Games for Eight Kids

Ball Games

• For an individual game, try a game of hang time. Give each player a tennis ball and have him practice throwing it in the air as high as possible. Time each player to see how long his tennis ball stays in the air. The child with the longest hang time wins the game. For a team game, divide the players into two teams of four. Rope off a play area and place about 15 rubber balls in the middle of the play area. When you say, "Go," the players must run and grab the balls to try to throw them on the other team's side of the court. Each team must continue tossing the balls to the other team's side. The team with the fewest balls on its side at the end of five minutes wins the game.

Sock Games

• Tell all eight players to sit in a circle and take off their shoes. Make sure each player has socks on. Call two players to the center of the circle and have them sit on their knees. When you say, "Go," the players must try to take the socks off the other player's feet without losing their own socks. The first player to get both of the other player's socks wins the game. For a variation, play in teams (four against four) by having everyone compete at the same time. Players can work together to get the socks of the other team. The first team to collect all the socks from the other team wins the game.

Water Games

• Give each player a medium-size water gun. Mark a standing line and have the players line up on the line. Place three empty cans stacked in a pyramid shape on a table (one pyramid stack for each player). The first player to knock all three cans down wins the game. For a water relay race, divide the players into two teams. Place a large bucket of water at the front of each team line and an empty milk jug at the end of each team line. The teams must pass water from the large bucket to the milk jugs using plastic cups. The first team to fill its team jug wins the game.

Jump Rope Games

• Have an individual jump rope competition by giving all eight players a jump rope. See who can jump rope the longest without messing up. When a player messes up, she is out of the game. The last player jump roping wins the game. For a team game, divide the players into two teams of four. Two players will swing the jump rope and two players must jump. The team who can jump rope the longest without messing up wins the game.