Hobbies And Interests
Color Tower Game
Provide blocks or small boxes in a variety of colors. To play the game, have a small group of children stand in a circle around the blocks. Have each child take a turn placing a block on top of another block. Continue until the blocks have all been used and a tower is formed. Choose a child to remove the bottom block, causing the tower to tumble. Have each child pick up a block and say the color of that block. Repeat the game as desired.
Ring Around
Form a circle of preschoolers. Choose one child to stand in the center of the circle. Have the others hold hands and walk in a circle around the child in the center. Make up a chant for children to say, such as: "Jason, Jason, what shall we do?" Tell the child in the center of the circle to perform an action, e.g., jump, clap, spin around, that the other children will copy. Repeat the game until all the children in the small group have had a turn in the center of the circle.
Weave Our Friendship
Provide a roll of toilet tissue. Have the small group sit in a square or circle shape. Have one child hold the end of the toilet tissue and pass the roll to another child. Each child should hold onto a part of the tissue and pass the roll on to someone else. Encourage the children to be silly; some children may enjoy wrapping the paper around an arm or leg before passing it on. Continue until all the paper is used up from the roll. Stress that the children have woven themselves together as friends. Then, tell them to help each other become untangled.
Make a Face Puzzle Game
Cut a large face shape of a person, animal or seasonal figure (snowman, scarecrow, bunny) from poster board. Set out a pile of various shaped cutouts. Have the small group of preschoolers work together to add features and create a face. After the children see their puzzle face, remove the pieces and have them redo the puzzle in a different way.
Line Up, 1, 2, 3
Write large numbers on index cards; from one to however many preschoolers are in the small group. Place the numbered cards face down on the floor. Have each child pick up a card. Tell the children to hold their card so the others can see it and work together to line all the cards up in order. Check to see if the number order is correct. Mix the cards up and repeat the game.
Stinky Piggy
Provide a toy pig (or skunk). Tell your preschoolers to sit in a circle, close enough to reach each other easily. Have children pass the "stinky piggy" quickly, so they don't have to smell the pig. If desired, play music while the children pass the toy and stop the music at intervals to see who is stuck holding the stinky piggy.