Quiet Games for a Group of Children

Children's games enhance many critical-thinking skills.

Children need a variety of games and activities to keep their minds active and their bodies physical. Quiet games for a group of children enhance concentration, focus and team skills. Some games need adult facilitation and others can be enjoyed by the children alone. Left to themselves, children also make up their own games, which allows confidence-building skills and an outlet for creativity.

Concentration

Fill a tray with household objects large and small and place openly so that everyone can see. Don't let anyone touch or move the objects for five minutes while observing the tray. Cover the tray with a towel and give them 10 minutes to write down what they can remember seeing. Or try printing out copies of a word search of the items and give each child a pencil. The person with the most words circled in 15 minutes wins.

Drawing

Drawing is a quiet activity that promotes artistic skills.

Begin this guessing game by dividing a piece of paper into four sections for each child. In each section, the children draw their favorite toy, food, person and animal. Sitting in a circle, the children pass the papers around. The children try to guess whose it is. Another game features a cut-out teddy bear and the same color markers for each child. Questions such as "Do you have siblings?" are asked and, if yes, the the child draws something on the bear. The child with the most embellishments wins.

Cards

Cards can be used in a variety of ways.

Go Fish, Old Maid and Sevens are all quiet games that children can play in a group. The game of Memory can be played so that each child gets a chance to turn over cards and create a match using pictures for younger children or words for kids who can read. The more cards the better for a group of children.

Beanbags and Balls

Small, soft balls and beanbags are quiet when they fall.

Children can get to know each other by using palm-sized beanbags. Place children in a large circle and have one person toss the beanbag to another while asking a question. The catcher answers the question and then throws to someone else. Another fun game for children is the beanbag toss. Set up multiple containers to make a course. Each child has to make the shot from the appropriate standing point.

Dice

Dice games encourage math skills.

Dice games are educational, portable and cheap. Sitting in a circle, each child rolls the dice and keeps the highest one. Re-roll the other dice and add up the total. Write down the score. The person with the highest score wins. Or try rolling the dice and putting them in order to make the highest number possible. If a four and a six are rolled, write 64. Pass the dice and challenge the next player to beat the number.

References

• Activity Village: The Tray Game
• Kid's Activities: Low Energy, Table and Circle Games
• Grandparents: Card Games