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Foster Self-Regulation Skills with Games (continued)

by Rae Pica

If you see players who haven’t been able to stop in time, designate them to be “yellow lights,” which means they must walk in place until the signal to go is given again. When someone finally reaches the stoplight, the game starts all over again with someone else acting as stoplight. 

Self-regulation skills are not only critical to becoming a functioning member of society; also, they are essential to a child’s academic success. A child who can manage his emotions is better able to pay attention, which translates into greater success in school. In fact, self-regulation skills are a better predictor of success in school than a child’s IQ.

Rae Pica is a children’s physical activity specialist and the author of A Running Start: How Play, Physical Activity, and Free Time Create a Successful Child (Da Capo Press, 2006) and Great Games for Young Children (Gryphon House, 2006). She has shared her expertise with such clients as the Sesame Street Research Department, the Centers for Disease Control, Gymboree Play & Music, and the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports. She is also co-creator and host of "Body, Mind and Child," a radio program in which she interviews experts in the fields of early childhood education, child development, the neurosciences, and more. Listen at www.bodymindandchild.com.

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