Anger Management Games for Children

Anger Management Games for Children

★★★★★

Deborah Plummer

Jessica Kingsley Publishers

IBSN 9781843106289

What a very useful and interesting book this is. Divided into two parts, it first explores theory and practice related to anger and its management and then goes on to provide a wealth of ideas for games that can be used to help children cope with their emotions.

In part one, on the theoretical and practical background, the author looks at children’s emotional development, examining both physiological and psychological aspects of this process. Stressing that anger is a normal and healthy human emotion, the author draws on a variety of theoretical approaches to help the reader understand why children get angry.

She offers ideas for creating situations in which children can feel safe and contained, suggestions for managing children who are already angry, and an explanation of the value of games in supporting healthy anger management.

Part two is all about the games. These are divided into sections ranging from “warm-ups and ice-breakers” to “wind-downs and celebrations” with everything from “being in control” to “problem-solving” to “empathy” and much more in between.

Each game is coded with age recommendations, the time each takes to play, appropriate group size, amount of speaking, and the skill used or developed by playing the game.

Professionals, parents and anyone else who encounters angry children will find this book a useful tool.

Ellen Rabinowicz is a senior lecturer in social work at the University of East London