Whether it’s a rainy day or you’re in quarantine, having young children inside all day can be challenging. No need to worry—one thing that children have in common is that they love to play games. While they’re playing, they learn so much and develop valuable skills.
Here’s a short list of kids’ games that make those days cooped up pass quickly and painlessly.
Sorting
This is a great game to encourage cognitive development. For children who are getting ready for kindergarten, a sorting game helps develop critical-thinking skills. It’s as easy as having different labeled bins and objects to throw into those bins—or tape down construction paper in different colors, and then have the child find objects that match.
Balloon volleyball or tennis
Another young kids’ game is seeing how long you can keep a balloon up in the air. Once they’re a bit older and understand more competitive activities, you can set up an impromptu net to hit the balloon back and forth over to play volleyball. Add wooden spoons or plastic spatulas to bounce the balloon with for balloon tennis.
I spy
Once your child has built the language skills for it, playing “I spy with my little eye…” is a fun time for all involved. It encourages your child to investigate the world around them and to provide hints without giving away the answer. If you haven’t played before, one person says, “I spy with my little eye, something blue.” Then the other person tries to guess what it is. This is a classic among kids’ games because you can play it more or less anywhere and need zero equipment.
Balance beam
Get some painter’s tape; put down a strip of any length on the floor; and challenge your child to walk down the line all the way to the end. This is easy to set up and will support development of coordination. Add zig-zags and spirals to change up the game.
Driving course
Does your child love playing with toy cars and trucks? Then help them design a race course using objects you find around the home. From hairpin turns to ramps and jumps, you can have those toy cars zipping around for hours on end.
Duck, duck, goose
There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel. This child’s game has been around for many decades because it’s simple and fun. It is better with more people and is a great option for the whole family to play together.
Obstacle course
Transform your living room into an Olympic event. Pull out pillows, couch cushions, ottomans and more to create an obstacle course. This will get your child’s creative juices flowing and let them burn some energy.
There you have it—those are our best young kids’ games. When you’re looking for supportive, welcoming care for children ages six weeks to school age, turn to Magical Star Preschool. We offer programs specifically designed to support your child’s development. Contact us today to learn more about enrollment.