Cecilia Hurd – illustratör

This book encourages children and adults to use the language of dance! The games here combine dance and play in ways that release a child's spontaneity and self-expression. Appropriate for parents, teachers, youth leaders, baby-sitters and child care workers, the book is filled with simple games that the whole classroom or family - or just two people - can play and learn from. You don't need dance training or athletic skills. All players need is a willingness to have fun and experience the joys of moving and interacting with others. These non-competitive games reward children for their involvement, encourage them to use their imaginations and show them how to express how they feel and think - without words. The games are organised by type: meeting and greeting games, concentration games, dances that tell stories, party dances, 'muscle puzzles', dances using simple props (such as balloons, fans or cardboard boxes) and many more. Each dance game contains an age guideline, an estimated time of play and suggestions for the most appropriate type of music. Ages 4 & up

Drama games are not staged plays but a dynamic form in which children explore their minds and the world around them. They can use their play-acting in sensory games, pantomimes, story games with puppets, in creating masks and costumes, and much more. Drama games allow children to get more in touch with themselves and what they want to be, and are a delightful way to discover the freedom, creativity, and expression of acting- and living. The SmartFunActivity series encourage imagination, social interaction, and self-expression in children. To make the books easy to use, games are marked according to appropriate age levels, length of play time, and group size, using helpful icons. Most games are non-competitive and none require special skills or training. The series is widely used in homes, schools, daycare centers, clubs, and summer camp.