Physical
Items required: several sets of checker games, baggies or small box.
Gather participants around the table. Greet each one by name, eye contact, and a gentle touch to the hand.
Present each individual with a checker board. Holding one yourself, show them how the boards are “checkered” with red and black squares. Place your board on the table, take one checker (color does not matter at this point) and place it on a corresponding square. Explain that the checker and the square are the same color. Match another then provide one checker to each participant and ask them to place the checker on the corresponding square. (Remember, you are NOT asking them to recognize the color, just match it.) Once everyone has made the first match, provide each player with two checkers and the direction to match them to appropriate squares. Some participants might be able to handle 3 or 4 checkers while others may need just 1.
Continue until all the checkers are on the boards. To close, ask participants to drop their checkers into a baggie or small box.
Cognitive
Items required: several sets of checkers, several large round templates or red and black, small objects that are red and/or black.
Gather participants around the table and greet everyone by name, eye contact, and touch.
Give each player two templates, one red and one black. Hold up one and ask for the color. Elicit a response using clues if necessary. Once the first color has been established, hold up the second template and ask its color. Once both colors have been labeled, ask that the participants locate their own templates of each color. “Place your hand on the red circle”, etc…
Begin with checkers as they are already familiar. Provide each individual with one or two checkers and ask that they place them on the appropriate circle. Remember to disallow incorrect responses by redirecting players hands before they drop the checker.
Next, use other items that are red or black. Continue until all items are placed. Close by asking players to drop their items into a baggie or small box.
