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Games That Kids Play

The types of games children enjoy have much to do with their age and development. By the time a baby reaches 6 months old, she's using physical actions she can repeat to make stimulating things happen, like shaking a rattle or shaking a ball. Later on, children play pretend games, mostly centered on family situations. When a child reaches 5 or 6 years of age, he prefers more formal games with rules. Since he's more socialized by this age, most of these games are with peers. Playing allows kids to expand their knowledge of the physical world, social norms and themselves.

Games Kids Play Outdoors
- When video games, television and computer access are limited or regulated, many kids naturally want to spend time outside and play various games. Classic games include hide and seek, where one child counts to a certain number while the others hide. She then has to find and tag one of the hiders, who then becomes the seeker. Sports like kickball, softball, soccer and capture the flag are also common, depending on the age group and interests of the kids. Other games include hopscotch, jumping rope and various jump-rope games, marbles and jacks.
Games Kids Play Internationally
- Some classic children's games have a range of versions adapted by different cultures around the world. Games like jax or any game involving throwing sticks and stones into the air vary from country to country. In Korea, girls play jax by tossing pebbles on the ground and throwing a ball into the air, trying to pick up the pebbles before catching the ball. This is also how the game's played in the United States. In Venezuela, trompo involves competing to see who's top spins the longest. Tops in Latin America are typically made from wood and have a long string rolled up. Kids throw the top to the floor to make it spin. Call and response games are also common, like Simon Says, Mother May I or Red Rover.
Games Infants Play
- Young infants often make a game of simple cooing and gurgling, mimicking sounds and facial expressions. Newborns depend on others to begin the interaction but they'll take the lead at around 3 months of age or so. As their physical abilities emerge, like opening and closing fists and the ability to grab and shake items, their games involve doing exactly that.
Games Toddlers Play
- Young infants often make a game of simple cooing and gurgling, mimicking sounds and facial expressions. Newborns depend on others to begin the interaction but they'll take the lead around 3 months of age or so. As their physical abilities emerge, like opening and closing fists and the ability to grab and shake items, their games involve doing exactly that.

Kids Games