Activities for Kids in Subdivisions
Subdivisions are populated by families, and they provide a safe area where children can play outdoors in yards and in streets with slow speed limits. The key is to plan activities exciting enough to convince them to put down their video game controllers, log off their computers and head out into the open air for fun, physical activity.
Other People Are Reading
-
Stop and Go
-
Children in subdivisions should be taught about stop signs and stoplights as early as possible. Playing "stop and go" can help with this. Find a large playing space with room for running, such as one or two front yards with no fences or shrubs. Choose one player to be the “crossing guard” and have her stand at one end of the play space with her back to the others, while the other children stand behind a starting line on the other side of the space. When the crossing guard calls “green light!” the children must run toward her as fast as possible with the intent of tagging her. At any point, the crossing guard can call “red light!” and the kids must freeze as she turns around. If the crossing guard catches any child moving, that child is out. The game continues until a child successfully tags the crossing guard, at which point he takes her place and the game begins again.
Photo Scavenger Hunt
-
Subdivisions are an excellent setting for a classic scavenger hunt, as long as safety precautions and rules are explained in advance. Make a list of items or objects that you know can be found in your subdivision within the radius of the hunt boundaries. For example, “a blue mailbox painted with yellow flowers,” “a rose bush” or “a stone fountain.” Split the objects into two or more separate lists, depending upon how many teams you have. Give each team a list along with one disposable camera. Set them loose with the goal of taking a picture of each item on their list. Award prizes such as a gift bag filled with candy, and let the participants have fun sharing their photos and talking about what they saw in their neighborhood.
-
Color Hunt
-
This game is ideal for younger children who are learning about different colors and their names. Before leaving the house, the children must write color names on a list they can carry with them. Walk around your subdivision, asking them to name the colors of houses, cars, bikes, mailboxes, flowers and other objects they see. Have them note their findings on their list. For older children, give specific goals and questions to answer, such as “How many blue houses are on Spruce Street?” or “What is the most popular car color on our street?”
What's That Sound?
-
This activity is best when two or more are involved and will only work if you can come up with a couple of old cassette recorders the children can use. Digital recording devices will work, but you may want to have an adult accompany each team to help out. Divide children into teams and provide each team with a recording device. Assign each team a different route through the subdivision to ensure they do not cross paths, and tell them their goal is to record different sounds they hear. Help them with examples, such as birds chirping, car engines revving or wind chimes tinkling. Give them a time limit. When they reconvene, have each team take a turn playing their sounds for the other kids. The team that correctly guesses the most sounds is the winner.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Creatas/Getty Images
