With this game, children can see that some things can't get accomplished unless they work together.

Materials:

• 3 or 4 clothespins (the spring type)
• String, yarn or clothesline
• Plastic milk jug with a narrow opening

Directions:

Tie pieces of yarn onto the clothespins (one for each child) and put the clothespins inside the milk jug with only the strings hanging out.

Tell the children to pull the clothespins from the jar. What happens if they all try to pull at the same time? Can they think of a way to get the clothespins out?

This activity can open the door for discussions about other times when children need to cooperate. For example, what can they do when two children want the same cup? What if they want to play with the same toy? How can they solve those kinds of problems peacefully?

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