Real Strategy

There is a lot of strategy when it comes to playing games with first and second graders...Seriously.

They want you to play in the games and I always do. They also want to beat you and you want to let them win. You also don't want to let them win too easily. You want to be enough of a challenge and not make it too obvious about allowing others to win.

Sometimes letting them win is easier than it sounds. For example we were playing a game that was similar to Simon Says for Husky Sport today. It's easy to fool younger kids when it comes to focusing on listening in to specific words. Awareness is not something that many of them have yet.

One game I was trying really hard to lose at the end of the game, but I just couldn't. I felt so bad beating this entire class in the game. I felt so bad about it. I guess it motivated them. I made sure I lost the next game so I went out really early in the game and this girl screamed "oh yeah!!!" She was so excited I lost.

Anyway sometimes it does take a lot of strategy when you are playing games with 1st and 2nd graders. You don't want to win, but you don't want to be obvious about not wanting to win. It's a fine line.