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Kids-n-K9s is a non-profit educational company dedicated to improving safe interactions between children and dogs. Our mission is to reduce the number of children bitten by dogs. Stop, Look & Paws™ an educational board activity for kids and parents.

Why was “Finding My Forever Family – Diary of a Rescue Dog” Written?

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Why was “Finding My Forever Family – Diary of a Rescue Dog” Written

Every one of the dogs that joined our family either came from an animal shelter or was rehomed from another family. All of Rex’s behavioral issues were inspired by real-life situations we experienced with our newly-adopted dogs, or I’ve heard from friends and dog training clients. A neighbor’s beagle even destroyed a couch, just like Rex!

Our dog Mack was in and out of animal shelters several times before he came to live with us.  He’d had a few owners by the time he was a year old. Mack chewed a lot to deal with his stress. When dogs chew, chemicals called endorphins are released in their brains which create a feeling of calm and happiness. Luckily, I had the knowledge and experience as a dog trainer (and a supportive husband!) to help Mack and each of our past dogs work through their behavioral issues. They all eventually became happy members of our family — their forever family.

As a dog trainer, I can only help the dogs if I first help their humans. If readers see themselves in this story because they struggle with their dog’s behavioral issues, I hope they will seek a professional for help. When you have a new rescue dog, remember the 3-3-3 rule. The first three days should be used for adjusting to new surroundings, three weeks for training and bonding, and three months for socialization and continued training. 

Dogs are always willing to work with us but humans don’t always know the best way to communicate with their dogs. Educate yourself on canine body language and take the time to be patient with your new canine family member. The lifetime bond will be well worth the effort.

 

Adopting a Rescue Dog for a Family with Kids

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Bringing a furry friend home can be a joyful and life-changing experience – especially when adopting from a rescue! Dogs from rescues often come with stories, second chances, and loads of love to give. However, when you have children at home, there are some extra considerations to ensure a smooth transition and a happy family dynamic.

Here’s your guide to adopting the perfect dog for your family.

1. Temperament is Key

Every dog has its own unique personality. When adopting, prioritize temperament over breed or size. A good rescue will typically perform temperament evaluations and can help identify dogs that are calm, patient, and child-friendly.  Look for dogs that are tolerant and don’t startle easily.

Tip: Dogs that have been staying with a foster family with children may make a great choice for your family.

2. Age Matters

While puppies are adorable and might seem like a great idea, they require a lot of time, training, and supervision – similar to having another toddler in the house! Older dogs (2+) can often be a better fit for families with kids because they’re more likely to be housetrained and past the chewing and nipping phase.

Tip: Consider an adult dog who has proven habits and behaviors. They’re often overlooked at rescues but can be a fantastic addition to your family.

3. Energy Levels

A hyperactive dog might not match well with young children who are still learning how to interact with animals gently. On the flip side, a very low-energy dog might not thrive in a household filled with the joyful chaos of kids. Match the dog’s energy levels with your family’s lifestyle and activity level.

Tip: Spend time with the dog before adopting to see if their energy levels feel like a fit.

4. Health History

Most rescues are upfront about any health issues the dog may have, however, it’s important to ask questions.   Do some research on your region of the country as well as the breed/s of dog you are thinking you’d like to adopt. 

Some regions have a higher prevalence of certain tick-borne diseases, such as the Rocky Mountains, while others may have a higher prevalence of diseases such as leptospirosis, where there is significant rainfall with standing water. 

If you are looking at a certain breed or size of dog, they may be predisposed to hip dysplasia, while others may be more prone to heart problems.  Personally, if I knew a dog had the potential for one of these issues in the future but had the perfect personality for our family, it wouldn’t prevent me from adopting. However, I’d be sure I kept the dog in the best physical condition I could as well as be aware of early signs of the disease and be prepared financially to cover any future treatment and cost. Some of these things may be difficult for a shelter to discover without expensive diagnostic equipment, however, it doesn’t hurt to ask and self self-informed.

You may want to ask if the dog has been treated for worms or other parasites or had any vaccinations. Dental issues can be checked. Does the dog have cracked teeth or the start of dental disease from a poor diet?  Small breeds with small jaws or breeds with flat faces may be prone to dental disease due to misaligned teeth or overcrowding of teeth. Dogs with significant health concerns may need extra care, time, or financial commitment that you should be prepared to cover.  Finally, ask to ensure the rescue has updated vaccination records and any routine veterinary care.

Tip: Some rescues include a trial period or post-adoptions support to help with any medical concerns, but be sure to ask.  Health insurance for your dog may be helpful, but many issues (such as breed-specific genetic issues) may not be covered, so do your research.

5. Meet-and-Greet with Your Children

Before finalizing the adoption, arrange a meet-and-greet between your kids and the dog. Watch how the dog interacts with your children and vice versa. Teach your kids how to approach and handle dogs respectfully to ensure a positive relationship.  For more on introducing your child and the dog, see our post:  Introducing Your Puppy to Your Child

Tip: Pay attention to the dog’s body language during the interaction.  Signs of stress, like cowering or lip licking, might mean the dog isn’t ready for a loud or busy home.  Look for a dog who looks happy and interested to be near the children and wants to interact.

6. Ask Questions and Share Honestly

Be upfront about your family’s routines, lifestyle, and experience with dogs. The rescue staff knows the animals and can make thoughtful recommendations when they have accurate information. Don’t shy away from asking questions, such as:

  • Has the dog been around children before?
  • Is the dog crate-trained or housetrained?
  • How does the dog handle new environments or noises?

7. Prepare for the Transition

After adoption, it’s important to set both the dog and your kids up for success. It may be helpful to create a schedule for daily care and routine.  Kids will be excited to help. Depending on the ages of your children, they may help with some of the responsibilities: feeding the dog, keeping the water bowl fresh, possible grooming, walking, and cleaning up the poop  (it’s not a fun job but important never the less!).  I’m more in favor of children helping with feeding the dog (which is more controlled and supervised) versus walking the dog unaccompanied. For more on this: When Kids Walk the Family Dog – Consider These Things

Create a designated safe space where your dog can retreat and interact when they need downtime. This could be a crate or room. It’s helpful to tell the kids that there are “no-go” spaces, meaning that the kids don’t bother the dog when they are in certain areas. Sometimes baby gates can be useful if children are very young or you have moments that you are concerned about supervision.

Set clear rules for your children about how to treat and interact with dogs. Remember, patience is key- both the dog and your kids will need time to adjust to each other.  Often, when children and dogs are playing and the energy levels get too high, you may need to set timeouts.  Throughout the day, if you can be consistent with nap times, it can instill a sense of security that helps regulate energy levels. I religiously set an hour nap time for our dogs following a meal or a walk. 

Discuss in advance the rules for your new dog.  What privileges will be allowed?  Will the dog be allowed on the couch or on the beds?  It is harder to remove a privilege than to add one at a later date.

Generally,  I would reserve the couch for the humans and opt for a nice dog bed near it on the floor. This gives kids a dog-free space and can give the dog a kid-free space!

How will you address behavioral issues, i.e., jumping on people, pulling on the leash, or crowding family members while preparing or eating dinner?  There may be instances where the dog takes a child’s toy.  Prepare for this meltdown! Let your child know to always get an adult to remove the toy.  If kids are aware that this could happen, they will be better at knowing how to react.

Tip: Enroll in a family-friendly dog training class to help your kids learn how to communicate with your new pet effectively.  If you aren’t able to find a class that will include young children, take the class yourself, and much of the information may be useful to share with the kids. Dogs can learn new things at any age, but most obedience classes can be started when the dog is 5-6 months or older.  Dogs are never too old to learn new behaviors.  If you have children between the ages of 4 & 10,  as a family you can learn together by playing Stop, Look & Paws dog safety sticker set.  This can be useful and help to generate discussions and basic dog safety guidelines and dog body language.     

In Closing:

Adopting a rescue dog can be one of the most rewarding experiences for your family. With a little preparation and the right match, you’ll be giving a deserving dog a loving forever home while teaching your children about compassion and responsibility.  Remember, patience pays off, celebrate small victories, and don’t expect overnight success. 

Here’s to wagging tails and endless memories!

If you’ve recently adopted a dog or are considering it, consider reading our children’s book: Finding My Forever Family – Diary of a Rescue Dog by Lesley Zoromski and share your journey with us!  We are here to celebrate with you!!

Introducing Your Puppy to Your Child

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Keep interactions positive.

No doubt everyone will be very excited when the new puppy arrives so let’s set everyone up for success!

Combining the fact that children and puppies are easily excited, it is important to set some ground rules to ensure the first introduction goes well. In addition, keep in mind that between 8 and 10 weeks puppies go through a fearful period. The following guidelines will set you up for success.

Here is a great way to start:

Have your child sit quietly on the floor and allow the puppy to make the first approach – not the other way around. Enabling your puppy to meet your child on its terms is a great way to form a strong bond of trust between the two from the beginning.

This can be very hard for children to understand. They can get excited when they see a dog and want to rush up and start petting or handling it. Puppies can get overwhelmed in their new environment and for the first time when meeting new people.

If the puppy decides to walk away, do not allow your child to pursue the puppy.

If the puppy doesn’t initially go to your child have her gently clap her hands and softly call the puppy’s name. Usually, this will encourage the puppy to approach.  As soon as the puppy reaches your child have her give one tiny piece of kibble and say “Good dog”. This not only conditions the dog for recall but also conditions the child the proper way to call a dog.  

Teach your child that the puppy needs “zones of space”. You can also refer to these as “no-go” spaces. This is important to establish boundaries for the puppy. A “no-go” space would be the puppy’s crate.  Zones of space would be when the puppy is sleeping or eating.

Since children do not know the proper way to pick up a puppy, have a rule that they can hold the puppy if they are sitting. Although we hug to show affection in our human world, this is not something that dogs do naturally. Depending on your dog’s personality, over time they may tolerate this from some people. More likely they will prefer to communicate by sitting side to side not face to face. Discourage face-to-face staring.  This can be very intimidating to a puppy or they can view it as a challenge and decide to nip your child’s face. 

Nurturing a Bond That Lasts

Have your child help you take care of the puppy. Even the youngest of children can help put food in the dog bowl and place it on the floor. You can also ask them to help you keep an eye on the water bowl to be sure it is always fresh and clean.

Games to Play and Not to Play

Keep plenty of toys handy to go through the teething period. You can also start games of fetch and Hide Seek. To learn introduce and play, visit my post on “Games and Activites”

Teaching simple commands such as “right here” or “come” will give the child and puppy a way to focus their attention.

Simple tricks will keep everyone happy besides continuing to build a stronger bond. I like to use the Puppr app which has plenty of free tricks and commands to start.

Games such as chasing and wrestling should be discouraged. It will only encourage jumping up or grabbing onto the child with those nippy teeth.

Conclusion

Go slow and remember everything is brand new to your puppy so practice kindness and patience.

Mostly, enjoy the new addition to your family!

Puppy Biting Blues: Simple Tricks to Stop the Nips

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Understanding Puppy Biting

Puppies explore and make sense of the world with their mouths. Nipping and mouthy play come naturally to them, especially as they begin teething around 12-16 weeks old. Those sharp little razor teeth erupting can lead to increased nipping behavior. Mouthing and play biting on human hands or skin can certainly be painful and unpleasant, but it’s crucial not to confuse this with aggression in puppies.

Biting during play enables pups to practice inhibiting the force of their bites, known as “bite inhibition”. By yelping or withdrawing contact when littermates bite too hard, they learn to moderate their jaws. This also establishes boundaries for appropriate play.

While painful puppy bites aren’t fun for owners, reactive punishment can make behaviors worse. Puppies may interpret yelling or physical disciplining as rewarding attention or have a the negative effect of making them fearful. Instead, stay calm, and interrupt the nip with a calm verbal cue like, “eh, eh” or “No”. When the puppy stops for a moment to process the interruption, that is the time to redirect to appropriate chew toys or another activity. This reinforces good manners. Be sure to always follow up with praise! If the puppy continues to nip, make it clear that biting leads to withdrawal of attention or play.

Understanding the innate tendencies of certain breeds equips owners to tailor training approaches. For example, herders benefit from impulse control games while retrievers redirect well to chew toys. While basic bite inhibition remains essential, true aggression is exceptionally rare in puppies.

Redirecting Your Landshark

Puppies explore objects like furniture, shoes, or hands with their mouths. Having appropriate alternatives handy is key for redirection. Consider this “puppy proofing” chew toy arsenal:

  1. Kong Toys – These ultra-durable rubber toys provide mental and physical stimulation. You can stuff treats or spreads inside adding an engaging challenge. The erratic bouncing keeps high energy focus.
  2. Rope Toys – Flossing rope textures soothe swollen gums during teething. Tugging games allow healthy biting and wrestling outlets while interacting with owners.
  3. Soft Squeaky Toys – These capture excitement by mimicking the sounds of prey. Just monitor shredded pieces as choking hazards if they are aggressive chewers.
  4. Textured Rubber Bones – Tough textured surfaces massage irritated mouths. It can be stuffed with spreads or frozen for numbness relief. Durable for more aggressive puppy biters.
  5. Frozen Washcloths – Perfect for short-term cooling, the cold temperature and texture ease teething pain. It is best for moderate chewers under supervision to avoid consuming fabrics.

When those sharp teeth target your fingers or pant legs stop all movement, interrupt with a calm verbal cue, and swiftly substitute an approved chewy. The goal is to communicate what items are rewarding “chew toys” versus “hands-off” zones early and often through interruption and redirection.

Other Proactive Solutions for Biting

While having suitable chew replacements on hand is central to curb biting, other techniques can mitigate and discourage nippy behavior.

Enforced nap times are critical for over-tired pups prone to cranky, hyperbites. If your puppy gets relentless even after attempts to redirect, placing them in their crate or an exercise pen forces them to settle down. Once calmness returns allow them to join the rest of the family. Avoid using the crate as a punishment. Short rest periods followed by releasing once calm should keep the crate a positive resting space. Establishing a consistent schedule with enough sleep prevents overtired meltdowns.

You also want to avoid rough, riled-up styles of play, such as wrestling, that will bring out chompy behaviors. Instead, focus engagements on teaching impulse control through gentle handling exercises. Reward patience and gentleness heavily. Additionally, always end interactions BEFORE frustration or biting sets in. Quit while you’re ahead for positive associations.

Responding to Puppy Bites

Even if you diligently redirect biting and enforce good habits, those needle-sharp teeth may still find an unintended target. It’s critical to react appropriately in the moment to reinforce that mouthing flesh is unacceptable.

For less intense nips, immediately yelp “ouch!” in a high-pitched voice like a wounded litter-mate. This signals pain communicating to withdraw. Turn away or stand up ending fun and attention. This technique is recommended for children. Some pups pick up on yelping quickly. However, others can get more amped up by noise so assess your individual pet’s wiring.

If yelping fails or biting escalates, calmly get up and remove yourself behind a secure gate or use your crate. Continuing play risks rewarding pups for biting harder out of prey drive. Come back once your pup has relaxed and offer an approved toy instead if they remain calm when you return. Time-outs reinforce that humans are no fun if biting persists.

Conclusion

Puppy biting and nipping stems from normal developmental phases of teething, curiosity and play. By understanding causes behind mouthy pup behaviors, owners can avoid frustration and mitigate bites through redirection strategies. Stocking up on approved chew toys, enforcing nap times, avoiding rile-up play and appropriately responding provides a game plan. Remember, this too shall pass! Soon those sharp puppy daggers give way to gentler adult mouths. Stay diligent, using positive reinforcement and your landshark transitions seamlessly from nippy rascal to model canine citizen.

However, if mouthing or harder bites still persist beyond six months of age, consulting an experienced professional trainer or certified behaviorist is prudent. They can perform a full evaluation and help you better understand any potential fear, dominance, or situational factors contributing to ongoing inappropriate biting. With a personalized training plan, most puppies overcome the nip. But seeking in-person, tailored guidance remains wise if problems indeed outlast those sharky puppy teeth!

Tips for Successfully Taking Your Dog to Work

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Taking your dog to work can be a fun and rewarding experience for both you and your furry friend. However, it also requires some preparation and planning to ensure a smooth and successful office visit. Here are some tips to help you and your dog have a great experience:

Does Your Dog Have What It Takes to Be a Therapy Dog?

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Therapy Dog

Therapy dogs are amazing animals that volunteer with their human handlers in various settings, such as hospitals, schools, nursing homes, airports, and more. They provide comfort, support, and joy to people who need it the most. But not every dog is cut out for this important job. Therapy dogs need to have certain traits and characteristics that make them suitable for working with different kinds of people in different kinds of situations.

So how do you know if your dog has the potential to be a therapy dog? Here are some of the main traits and characteristics that you should look for in your furry friend:

 **Calm demeanor**: Therapy dogs must be calm and relaxed in any environment. They cannot be easily startled, stressed, or agitated by loud noises, unfamiliar people, or other stimuli. They must be able to handle being touched, hugged, or petted by strangers without getting nervous or excited.

 **Patience**: Therapy dogs must be patient and tolerant of people’s behaviors and emotions. They must be able to cope with being ignored, interrupted, or rejected by some people, while being attentive and responsive to others. They must also be able to wait calmly for their turn or their cue from their handler.

 **Confidence**: Therapy dogs must be confident and self-assured in their abilities and skills. They must not show signs of fear, anxiety, or insecurity when faced with new challenges or situations. They must trust their handler and follow their commands without hesitation or doubt.

 **Love of human contact**: Therapy dogs must love and enjoy interacting with people of all ages, backgrounds, and personalities. They must be friendly, outgoing, and sociable, without being overly enthusiastic or intrusive. They must be able to adapt to different people’s preferences and needs, such as giving kisses, lying on laps, or sitting quietly by their side.

  **Adaptable**: Therapy dogs must be adaptable and flexible to changing circumstances and expectations. They must be able to adjust to different schedules, locations, routines, and tasks. They must also be able to cope with different weather conditions, transportation modes, and equipment.

If your dog has these traits and characteristics, they might be a good candidate for becoming a therapy dog. However, having these traits is not enough. Your dog also needs to have proper training, certification, and registration from a reputable organization that evaluates and registers therapy dogs. You can find more information about the requirements and process of becoming a therapy dog team on websites.  This first site is for a local place in Santa Rosa, California

  http://www.pawsforhealing.org

http://Therapy Dogs International](https://www.tdi-dog.org/)

http://or [Pet Partners](https://petpartners.org/).

How to Create a Good and Safe Relationship Between Your Dog and Your Toddler

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Dogs and children can be great friends, but they need some guidance and supervision to get along well. Dogs may not understand children’s behavior, and children may not know how to respect dogs’ boundaries. Here are some tips on how to create a loving and safe relationship between your dog and your toddler.

1. Never leave your toddler and dog unsupervised.  Even if your dog is friendly and well-trained, accidents can happen. Always keep an eye on them and intervene if you see signs of stress or discomfort from either party.

2. Invest in baby gates. This will give both your toddler and dog the freedom to roam and have their own separate spaces for playing and napping. You can also use baby gates to block off areas that are off-limits to your dog, such as the nursery or the kitchen.

3. Provide an example of calm interaction with the dog.  As a dog parent, you need to make sure that you are petting and interacting with your dog regularly. This will show your toddler how to treat the dog with kindness and respect. You can also teach your toddler some basic commands, such as “sit” or “stay”, and reward the dog with treats when he obeys.

4. Teach your toddler to respect the dog’s body, safe zones, and belongings.  Explain to your toddler that dogs don’t like to be hugged, kissed, pulled, or poked. Show your toddler how to gently stroke the dog’s back or chest, and avoid touching his face, ears, tail, or paws. Also, teach your toddler not to bother the dog when he is eating, sleeping, or resting in his crate or bed. Finally, teach your toddler not to take away the dog’s toys, bones or food, and provide him with his own toys instead.

5. Demonstrate correct behavior. If your toddler does something that annoys or scares the dog, correct him immediately and calmly. For example, if your toddler grabs the dog’s fur, say “No, that hurts the dog. Let go gently.” Then show him how to pet the dog softly. If your toddler chases the dog, say “No, that scares the dog. Stop running.” Then show him how to walk slowly and quietly around the dog.

6. Praise and reward positive interactions. When your toddler and dog are playing nicely together, give them lots of praise, treats and attention. Your dog will learn that good things happen whenever kids are around, and your toddler will learn that being gentle and respectful with the dog is fun and rewarding.

By following these tips, you can help your dog and your toddler develop a strong bond that will last a lifetime.

Body Language of Fear in Dogs

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Dog Body Language of Fear Poster

Many bites could be avoided if owners recognized the subtle signs of dogs feeling stressed, anxious, or fearful.  If you notice your dog exhibiting any of these signs remove them, if possible, from the situation to avoid your dog escalating to a dog bite. Share this poster with your child and learn together how to identify these important body language signals!

Thank you to Cattle Dog Publishing for creating the useful poster!

Dog Body Language When Things Are Going Well!

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How to identify dog body language is a very important skill to develop.  To be an advocate for both your child and your dog and  to be sure there isn’t miscommunication, learn how to identify both signals when dogs are happy and enjoying interaction as well as when you need to step in to intervene.

This post will shows body language when things are going well.  See our other post for body language to indicate stress and a potential dog bite.
Relaxed loose body language – Overall the dog seems to be enjoying interacting with children and looks relaxed and happy.   If lying down, he may have his head over his paw or paws crossed.  The whole body may be wiggling with the tail. He may also be sitting in a relaxed manner with a happy expression on his face.
Mouth may be open and you can see their tongue and it can look like they are smiling, (not hanging way out as though they are hot, tired or stressed)
Eyes look soft, happy, relaxed
Eyes look peaceful or squinty 
Ears are relaxed - not tightly pinned down or very erect and rigid. They may be turned to the side, lowered but relaxed.
Tail may be wagging softly – Also look at the base of the tail. It most likely will be level with the back or hanging in a relaxed way, but if it is wagging it will be wagging loosely and in a relaxed manner. A note about wagging -as I’ve mentioned in my “Stop, Look and Paws” learning activity – a wagging tail itself is not always a sign that a dog is happy. It can mean they are excited and want to interact, but the interaction may not always be positive.  You need to look at the whole body for overall relaxed body language

Red Light, Green Light Game for Dogs and Kids!

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Dogs are strongly influenced by the emotion or activity level in a room. Generally, most children have a higher level of energy than adults when it comes to daily life and often the result of this high-level activity can be a child running from room to room or place to place.

This high level of movement is very attractive for dogs, especially young dogs! It will be no surprise to you that for a dog, chasing things that moving is a natural instinct.

In my experience it is almost impossible to get children not to move quickly or run from room to room or place to place. However, we can teach them to be aware of the dogs approach and give them an alternative behavior to avoid the final interaction of jumping from the dog.

The game is quite simple and won’t take very long to learn the rules and play a couple of practice rounds. Before you know it, your child will be automatically doing this as they go from room to room.

Prior to starting the game your child will need to learn their “Red light” part.

Start by practicing 3 things that will be a part of “Red Light”:

1.  Stop feet from moving.  Standing with feet together will work the best.
2.  Fold arms across  chest with hands tucked.
3.  Turn  head and gaze away from the dog.

When starting this game it may seem a little counterintuitive as we are going to actually engage the dog to chase by having the child start running and moving. The only way to practice stopping the dog’s jumping and nipping behavior and empowering your child is to set the dog up to do the behavior that we want to control.

To start the “Green Light” part of the game:

The child can do any movements with their arms. They can jump up and down as they move – anything that seems to get the dog’s attention to move towards the child.

The only exception, and a very important rule, DO NOT call the dog’s name, because you always want the dog to come when called and when they reach you it should always be a positive result not ignoring them as in this game. 

“Red Light “ part of the game:

The child has to watch the dog or be aware of the dog’s approach and as soon as they see their dog getting close, a foot or so away, the child needs to immediately stop moving feet, tuck arms and look away.

The goal is for the child to stop before the dog makes any physical contact!! I can’t stress this part enough.

The child can start moving again once the dog starts to move away which can happen within a few seconds. Then they can start the “green light” part again!

95% of the time this works! Parents are usually amazed and children tend to think this is some type of magic!  So what about the 5%?  Occasionally, even if the child does everything correctly, the dog may still jump on the child.

In this particular case the adult needs to be the “referee”.

Initially when you first play, you need to supervise and if you find that your dog still jumps, even though your child does everything correctly, you will play referee.  As referee you will use something that makes an abrupt sound to interrupt the jumping behavior and momentarily startle the dog out of what they are doing to give you an opportunity to redirect the dog. There are multiple things that make abrupt sounds, penny cans,

Penny Can

Doggie Don’t, small bullhorn, heck, you could even use a wooden spoon on the bottom of a pot!

The best way to use a tool that makes a sound is to link it to your voice with a verbal correction.  Even shouting the word “Hey!” or “eh, eh!” will do the trick.

That said, it is much more common for the dog to continue jumping because the child did not stop their movement in advance of the dog reaching them.

One final word.  Since this is a variation on “Red Light, Green Light”  children may expect the words to be verbally called out.  You or they can actually do this as well, but it is not necessary to play the game, however, it may still be fun to do!