Games for Nursery Kids

Animals Outside

• Line up a group of kids so they all stand side by side. Have everyone squat down on the ground when you call out the name of an animal. As you stand at the opposite side of the yard, the children must make it over to where you stand by moving the way the animal, whose name you've called, moves. For instance, if you called out "snake," the children must slither over to you on their bellies. Other examples include bunnies (children would hop their way to you on all fours); fish (children blow their cheeks up and use their arms to motion swimming); birds (kids flap their arms as if they can fly); and horses (clop their feet on the ground and run on all fours). If a child's having a hard time figuring out how to move, you can give him some ideas.

Go West, Young Kids

• If you want to teach your kids a little about the country in which they live and have some fun in the process, this game is for you. Grab a map of the country and add a sticker on your city. Ask the kids where they want to go and add another sticker to that area. Once the stickers are in place, you can ask your kids to find the shortest route to the destination---or the longest route. You can also make the game more challenging by having kids create a path that only goes through cities or states that begin with a certain letter. To make the game less challenging, create your own fantasy map that includes cities with fun names like Sugar City or Cupcake Island. By making your own map you have more control over the questions you ask and still teach the kids how to understand a map.

What Time Is It Mr. Fox?

• To give kids a good laugh and some exercise, assemble them in a horizontal line so they all stand side by side. You, or another older person, turn your backs to the kids before the game starts. To begin, the kids call to you, "What time is it Mister Fox?" You call back something to the effect of "It's time to wiggle." Turn on some music and have the kids wiggle their way on the ground to you until you stop the music at a random moment. The kids repeat their call, and you can call back anything from "It's time to dance" to "It's time to rub your stomach while you hop." When the kids finally reach you, you chase them back to their starting place and begin the game again.