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Games and play bring the spark to physical education, turning movement into something joyful, social, and fun. When planned effectively, playful activities can contribute to childrens’ physical, cognitive, and emotional development, lay the foundation for a lifetime of healthy, happy movement.
This month, Human Kinetics Library highlights selections from its Physical and Health Education collection examining the important ways games and play can contribute to physical education curriculum.
Mental engagement is most effective when it’s fun. When physical education is grounded in play, young learners experience a wide range of physical and mental benefits.
In this sample chapter from Enhancing Children’s Cognition with Physical Activity and Games, physical education and exercise science experts explore the numerous ways that playful physical activity contributes to children’s mental development.
The Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) approach empowers students to think strategically, collaborate creatively, and build deeper, more transferable skills by learning the “why” behind the play as well as the “how.”
Read this provided chapter from Playing Fair, in which author Joy I. Butler examines different classifications for instructive play, as well as key concepts for inventing games that can fit into any physical education curriculum.
Tag…you’re it! Games of tag are a fundamental form of physical activity and fun for kids—and can be a valuable element of physical education curriculum.
In his book Student-Designed Games: Strategies for Promoting Creativity, Cooperation, and Skill Development, author Peter Hastie offers this sample chapter about designing tag games that meet key learning outcomes.
Invasion games involve teams, points, and an overall offense-defense structure in which players “invade” their opposition’s space to score. In an education context, such games can help maximize learning when it comes to problem-solving, spatial thinking, and teamwork.
This provided chapter from Developing Game Sense in Physical Education and Sport by Ray Breed and Michael Spittle offers an overview of how physical education teachers can plan and execute invasion games in class to ensure that players both achieve key learning goals and have fun.
Creating a game means creating rules; and every rule adds complexity to the “world” of that game. As a result, a well-constructed game becomes a complex system of learning to which players adapt.
In this chapter from their book More Teaching Games for Understanding, experts Joy I. Butler an Linda L. Griffin examine Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) through an ecological lens, considering how games can provide learners with cognitive tools for classifying, strategizing, and navigating concepts.
The Winter Games showcase a wide and thrilling array of cold weather sports — from high-speed alpine skiing, ski jumping and snowboarding, to dramatic ice- and sled-based events like figure skating, speed skating, and ice hockey.
This month, Human Kinetics Library offers a tour of popular cold weather sports with excerpts from our Sports Skills and Core collections. Explore the skills, science, and stories behind some of the competitions that make the Winter Games exciting.
Competitive alpine skiers must master a range of essential skills including strong balance, confident edge control, and smooth, controlled turns on expert slopes.
Before watching skiers compete in the Winter Games, read this sample chapter from expert Chris Fellows’ book Total Skiing about ski techniques that are a must for all skiers, from bunny slope beginners to high-level competitors.
First introduced as a medal event at the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, curling is a highly complex sport that blends precision shot-making, deep tactical planning, and constant on-ice communication to outmaneuver opponents with every stone.
Read this chapter detailing the roles and responsibilities of different curling team positions, from internationally renowned coach Sean M.R. Turriff’s formative book Curling: Steps for Success.
Every ice hockey game includes suspenseful face-off plays, when a team attempts to gain quick possession of the puck as well as position advantage: to set up a shot, break out of the defensive zone, or establish pressure in the offensive end.
Gain a deeper insight into hockey by reading this chapter about face-off strategies from Hockey Plays and Strategies, by expert coaches Mike Johnston and Ryan Walter.
One of the most exciting sports of the Winter games, speed skating showcases athletes racing at incredible speeds with razor-thin margins, combining power, precision, and daring strategy on every lap.
Coaches and fans alike can gain insight from this chapter on speed skating from author and coaching expert Kevin G. Thompson’s book Pacing: Individual Strategies and Performance.
Since its addition to the Winter Games in 1998, competitive snowboarding continues to stand out by displaying a thrilling blend of style, skill, and daring as riders carve sharp turns, launch jaw-dropping jumps, and showcase tricks that keep fans on the edge of their seats.
In this chapter on from Ultimate Skiing, expert Ron LeMaster describe the unique coordination and balance skills involved in snowboarding.
