Question:

group games

PIG RACE -

This game takes a little preparation but the kids love it. You will need a different color sheet of construction paper for each child. For a large group divide into groups and have elimination races. Out of each sheet cut 9 small squares and 1 large pig. Mark off an 8 step race track using pencils, napkins or whatever. Line the children up shoulder to shoulder behind the first step. Give each child a colored pig. Shuffle your little colored squares and draw them out one at a time. Whoever has the matching color pig takes a step when his color is drawn. The first one to complete all 8 steps wins.

DUCK DUCK GOOSE

This is an oldie but a goodie! Arrange the children in a circle, making sure you have lots of room. Designate the birthday child to be "it". She walks around the outside of the circle, touching each child and saying "duck" when she touches a child and changes the word to "goose", that child must get up and run around the circle trying to catch "it". If the "goose" doesn't touch "it" before "it" sits in his place in the circle, the "goose" becomes "it".

MEMORY TREASURE HUNT

Take turns finishing this sentence:
"I found a sunken ship beneath the ocean waves, and I collected a ________."
The others must say what the others found, then add to the list an idea of their own. After 5 or 6 kids, it becomes a challenge to remember all the found items!

ELEPHANT WALK

This game will develop your child's large muscle groups. Have your child put her hands in front of her face like an elephant trunk. Start with a simple elephant walk. Then go through the elephant's day. Stretch and pick leaves from high in the trees or grass from down low on the ground. Try a great big elephant hug! Your imagination is the only limit to this fun game, try other animals like a giraffe or hippopotamus!

DUCK RACE

Supplies: Tape to mark distance lines
On your mark the children bend over and grasp their ankles. The first one to waddle to the finish line, without letting go of their ankles, wins.

KANGAROO TAG

Gather all the children in a circle, preferably outside. Show the children how to do a kangaroo jump (arms close to chest, palms facing downward, knees slightly bent). Tell the children that they are going to play kangaroo tag and explain that the mother kangaroo (the child who is "it") is searching for her babies (baby kangaroos are called Joeys). When the mother kangaroo tags a Joey, that child then becomes the mother and tries to tag someone else. Stress the important rules: kangaroos jump, but do not run, tagging should be done in a gentle way and everyone must stop when you tell them to stop.

DOWN, DOWN, DOWN - GAME

Start off with a tennis ball. Throw the ball until someone drops it. Whoever threw the ball tells the person who dropped the ball to get down on one knee. Next time- 2 knees, next time 2 knees and 1 elbow, then your out. You must stay in that position in order to catch or throw the ball. Very funny activity, and they get some exercise too!

APPLE PARING - game

Kids will love the challenge of this game and the added bonus of their efforts...a scrumptious apple pie.

WHAT YOU NEED:
Potato peelers
Paring knives
Apples
How to play:
Using the peeler (kids) or knife (adults only), see who can produce the longest unbroken strip of apple skin. For an added challenge, see who can produce one that is both the narrowest and longest. Children must have adult supervision in this activity, due to the knives.

KICK THE CAN - game

All you need is an empty soda can!
How to play:
Step 1: While one player is "It" and tries to keep an empty soda can inside a large chalk circle, everyone else tries to free the soda can by sneaking up and kicking the can out of the circle.
Step 2: To start the game, "It" sets the can in the center of the circle and, standing nearby with her eyes closed, counts to 100 (or less if not a quick counter) while the other players hide. When she is finished counting, she tries to search out the others and tag them.
Step 3: Whomever she touches must stop in place and remain there. If a player is able to reach the circle and kick out the can without being tagged, he shouts "C!"
The can is then reset in the circle, and the game begins again with everyone hiding. The second time a player boots the can out of the circle, he yells "A!" The first player to kick the can for the third time earns the letter N and yells out "C-A-N" to win the game. Then, a new "It" is named.
Step 4: In order for "It" to win the game, she must succeed in tagging all of the players before anyone makes it to the circle and kicks the can three times.

TREASURE HUNT

Draw a simple map of your house. Hide a "treasure" somewhere in your house, something like a snack, or maybe a treasured toy. Explain the map to your child. Tell them where each room is. Next say there is a hidden treasure in the house, and the map is going to help them find it. Draw an X on the map where you have hidden the treasure. Help your child look for the treasure.

COTTONBALL RACES

Inside or out relay races are a hit. Easily brought together with simple household items a cottonball race is fast, fun and not messy at all. Use a tablespoon (or large serving spoon for a little one),and a cottonball (although you can vary this activity by using a grape, or a bead.) Use a hallway or a "loop" around the kitchen table. Remember that they are gaining skills in balance, judgement and if they're squealing with delight, they're doing it right!

HOOLA HOOP AND BEAN BAG TOSS -GAME

Place five hoola hoops in a straight line. (You can use loops of rope or yarn if you don't have hoola hoops). Kids stand behind the starting line (before the first loop) and attempts to toss the bean bag into the first hoop (each child takes a turn and then goes to the back of the line). Each time they get to the front of the line again they then attempt to get the bean bag into the next hoop, then the third , the fourth and finally the fifth. When you miss the hoop you still stay in line, only next time you shoot for the same hoop. You have to finish each hoop in succession before you finish.

TOUCH FOOTBALL

There are as many versions of this fall classic as there are families who love to play it.
WHAT YOU NEED:
Football
1 bandana or dish towel for each player
Four chairs
HOW TO PLAY:
Step 1: Set up a goal line on each end of the field, using the chairs as markers. Equally divide the players into two teams and give each player a bandana to tuck into a back pocket or waistband (it must be visible and easy to grab). Flip a coin to determine which team will kick off first and agree upon a time limit for the game.
Step 2: After each team lines up across its goal line, one player begins the game by kicking the football as far down the field as possible. Someone on the receiving team must either catch or pick up the ball and then try to run it back to the opponent's goal line to score a touchdown. If an opposing player grabs the runner's bandana, then the runner is "tackled" and must stop.
After that, the receiving team has four tries, or downs, to get the ball to the goal line. (Before each down, you can huddle to discuss the next play-who will pass off, who will run and so on.)
Step 3: Each play begins with teams lining up at the position where the last team member with the ball was tackled. If a team fails to score a touchdown (worth six points) in four tries, it must turn the ball over to the other team, which begins play at the position where it gained possession of the ball. A team also can gain possession when the other team fumbles or if it intercepts a pass.

PIN THE TAIL ON….

The game Pin the Tail on the Donkey, can be fun any time of year. You can "feed the pumpkin (or ghost) at Halloween, by using a "cookie" instead of a tail and a Large drawing of a ghost or pumpkin with a big mouth. Try Pin the Egg In the Bunny Basket by using a picture of a bunny and a basket in place of the donkey and egg shapes the kids decorated themselves! How about Pin the waddle on the turkey? Or Pin the Heart on Cupid for Valentine's day…. Let your imagination run wild and you will have fun all year long.

A bonus tip here, Use double sided tape instead of pins, the game is safer (and so are your walls!)

KOOSH BALL

One person starts with the koosh ball. They name a person and throws the ball to them. That person must catch the ball and do the same thing. Everyone in the circle throws the ball to someone they have named. You can add more balls and try having 2 going at the same time.

KEEP THE BALLOON IN THE AIR - GAME

Blow up a balloon, toss up in the air, and see how long you can keep it in the air, you can use one balloon for the whole group, or you can give each child their own balloon.

RAT AND CAT GAME

With the exception of two players, all the kids join hands and form a circle. One person is chosen as the cat and stands outside the circle. The other person is the rat and stands inside the circle. The object of the game is for the cat to catch the rat. The players in the circle can raise or lower their arms to allow the rat to enter or leave the circle. By lowering their arms, they will not allow the cat to follow and catch the rat. If the rat is finally caught, the rat and the cat each return to the circle after choosing their replacements. If the cat does not catch the rat by the time the circle group has counted to 50 slowly, then a new pair is selected.

OFF TO THE SPOON RACES

Another game that takes a classic group game and is easily converted to a seasonal activity is the "Cotton ball race"
This is the game where the group forms 2 lines parallel to each other. The first person in line is given a spoon and an item that fits into it, and must balance the item over a short course and around a given spot (i.e. a tree, a chair) and back to their team. The next person takes the spoon and repeats this action until everyone on the team finishes. Use Grapes in the Summer, Cranberries during the winter holidays, or eggs during the Spring holidays. For a birthday use a small water balloon and a large serving spoon! Use your imagination to vary this game for the event

SHOE HOP - GAME

A good party game or playgroup game. Divide into teams. Make sure everyone is wearing shoes with laces, this could be tricky, you may have to tell parents the day before if you know you are going to be playing the game. To play, race to the turn around line and take off one tennis shoe. Then, hop back to your team. Once you're back, take off your other shoe. Then, run back to where the 1st shoe was left and put that shoe back on and tie it. Then, hop back to your team and put on the other shoe. After you have tied your shoe, tag the next person in line and then they go, continue in this manner until one team is done.

EYE SPY...

Ever been looking for something to do with mom or dad? Is it raining outside, and you've got nothing to do? Why not pick up an Eye Spy book? These books, colorfully decorated and designed, are a great way to have fun with mom or dad (or both) and challenge your brain at the same time! Each page has a complicated-looking colour picture, and a list of objects that you have to find within it. School Days is an easy starter, but once you get better, you can work your way up to Super Challenger. Whether you're alone or with a parent, Eye Spy books are another great way to have fun!

WHO ARE YOU BINGO

To prepare for this game you should make a card for everyone similar to a Bingo card. (5 squares by 5 squares) Then make a list of things to find that is appropriate to the group of people that will be playing. You can use the list below or make up your own list. Print the directions below and the list of things to find. ( I print them on one sheet of paper to make it simple.)

Mingle with the others and ask the following questions listed below. As you find a person that meets the description write their name in a box below. Include in the box the persons first and last name, and the number of the question that they discussed with you. For example: Ann has Brown hair and question number 2 says, "Find someone with brown hair." You would write Ann #2 in any of the boxes listed below. You can only use each person's name once. If you are a winner be prepared to tell us about the new friends you have met!

Find someone who has a pet.
Find someone whose middle name that starts with A.
Find someone who got an A in English.
Find someone who rides a bike.
Find someone who has a job.
Find someone who has a room of their own.
Find someone who has been to New York.
Find someone who has painted toenails.
Find someone who wears contacts.
Find someone who has never flown in an airplane.
Find someone who wore braces.
Find someone who has never been skiing.
Find someone who has a brother.
Find someone who is going out of town for Christmas.
Find someone who already has their Christmas shopping done.
Find someone who has hiked the Superstition Mountains.
Find someone who has the same first name that you have.
Find someone who plays an instrument.
Find someone who baby-sits.