Hobbies And Interests
Classic Children's Games
Hide-and-seek is a beloved children's game, and the rules are simple. Select a "seeker," who counts to a designated number, usually 20 or 30, while the rest of the group finds a hiding place. When the "seeker" reaches the last number, she calls out "Ready or not, here I come," and begins searching for the "hiders." The first child found is the next "seeker."
Duck-duck-goose is similar in its simplicity: again, a leader is designated and all players except the leader sit in a circle. As the leader walks around the outside of the circle, he pats each child's head while saying "duck." When the leader decides to pat a child's head and say "goose" instead, the child nominated "goose" must jump up and chase the leader around the circle. If the "goose" tags the leader before the leader can sit in the "goose's" seat, the "goose" becomes the leader. If not, the leader continues in that role.
Games Ideal for Larger Groups
In red light, green light, one person is the designated "it", and stands a distance away from the rest of the group. The group stands in a straight line, and "it" turns away from the group and calls "green light." On the call of "green light," the group is allowed to run toward "it." However, when "it" calls "red light" and turns around, everyone must stop. Whoever is still moving when "it" calls "red light" is out. The winner is the participant who reaches "it" first. This person is designated "it" for the next round.
Red Rover, Red Rover is also a good game for larger groups. To begin, a group must be divided into two smaller groups, which then face each other and hold hands. Each group is given a turn to call out to the other team to send over one of their players by using the following call, for example: "Red Rover, Red Rover, send Jillian over." Jillian then leaves her group and attempts to get through the opposing team. If she cannot break through, she will join the other team. If she successfully breaks through, she takes one of the opposing teammates back to her team. The team that has all the players in the end wins.
Games for Two
Arm wrestling is simple yet challenging. Two opposing players must either lie on the floor or sit opposite each other at a table. Taking either their left or right arms, they must grasp hands, and apply pressure to the opposing player's arm. The player that pushes the other player's arm down to the table or floor first is the winner.
Rock, paper, scissors is another fun and simple game for two. The rules are as follows: rock beats scissors, scissors beat paper, and paper beats rock. Given three chances, two players each call out "rock, paper, scissors" and on the call of "scissors" displays the sign for either rock, paper or scissors -- fist for rock, flat hand for paper, first and middle fingers extended in a "V" for scissors -- and a winner is determined. The player to win two out of three wins the game, or wins a round and the game continues to another round.
Games for Large or Small Groups
In" I spy," one person is selected "it" and must choose an object in the room before declaring, for example, "I spy something green." Then, the rest of the participants must take one guess each at which object "it" is referring to. If no one guesses, "it" continues with another clue. For example, "I spy something that is round." The game continues until someone guesses successfully.
In Seven Up, also known at Head's Up, seven players are selected to stand in front of the rest of the group. When the players say "head's down," the rest of the group must put their heads down, close their eyes, and raise a thumb. Then the seven leaders walk around the room and each taps one person's thumb. When they are finished, they say "Head's up, or seven up" and the rest of the group sit up and open their eyes. Each child who was tapped is allowed one guess at to which of the seven tapped her. If the guess is correct, that child switches places with the person who did the tapping.