Cooperative Games and Sports

Children live what they learn through games and play. Through Cooperative Games and Sports, you can teach children how to play with--rather than against--each other, using 150 field-tested games and activities that are designed to build a child's self-worth through cooperation, acceptance, inclusion, and fun.

The premise of cooperative games is that everybody wins and everybody has fun. With activities like cooperative musical chairs, partner gymnastics, and math and spelling games, children learn valuable concepts, plus you aren't left scrambling for expensive equipment in the process. These versatile games allow you to adapt the rules, equipment, and number of players to your own participants' capabilities and to different physical settings. You'll also find a chapter dedicated to teaching you how to create your own games.

Cooperative Games and Sports shifts the focus from the outcome of a game to the experience of playing it. With instructive photos and straightforward terminology, it is your guide to building positive interactions that teach children--and adults--the value of playing simply for the sake of playing.

Terry Orlick, PhD, was a professor in the School of Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa for more than 40 years. He obtained his PhD in the psychology of sport and physical activity from the University of Alberta in 1972. He was one of the world's leading authorities on the psychology of excellence and quality living and worked with some of the world's top performers. His research focused on enhancing the quality of life and quality of performance with children and high-level performers in a variety of disciplines.

Orlick worked with thousands of Olympic and professional athletes and coaches; corporate leaders; astronauts; surgeons; top classical musicians; dancers, opera singers, and other performing artists; mission control professionals; and many others engaged in high-stress performance missions.

Former president of the International Society for Mental Training and Excellence, Orlick authored more than 30 highly acclaimed books, published hundreds of articles in a variety of professional journals, and was founder of the Journal of Excellence, Positive Living Skills, and the Zone of Excellence. He held distinguished service awards from numerous Olympic and education associations as well as certificates of merit from governments, universities, sport organizations, and schools for distinguished service to the community. He gave lectures on the pursuit of excellence in virtually every corner of the world.

Terry Orlick lived with his family at Meech Lake, Quebec, until his death in 2021.