It would be fantastic if we thought we would be guaranteed a sun-filled summer holidays this year and the kids could play out doors all summer long. However, that may be a little optimistic!
So, here are a few classic games that will keep your little ones and their friends entertained (and worn out) on a rainy day. No equipment is required for these action games and little bit of silliness is all that’s needed for hours of fun together. These games are also a great way to increase the activity your kids get each day – make one part of their bedtime routine! So push back the kitchen table and make room of some fun 🙂
Shipwreck Game
Choose no more than three instructions for 3-5 year olds, and increase options with age groups.
The teacher calls out a command which the children must perform immediately, e. g.
• Stern: The children run to the back area of the boat.
• Bow: The children run to the front area of the boat.
• Starboard: The children run to the right hand side of the deck.
• Port: The children run to the left hand side of the deck.
• Captain’s coming: The children stand to attention and salute.
• Hit the deck: The children lie down on the deck .
• Steer the ship: The children steer the ship.
• Scrub the deck: The children scrub the deck on their knees
Flush the Toilet
• First pick a person to be the catcher.
• Everyone must run away from the catcher.
• If the catcher catches you, raise your right arm like a toilet handle and hold your nose with the other!
• Wait for someone who is not the catcher to push your arm down and you will be free!
The ping-pong ball
The children stand in a space and are challenged to see if they can use other parts of the body, besides the hands, to throw and catch an imaginary ping-pong ball. Guide the exploration by calling out different body parts and encouraging the children use these body parts to:
• Bounce the ball: Let’s begin by bouncing the ping-pong ball on different parts of our bodies. Try and bounce it on your shoulder. Now try and bounce it on your elbow. Let’s try using the knee/foot/back to bounce the ball …
• Throw the ball: Now we are going to try and throw our ping-pong balls up into the air with different parts of our bodies. Throw the ball with your head. Now use your finger/hip/foot/shoulder….
• Catch the ball: Let’s see how many different body parts we can use to catch our ping-pong ball. Can you catch it on your wrist? Now try and catch it on your back/bum/elbow. Catch it in front/behind your body
Here, There, Where?
Everyone has their own space on the floor. You have 3 commands ;
‘Here’ the children line up in front of you.
‘There’ you point in any direction and the children must run in that direction.
‘Where’ children jog or bounce on the spot