Ecological games

We collect separately“I keep my environment clean”

• Age of children: 5+

• Number of children: no limits

• Playing space: outside/inside

• Duration of the game: 10-15 min

• Aims: The children learn how to collect scrap • Aims: The children learn how to collect scrap separately

• Materials needed: Two bins for plastic waste –yellow in colour,2 bins for paper-blue in colour,2 bins for glass-green in color and 2 bins for biological waste-brown in color. Two bags with mixed waste.

• Game preparation: Before the game starts there have to be different types of waste

• Created by the teachers from the kindergarten

How to play:

-The children are divided in two teams.

-Each child take some waste and throws it in the right bin.

-The winner is the faster team with the waste thrown in the right bin.

A fairy tale with signs“ I protect and respect animals and plants of Earth”

• Age of children:4+

• Number of children: no limits

• Playing space: outside/inside

• Duration of the game: 15 min

• Aims: Ø The children define correctly the factors which influence the flower growth.Ø The children define correctly the factors which influence the flower growth.Ø The children realize the beauty and the usefulness of the flowers around us

• Materials needed: Two bins for plastic waste –yellow in colour,2 bins for paper-blue in colour,2 bins for glass-green in color and 2 bins for biological waste-brown in colour. Two bags with mixed waste.Game preparation: The children take part in growing flowers in the study-room and flower-beds in the kindergarten. We have some special mime signs to show movements.

• Game options: The narrator can be the teacher or a child

• Created by the teachers from the kindergarten

How to play: -The children sit in a semicircle on the carpet in the study-room. -The teacher starts telling a fairy tale about growing flowers. The children show with their hands what is show with their hands what is happening.

True or false“I keep my environment clean”

• Age of children:6+

• Number of children: no limits

• Playing space: playroom

• Duration of the game: 15 min

• Aims: • Aims: -The children learn to behave according to the environment .-The children want to take part in solving environmental

problems.-They realize the mutual dependence in the environment.

• Materials needed: cards with 6 pictures each, felt-tip pens

• Game preparation: Cards are made with six pictures each.

• Game options: Every time the cards can be with different pictures

• Created by the teachers from the kindergarten

How to play:

vThe children are sitting at the tables .

vEach child has a card and felt-tip pens.

vThe children have to look at the cards carefullyand have to cross out the picture with non-environmental contents

KINDERGARTEN JELKA

GLAVARJEVA ULICA 18A1000 LJUBLJANASLOVENIA

Tel: 00386 1 580 91 80

http://www.vrtec-jelka.si

[email protected]

ECOLOGICAL GAMES

FROM SLOVENIA

APRIL 2011Presentation by PETRA KOČAR

FROM SLOVENIA

OUR WASTE BINS “I keep my environment clean”

Origin of the game: SLOVENIANumber of children: 5 to 10Expected age of children: 3 +Playing space: PlayroomDuration of the game: 15-20 minutes

Aims:Ø Children learn and reinforce knowledge about separating waste and

recycling.Ø Children learn to take care of environment

Materials needed: Paper, waste plastic stoppers, crayons , scissors

TEETH GROUP

Materials needed: Paper, waste plastic stoppers, crayons , scissors

Game preparations: We talk about recycling and different bins we have. We draw them and prepare the game.

Rules of the game:•Everybody has a bin (the kid with the black one starts the game).•Kids pull out pictures of different waste out of the box. •If they pull out a picture that can go into his/her bin he can keep it, otherwise he must return it back in to the box.•The winner is the kid, who collects all seven waste pictures first.

Children themselves also set out some rules:•When you pull out a waste picture for a bin that your friend has, you give it to him.•When you pull out a waste picture for a bin that you have, you can pull again. Created by TOMAŽ KOCMAN and Teeth group in Unit Vila

Game options:

GROUP SLIPPERS

Number of children: 10 Expected age of children: 4+Playing space: PlayroomDuration of game: 15-20 minutes

Aims:Ø Children learn and reinforce knowledge about separating waste and recycling.Ø Children learn to take care of environment

Materials needed: waste bins, different waste materials

How to play: We put some waste in the middle of the room. At one end of the room we put the three containers. At the other end of the room the children have to wait to hear their name. Once, they hear their name they have to run, pick other end of the room the children have to wait to hear their name. Once, they hear their name they have to run, pick up one piece of garbage and quickly put the garbage in the right container. After that they have to run back to their starting position.

Created by MITJA MIHELIČ and group Slippers in Unit Jelka

BIRDS TO THE NESTS“I protect and respect the animals and plants of the Earth”

Origin of game: SLOVENIANumber of children:2 to 4 Expected age of children: 3 +Playing space: PlayroomDuration of game: 15-20 minutes

Aims:

Ø Children study about the birds and they reinforce their knowledge about the birds.

Ø Children learn to take care of animals.

Materials needed: Paper, waste plastic stoppers, crayons , scissors, glue, magazines

CRAYONS GROUP

Materials needed: Paper, waste plastic stoppers, crayons , scissors, glue, magazines

Game preparations:

Ø When we talked about the birds and studied about them, I found that we do not have any games where kids can learn and reinforce the knowledge about the birds. I encourage children to find and cut out pictures of birds in journals and newspapers.

Ø So we gathered quite a few pictures and came to the idea of making games. The game was created from waste material (cardboard, pictures from magazines, bottle caps and paper). Children cut out circles out of cardboard and colour them with crayons (blue, green and yellow). These circles are playing fields of the game. On the playing dice, instead of putting numbers we glued three colours (yellow, green and blue). We finally glued fields and images on the playing board .

HOW TO PLAY:We defined rules of the game together with the children:Ø The goal is : players with their birds reach the nest as soon as

they can. Ø The birds can safely hide with their mother in the nests .Ø On the way to the nest each player waits for the tasks and

rewards. Ø When a child throws the dice it sets the colour of fields

where the child moves his birdie. Ø If or when the child comes to the field with the task, the task

should be read by an adult. Everyone can help solving the tasks.

Ø The children throw the dice in a clockwise direction until all birds come to the nest.

Ø there can be more birds than one. Ø there can be more birds than one. Ø The winner is the one that comes to the nest first.

Created by SONJA ŠUBIC HURČAK and Crayons group in Unit Vila

CERKNICA LAKE WITH DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES

“I keep my environment clean”

Origin of game: SLOVENIANumber of children: 4Expected age of children: 4 +Playing space: PlayroomDuration of game: 15-20 minutes

Aim of the game: • Children learn the basic signs and symbols for dangerous substances (toxic, irritant,

corrosive, flammable)• Children correctly separate waste

CLOUDS GROUP

• Children correctly separate waste

Materials needed: we need a big sheet of paper, paper cube, four “Actamil” plastic packaging, labels for hazardous substances (corrosive, flammable, toxic, irritant), photos of various waste materials, three plastic lid-covers

Game preparations:We create together with the children:

Ø Playing ROUTE: We draw a lake and a natural trail around the lake. The trail is marked with a START and END. On the way, we set the basic signs for hazardous/ dangerous substances and different tasks to be carried out by the players.

Ø Paper dice Ø Four figures of different colours (red, blue, yellow, green)Ø Three bins (trash, paper, plastic, glass) that are positioned at the lakeØ Photos of various waste materials lying in the lake

HOW TO PLAY:Ø Each player chooses a figure and places it at the START position.Ø The first player throws the dice and goes forward for as many places as “are told” by the dice. Each player

throws a dice once.If a player comes to a sign for danger the following tasks are to be done:

Task: You are poisoned, go back to start!

Task: Go 5 ahead, it is burning!

Task: You don’t throw the dice once.

Task: Clean the waste in the lake!

Task: Go one field back. It’s going to explode!

Task: How to treat this kind of liquids?

The winner is everyone who comes to the end of the game!

Created by NATAŠA HOZJAN and Cloud group in UnitSnowWhite

„THE EARTH„THE EARTH-- OUR COMMON OUR COMMON HOME”HOME”HOME”HOME”

ECOLOGICAL GAMESECOLOGICAL GAMES

ROMANIAROMANIAROMANIAROMANIAROMANIAROMANIAROMANIAROMANIA

By Elisabeta Moldoveanu,April 2011By Elisabeta Moldoveanu,April 2011

“WHO IS GUILTY’”Ecological topic: I respect and animals and plants of Earth

Age of children:6-8 years oldNumber of children: Pre-primary education 20 children

Playing space:Classroom

Duration of game:30 minutes or lessAims:

Knowing the aspects of the environment pollution and degradation, and establishing of behaviour rules in the nature.

Materials needed:imagesGame preparation:Game preparation:

All the children stay in a circle on the chairs..How to play the game:

The teacher presents an image illustrating cases of environment pollution and degradation. After that ,the children participate in a conversation about the effects of those actions and also about the cause of that, and

name the guilty person (responsible for that).To involve all the children in the activity it is necessary to ask about more examples on how people pollute the environment (from the kindergarten

or from home).To each case (action), the children have to evaluate the attitude and the person’s behavior. It is necessary to ask every time : ”But if you were

there what would you do?”In the individual activity, the images have to be presented one by one, the

others being covered.The source of the game is the book ”Games for the kids” by Elena Pintilie

But if you were there, what would you do?But if you were there, what would you do?

“RESPECT THE NATURE”Ecological topic:

I respect the animals and plants of the Earth

Age of children:5-8 years oldNumber of children:15-20 children

Playing space:ClassroomDuration of game:35 minutes

Aims:The idea is to point out examples of bad attitude of human beings, to the

environment, and also the forming of the civilized behaviour, in all the situations.environment, and also the forming of the civilized behaviour, in all the situations.Materials needed:images

How to play the game:The children watch a few pictures with actions ,named “Love and respect the nature,”.

Then they have to say what it represents.Attention: the word “to pollute” means to harm the air ,water and forests with injurious

substances. Harm plants, animals, people and the air.Now show the pictures that suggest the air pollution, the water pollution ,the noise in

the streets and ask who is responsible or guilty and why.The source is the book ”Nature in the games” by teodora vascu

GAME “SLEEPING BEAR” Ecological topic:” protect and respect animals

and plants of Earth”Age of children: 3-6 years old

Number of children: 10 – 20 childrenPlaying space: inside or outside the classroom

Duration of game: 15 – 20 minutes

Aims: forming the skills to respect the rules of a game.Learning the walk in circle.

Developing the feelings of love and care for animals.Materials nedeed: a toy bear or the image of a bear. Materials nedeed: a toy bear or the image of a bear.

Game preparations:The children form a circle and one of them comes in the middle near the toy bear

and stays on his knees with his eyes closedHow to play the game:

The children walk in a circle singing:“The bear is sleeping and dreaming

That its shoes are dancingWhat to give him to eat?

Sweet milk or stuffed cabbage.Cock – a – doodle – doo!”

When they stop singing, they sit on their knees without talking. The child in the middle of the circle with his eyes closed comes near the rim of the circle and the

first child that he touches becomes the new bear.The game continuous until all the children become bears.

Mountain areas when, a long time ago, the bears (being trained) used to dance and play with humans.

¢ THE CHILDREN WALKINA CIRCLE SINGING:

¢ “THE BEAR IS SLEEPINGAND DREAMING

¢ THAT HIS SHOES AREDANCING

¢ WHAT TO GIVE HIM TO EAT?

¢ SWEET MILK OR STUFFED CABBAGE?

¢ COOK – A –DOODLE–DOO!”

ECO-GAMESTurkey

By Pinar Ercan , March 2011, Turkey

COLLECT MORE AND WIN!

♪ Ecological Topic: «I recycle»♪ Age of Children: 3-6♪ Number of Children:10-20♪ Playing Space: Inside♪ Duration of Game: 15-20 Minutes♪ Aims: Children learn «how to separate waste materials.»♪ Materials needed: 2 piece boxes, some plastics and waste papers♪ Game preparations : We need to put some plastic, waste paper, etc.♪ Game preparations : We need to put some plastic, waste paper, etc.in the game place. Then to put 2 boxes: a paper box and a plastic box.♪ How to play the game: We need to have 2 teams and they start tocollect paper or plastic when the music starts! When the music stopsall the children have to stop to collect any materials. Each team triesto collect as much waste materials as possible. When the game isover, we count all the materials. The ones who have more materialsare the winners of the game ☺

WATER & DETERGENT♪ Ecological Topic: «I keep my environment clean »♪ Age of The Children: 4-6♪ Number of the Children:10-15♪ Playing Space: Outside or Inside♪ Duration of the Game: 15-20 Minutes♪ Aims: Teach the children that the information: “Detergent is notonly harmful to the water but also to our lungs and our health as well,that’s why we need to use just a little bit of detergent at home.♪ Materials needed: a symbol of water♪ Materials needed: a symbol of water♪ Game preparations: the children make a circle and choose a child tobe called Water.♪ How to play the game: Water kid walks around the circle and, touches his/her friends’ heads. And he/she says “earth, earth, earth … detergent”. Detergent kid tries to chase Water kid and Water kid tries to run away from detergent kid because Detergent is extremelyharmful to Water! The one that wins, can choose the Water kid fromhis/her friends.

FUGITIVE WASTE♪ Ecological Topic: «I recycle »♪ Age of the Children:5-6♪ Number of the Children:10-15♪ Playing Space: Outside or Inside♪ Duration of the Game: 15-20 Minutes♪ Aims: Children get used to throwing all the recycling materials into the recycle bin NOT into the Bin♪ Materials needed: photos of paper, plastic, glass etc.♪ Game preparations : Some children make a circle called the “Bin”.♪ Game preparations : Some children make a circle called the “Bin”.The other children are plastic, paper, glass etc. and put recyclingboxes next to the circle.♪ How to play the game: Recycling waste materials try to escapefrom the “Bin” and get into the recycle boxes. Plastic, paper, glassetc. The one who succeeds in running out of the “Bin” and into therecycle boxes is the winner!!!

POLAND

by Anna Czapla, Barbara Groździej, Danuta Syrkowska, Przemysław BaniewiczThe Primary School in Sławkowo, POLAND, April 2011

THE ROSE”I protect and respect

plants of Earth”Number of children: no limitsExpected age of players: 3+Playing space: classroom, gym, playground, fieldDuration: no limits

Education aims:- to develop group activities- to practise dancing, singing and gestures

Materials:Materials:- The rose (natural or artifitial)

Game preparations:- An adult explains the rules- An adult gets the children in a circle and gives a

rose to one of them

How to play the game:1. One child is holding a rose2. This child pretends to be a prince or princess3. The rest of the children dance round the child

with the rose4. The child chooses another child, bows and gives

her/him a rose5. The „next” child with the rose is the next

prince/princess

Adopted from: This is a Polish traditional game

WOLF AND GEESE”I protect and respect

the animals of theEarth”

Number of children: no limitsExpected age of players: 5+Playing space: big space: gym, playground, fieldDuration: no limits

Aims:-to develop group activities- to practise reflex and speed- to teach children about the balance between predators and their victims (ecologic aim)

WOLF WOLF

MOTHER

GEESE

and their victims (ecologic aim)

Materials:- we do not need any materials (we may make masks or shapes of wolf and geese) 1. Geese!

Come to me

2. We are afraid

3. Of what?

4. Thebadwolf

Game preparations:

- An adult explains the rules- An adult gives the children „roles” in a play

How to play the game:1. One child is a mother2. One child is a wolf3. The rest of the group are geese4. The mother calls the geese5. The „geese” run6. The „wolf” tries to catch a „goose”7. The „eaten goose” goes away

Game options:1. There can be more „wolves”2. The caught „goose” may help the „wolf”2. The caught „goose” may help the „wolf”

Adopted from: This is a Polish traditional game

FRUIT SALAD”I protect and respect

the plants of the Earth”Number of children: no limitsExpected age of players: 5+Playing space: big space: gym, playground, fieldDuration: no limits

Aims:-to develop group and memory activities- to practise reflex and speed- to teach the children about the necessity of eating fruit and vegetables

Materials:- big scarf- we may use small sheets of paper with fruit images

Game preparations:

- An adult explains the rules- An adult gives the children places by the scarf

How to play the game:1. Each child is e.g. an apple, orange, banana etc.2. We use 4 or 5 fruits3. The children must remember their „names”4. A teacher shouts „banana” and all the children pick

up the scarf and „the banana children” must change places

5. A teacher shouts another fruit name and the other children must change places

6. When the teacher shouts „fruit salad” children throw up the scarf and all of them must change throw up the scarf and all of them must change places untill the scarf is up

Game options:1. There can be names of fruit or vegetables2. The children who stay under the scarf may leave

the game

FINLAND

By Hanna Heikinmatti March 2011, FINLAND

Number of children: about 10 Expected age of children: 4+Playing space: Gym, classroom, playground, playroomDuration of game: 15-20 minutes

Aims:

ECOSALAD”I keep my environment clean”

Aims:vChildren develop reaction ability and motoric skills vChildren learn to identify recycling materialsvChildren develop team work skillsvChildren learn to take care of environment

Materials needed: Plastic bottles, news papers, plastic bags, metal cans e.t.c

Game preparations: Adult discusses with children about the recycling materials that are used in the game. Children stand in a circle and place different recycling materials in front of them. There should be at least two same items.

How to play the game:v Adult is the first leader but after a few rounds leader can be one of the children.v Leader shouts for example: “Plastic bags!”, all children having a plastic bag in front of them, quickly change places with each other. v When leader shouts: “Ecosalad!”, all children change places.v When the game finishes, adult and children collect all the recycling materials and bring them in the right trash bins.

Game recommendations:vThe leader of the game can be either an adult or child.vIf leader catches a child who is changing a place, that child becomes a next leader.

Adopted from: Karvonen, Pirkko; Siren-Tiusanen, Helena & Vuorinen, Riitta 2003. Varhaisvuosien liikunta (“Early childhood years exercise”). VK-Kustannus Oy, 183.Heikinmatti, Hanna & Kiviranta, Tiina 2010. Ympäristökasvatuksellisia elämyksiä 4-5-vuotiaille -Kierrätyksellä ympäristöherkkyys herätetään! (Experiences from Environmental Education to 4-5-Year-Olds.). Diakonia–ammattikorkeakoulu, Diak Länsi, Pori.(Diaconia University of Applied Sciences).https://sites.google.com/site/ymparistotyokalupakki/

ECOKIM-PLAY”I recycle”

Number of children: about 14Expected age of children: 4+Playing space: Gym, classroom, playground, playroomDuration of game: 15-20 minutes

Aims:v Children develop memory, observe and v Children develop memory, observe and mathematical skills v Children learn to recycle and name different materials

Materials needed:vDifferent recycling materials (for excample milk cans, metal cans, batteries, plastic bags, folio, magazines…)v A big scarf or a blanket

Game preparations:v At first adult and children name recycling materials

How to play the game:v Adult has about 10 different recycling materials which are placed on the floorv Children close their eyes and adult covers the materials with scarf or blanketvAdult removes 1-3 items (depending on the children's age) from under the scarfv Children open their eyes and guess what materials are missingv In the end can be discussed what the right trash bins are for each materialtrash bins are for each material

Adopted from: Helsingin seudun ympäristöpalvelut 2010. http://www.hsy.fi/fiksu/esiopetuksess/kielijavuorovaikutus/jatteenvalttamisleikki/Sivut/default.aspx

Number of children: about 14Expected age of children: 4+Playing space: Gym, classroom, playground, playroom, forestDuration of game: 15-20 minutes

Aims:v Children develop reaction ability and motoric skills

A saimaa ringed seal http://www.savonsanomat.fi/uutiset/kotimaa/verkkokalastus-kiellett%C3%A4v%C3%A4-norppa-alueilla/464784

A golden eaglehttp://www.metsa.fi/sivustot/metsa/fi/Luonnonsuojelu/Lajitjaluontotyypit/Uhanalaisetelaimet/Maakotka/Sivut/Maakotka.aspx

POACHERS”I protect and respect animals of Earth”

motoric skillsv Children learn about the threatened animals and protected species in Finland.v Joy of exercise! ☺

Materials needed:v Pictures of the threatened animals and protected speciesv A long bench

A frog http://www.sammakkolampi.fi/lajit/sammakko.html

A grass snake http://www.sammakkolampi.fi/lajit/rantakaarme.html

Game preparations:v Adult shows the pictures of the animals to the children.v Adult places the pictures to the corners of the gym (Saimaa ringed seal, golden eagle, frog and grass snake)

How to play the game:v Adult names one of the children to be Ranger who is also the catcher of the game.v The other children are Poachers and they stand in the middle of the gym together with Ranger.

Poachers aim to run to the corners of the v Poachers aim to run to the corners of the gym and Ranger tries to catch them until they reach the corners.v Poachers try to hunt the animals and Ranger tries to catch Poachers. When Ranger catches one of the Poachers, he/she must go to the “jail” (bench).v The game finishes when all Poachers are in the “jail”.

Adopted from: Helsingin seudun ympäristöpalvelut 2010, http://www.hsy.fi/fiksu/esiopetuksessa/liikuntajamotorinenkehitys/otatuhlarikiinnileikki/Sivut/default.aspx

ECO GAMES

„Maci” Foundational Preschool, Primary School for Children with Multiple Disabilities and

Unified Vocational Service of EducationHungary, 2011

I AM THE FASTEST

Ecological Topic: „I recycle”Age of Children:3-7Number of Children:20Playing Space: outsideDuration of Game: 5 minutesAims: to learn that we can use „waste” in a different wayMaterials needed: 2 plastic bottles, two cardboard boxesMaterials needed: 2 plastic bottles, two cardboard boxesGame preparations : put the cardboard boxes down not too far from each otherHow to play the game: separate the children into two lines, facing the boxes. The children inthe front will have plastic bottle in their hands. On the signal to start they have to run, getaround the boxes, run back and pass the bottle to the first in line, who will run next. The groupthat finishes first, will be the winner.

LET’S GO FISHING

Ecological Topic: “I protect and respect animals and plants of Earth”Age of Children: 4-6Number of Children: 3-4Playing Space: insideDuration of Game: 3 minutesAims: to develop concentration, patience, sucking and blowing to help speech developmentMaterials needed: make fish out of newspaper, paint paper plates blue, strawsMaterials needed: make fish out of newspaper, paint paper plates blue, strawsGame preparations : put the cardboard boxes down not too far from each otherHow to play the game: each child has to take the fish out of the „lake” by sucking the airthrough the straw. The child that finishes first, will be the winner

ECO BOWLING

Ecological Topic: „I recycle”Age of Children: 3 and olderNumber of Children: 20Playing Space: insideDuration of Game: depends on interest and number of playersAims: To develop hand-eye coordinationTo build up healthy competition among the childrenTo build up healthy competition among the childrenMaterials needed: 6 paper toilet or towel tubes3 balls of similar size made of paper Mache To make paper Mache balls: Old magazines/newspaper, flour and saltGame preparations: Collect toilet paper tubes Make paper Mache balls two – three days earlier

How to play the game:

* Arrange the paper tubes in a triangular shape:

O O O O O O

•Draw a line or mark the floor with a piece of tape where each player must stand (five or six feet away).

•Each player rolls one (1) ball (either standing or sitting) from the starting line, he/she have three (3) chances to make the tubes fall, then the next player have his/her chance.the next player have his/her chance.

* Count how many tubes fall after each ball and total after three (3) tries and that will be the score of each player (if all tubes falls on the 1st ball, arrange the paper tubes again and let the child continue until he/she finishes the balls). The player with the highest number of tubes that fall wins.

Game options:Create two groups to play. Make scoring by group.

Add number of tubes and/or make the starting line farther to make it more difficult.O O O O O O OO OO

Recommendations:To make more children involve assign a student as the score keeper, another as the one who fixes the tubes.one who fixes the tubes.