Cops and Robbers- This game should be played in a large outdoor area. Form two teams, “cops” and“robbers”, if two equal teams are not possible put extra players on the“robbers” team. Pick an area to be the“jail” such as a tree. Have the “cops”in jail and count to 15 while the “robbers” have enough time to scatter and get away. The “cops” must capture the“robbers” by tagging them, each captured “robber” goes to the jail, after all have been captured the teams switch roles.
Dodgeball- You will need a large playing area divided in to two courts and a couple of dodgeballs, you can use as many as you would like. Each team tries to eliminate the opposing team and the rules are very simple;
· A ball hits you and falls to the floor
·You drop a ball thrown at you
· Someone catches your ball
·You cross the boundary lines
· Ball hits you and another player
Duck, Duck, Goose- All but one child is seated in a circle. The standing child walks around the circle tapping each child’s head saying “duck”, at random the child will say “goose”and run around the circle. The “goose”gets up and runs around the circle in the opposite direction, the child reaches the vacant spot first sits and the losing person continues the game.
Follow the Leader- There should be at least three players to play this game. Choose one child to be the leader and to start doing an activity of their choice, such as walking, dancing singing or a combination of any activities. The other players are to do exactly what the leader is doing or they are eliminated. The game ends when there is only one player left following the leader, they become the leader for the next game.
Four Square- Draw a very large square on a paved surface. Divide in to four and number each one. The player standing in square four starts the game and must bounce the ball into a square of another player without bouncing in their own square. When the ball bounces in the player’s square they must bounce it to another player’s square while only allowing it to bounce once. If the ball bounces more than once the players rotate around the numbered square. If there are more than four people playing the player who is eliminated would step out and allow the next player to join the game. The new player starts at square four and rotation of other players may need to occur.
Guess How Many- This activity makes a great ice breaker activity and can help limit idle time. Fill a jar with candy or any other adaption you have and allow the kids to guess the number of objects in the jar. The child with an accurate or the closest number wins.
Hide and Seek- This game should be played with at least three children and played in a designated area. Decide the area of the“base” and choose a child to be “it”. The child who is “it” should count to 20 or an age appropriate number and loud enough that everybody can hear while they looking for a place to hide. When the child finishes counting they call “Ready or not, here I come!” and proceeds to look for all of the other players before they get to the base where they become safe. The first person to be tagged becomes “it”for the next game; if there isn’t another player tagged the child who is “it”will continue to be so in the next game.
Hop Scotch- Create a hopscotch design with 8 sections and number them. Each child should have a marker such as a stone or a bean bag. The first player stands behind the starting line to toss their marker in square 1, they are to hop over square 1 and in to square 2 and continue hopping until they reach square 8, where then they turn around and hop back again. Stopping at square 2, bend over to pick up the marker, hop in square 1 and out. Continue by throwing marker in to square 2 and following the same sequence. It is optional to add a dome that provides a rest area at one end of the design.Players are eliminated when they land two feet in one square, loses balance while picking up marker, puts second hand or foot down while picking up marker, or hopping in a square that has a marker in it. When eliminated, the player leaves their marker in place and resumes playing when it is their turn to play again.
Hot potato- A“hot potato” is wrapped in tinfoil and passed around a circle of seated children as music is playing. When the music is randomly stopped, the player holding the “hot potato” is out. This continues until there is only one child remaining.
Leap Frog- This game is great for children 3 years and older and can be played with as many players as desired with a minimum of three players required. The best part about this game is that there are no losers.
All players but one form a line and crouch down on their arms and knees and cover their heads with their hands. The person chosen to begin spreads their legs and presses down on the backs of the crouched down people and hop over them like a frog, this continues until they reach the front of the line where they then crouch down. The last person in line begins this process again.
Musical Chairs- The children all dance around the chairs arranged in a circle as the music is playing, when the music stops all the children try and sit down. Any child without a chair is eliminated. Chairs are gradually removed until there is only one left.
Musical Statues- Play the music and let the children dance or whatever they desire, when you stop the music the players must remain freeze in the position they are in. Walk amongst the players and eliminate any movers. Be reasonable and let the kids breathe!
Pass the parcel- A parcel wrapped with many layers in passed around as the music plays, when the music stops the child holding the present removes a layer. The child that unwraps the final layer keeps the prize. If you want every child to be a winner, hide a small prize in each layer.
Pin the Tail- This classic game can be easily adapted to fit any theme- not just a donkey! Choose a player to begin, blindfold them and give them the tail (or whatever it may be) and spin the child a few times and have them reach out and pin the tail.Continue this with each player until all have had a turn. The player that places the tail the closest to where it belongs wins.
Piñata- Throw the rope that will be used to hang the piñata over a tree branch, the rope can be used to raise and lower the piñata by pulling on it. Have players line up, blindfold the first player and spin around several times to disorient their sense of direction. Place the bat that will be used in the hands of the player and point them in the right direction. Somebody can be pulling on the rope to raise or lower the piñata, give each child three attempts to break the piñata. The child that breaks the piñata wins.
Red Light, Green Light- Choose one child to be the “Stoplight”, the remaining children are “cars”. Mark a starting line and mark the stoplight stand opposite the starting line a distance away.
The game starts when the stoplight turns their back to the remaining players and calls “Green light”, this means that all “cars” can walk forwards towards the stoplight. When the “stoplight” calls“yellow light”, all of the kids run towards the stoplight. When the stoplight calls “Red light” of the“cars” must stop and freeze in place as quickly as possible before the“spotlight” spins around and catches them moving. If caught moving, the player is eliminated for the remainder of the game. The first person to the spotlight wins and becomes the next “spotlight”, if all players are eliminated reaching the spotlight, the current “spotlight” maintains their position.
Red Rover- A large playing area is required to play this game, it is also a great game for large groups of kids.
Divide all players in to two teams, each team should have the same number of people or as close as possible. The teams form two lines facing one another and join hands. Choose a team to start, that team will choose a member of the opposing team to call over, when” decided the team will chant “Red Rover, Red Rover, we call_____ over!” The player called must run as fast as they can and break through the arms of the opposite team, if they succeed they choose a player they want to bring back to their team, if they don’t break through they join that team. The game ends when all players are on the same team, or if short on time, the team that has the most people.
Sardines- Assign one person to be “it” for the first round of the game. The player who is “it finds a place to hide, large enough for multiple players to fit in. The players all close their eyes and count to 100, then split up to find the person who is “it”. When players have found the hiding player they quickly and quietly join them trying not to let the other players notice. The last person to find the hiding place is “it” in the next game.
Seven Up- A minimum of 14 players is required and is most appropriate for children aged 6-10 years old though older children may still enjoy it.
Pick 7 people to be “it” and have the remaining children put their heads down and thumbs up and without peeking. The seven children chosen to be “it” each tap the thumb of a person with a thumb up, when thumb is tapped children should put their thumb down. When everybody has made their selection, somebody calls “Heads up, seven up!” The children who have had their thumbs tapped get one chance to guess who tapped their thumb, if they get it correct they get to be “it”, if they get it wrong they stay in their current position.
Simon Says- Choose one child to be “Simon” and have all of the other children line up opposite to“Simon”. Participants should only obey you if you first say “Simon says” followed by an action of choice. Any child that does an action that did start with “Simon says” is eliminated. The last player standing wins and becomes the new “Simon”.
Telephone- Begin the game by whispering the first player a detailed story, especially about people and places, the more detailed the message is the more changes and fun there will be by the end. The players each take turns whispering the story in to the ear of the person sitting next to them, the story cannot be repeated and the person must say what they think they’ve heard. The last person to hear the story must tell everybody what they heard and this is what makes the game so fun!
Three Legged Race- Divide children in to pairs and tie their ankles together with a scarf as they stand together at the hip. Each team races from a designated start line, the first team that crosses the finish line wins.
Treasure Hunt- Your treasure hunt should be planned with the age of the children taken in to consideration. Prepare simple clues or simple pictorials or that help children find the hidden “treasure”, get creative and have fun!
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