Games for Girls & Boys to Play

Beat the Clocks

• Gather several loudly ticking timers and alarm clocks to hide around the play area. Set all the timers for 5 minutes and hide them. Have the children find the clocks before they go off. If the children find them all before they go off, they all win the game. If they cannot find them all, hide the clocks and have the children try again.

Friend Memory Ball

• Have all the children stand in a circle and hand one player a soft ball. That player says, "My name is ______ and my friend is ______." He then throws the ball to the friend he named. That player says, "My name is _____ and my friends are ____ and ____." Have him toss the ball to the second friend he named. That player says, "My name is ___ and my friends are _____, _____ and _____. Explain that each player needs to say his name and all the players before him (in the correct order), as well as the player's name he plans to throw the ball to. If a player forgets the order or says it incorrectly, he is out of the game. The last player standing wins the game.

Dress-Up Relay Race

• Arrange the players into two teams and have them line up at a starting line. Mark another line about 15 to 20 feet from the starting line. Place a laundry basket on the starting line with adult-size clothing, such as shirts, shoes, pants, hats and scarves. When you say, "Go," the first player in each line puts on an entire outfit and runs to the other line. When he runs back, he gives the outfit to the next player in line who does the same thing. The first team to finish the relay race wins the game.

Bead Race

• The players need to fill up their cups with beads as fast as possible to wins this race. Mark a starting line and finish line about 10 feet apart. Write the players' names on large, empty plastic cups and line them up at the finish line. Place three large bowls of beads halfway in between the starting line and finish line. Give each child a 1/4-cup measuring cup and have him hold it in his mouth and get on all fours. When you say, "Race," the children crawl to the bucket and scoop as many beads as they can. The players cannot use their hands to get the beads. They must continue to go back and forth to the bead bucket to fill up their cups. The first player to fill up his cup with beads wins the game.