B a r b a r a s h e r I l L u s t r a t I o n s b y r a L p h

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Attention Games
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Ring of String
Often we can look at things without really seeing them. In this game, children
are encouraged to look really closely at one spot and to see all there is to see.
T
Y P E O F
A
T T E N T I O N
E
N C O U R A G E D
Focused
M
A T E R I A L S
String
Magnifying glass or jar with water in it (optional)
Tweezer (optional)
Plate (optional)
D
I R E C T I O N S
Make a circle on the ground with the string. The circle can be any size (a 2-
to 3-foot circumference works well). Look carefully at the enclosed area with
your child and notice what is growing there. Pull out a weed or blade of grass
and see what the roots look like. Is there a seedpod in the area? What’s inside?
Poke a hole and see if there are any insects around. What are they, and
how are they different from each other? What are they doing? Are they scur-
rying around to hide or curling up and playing dead or not noticing you at
all? Is the dirt in the hole you dug any different from the dirt on the ground?
Use a magnifying glass or a jar with water in it and look at various
things again. How do they look different now?
Use a tweezer, if handy, to pick up small things to put on a plate so that
you can look at them more closely. Things like acorns, petals, seeds, bark,
mica, and grains of sand are good to collect and examine.
V
A R I A T I O N
Pick one area of a garden and notice the types of plants growing there, their
similarities and differences, their fragrances and colors.
Games for 6- to 12-Year-Olds
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