Hobbies And Interests
&'Pretend&' Hide-And-Seek
Encourage kids to be creative with an imaginary game of hide-and-seek. Think of a location all the kids are familiar with. A backyard, school, church or campsite are good options. Each child can decide if they are big or small and pick an imaginary hiding place if they were at that location. Go around and guess where everyone is "hiding." Once you are found out, you&'re out of the game. Kids must practice being honest when asked where they are hiding. This is a fun variation on an old classic.
I Spy
I Spy is an old game that always feels current. Have each child think of something they "spy" and the other kids have to guess. Make it interesting by using themes such as, "I spy something red" or "I spy something that starts with an A" and have the kids go through all the letters and colors. You can personalize the game even further with spying things you like to eat, your favorite toys, and so forth.
Clothespin Drop
Cut a hole in the top of a plastic coffee can lid, and gather a bunch of clothespins. Let the kids stand above the can and drop the clothespin into the hole. Each kid gets several turns, and whoever can get the most clothespins into the can wins. Adjust this game for ages; very small kids might just need to have the lid removed and drop the clothespins directly into the can.
Hot Potato
Kids love playing hot potato, and the way to keep it interesting is to vary what the "potato" is. Use a favorite stuffed animal, action figure or even piece of fruit to make the game fun. A parent can be in charge of playing music and then stopping at a random point. Whoever has the "potato" is out of the game when the music stops.
Charades
Have each kid write the name of a character, animal or movie on a slip of paper. Put all the papers into a bowl and have each child draw one. The kids must act out their character without using any words. Whoever guesses correctly gets to take the next turn.