Hobbies And Interests
Tag
Also known as Touch or Catch, one child plays 'it' and must chase all the other children and try to touch them. When a child is tagged, that child becomes 'it'. Make sure the children know the rules; the person who is 'it' cannot always chase the same person and they cannot immediately tag the person who just tagged them. The children must also touch each other softly so nobody gets hurt. In another version of this game, the children line up against a wall that is 'safe' and must run to another 'safe' area while 'it' stands in the middle and tries to tag someone. When someone is tagged in this game, they just join the original tagger and help touch people. The remainder of the children run back and forth to the 'safe' zones until everyone is caught.
Hide and Seek
In this game, one person is 'it' and counts to an agreed number---such as 10---while the rest of the children hide. Once finished counting 'it' yells, "Ready or not, here I come!", then runs around finding the rest of the players. Designate a 'safe' area that children will return to once they are found; the last person found will be the winner. You may wish to combine this game with Tag; if a person escapes being found and can run to 'safe' before getting tagged by 'it', they win.
Dodge Ball
For this game, you will need a soft rubber ball. Determine the boundary lines and mark a center line. Divide into two teams; each team will stay on one side of the center line. One person gets the ball first and throws it at a member of the other team. If that person is hit, they are out. If that person catches the ball, the child who threw the ball is out. The next person to get the ball throws it at someone on the other team, and the game continues until all the players on one team are eliminated---the team with remaining players wins. If a player steps out of bounds or over the center line at any point, that person is out. Make sure the children through the ball gently so nobody gets hurt.
Red Light/Green Light
Mark a starting line. One person will be the "light" and will stand approximately fifteen feet away from the starting line, where the rest of the children stand. The "light" will turn to face away from the rest of the children and say "Green light!"; then the children at the starting line may move forward to touch the 'light'. When the "light" turns back around and says "Red light!", the rest of the children must freeze in place. If the 'light' sees anyone move, that child must go back to the start. The "light" then turns back around for "Green light!" again and the game resumes. The first child to touch the 'light' wins and gets to become the 'light' for the next round.
Duck, Duck Goose
Have all the children sit in a circle, facing each other. One person is designated as "it" and walks around the outside of the circle, touching each child's head and saying "Duck." When the child playing "it" wishes, he touches someone's head and says "Goose!" The "goose" must stand and chase 'it' around the circle. "It" must try and get back to the open seat before he is caught. If "it" succeeds, the 'goose' then becomes "it." If "it" is touched, he must play "it" again.