The Quiet Game

by Sherry Holetzky | More from this Blogger

12 Sep 2006 07:35 AM

What parent wouldn't love to have children play the quiet game sometimes? We all need a little quiet time, but this game is actually about challenging your child. Remember when he or she was really little? Children find imaginative ways to communicate before they learn to speak. While crying is of course only one of the options, do you remember any of the other ways you child got your attention or made you understand what he wanted or she needed? Did your little one point? Maybe he or she made up words to indicate certain items if the actual names were too difficult to say.

The quiet game challenges your child to get his or her point across without speaking. You can play along and try to get your youngster to understand you too. No writing! Just use body language, movements, signals, sounds, or other inventive ways to make your point.

Not only will this game make kids think, but it is also good for laughs. You will be surprised how hard it is to keep quiet even for a short period of time, and most players usually end up blurting something out at least once. This can be really funny.

Start by giving each person a piece of paper and something to write with. Even little ones can play this game, although you will have to write their ideas down, or help with the writing.

Everyone should list at least three ideas, and you can certainly add more if you like. You should alternate between players and take turns acting out and guessing. Praise your children for their creative ideas and good guesses.

*Please do not hesitate to share some of the unique communication skills you and your kids up with, if you would like to share.

Learn more about Sherry Holetzky

Sherry Holetzky is a work at home mom and freelance writer. Married to her best friend, Sherry and her husband are raising their family in a quiet rural setting in the beautiful Ozark Mountains.

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Megan Bayliss (3586) 23 Sep 2006 09:21 PM

Hey Sherry. This made me laugh. We still play the quiet game, but ours is a little different. We tell the kids that the one who can be quietest for the longest wins 50 cents. They love it! The two youngest ones try to our quiet each other and the two older ones nowadays offer the reward. Works a treat for getting a 10 minute hiatus in the incessent noise and random comments. Mxx

Sherry Holetzky (11404) 24 Sep 2006 09:01 AM

Thanks for sharing, Megan; I like your game too! I can just see my older two offering rewards to the younger ones for a few minutes of quiet. LOL.