My answer is: GAMES
You may think I’m crazy but read on.
Do you know the game “Follow the Leader”? After some modification, it turned out to be a quiet game I played with my children when I wanted them to stop running and jumping.
Here’s how:
- Form a circle.
- Pick a leader on rotating basis. Usually, I would start and my children follow.
- Pick an action. Eg: clap your hands very slowly and silently without any sound.
- Let the children do as you do. Everyone does the same action at the same time.
- Repeat with another action.
What made it fun were the actions, the speed and the transition. I would show them a slow action and suddenly change to a more complicated and fast action. Boy, did they enjoy themselves.
This idea came to me when we were at my friend’s house warming party. The children were running about after food and to stop them from running, I had to think of a game fast. I didn’t want to ask them to sit quietly because I knew they were very excited over the big garden and specious living hall of the house. So, replacing their existing game with another game sort of saved the day. They sat down happily and enjoyed every minute of it.
Well, what about you? How do you stop your children from running about during parties and gatherings?
16 comments:
if i play with them at the party, then i might as well dont go lor..hmm... mayb i can teach my new maid how to play n since it doesnt require her to speak broken eng, can hor.. then hub and i can enjoy the red wine at the party
you're really creative :)
wow...u are indeed very creative. your children are lucky :D
a wonderful game to play and to teach them as well. will play this game with my eldest daughter.
I must try that game with some adults I know too!! :-)
what a great idea. i'll try this on friday, being good friday holiday! tks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing this idea!!
Wen,
Good idea.
Huisia,
:) Have to put in extra effort since I have very active children.
Mommy to chumsy,
and I'm lucky to have them too.
Delittleones,
Go ahead and try.
LB,
Adults? You must be kidding.
Constance,
Good friday is a good day to spend time with children.
Trin,
You are most welcome.
what u did for the kids were superb but they need a lot of patience too.....which i'm lacking...sigh !!!
so i'll end up letting them run, haha...maybe next time, i shall get someone to try yr method, hehe
It's worth a try. If it doesn't work, will hv to resort back to food. :D
Quiet game means the mommy also hv to b quiet... can i??
Hi Jon, noticed your callsign over at KM's, thought I'll take a peek.
Wow! You have 5 blog titles? How you handle so many? Ha ha.
Re children running around, when we were young and human rights still unknown, we at 6 years below behaved ourselves very well at friends or relatives homes.
How come? I had a Dad who tends to be a John Wayne, and a mom Clamity Jane..we used to run around. Then it was being called over and father or mother would not say anything, but put thumb and finger at our backside and pinch.
I can tell you, twice like that, with their kinds of deep stare like Clint Eastwood's, 'go ahead, make my day', we then learn to sit quietly like novice monks at a Bangkok monastery. I can tell you that pinch has colours
too, ha ha, dark blue! Sure no fooling around.
We have a friend here, son 4 years old....and believe you me, he is a perfect gentleman, at that age.
How come?
The mother gives him money when he cleans his room, 50 cents, (once every other day), 30 cents if he helps with the dishes, 10 cents from bringing in the papers. Homework completed and scores above 70%, he gets a bonus.
All this money goes into a large bottle where he can see his money grow. Last time I asked he has $35!! saved!
He has to earn his keep at home, his mother says.
If he wants a comic book, he gets permission to 'withdraw' some money.
Anyway, for every misbehaviour, misconduct in people's homes, 50 cents fine!!! The mother will tell him he was naughty, or no manners, he gets a 'fine'. She infront of him takes out the 'fine' money.
Good manners, he gets a bonus of 10 cents.
Jon, that 4 year old boy when my wife offers him a glass of CocaCola, he will accept with both hands, smile and say "thank you, aunty". When he finishes, he brings the empty glass into the kitchen.
And to me, if I offer him a chocolate, he says, "thank you, sir".
Holy Smoke!
And when parents come over, he sits quietly by himself reading a comic he brought, unless the mother says, "go and play outside", then he says, to us, "please excuse me", then runs out.
Jon, that kid knows about the value of money as well how to earn more. And as well has learned to be a gentleman at his age. Only child too. Money talks! Ha ha.
You have a nice day, Jon, keep well, UL.
See here or here
wld try this game with my sunday school kids!
Joanne.. love this lay out as well.. hehehe..especially the picture (avatar?) on the right..children's silhouette.. so nice..
I just come back from the doc.. twice.. hhhh.. clay got xray..thks God, he is not TBC, he is allergic.
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