For Everyone
For Parents
For Teachers
Activities
Family Games
Ready, set... play!
Materials
- Objects needed to play favorite games
- Household objects and toys such as table, chairs, blanket, sheet, large cardboard box, blocks
Directions
Hold a family game fest, or plan a series of them! Each family member takes a turn choosing a favorite game for all to play. It can be a board game, an outdoor game, an interesting game suggestion from a book (see Related Books), or a new game you have just invented. For example, you and your child might want to create an obstacle course that family members can go over, under, around, between and through.
- a pretend river to jump over, made of a towel or sheet
- a table to go around or under
- two rows of blocks for children to go between
- a tunnel to go through, made by draping a blanket over some chairs or by opening both ends of a large cardboard box
As each person runs through the obstacle course, the others can cheer him or her on by calling out directions: "Jump over the river!" "Crawl through the tunnel!" et cetera.
Talk About It
Teach your child how to play a game from your childhood. It could be a hand-clapping game; a counting-out rhyme to determine who is "It"; a sidewalk game with chalk, jump ropes or a ball; an alphabet or guessing game that you used to play in the car; a relay race or a type of tag; a card game; or a game you made up, like "keep the balloon off the floor."
Related Books
Acka Backa Boo! Playground Games from Around the World by Opal Dunn
Come Out and Play by Maya Ajmera and John Ivanko
Monster Musical Chairs by Stuart J. Murphy
Age Range: 4-6
Skills/Subjects:
- Following & Giving Directions
- Language and Literacy Development
- Physical & Motor
Related Episodes:
