household items to play the game.
Age group:
3 years and up
You will need:
- A bedsheet
- Ping pong balls or even crumpled balls of paper will do
How to play:
- Divide the players into two teams.
- Each team holds the opposite sides of the sheet.
- Put the balls in the middle of the sheet.
- Each team has to raise or lower their end of the sheet. The aim of the game is to get the balls to fall on the other side of the sheet.
- The players must take care not to launch the ball during play.
18. Crossing the river
Image: iStock
Crossing the river is a cooperative game for kids that can come in handy in actual life too. This game is excellent for developing their communication skills.
Age group:
4 years and up
You will need:
- Rope (optional)
How to play:
- Divide the players into groups of two to five players each.
- Each team joins hands, touches legs, or uses a rope to get across the “river”(the play area) around 20-30 feet across.
- Each group must move to the other side without losing contact.
- If a player loses contact with other players, the team must start over from the beginning.
19. Birthday line-up team building
Image: Shutterstock
When you have a large group of children with you and want them to get along with each other, this game is an excellent option for you. It acts as an ice breaker and gets your group to mingle with each other easily.
Age group:
5 years and up
You will need:
- A group of children
How to play:
- Once the game starts, the players shouldn’t talk until you permit them.
- Make all the children stand in a line.
- Next, get them to stand in a line based on their height, in silence.
- You can give them different challenges, such as lining them up by birthday month, the initials of their names, etc.
20. Shipwrecked
Image: Shutterstock
This is another game that you can play when you have a lot of children with you. It is a great game to develop teamwork in a fun way.
Age group:
5 years and up
You will need:
- Large hoops
How to play:
- Divide the players into teams of 8-10 players.
- Give a hoop to each team. This hoop is their spaceship.
- Once the game begins, each team should grab their spaceship and race to the finish line.
- All the players of the team should be in contact with the spaceship at all times.
- Once they cross the finish line, they put down the hoop, call out “Shipwrecked,” and try to get within the hoop.
- The first team to get all the players into the hoop is the winner.
1. Is tug of war good for kids?
Tug of war can be a fun and healthy physical activity for kids if played safely and with appropriate supervision. Tug of war can help kids develop strength, coordination, and teamwork skills. However, it is important to ensure that the game is played on a safe surface and that the rope used is appropriate for the age and size of the children. In addition, children should be supervised at all times to prevent accidents and injuries.
2. Can cooperative play be taught?
Cooperative play can be taught by modeling cooperative behavior, encouraging sharing and taking turns, promoting teamwork, and using positive reinforcement. These techniques help children develop social skills such as communication, empathy, and collaboration. In addition, encouraging children to play together in a supportive and inclusive environment is an important aspect of promoting cooperative play.
Cooperative games for kids are the best way to teach them leadership skills, teamwork, and patience. Tower building, Candy land, Dragon’s jewel, and Bandido are some of the most exciting team games for children. You may choose a game appropriate for the age of children and other participants. These games can also be played with adults at family nights and parties. You may let the children take charge of the team and decide how to win the game. Team games also boost a child’s ability to engage and communicate.
Key Pointers
- Building a tower is a cooperative game for kids that teaches teamwork.
- Race to the treasure is a board game that helps children develop strategic thinking skills while having fun.
- Bedsheet ping pong, All Over, Bandido, and more interesting games as you scroll down.
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- Author
Joint activities of the educator and children | Pedagogical experience
Author: Solovieva Elena Petrovna
Organization: Kindergarten No. 2 of the compensating type of the Kirovsky District
Settlement: St.
Before considering in detail the concept of “joint activity of a teacher and children”, it is necessary to clarify the meaning of the concept of “activity”. Activity can be defined as a specific type of human activity aimed at the knowledge and creative transformation of the surrounding world, including oneself and the conditions of one's existence. It is activity that acts as the basis for the formation of personality. In the content of activity, the following components are usually distinguished as the most important: cognitive, emotional, volitional.
In activities that are creative and independent in nature, people and their psyche not only manifest themselves, but are also created, formed, and developed.
Activity development scheme:
- joint activity with an adult
- joint activity with peers
- independent activity
The optimal form of organizing cooperation is joint partnership activity between an adult and a child.
Joint activity is a subject - subject relations.
Joint activity - the relationship of two phenomena, the interaction and mutual relations of which are highly dynamic and procedural. (E.V. Shorokhova)
Joint activities are implemented through the organization of various types of children's activities. At the same time, the joint activity of an adult and a child is not only a stage in the development of any type of activity, but also a special system of relationships and interaction. The essential features of the joint activities of adults and children are not leadership, but the presence of a partner position and a partner form of organization.
The concept of "partnership" is revealed by researchers in different ways, but always in conjunction with the problem of personal development. In the course of joint activities, there is an exchange of information, actions, planning and implementation of common activities.
What does it mean to partner with children? (according to N.A. Korotkova):
- Involvement of the educator in the activities on an equal basis with children.
- Voluntary involvement of children in activities (without mental and disciplinary coercion.)
- Free communication and movement of children during activities (subject to the organization of the working space.)
- Open temporary end of the lesson (everyone works at their own pace.)
trying to do something without fear that it will turn out wrong, causes a desire for achievement, favors emotional comfort.
Significant is the statement of V. A. Sukhomlinsky that pedagogical interaction is aimed at the development of the child and not only. In the very pedagogical interaction lies the need and possibility of self-development of the teacher. As a result, the interaction gives a holistic development (self-development) of all the subjects participating in it.
Thus, the cooperation of adults and children against the background of joint activities, their commonwealth in real and live contacts with each other - this is the environment where the qualities of the developing personality of the child arise.
Unfortunately, modern preschoolers have a number of features that further prove the need for joint activities of children and educators .
3. There is a narrowing of the level of development of the plot-role-playing game of preschoolers, which leads to underdevelopment of the motivational-need sphere of the child, as well as his will and arbitrariness.
4. Underdevelopment of fine motor skills of the hand of older preschoolers, lack of graphic skills.
5. Insufficient social competence of preschool children, their helplessness in relations with peers, inability to resolve the simplest conflicts.
6. A large number of children with speech development disorders
7. The reluctance of a significant part of today's preschoolers to learn about the world around them causes serious concern.
8. Low level of communicative competence.
9. There are more and more children with emotional problems, who are in a state of affective tension due to a constant feeling of insecurity, lack of support in a close environment and therefore helplessness.
The above requirement of the Federal State Educational Standard is familiar to all modern teachers working with preschool children. However, when organizing joint activities with children, teachers make a number of mistakes that turn this activity into a “formally joint” one. For example:
- in the process of observation during a walk, the teacher himself comments on what he saw, the children silently listen to the story of the teacher;
- all actions with materials in the process of experimental activity are carried out by an adult, children only observe;
- the questions asked by the educator are of the "closed" type - they require the answer "yes" or "no";
- no joint discussion;
- conclusions based on the results of experiments are made by an adult;
- the educator poses a problem for the children and himself offers an option on how to solve it;
- at all stages of the game, children act on the instructions of the teacher, children's initiative and independence are absent, etc.
This once again proves that the activity of the educator with children should not only be formally joint, but partner, it was the cooperation of an adult and a child. Educators must solve educational problems in joint partnership activities with children and create conditions for free independent activity of preschoolers. The joint partnership activity of the educator and the child is the best form of cooperation.
Consider the main components of joint activities - cooperation:
1. Common goal. Joint assignment.
2. Common motive. Always combines the efforts of partners. Leads them to cooperation.
3. Joint action. Aimed at achieving a common goal. First, it is necessary to understand the goal, distribute independent and joint actions, determine the sequence of these actions, clarify and correct them.
4. Overall result. The final stage of joint activity, which unites all participants. It allows you to evaluate individual and joint actions based on the result.
What requirements a teacher must comply with, what qualities will help to competently organize partner activities:
- The presence of a partner position of an adult and a partner form of organization of activities.
- The teacher-partner is distinguished by a special style of relationships, interaction with children.
- He respects the opinion of children, knows how to listen and hear his pupils, prefers dialogue in communication with them, gives children freedom of choice (choice of a partner, materials, methods of action).
- The teacher-partner does not forget that the child is a full-fledged participant in educational relations.
Partner forms of organizing activities with children are different:
1) Holding a round table.
Usually the teacher highlights the children's concerns, conflict situations or the desire to simply organize preparations for the holiday, for example:
- Florists' workshop (making flowers for mothers)
- “Boys and girls. What are they?
- “Me and my family” (or “Family Traditions”)
- “Learning to learn poetry quickly and cheerfully” (with the help of mnemotables, logarithmic exercises, finger games, etc.)
- round tables in which teachers, children and their parents are involved in activities
2) A series of joint activities under the slogan “Who can or wants to help me? (assistant teacher)
3) Activities such as “Who can teach me...?”
4) Quest games:
- “In search of a treat” (dedicated to the city day)
- “Autumn Journey”
- Easter Games
- “I know the rules of the road”
- “Green Light” (dedicated to Earth Day)
- “Let's save nature together”
Properly organized joint activity with an adult contributes to the achievement of targets for the development of a preschooler:
- The child begins to be interested in surrounding objects and actively act with them
- emotionally involved in activities with toys and other items
- seeks to persevere in achieving the result of his actions
- strives to show independence in everyday and play behavior
- begins to show a negative attitude towards rudeness, greed.
- tries to follow the rules of elementary politeness (on his own or when prompted, he says “thank you”, “hello”, “goodbye”, “good night” (in the family, in the group))
- has primary ideas about the elementary rules of behavior in kindergarten, at home, on the street and tries to follow them
- tries to "own" speech included in communication
- can handle questions and requests
- speech becomes a necessary means of communication with other children
- strives to communicate with adults and actively imitates them in movements and actions
- there are games in which the child imitates the actions of an adult
- responds emotionally to a game offered by an adult, accepts a game task
- begins to show interest in peers; observe their actions and imitate them
- knows how to play next to peers without disturbing them
- shows interest in playing together in small groups
- shows interest in the surrounding world of nature, participates with interest in seasonal observations
- begins to show interest in poetry, songs and fairy tales, looking at pictures, tends to move to the music; responds emotionally to various works of culture and art.
- sympathetically follows the actions of the heroes of the puppet theater; shows a desire to participate in theatrical and role-playing games.
- begins to show interest in productive activities (drawing, modeling, designing, appliqué).
References:
- Zhestkova, Barkan, Luzay: Joint activities of children, teachers and parents in kindergarten. From work experience
- FROM BIRTH TO SCHOOL. Innovative program of preschool education. / Ed. NOT. Veraksy, T.S. Komarova, E. M. Dorofeeva. — Fifth edition (innovative), corrected. and additional — M.: MOSAIC-SINTEZ, 2019.
Published: 04.08.2020
Joint activities of educators, children and parents
The educational and educational process in preschool institutions is undergoing significant changes associated with the restructuring in the field of pedagogy and modern trends in the approach to cooperation between adults and children. If earlier this meant a connection according to the principle of “leader and follower”, now the joint activity of the educator comes to the fore with children of different ages.
The concept of activity and its types for preschoolers
Human activity is the basis for the formation and development of personality. It is a special kind of activity that promotes interaction with the outside world and helps to creatively transform oneself. Activities can be different - intellectual, creative, physical, and so on. For the successful development of children of different ages, various types of activities are used:
- Children from 1 to 3 years old are suitable for object activities, individual and group games with peers and adults, outdoor games, self-service elements, listening to fairy tales, music.
- Children from 3 to 7 years old have access to more types of activities, for example, a variety of games, communicative, research, cognitive and labor activities, self-service, visual and musical creativity, singing, physical activity.
Based on the characteristics of age, it becomes clear that the joint activities of the educator with pupils in the middle age group of preschoolers are wider and more diverse.
Varieties of organization of children's activities in preschool educational institutions
There are the following forms of joint activities of the educator with the kids:
- Motor.
- Playroom.
- Figurative (including construction).
- Perception of folklore and fiction.
- Cognitive research.
- Communicative.
- Self-service and age-appropriate domestic work.
- Musical.
In order to encourage pupils to be active, it is very important to properly organize the joint activities of the teacher and children. The teacher should be able to win over the members of the group, to interest them, without imposing his opinion. Pupils must act freely, without their urgent involvement in the game, labor or cognitive process. Also important for them is the freedom of movement, communication with each other and the teacher, the ability to work at their own pace, without being limited by a specific time period.
The joint educational activity of the educator with the children includes his activity along with his pupils. That is, the teacher should neither impose his attention on children, nor withdraw from influencing the game. If necessary, he can intervene, for example, help resolve conflict between toddlers, help someone with difficulties, and also help integrate the child into general activity.
Joint activities of the educator with children and other employees of preschool educational institution
Interaction should be present not only in communication between teachers and pupils, but also in the joint work of all categories of educators. For example, the joint activity of a teacher with a junior teacher provides preschoolers with the best conditions for staying in kindergarten, since each of the employees of the preschool educational institution not only performs their professional functions, but also joins efforts to achieve a joint result.
Equally important in the educational process is the joint activity of the junior teacher with children. It contributes to the progress of kids in the domestic sphere, self-service, self-knowledge, the formation of sustainable habits and useful skills. At the same time, the nanny works closely with the teacher, supporting him in all contacts with the children.
To obtain significant progress in correctional and developmental work, the joint activity of a speech therapist and educator is also important. For this, it is necessary that the activity of a specialist be successfully integrated into the general educational and upbringing process. This takes into account the age characteristics of individuals in need of correction, and the educator strongly supports the work of a speech therapist. In this case, the pupils treat the specialist much more calmly and loyally, which makes the correction process more productive, faster and more efficient. Kids do not fixate on shortcomings, but strive for better results.
Working with parents and pupils
Equally important is the joint activity of the educator with children and their parents. It is impossible to carry out educational work and education only in kindergarten if at home the kids do not receive the necessary information in the same way in which the teacher presents it. Parents and teachers of the preschool educational institution should work closely together to obtain an integral result and educate the child as a full-fledged, developed, socialized and successful creative personality.
In the work of a preschool institution, various topics of joint activities of a teacher with children are used. They can be dedicated to various types of games, holidays, weather events, puzzles and rebuses, construction, drawing and much more. Each of these projects of joint activities of the educator with children has its own purpose and focus. In order to cover the sphere of interests of children as widely as possible, a cyclogram of the joint activities of the educator is compiled. It allows you to plan full-fledged classes for each day of the week, taking into account the age characteristics of children and allows you to harmoniously combine various activities. An auxiliary role is also played by the outline of the joint activities of the educator and children, thanks to which the teacher can control the correctness of the lesson at all its stages.
Joint activity allows to achieve a close partnership between the teacher and the pupil through a combination of activity and independent desire to know the child and unobtrusive and delicate management of his interests by an adult. At the same time, in such work, neither rivalry nor oppression of one of the parties arises. When the child feels support, not coercion, pressure from the teacher, he can develop more freely, while merging into the society of his peers. That is why joint activities have such important goals and a significant role. It is important for all kindergarten students, but it is especially in demand for the socialization, upbringing and development of children with a closed problematic character, the presence of various features and disorders, shy and timid.