Hobbies And Interests
Weeks, Months, Seasons
Games that educate children on the days of the week or the seasons can be designed to be interactive so that children have fun while learning. Divide children into teams which represent each of the four seasons, the days of the week or months in the year, and sit in a circle. Seasons would begin by the leader saying "I am Spring, I am leaving." The summer team then stands and says "I am summer. I am coming." If the entire team stand to make the statement, the team receives a point. Jump between seasons and use clues such as temperature or activities. For the days of the week or the months of the year, provide clues that relate to these things instead, such as "I have a day of love", for February, or "My name begins with W" for Wednesday.
Basketball Math
Math games should focus on reinforcing math concepts such as ratios, percentages or patterning. Basketball math teaches these things while also enforcing numeration skills. Children shoot at least three rounds of 10 shots, keeping track of how many baskets they get in each time. Determine who made the most total baskets, and then have the children average how many baskets they made per 10 shots. Make this game more challenging by asking after each round what the ratio of missed baskets to baskets scored was and then figure out the fraction of made shots to total shots. Children can also turn the fractions into percentages.
Board Games
Scrabble is a classic board game where children practice spelling as well as letter recognition. Trying to build words that earn the most points and keeping score practices math skills as well. Bingo is educational in that children must identify numbers and letters and it can be used when teaching patterns. Ask children to yell bingo when they have an "X" of numbers covered on the board, for example, instead of the traditional diagonal, horizontal or vertical lines. The Whole Brain Game is another educational board game that challenges children to think in a variety of ways. For example, in one challenge, children must create similarities between unlike words or situations.
Travel Games
Typically parents play games in the car to make long journeys more bearable. Travel games can also be educational. For example, see who can reach the end of the alphabet first by using letter you see on billboards, signs, license plates or stores. The letters have to be gathered in alphabetical order. A sign reading Aunt Bea's Chicken, for example gives you a, b, and c in alphabetical order. Other educational games to play in the car include I Spy, which can be used to teach shapes, colors, letters or numbers, or 20 questions, where players have ask 20 questions about a particular place or thing you're thinking about. After 20 questions, players must guess what you're thinking of. The player that guesses correctly gets to answer questions next.