Books on Games and Exerices

This section gathers various resources to enliven any teaching situation with magic, fun, and powerful experiences. Schools have too long been associated with boredom and incomprehensible or indigestible material. There are no failed students. There are only discouraged children facing unimaginative or careless teachers. These books are a start to rekindle the creative joy of teaching and learning.
A Book of Games: A Course in Spiritual Play. by Prather, Hugh. New York, NY: Doubleday. 1981.	This is a book of games and also a game itself. Hopefully, every part of it will be useful to you, for there is no conflict between the truly helpful and the truly enjoyable. To let Cause have its effect, you need only practice happiness. Happiness is not something we stumble into; it is our continuous potential and our means of healing others. Happiness leaves nothing undone.
A Child's Garden of Yoga. by Dass, Hari Baba. Santa Cruz, CA: Sri Rama Publishing. 1980.	Easily the best children's Yoga book on the market. Presented like a second language for kids. The photographs are excellent. Perfect simplicity...makes Yoga seem as easy to do as breathing. Baba Hari Dass believes that children should be trained to use their senses, mind, and body so that they may grow into alert, sensitive, and healthy adults.
Artist's Way, the: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron. New York, NY: G. P. Putnam's Sons. 1992.	An empowering book for aspiring and working artists. With the basis principle that God is the supreme Creator and we are His creations, we are called upon to become co-creator with Him by manifesting His creativity. Julia Cameron deftly leads the readers through a comprehensive twelve-week program to recover their creativity from a variety of blocks, including limiting beliefs, fear, self-sabotage, jealousy, guilt, addictions, and other inhibiting forces, replacing them with artistic confidence and productivity.
Adventure Therapy: Therapeutic Applications of Adventure Programming. by Gass, M. Dubuque, IA: Kendall-Hunt Publishing Company. 1993.
*Asana Pranayama: Mudea Bandha* by Saraswati, Satyananda Swami.	This books has been recognized internationally as one of the most systematic yoga manuals available today. It provides clear illustrations, step by step directions and details of chakra awareness. It guides the practitioner or teacher easily through the practices, from the simplest to the most advanced. A new therapeutic index has been included for use by doctors and yoga therapists, incorporating recent information form research into yoga. This edition successfully brings the exposition of yoga practices to the standard of a university text.
*Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga, the.* by Vishnu-devananda, Swami. New York, NY: Harmony Books. 1988.	This book has taught generations of Westerners to experience the tremendous benefits that this ancient science promises for the body, mind , and spirit. Unique in his ability to explain even the most esoteric concepts clearly, Swami Vishnu provides a complete training program for tapping Yoga's power. Swami Vishnu also demonstrates all the fundamental Yoga postures, giving both novice and advanced students the expert instruction and inspiration usually gained only under the personal direction of a master teach.
*Cowstails and Cobras II.* by Ronhke, K. MA: Project Adventure, Inc. 1988.	The activities and curriculum covered in this resource notebook flesh out the Project Adventure philosophy toward learning. Which in essence states that individuals are usually more capable (mentally, emotionally, and physically) than they perceive themselves to be, and if given the opportunity to TRY in a supportive atmosphere, the youth can discover this excellence in themselves.
Creative Growth Games. by Raudsepp, Eugene & Hough, George P. Jr. New York, NY: A Harves/HBJ Book. 1978.	This book presents 75 stimulating games designed to test and expand your creative powers and everyday problem-solving abilities. Not just a set of brain-teasing quizzes, these games--numerical, verbal and spatial--go far beyond simple one-answer problems, to increase perception and imaginative potential. All the games, from Kindred Relations to Diamonds and Rubies, are illustrated, clearly explained and self-grading so you can follow your growth and progress as you play.
*Dance Between Joy and Pain, the.* by Patel, Dr. Mansukh and Goswami, Rita. Bilston: Life Foundation Publications. 1995.	Our emotions contain a phenomenal power that can either work for or against us. This little book is an effective guide to understanding pain and developing successful, personal and professional relationships. It offers you ways to use the strength of your emotions- whether joyful or painful - to empower your life.
*Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development.* by Kolb, D. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall. 1984.
Experiential Training: Practical Guidelines. by Hobbs, T. London, Great Britain: Tavistock-Routledge. 1992.	Experiential learning, sometimes known as participative learning, is a process which directly acknowledges, values and uses the existing knowledge and competence of those being taught. Its use is particularly appropriate where the subject matter touches on people's deeply held beliefs and attitudes, or involves emotionally charged or value-laden material. Experiential Training: Practical Guidelines explores how to train people in areas which are particularly emotionally and intellectually challenging, including death and dying, sexuality, communication and personal limitations.
Feeding the Zircon Gorilla and Other Team Building Activities. by Sikes, Sam. Tulsa, OK: Learning Unlimited Corporation. 1995.	Feeding The Zircon Gorilla is just one of the many team building activities you'll find included in this new book. Sikes is known for creating fun and meaningful activities that increase team effectiveness in the workplace. This book is designed as a training resource. Each activity comes with support material specially designed for easy copying. You'll find many sample scenarios and game variations that allow you to customize your team building training.
Gardening With Children. by Richardson, Beth. Newtown, CT: Taunton Press. 1998.	Gardening with Children is the only book written for parents about involving children in the family garden. You'll learn how to make each stage of gardening--from planting to harvest--a fun, hands-on activity, allowing children to add their energy and enthusiasm to a project that benefits the whole family. A special feature of this book is the variety of family garden projects you and your children can make. You'll build year-round excitement in and out of the garden with these activities, which include: creating a pizza garden; researching and building a heritage garden; making a scarecrow; personalizing pumpkins; saving seeds for next year.
Hatha Yoga For Kids by Kids!. by the Children of Yogaville. Buckingham, VA: Integral Yoga Publications. 2000	Hatha Yoga for Kids, by Kids! is fun for children of all ages. The beautiful photographs provide motivation, and the simple instructions written by the kids themselves make beginning Hatha Yoga easy for everyone. The regular practice of Hatha Yoga by children can help them to experience happy, healthy, successful lives.
*Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills.* by Johnson and Johnson. Needham Heights: Allyn and Bacon. 1998.	This best-selling book is a broad integrative overview of group dynamics. It introduces readers to the theory and research findings needed to understand how to make groups effective and to the skills required to apply that knowledge in practical situations. Joining Together illustrates how this knowledge and mastery of skills creates choices, opportunities, and successes for each individual. No other book offers the scope of coverage and the range of experiential exercises of Joining Together. Bridges the gap between theory and practice by combining theoretical and empirical knowledge with practical ways to apply it to the groups in which readers belong. For anyone interested in group dynamics in business, psychology, and social work.
*Klutz Book of Magic, the.* by Cassidy, John, et al. Palo Alto, CA: Klutz.	Now in its 9th printing, this book was prepared using the resources of five well-known magicians who contributed a total of 131 tricks--all of them knock-your-socks-off good. Easy to follow instructions accompany the full-color illustrations. Includes a silk scarf, chrome ring, and three other props. (All ages)
Klutz Book of Magnetic Magic, the. by Doherty, Paul and Cassidy, John. Palo Alto, CA: Klutz. 1994.	This book of magic is your klutz-proof step-by-step guide to personal amazing-ness. It contains 31 tricks that were selected from a pool of thousands. These are secrets that are so good we really shouldn't even be giving them away.
*Light on Yoga.* by Iyengar, B.K.S. San Francisco, CA: Harper Collins Publishers. 1993.	My purpose in writing this book is to describe as simple as possible the asanas (postures) and pranayamas (breathing disciplines) in the new light of our own era, its knowledge and its requirements . Instructions on asanas and pranayamas disciplines are therefore given in great detail and are based on my experience for over twenty-seven years in many parts of the world. It contains the complete technique of 200 asanas with 592 photographs from which the asanas can be mastered. If this book will serve to spread this basic art and will ensure that it is practiced at the highest level, I shall feel more than ever grateful for having shared in its presentation.
*Magical* **Science: Magic Tricks for Young Scientists.** by Ladizinsky, Eric. Los Angeles, CA: Lowell House Juvenile. 1998.	Do you wish to amaze and delight with incredible feats of magic? Find out how to perform wondrous acts of enchantment Learn how to tap a needle through a quarter, make a flame jump from candle to candle, and see inside a box using X-ray vision. Then discover they mysteries of science behind each of these tricks. Using a simple chemical reaction, you can make colorful paper butterflies flutter. And with the basic principles of air pressure, you can make a glass of milk disappear. With clear step-by step instructions, each scientific trick is easy to perform and certain to entertain and astound any audience.
Magnetic Magic. by Doherty, Paul and Cassidy, John. Palo Alto, CA: Klutz. 1994.	This is a collection of science/magic activities that explores the science of magnetism--and the tricky things you can do with magnets--like no other book ever has.
Meditating With Children: The Art of Concentration and Centering. by Rozman, Deborah. Boulder Creek, CA: University of the Trees Press. 1985.	This book is being written out of recognition of a profound need amongst children of today, especially children of parents who are actively searching within themselves for deeper meaning in life. It is designed to be used with children from ages 5 through adolescence that they may learn to experience more of themselves and learn to direct energy through meditation and a variety of forms of creative self-expression. These techniques can be enjoyed by all of us "children" at any age. Parents and teachers may find benefit from the meditations, and it is suggested that they participate in them with their children. The principles are taught through both objective, outer forms, and subjective, inner forms, so that the child experiences unity between the inner activities of his consciousness and the so-called outer world of appearance and activity, and can embark upon a study and integration of his total Self.
More Magical Science. Magic Tricks for Young Scientists. by Ladizinsky, Eric. Los Angeles, CA: Lowell House Juvenile. 1994.	In this book of magic tricks with a scientific twist, you can learn how to pierce a balloon without popping it, smash a wooden broomstick over glasses without breaking them, and many other audience pleasing tricks. What's more, you'll also learn the scientific principles behind each magical prank. With clear step-by-step instructions, each magic trick is easy to perform--and sure to entertain and astound friends and family alike. And only you will know the scientific secrets.
Paradox Box : Optical Illusions, Puzzling Pictures, Verbal Diversions. by Rothenstein, Julian (Editor) and Miller, Jonathan.	Here is an amazing book of comic and beautiful illusions to tease the eye and bemuse the mind--a stylish collection of rare visual entertainments from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Almost all are reproduced here for the first time since their original publication.
*Playfair: Everybody’s Guide to Noncompetitive Play.* by Weinstein, Matt and Goodman, Joel. San Luis Obispo, CA: Impact Publishers.	People come together in games which are cooperative, where everyone wins, where no one loses, where the goal is pure fun, recreation, and relationship. Developing attitudes of cooperation in play--instead of playing competitively to win--helps people to live more cooperatively in their daily lives. From the Playfair experience--idea or event or way of life--people can get more fun out of living. Conveying the spirit of Playfair through words and pictures offers everyone a chance to play...an invitation to learn hundreds of skills, games, and practical ideas that you ca use in your life and work.
*Playful Eye: An Album of Visual Delight, the.* by Rothenstein, Julian and Gooding, Mel. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. 1999.	Tease your eyes and intrigue your mind with this extraordinary collection of optical illusions, visual games, and sight tricks. It is filled to bursting with long-lost puzzles, conundrums, upside-down heads, hidden figures, and much more--drawn from original sources around the world. A bustling compendium of visual puzzlement and pleasure, The Playful Eye is the perfect diversion for busy eyes.
Processing the Experience. by Luckner, J. Dubuque, IA: Kendall-Hunt Publishing Company. Second Edition. 1997.	"Processing the Experience" offers a comprehensive, yet accessible look at the field of experiential learning. The book's easy-to-use format is a bonus for trainers, therapists and educators in all walks of life. It is well-researched and well-presented. The authors have an obvious love of their subject that translates into a work that can serve as a guidepost for others in their teaching and learning travels. The book offers a wide range of practical ideas that cover the spectrum of learning settings. The authors enlist appropriate expertise from some of the top professionals in experiential learning and related fields. The case studies bring concepts to life in ways that are both practical and philosophical. "Processing the Experience" is an important resource for anyone interested in learning in general and experiential learning in particular.
*Puzzle Arcade: For People Who Like Lots of Hints, the.* by Slocum, Jerry. Palo Alto, CA: Klutz.	A whimsical collection of mechanical puzzles, riddles, mazes, provocative problems, and more is accompanied by a host of hints to help readers solve the puzzles, an easy-reference answer page, and hands-on materials.
*Quicksilver: Adventure Games, Initiative Problems, Trust Activities and a Guide to Effective Leadership*. by Rohnke, Karl and Butler, Steve. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company. 1997.	Quicksilver includes ten years' worth of new ideas: Icebreakers, Warm-Ups, Games, Stunts, Initiatives, Trust Activities, Closures and more. There's a plethora of programmatic play in these pages, enough to delight even the most avid game collector. There is also a section on leadership, where the authors have combined their 43 years of experience to provide you with some insights into leading effective Adventure programs. Whether you are an experienced or novice Adventure leader, or just looking for ways to bring people together in a fun, positive and meaningful way, Quicksilver will surely become one of your most valued resources.
*Recognizing and Exploring Action-Theories: A Reflection in Action Approach to Facilitating Experiential Learning.* by Hovelynck, J.
700 Science Experiments for Everyone. Scientific and Cultural Organization.United Nations Educational. 1984.	700 Science Experiments is a science sourcebook containing simple experiments that use materials easily found at home. Students who want to supplement their scientific studies at school, as well as those looking for alternative ways to study science, will enjoy discovering how things work, why they grow, what they are made of, and how they live. This book will fascinate budding scientists with sections on Optical Projection, Electricity, Chemistry, Astronomy, Magnetism, Geology, Physiology, and more. It makes science exciting, useful, and just plain fun.
*Sharing Nature with Children.* by Cornell, Joseph. Nevada City, CA: Dawn Publications. 1979.	Beautifully and sensitively written. The games and activities are delightful to read, clearly explained, fun to do, and adaptable to the urban or suburban environment. This is absolutely the best awareness of nature book I've ever seen. Smelling, feeling, listening, watching, guessing--imagining yourself to be a part of nature. That's what this extraordinary book is all about.
*Sharing the Joy of Nature.* by Cornell, Joseph. Nevada City, CA: Dawn Publications. 1989.	This books is a treasury of new nature games and activities for both adults and children. Cornell introduces Flow Learning, a magical method of placing the activities in a thematic sequence, which guarantees a genuinely uplifting experience of nature. He draws from years of experience giving programs all over the world to every conceivable type of audience. The happy result is a practical handbook which effortlessly guides us through the process of sharing the joy of nature.
*Silver Bullets: A Guide to Initiative Problems, Adventure Games and Trust Activities.* by Rohnke, Karl. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company. 1984.	The activities of this book have all been used effectively by a variety of teachers, counselors, therapists, camp directors and church leaders. All have wanted an effective, engaging way to bring people together to build trust, and to break down the artificial barriers between individuals and groups of individuals. Any interested individual working with people in a variety of settings can use these ideas and schemes to encourage participation and learning in a way that is immediate, involving, and enjoyable.
String Games from Around the World. by Akers Johnson, Anne. Palo Alto, CA: Klutz.	Seven string games from around the world. Complete super-clear instructions. All you need to bring is ten fingers.
*Systems Thinking Playbook, the.* by Booth Sweeney, Linda and Meadows, Dennis. Volumes 1 and 2. Turning Point Foundation. 1995-1996.	This book is a collection of exercises developed to teach the concepts of systems thinking and organizational learning through interactive learning. Systems thinking is the study of cause and effect relationships in complex systems, which often reveals that our mental models (integral beliefs in and assumptions about how the world works) often handicap us in developing solutions to the problems we encounter. By making the learner more aware of his/her mental prejudices, the authors hope to teach people to overcome them and "think outside the frame"; where the most creative (and hence effective) ideas and solutions are formed.
*T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Meditation.* by Liu, Da. New York. NY: Schocken Books. 1986.	This book is an ideal introduction to the practice of T'ai Chi Ch'uan and meditation. The author provides a practical description of the methods of meditation and exercise, as well as an explanation of the underlying theory which enables the reader to understand, as well as practice, the techniques.
*Tarbell Course in Magic, Vol. 1.* by Tarbell, Harlan. Brooklyn, NY: D. Robbins & Co., Inc. 1996.	Dr. Tarbell was a genius in creating, solving and demonstrating mysteries. He made mystery not only an art but a science. The world of magic has been waiting almost forty years for another volume in The Tarbell Course in Magic written and illustrated by the man who created what is universally hailed as the greatest school of magic ever set down on paper.
*Theory of Experiential Education, the.* by Warren, K., M. Sakofs, J.S. Hunt, eds. Dubuque, IA: Kendall-Hunt Publishing Company. Third Edition. 1995.
Tricks for Trainers: 57 Tricks and Teasers Guaranteed to Add Magic to your Presentations! (Vol. 1 and 2). By Arch, Dave. Amherst, MA: Resources for Organizations, Inc. 1993.	57 tricks and teasers guaranteed to add magic to your presentations! Many require no props, or use commonly found objects. Others can be easily made or purchased in kit form from the publisher. Your training applications are as unlimited as your imagination! Let this book help you wow your audience with your magical abilities!
Value Games Sri Sathya Sai. Compilation. Chennai, India: Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust (T.N.). 1999.	Mathematics, Puzzles, Games and other pastimes, both enlighten and amuse one and all who play. Amusement is one of human kind's strongest motivating forces. Recreational problems have helped to give rise to many theoretical fields. What follows is an experiment, an integration of interesting mathematical and analytical puzzles. All have been adapted to provide recreational means to nurture young minds gain the worthy goal of human values in education.
Vein of Gold, the: A Journey to Your Creative Heart by Julia Cameron. New York, NY: G. P. Putnam's Sons. 1996.	A companion volume to the author's The Artist's Way, expanding on over a hundred more creative processes. The journey to the heart of creativity is reached through the exploration of seven kingdoms: the Kingdom of Story, The Kingdom of Sight, the Kingdom of Sound, the Kingdom of Relationship, the Kingdom of Attitude, the Kingdom of Spirituality, and the Kingdom of Possibility.
*Wellsprings, A Book of Spiritual Exercises.* by De Mello, Anthony. New York, NY: Doubleday. 1985.	A series of poetic and beautiful verses/ exercises to deeply inspire your practice, faith and contemplation.
*Yoga: The Path to Holistic Health.* by B.K.S. Iyengar. London, Great Britain: Dorling Kindersley. 2001.	In this comprehensive and highly illustrated guide, B.K.S. Iyengar, the world's leading teacher of Hatha Yoga, shares his unique, holistic approach of yoga for body, mind and spirit. Suitable for all levels.
*Yoga for your Type: An Ayurvedic Approach To Your Asana Practice.* by Frawley, David; Kozak Summerfield, Sandra. Twin Lakes, WI: Lotus Press. 2001.	This is the first book that details how to choose Yoga asanas (Yoga poses) most appropriate for your unique body type according to the five thousand year old system of Ayurvedic medicine. These two systems of healing and energy management have long been regarded as effective methods of relieving stress, creating personal balance, eliminating ailments, and relieving chronic pain. Yoga for your Type presents a fundamental understanding of both Yoga and Ayurveda and provides the information needed for you to balance your energy and feel healthy.
*Zoom*. by Banyai, Istvan. New York, NY: Penguin Books. 1995.	In a wordless book, an imaginary camera pulls back from scene after scene, revealing each as a small part of a larger scene: a girl playing with a toy village is actually the cover of a magazine; the boy holding the magazine on board a ship is actually part of a poster advertising a cruise line; the poster is an ad on a bus seen on television by a cowboy. Both the concept and the book design are distinctive -- the layout, with its glossy black pages opposite the zooming-out scenes, reflecting the philosophy of the final page, in which the camera pulls back to reveal a tiny earth surrounded by black space.