Program Overview

My partner and I selected Middle Childhood ages between seven and nine for our
facilitation assignment. In this stage of development, children are known to be increasing their
mental focus on a particular activity for a lengthy period, improving both socialization and
cooperation abilities, as well as enhancing their fine and gross motor skills through programming
activities. We have learned that using "open-ended, free-flowing types of programs used for
children in early childhood are also very successful" (Burns, 2018). We are planning to facilitate
the entire class with over fifteen people. However, during the warm-up and cool down, the
members will be divided into groups to practice communication, social, and cooperation skills.
During the main activity, the members will be playing altogether to perform the skills that they
need to practice with other people. Thus, some students participating demonstrate cognitive
abilities, physical impairments like wearing a Cochlear Implant during activities, mental health
such as anxiety, or depression. My partner and I are uncertain if some people express mental
health, but we want to be aware and prepared if the topic does come up. Lastly, some people
within the facilitation environment have allergies, for instance, peanuts and avocados should not
be present during the facilitation for the safety of those who are allergic. The overall therapeutic
intent is to benefit the children ages seven to nine to understand the boundaries and behavioral
limits by performing collaborative and structured activities. Playing less competitive games
educates the children at this stage of development, specific skills that they are required to reveal.
The therapeutic purpose of the movements is to encourage children to compare themselves and
others in a less competitive environment as well as demonstrating cooperation skills. The goal of
our facilitation activities is to influence middle childhood children to become the opposite of
impatient, impulsive, and sensitivity towards failure. The facilitation process aims to enhance
high self-esteem involving the participants. Fewer members observing the children between the
ages of seven and nine failure and impatience are critical. We also found that "they [children
ages seven to nine] enjoy being challenged and tackling tests of strength and endurance through
running... experience bursts of energy and often tire easily" (Burns, 2018). My partner and I
selected the Name Ball Game as our warm-up to benefit members to get familiar with others and
to get to know the individuals through a series of questions. My partner and I hope the outcomes
will lead to an increase in socialization and communication skills while performing this activity.
Jasmine and I suggested doing the game octopus as our main activity since the children ages
seven to nine value challenges concerning their strength and endurance. Our hopeful outcome
includes benefiting the children's increase in gross motor skills and developing cooperation skills
as while as listening skills, for instance, listening to instructions can help them function their
everyday life. In conclusion, my partner and I settled for the children to engage in mirror
exercise since it can calm the individuals down after excessive activity. We hope the outcome
include the children to have a better understanding of their body awareness and strengthen their
friendship skills.
Warm-up Activity
Name: Ball-Toss Name Game (basic or simplified version)

Purpose:
 Become familiar with the children’s surroundings and the people involved
 Reduce anxiety in new situations and environment
 Playing the Ball-Toss Name Game will allow the members in the group get to know
others through a series of questions
 In other words, the children will find a common ground or common interests that can be
discussed and will later be beneficial if the members establish relationships

Age of Size:
 Our programming task is mainly focused on middle childhood children who are ages
seven to nine. Therefore, having four to six people per group is ideal.
 We are concerned if we have more than six people per group, some individuals will be
lost, frustrated, and confused, especially with those who have minor or severe hearing
loss.
 Through my personal experiences, being in a large group with severe hearing loss has
limited my ability to participate. Throughout the task, I was confused, overwhelmed,
frustrated, and I did not feel included enough since I could not hear anything.
 Our goal is to make sure the children feel safe, secure, happy, and included. My objective
through this programming task is to hope that the children will have fun and smile the
entire time.

Materials:
 One wide flat gym
 One soft or inflatable medium sized ball
 Extra soft or inflatable balls for the variations section

Instructions:
1. The four to six members per group will stand in a circle located anywhere in the gym and
say their names loud enough for the entire group to hear.
2. The person who has the ball has to say their own name and anyone else’s before they
throw it to the person that they mentioned.
3. The person that catches the ball must say their own name and anyone else’s’ that is
within the circle.
4. Repeat until everybody in the group has the chance to catch the ball, say their own name,
and say someone else’s name.
5. For more information about the Ball-Toss Name Game, please refer to
https://orccamericorps.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/0/4/13042698/ball-toss_name_game.pdf
for more information.

Cautions:
 Please be respectful towards other individuals and patient
  Appropriate throwing
 Appropriate verbal language
 Speak loud enough so everybody within the group especially those who cannot hear
clearly
 Hard throwing should not be allowed; it can be harder for others to catch

Variations:
 Continuing to say the original order of people’s name mentioned earlier and the
individuals in the group must stick with that order.
 The facilitators will add an extra two balls with a total of three balls in play and being
thrown at the same time.
 Changing up the name order; start with the last person then go backwards
 Later in the game, the individuals in the group will move to different parts within the
circle but toss the ball in the same order that you have been following.
Transition Activity
Name: Crab Walk

Purpose:
 Increase the children’s heartrate and create suspense for the main activity, the Crab Walk
allows the children to start moving at a faster rate before the main activity.
 The Crab Walk can benefit the children to focus on one thing at a time.
 Participating in the Crab Walk will enhance the children’s fine/gross motor skills
 The Crab Walk is a less competitive activity that can reveal certain skills that children
need to demonstrate such as increase in social and concentration skills.

Age of Size:
 We are continuing to work with middle childhood children ages seven to nine. However,
for the transition activity the whole class is participating since it can benefit the children
social and cooperation skills.
 Allowing the whole class to participate in the Crab Walk to the other side of the gym will
transition smoothly into our main activity.

Materials:
 One wide flat gym with a boundary line on the gym floor. Such as “this solid black line
to the back wall”

Instructions:
1. Choose any spot in the gym that feels most comfortable to you
2. “Begin by sitting on the floor with your feet hip-distance apart in front of you and your
arms behind your back with fingers facing hips. Lift hips off the floor and tighten your
abs. Start ‘walking’ forward by moving your left hand followed by your right foot; and
then your right hand followed by your left foot” (Get Healthy U, 2019).
3. Refer to the reference sheet for more information

Cautions:
 Being careful where our hand is moving; avoid hitting or stepping on someone else’s
hands or feet.
 Being respectful and patient with others who are in different paces
 Those who have physical impairments and uses a chair, they can go backwards so that
way they are still included and participating.
 For other individuals who do not feel comfortable can go walk backwards, so they are
still participating and is at low risk of feeling depressed, anxiety, or lost.

Variation:
 Straight arm glute bridge; sit on your bum then using strength in your legs and arms, push
up so your butt is off the ground and your hands are facing forward at hip distance apart.
With this variation we can still walk to the other side of the gym in this position.
Main Activity
Name: Octopus (flag football version)

Purpose:
 Playing the Octopus game children can increase their mental focus on the certain activity
for a longer period.
 The game Octopus allows and teaches children the proper skills such as listening or
socialization skills that will help the individuals function their day-to-day life.
 Through this programming activity, children can increase their fine and gross motor skills
by using skills and running
 Children ages seven to nine value being challenged, and the game Octopus tests their
limits of strength and endurance by running at a fast pace back and forth in the gym with
other members.
 The children can develop their interest in physical activity by running and being
surrounded by a moderate competitive environment.

Age of Size:
 We are facilitating middle childhood children ages seven to nine
 For the main activity, we are planning on leading the entire class to play the game
‘Octopus’ to provide some healthy competition within the safe environment and other
classmates.
 If the entire class participate in the main activity, the students can benefit from
developing new social and cooperation skills. Playing with each other can teach some
individuals how to interact with others while stepping out of their comfort zone.

Materials:
 One wide flat gym that has boundary lines, so the children can know where they are
running and where the safe zone is
 More than fifteen members
 Flag football belts (enough for the entire group)

Instructions:
1. “Select one student to be the octopus and place them in the middle of the gym. Have all
the students line up beside one another at one end of the gym, facing the Octopus. When
the octopus shouts ‘Octopus’, all of the students try to run to the other side of the gym.
The octopus is allowed to run anywhere in the gym. [The octopus must grab the
individual’s flag from the belt in order to tag them] … once the person is tagged their feet
become frozen to the floor and wave their arms [to grab some else’s flag (to tag another
individual)]” (Octopus, n.d).
2. Keep note that the people who are tagged must stay at the spot that were tagged, they
cannot move their feet, only the arms.
3. For further information please refer to https://www.pegames.org/warm-up/octopus

Cautions:
 No aggressiveness when reaching for the flag off the belt
  Proper verbal language
 Be aware of everyone’s surroundings to reduce injuries and for the safety of others
 Being respectful and patient of others.
 For those individuals who has a physical impairment like wearing a Cochlear Implant
during activities, cognitive abilities, mental health such as anxiety, or depression, we
have to be extra careful.

Variations:
 Playing the regular version of ‘Octopus’, following the exact same instructions
mentioned earlier without the flag football belt.
Cool-down Activity
Name: Mirror Activity

Purpose:
 Calm and soothe the children’s heart rate after an intense game
 Get to know our partner a little bit better and learn how to be in sync
 The Mirror Activity can strengthen friendship, cooperation and other skills at a slower
pace
 Participating in the Mirror Activity can benefit the individuals to be self-aware of their
body both physically, mentally, and socially
 The Mirror Activity establishes trust between two people and form stronger relationships

Age of Size:
 Our facilitation program continues to involve middle childhood children who are ages
seven to nine.
 In the Mirror Activity, each individual will select another person as their partner with the
total of two people per group.
 It is better to do this task with one other person as opposed to more than two members
because the individuals will find it easier to be in sync with the person in front of them,
they will find it easier to connect on a deep personal level at a slower pace, and it is less
overwhelming.

Materials:
 One wide flat gym and the partners will choose any spot in the gym to do this activity
 Two members per group

Instructions:
1. Choose a partner and stand/sit anywhere in the gym that feels comfortable to the
individuals
2. Between two individuals; choose one person in the group who will be the actor (the
individual leading the movements), and the other will be the mirror (following the
individuals’ movements).
3. Two people per group will stand in front of each other and maintain eye contact during
movements. No talking is allowed once the actor starts the movements.
4. The ‘actor’ will make certain actions and the ‘mirror’ has to follow the movements
exactly
5. Starting off simple actions such as clapping your hands or brushing your teeth is
encouraged then work at a faster pace while in sync with each other.
6. The facilitators role is to walk around the gym and determine who is the mirror and actor
is.
7. For more information please access to the website for further information if you have any
concerns: https://dbp.theatredance.utexas.edu/content/mirrors

Cautions:
 Using appropriate actions and can be easily duplicated
  Being respectful and understanding of the person in front of you
 Proper verbal language when spoken
 Moving at a slower pace at the beginning can reduce anxiety for some individuals and
give them time to get comfortable with their partners and the actions that are being
demonstrated.

Variations:
 N/A
 References
Burns Michael (2018). Time In: An Introduction to Therapeutic Activity Programming and
Facilitation. Regina, SK: Child Care Press.
How To Do Crab Walk. (2019). Retrieved 14 October 2019, from
https://gethealthyu.com/exercise/crab-walk/#how
Icebreakers and Name Games. (n.d). Ball-Toss Name Game. Retrieved from
https://orccamericorps.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/0/4/13042698/ball-toss_name_game.pdf
Mirrors | Drama-Based Instruction. (2019). Retrieved 14 October 2019, from
https://dbp.theatredance.utexas.edu/content/mirrors
Octopus | Elementary PE Games. (2019). Retrieved 14 October 2019, from
https://www.pegames.org/warm-up/octopus