Save your money ‘cuz the best games for kids are FREE!

April 6, 2013 by Aldersgate Preschool 1 Comment

I don’t know about you all but since my children were very small, they have loved to play games! Games are something that are relatively inexpensive, fun, and can be very effective in developing great skills. I posted here about how great board games are.

We also play some great games during large motor time that have become the children’s favorites. Many of them probably sound and look familiar because they may be ones that you did when you were a child! 

First of all, everyone loves balloons!  They are great to practice eye/hand coordination as a child tries to keep them in the air or can become a fun science lesson as children learn about static electricity!

Children also love the game “Red Rover.”

“Red Rover Red Rover send Olivia on over!”  While I remember as a child loving this game, I also remember hurting my arms as children tried to break through.  But, if you use pages of newspaper for them to break through, the effect is just as great!  They love to tear that paper!

Another favorite is “Button button who’s got the button?”  Or you may know it as “Doggy doggy where’s your bone?  Somebody stole it from your home.”

A child sits in the middle of the circle and hides his/her eyes.  While the child in the middle’s eyes are closed, the children in the circle choose one person to hide a button.  They chant “Button Button Who’s got the button?”  The child opens his eyes and tries to guess who is hiding the button.  All of the children get a kick out of trying to pretend they have it/don’t have it.  Once the child in the middle guesses who has the button, the child with the button gets to move to the middle of the circle and hide her eyes.   Simple but oh so fun!

Another favorite is called “What Time is it, Mr. Fox?”  Children stand in a line while one child is about 20 feet in front of them either facing them or with his back to them(he’s Mr. Fox).  The children yell “What time is it Mr. Fox?”  He tells the time (5:00), the children take that many steps toward him and then ask again.  “What time is it, Mr. Fox?”  8:00.  This goes on and the line of children get closer and closer to the fox until he is ready to say “midnight!”  at which time the line of children run back to their original spot trying not to get tagged.  The tagged child then becomes the next Mr. Fox.

Perhaps you remember some others from your childhood that were your favorite.  Try them out with your own children.  My own love to play “kick the can” or “hide and seek.”  Now that the weather is getting warm, these games can be played outside!  Much like board games, there are so many wonderful cognitive, gross motor, physical, etc benefits to these games but most importantly, you are creating memories and building your relationship with your children through PLAY!