Hobbies And Interests
Messy Games
Fill 30 water balloons with water and red food coloring, and another 30 with water and blue food coloring. Divide the players into teams and give each player a white T-shirt. Have the blue team wear blue bandannas tied around their heads. The red team wears red bandannas. Place a rope on the ground around the playing area and tell everyone to stay inside it. Put the balloons in separate buckets. When you say, "Go," the red team must throw the red-filled water balloons at the blue team and the blue team must toss blue balloons at the red team. When the game is over, the team with the most opposing team's color on their white shirts loses the game. For another messy game idea, place a piece of chocolate on a plate for each player. Cover the candy with whipped cream. The first player to find the chocolate and eat it wins the game.
Toss Games
Have each player select a partner. Give each pair an apple and a plastic bucket. The pairs must stand 5 feet apart. One player will hold the bucket and one will hold the apple. When you say, "Toss," the players will try to toss the apple into their partner's bucket. If they make it, they are still in the game and must take a giant step back. If they miss, they are out of the game. The team who can toss the apple into the bucket from the longest distance wins the game. For a variation, use a water balloon or tennis ball instead of an apple.
Relay Races
Divide the players into two teams and have them line up at a starting line. Inflate a balloon for each player and put a wrapped piece of bubble gum in each one. Place all the balloons on a run-to line 20 feet from the starting line. When you say, "Go," one player from each team must run to the line, pop a balloon and get the piece of gum. He must chew the gum and blow a bubble before racing back to the next player in line. Each player takes a turn. The first team to finish the race wins the game. For an easier game, omit the bubble gum. Each player must run to the line, pop a balloon and run back to tag the next player in line.
Obstacle Courses
Make an easy obstacle course by laying down ropes for the kids to walk on, boards to jump over and chairs to climb under until they reach the finish line. Divide the players into two teams and see who can run the obstacle course in the least time. For a variation, time the players individually. For a harder course, set up stations to blow a balloon up until it pops, toss a ball into a bucket, jump rope 10 times or hula hoop five times. The player or team to complete the course in the shortest time wins the game.