Children’s Favorite Games, Bubbles

Planning games and activities should be organized according to the age and needs of the children. Younger children have a shorter range of attention and are just learning to coordinate their body, while older children may get bored with not having enough “challenges” in play or activities. Games are a valuable, fun, and interesting way to help children work together and raise awareness of collaboration within the classroom. They include children on three levels: on the physical, on the emotional, and the cognitive level. Games can occupy small children, make big children happy, and all children active.

Games:

Go, Go, Stop

You need to choose a leader and start and finish the spots. The children are placed at the start, and the leader stands at the end behind the children. The goal is to get to the end where the leader is. Bođa should shout: “Go, go” for a few seconds (ie 2 seconds, 10 seconds, etc.), and then shout “Stop”. All the children stop and freeze. If the leader turns around and sees a child move, that child must return to the starting position. The game ends when a child touches the leader.

Follow the Leader

The children line up behind the leader. The leader can be chosen by a scout. The leader decides which actions the children should follow. Children imitate the actions of the leader and all players who do not follow or do what the leader does, get out of the game. Change leaders and give each child time to lead the others. You should start with simple actions such as: • jump on one leg • turn around • sit • stand up straight…

 

Follow the Leader,photo credit Blessed By A Child
Follow the Leader,photo credit Blessed By A Child

Simon Says

One child should be chosen for Simon, the other children are players. Simon stands in front of the group and tells the players what they have to do. Players only have to follow commands that start with the words “Simon says”. If Simon says, “Simon says touch your forehead,” then the players touch your forehead. But if Simon simply says “jump” without first saying “Simon says”, players are not allowed to jump. Those who jump are outside.

 

Simon Says
Simon Says

Oliver Twist

Children take turns providing movement that everyone copies. For example, “Oliver Twist, you can’t do that (a child jumps up and down), but what’s the use of trying?” Touch your knees, touch your toes, clap your hands and walk around! “(this game is for younger children).

Ring Around the Rosie

Provide a space where there is enough space for children to hold hands, walk in a circle, and sit without hitting anything. The group ties their hands and recites the next verse as they skip, jump, walk, or just swallow in one circular direction. “Around pink. A pocket is full of work. Hush Hush We all fall! “When we” fall “, everyone quickly sits on the floor. This part is usually popular!

 

Ring around the rosie, photo credit Wondermom Wannabe
Ring around the rosie, photo credit Wondermom Wannabe

London Bridge Is Falling Down

You need to choose two children to create a bow facing each other and joining both hands and raising the arms (one or two adults to ensure the success of the bow with younger children). Make two bridges if there are more children. Arrange the other children so they can walk under the arch. Start reciting or singing, “London Bridge is falling, falling, falling, London Bridge is falling, my beautiful lady.” Walk the line of children under the arch and back, creating a circle of children walking under the arch. Teach two children to put their hands on the last word of the rhyme, trying to catch the child between the hands. Repeat this action with each verse of the rhyme until all the children are captured.

 

London Bridge Is Falling Down
London Bridge Is Falling Down

Skating

Make “skates” from empty boxes and have the children decorate the boxes. Children should put their feet in the openings and start sliding around the room.

Duck duck goose

Children should sit in a circle facing each other. One child was chosen to be “that”. “He walks around outside the circle, lightly tapping each player on the head or shoulder, calling each” player “a duck.” Then he chooses one player for the “geese”, “It” touches that player and says: “Goose”. The player selected as ‘Goose’ gets up and runs around the circle in the opposite direction, racing ‘It’ to return to where ‘Goose’ was sitting. Whoever comes first is safe, and the second player is “That”. (for older children)

 

The game is Duck, Duck, Gray Duck, photo credit Startribune
The game is Duck, Duck, Gray Duck, photo credit Startribune

What time is it, Mr. Wolf

A child is chosen to be Mr. Wolf. The wolf stands with his back to the players. The children line up behind the “wolf” and shout together “What time is it, Mr. Wolf?” Mr. Wolf answers at different times, with the players making the appropriate number of steps forward (10 hours for 10 steps, 2 hours for two steps, and so on) further). Eventually, Mr. Wolf shouted, “Lunchtime!” When that happened, Mr. Wolf turned and chased the children who approached him. The player caught takes over the duties of the wolf. (for older children)

Socket Ball

This version of the game of basketball is great for any children’s age. From the material, all you need are a bucket/basket box and a rolled-up sock (or a small, light ball or dog strap). Each player turns by throwing the ball into the basket. Make it more challenging by standing on one leg and aiming at a sock or closing your eyes.

 

What Time Is It Mr. Wolf
What Time Is It Mr. Wolf

 

Traveling basketball

Place large bowls/baskets in different rooms and give each child a rolled sock or crumpled piece of paper. Children can stand at the door and aim, trying to throw the ball into their bowl. When a player scores a ‘basket’, he takes a step back and throws it again until he misses. Move the bowl/basket to harder places (higher up, behind a pile of blocks, etc.). (for older children)

Throwing a “snowball”

Make balls out of a piece of paper and let the children throw them at the target with the snowball. When it’s time to clean up, children can throw snowballs in the recycling bin. Motivate the children by saying “The team that collects more papers is the winner”.

 

Indoor snowball fight, photo credit Scouts, Canada
Indoor snowball fight, photo credit Scouts, Canada

Balloon Floating

Blow up multiple balloons, toss them into the air and challenge children to not let them touch the ground. Outside this could be done with a baton made with a coat hanger and nylon stocking pulled over a hanger shaped like a paddle. Be sure the handle is rounded to prevent injury.

Balloon volleyball

Divide the children into two teams. The room where the game will take place should have a rope stretched in the middle. The goal of the game is to transfer the balloon over the rope without it falling.

Bowling

Make bowling pins from a variety of recycling/water/plastic cups. The game can start with a tennis ball.

 

Balloon Pop
Balloon Pop

 

Music chairs/pillows

Play music and when the music stops, children have to find a pillow to sit on – like musical chairs but using pillows spread out on the floor.

Paper rocket

Using paper plates and some kind of stick, create rackets to throw a balloon or pom-pom pole. Nylon sock sticks and coat hangers would also work! Make sure the handle is rounded to prevent injury.

Maze

Use yarn and some tape to make a maze. The children try to pull back and forth, not touching the yarn/tape to get to the end. (for older children)

Tower Topple

Set up the tower using plastic cups and figurines. The children take turns, tearing down the tower, using softballs.

Toss it

Decorate a bucket to be the mouth of a clown or other type of “mouth” and let the children toss the ball in. Depending on their age, challenge them with the distance they have to throw, or ask them to roll it or throwing in different ways, like underhand, with one eye closed or facing backward.

 

Musical Chairs
Musical Chairs

 

Pom Pom Race

Make a racetrack out of duct tape. Then give each child a straw and have the children blow small pom-poms or broken paper balls down the track as fast as they can, but keeping the balls inside the track or they have to go back to the beginning. (for older children)

Disco Down

Dim the lights, close the blinds, give the child a flashlight and a small scarf to spin around. Put on music that kids love.

Popcorn Popping

Have children hold onto the edge of a blanket or parachute. Place a number of softballs on top of the blanket. Everyone holds on, lifts the blanket and starts pumping up and down to make popcorn and pop the balls of the blanket. Small stuffed animals could work.

 

Parachute games
Parachute games

 

For older children

The adult calls out two children’s names and they have to run under the parachute and change places, before the parachute falls. Try it with something soft/safe in the middle of the parachute – a skipping rope could be a “snake” – the goal is for the children to raise the parachute high enough to keep the “snake” from touching them while the change places.

Red Light, Green Light (for older children)

One person is the “traffic light” at one end, and the other players are at the other end. When the traffic light faces the group of children, he says, “Red light!” and everyone must freeze. The traffic light then turns his back and says, “Green light!” while the group tries to get as close to the traffic light as possible. The traffic light turns around quickly, again saying, “Red light!”, and if anyone is spotted moving, they have to go back to the starting place. The first person to tag the traffic light wins and gets to be the next traffic light.

 

Red Light, Green Light (for older children)
Red Light, Green Light (for older children)

 

Mother, May I older children

One person is the “mother”. The children in the group ask the person in the front, “Mother, may I take ‘5’ steps forward?” The person at the front then says, “Yes, you may.” or “No, you may not.” “Mother” can change the request by including options such as taking baby steps, spinning steps, leaps or whatever creative idea they have. The first person to tag the person in the front wins and is the next person in the front as “mother”.

Freeze Dance

When the music starts, everyone dances the crazier the better. When the music stops, the dancers must freeze in their position. Anyone caught moving after that is out. Play continues until there is one person left, the winner. Children enjoy being caught in these crazy comical positions; you can play the game without a “winner” for younger children.

 

Freeze Dance Party Game
Freeze Dance Party Game

 

Source: Active Play: Simple Games and Activity Ideas

Written by

Irena Canji

I am a teacher in kindergarten. I have been working with children aged from three to seven since 2000. Also, I am a mother of two kids. My son is a teenager and my daughter is going to kindergarten. My main goal through the website is to show that the process is more important than the product. In childhood, kids need to play, have fun, learn through their experience.

The content of this website is an interesting activity for children. You don't need special skills, lots of money or too much preparing.

Just smile, only positive energy, and goodwill!