Fun Games to Play With Fourth-Graders

Tag Games

• Most fourth-graders can still enjoy a classic game of tag, as well as a few tag games with a twist. Play a game of reverse tag by selecting one player to be ̶0;it.̶1; All the other players must chase ̶0;it̶1; and try to tag him. If a player tags ̶0;it,̶1; he becomes the new ̶0;it̶1; and everyone begins to try to tag him. Keep playing until everyone has a turn. Play a game of freeze tag by selecting an ̶0;it̶1; player. When ̶0;it̶1; tags a player, that player must freeze until another player crawls under his legs to unfreeze him. The game is over when ̶0;it̶1; has all the players frozen, or until the children get bored.

Balloon Games

• Divide the children into two teams and give each team a few bags of inflated balloons. Give one player on each team a large shirt and pants. When you say ̶0;Go,̶1; the players must put on the large shirt and pants. Their teammates must stuff as many balloons as they can into the shirt and pants. Any balloons that pop do not count. The team with the most balloons stuffed in the shirt and pants after two minutes win the game. Alternatively, divide the children into three or four teams. Inflate 20 balloons for each team, one color per team. Mix all the balloons together and yell ̶0;Go.̶1; The first team to pop their colored balloon wins the game.

Relay Races

• Create two equal teams and give each team a softball-sized foam ball. Have each team form a single-file line. When you say ̶0;Race,̶1; the first player in line must place the ball under her neck and chin to pass it to the next player in line. Each player must pass the ball down the line using only his neck and chin. The first team to finish the relay wins the race. If a player drops the ball, the ball goes back to the start of the line. For more of a challenge, peel and orange and freeze it overnight. Have the children pass the orange instead of the ball.

Circle Games

• Have the children take off their shoes and place them in the middle of the floor. Tell the children to form a circle around the shoes. Blindfold each child and shuffle up the shoes. When you say ̶0;Go,̶1; the children must walk to the pile of shoes and try to find their own. The first child to find their shoes wins the game. For a water game, have the children play "Drip, Drip, Splash" instead of "Duck, Duck, Goose." When the ̶0;it̶1; player pours a cup of water over another player̵7;s head instead of dripping it, that player must try to tag "it" before he makes it back to his spot in the circle.