Aim of the game:
People games are fun, physical activities that help to build your child’s interaction and communication skills. These games do use toys because you are the part of the interaction that is fun and engaging. We’ll show you how to use familiar songs and games that involve movement to create exciting and interactive games. Clever use of pausing, routine and repetitive language helps to create opportunities for talking and gives your child a reason to communicate.
What you will need:
Absolutely nothing! Just you and your child.
How to play:
- Stand in front of your child and tell them you’re going to play a game called ‘chase’.
- Explain that your child will run away whilst you try to chase and catch them.
- Begin as your child starts to run away from you. Call out their name and say “I’ll catch you”
- Run after your child whilst saying “run, run run!” pretending that you can’t quite catch them!
- Eventually, scoop up your child and say “I got you!”
- After, a few minutes you can repeat the game by saying “run!” or “chase again!”
How to extend:
- Gradually allow your child to lead and initiate the game. See if your child starts to look expectantly at you to chase them or signal with a word, gesture or action to initiate the game.
- Once your child is used to playing the game with you chasing them, switch things around and see if they can chase you. Give them a choice of “run or chase me?” or “mummy chase you or Joey chase mummy?”
- Leave pauses for them to join in with words during the game. You can do this easily by introducing ‘ready, steady, go!’ and leaving a pause between words.
- Build in language concepts and model longer phrases. Give choices such as “run fast or slow?”, “chase inside or outside”, “run to the lounge or kitchen” etc.
- Add in the element of imaginary play and take on characters during the game. You can pretend to be a giant chasing your child or maybe choose characters from a favourite book such as a Gruffallo and mouse.
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