Modified Games for Kids

Mind Games

• Have all the kids stand in a circle and ask one child to leave the room. Once he leaves the room, tell one player to hide. Bring the player back in the room and have him guess which player is missing from the circle. He has two guesses. If he guesses correctly, he selects the next player to send out of the room. If he guesses incorrectly, he must leave the room and try again. For older children, remove two or three people from the circle. The player has to guess each player who is missing from the circle.

Relay Games

• Divide the players into two teams of equal numbers. Assign each player on a team a number. Repeat the numbers on the second team. Have the teams face each other about 10 feet apart. Toss a ball in the middle of the teams and yell a number. If you yell "Three," both number three players have to run to the ball and try to get it. The first player to get the ball and return with it to his team line wins a point. The first team to earn 10 points wins the game. To make the game more complex, call out two different numbers and all four players must try to get the ball.

Circle Games

• Tell the players to sit in a circle and give one player a bandanna; he will be "it." The "it" player must walk around the outside of the circle with the bandanna in his hand. He must drop the bandanna behind one of the players. Players cannot look behind them but can watch the look on other players' faces and look at the hands of the "it" player as he walks around the circle. Once a player knows the bandanna is behind him, he must get up and try to tag the "it" player. The "it" player must run around the circle and sit back in his spot. If he is tagged before he makes it back to his spot, he is "it" again. If he is not caught, the second player is the new "it." Older children can use a tissue instead of a bandanna. The tissue is lighter and easier to drop without players noticing.

Balloon Games

• Split the players into groups of three or four. Give each team four balloons and tell them to hit the balloons to one another, keeping them off the ground. After a few minutes, toss another balloon into each team. Every 30 seconds add another balloon to each team. The team who can keep the most balloons in the air wins the game. For an easier version, have one large group and have all the kids work together to keep the balloons in the air.