Things You'll Need:
- Kids
- A little imagination
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Step 1
Go back to when you were a kid. My kids favorite games are ones I played when I was a kid. They love musical chairs, hot potato, duck, duck, goose, etc.
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Step 2
Use common things you already have around the house in a different way. We use stickers to play sticker tag--everyone gets a sheet of stickers and they have to stick stickers on each other and the first person to empty their sheet wins. The only rule is you can't stick the same person twice in a row. We use jump ropes to play snake--have two people hold either end of the jump rope and wiggle it on the ground like a snake and the others have to jump over it without stepping on it. We have also used jump ropes to play limbo.
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Step 3
When its hot, just add water. Add water to any game and kids will love it. One of my kids favorites is splish, splish, splash--it is just like duck, duck, goose but with a cup of water and they do just a drizzle for splish and then the whole cup for splash.
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Step 4
When it's cold outside, bring the outside in! My kids love to play in the snow but by the time I get them all bundled up and we get outside either someone has to go potty or they get cold and want to come inside. So now I fill buckets with snow and put it in the bathtub. The kids love it because they don't have to get bundled up (just gloves or mittens) and they can still play in the snow. The snow will stay all day in the tub so they can play for a little bit and then take a break and then go back to it later.
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Step 5
Check out your local library. Most local libraries offer programs for children that are free.
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Step 6
Find a church or school with a large parking lot. On weekends these places don't have much traffic so you can load up the bikes and some sidewalk chalk and the kids can make their own roads to drive on. Be sure to wear bike helmets!
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Step 7
Go to a local park. Pack up some sandwiches and snacks and head to a local park for a picnic lunch and adventure. Even if the park doesn't have a playground, let the kids hike around and let their imaginations run wild. There are great adventures to be had with open space and a child's imagination.
