Hobbies And Interests
Lawn Bowling
A flat stretch of lawn, plastic bottles, and a basketball are all tweens need to create a lawn bowling game. The activity requires 10 "bowling pins" made from plastic soda bottles, two liters each, filled one-fourth full with water. Each player throws the basketball "bowling ball style" and tries to knock down the pins. Players can take a single turn per game if there is a large group, or they can play a traditional bowling set if there is a small group.
Scavenger Hunt
Turn everyday items into valuable treasure by holding a scavenger hunt. This activity can be done with two or more teams or with individual players. Participants are given a list of items. The harder the item is to find, the more points it is worth. For example, a blue pen may be worth one point and an orange striped sock may be worth five points. Outdoor scavenger hunts can be held as well, with items such as pine cones, unusual rocks, and types of leaves. Teams/players try to find as many of the listed items as they can in a given time period, such as one hour. The player or team with the most points at the end of the hunt wins the game.
Marshmallow Shoot
Mini marshmallows are a sweet treat that can be used as pieces for an indoor game that both boys and girls will enjoy. The game requires a rectangular open area with a starting line along the bottom and a tape measure along the side. Players line up their toes at the starting line and blow a mini marshmallow out of one nostril. The player that shoots his marshmallow the farthest wins the game.
Penny Hockey
Use a penny and cardboard to create an indoor table hockey game for a kid to play alone or with friends. A large piece of poster board forms the field and a cardboard arches form the goals on the left and right sides. A single player can use the penny as a puck and flick it with a finger to get it in a goal. Two players can each use one finger as a hockey stick to hit the puck and protect a goal. The player that scores the most goals wins the game.
Superhero Charades
Entertain 10-year-old kids indoors on a rainy day with a game of superhero charades. The game consists of 10 or more pieces of paper with different superhero names written on each one. Players split into two or more teams and take turns selecting a piece of paper. Each player silently mimes clues about her superhero as her team tries to guess the name. The team with the most correct guesses wins the game.