Children's Games to Play at Home

Creative Games

• Children can have fun with a grocery game where they list things starting with the letter A and go through the alphabet. Begin the game by saying, "I'm going to the grocery store and I need apples." The next player must add to the list using the letter B, such as, "I'm going to the grocery store and I need apples and broccoli." Continue going back and forth between players, remembering the list and adding new items until you reach the letter Z.

  Walking like a penguin can be great fun for kids. In this game you will need balls or inflated balloons. Find a place indoors where there is room to move, and place masking tape on the floor designating start and finish lines. Players will compete with each other by placing a ball between their knees. They begin together at the starting line and waddle across the room to the finish line. If the ball drops from their knees, that player must start over at the beginning. The first player to reach the finish line without dropping his ball is the winner.

  With just a few materials, you can create a fun bean bag game. You will need to collect 8 jar lids. Glue the lids (inverted) onto a large sheet of cardboard in rows of two. With a black marker, write the numbers from 1-8 inside the lids. Take turns tossing a bean bag and trying to land the bag inside the lids. Tally the points, and the player who makes the most points in a given time or number of rounds is the winner. This game is good for aiming practice and addition skills.

  "I Spy" games have been in existence for generations. A variation to play indoors requires a few detailed magazine pictures. The first player begins the game by calling a spy question such as, "I spy something you can eat" or "I spy something that is beautiful in nature." The other players can shout out their answers and the first one who answers correctly can be the next spy caller. Use the same picture until the clues have been exhausted, and select another photo.

  Children love to build with blocks, but can they build a building and beat the clock? Provide a designated amount of blocks and a time limit. Using a kitchen timer, set the clock for three minutes. Provide enough materials for two players to play this game simultaneously. Both players must build a building or house in the allotted time. When the bell rings, compare the constructions.