Rainy Day Games for School Age Kids
A rainy day at school usually means that kids are kept inside during recess. The teacher usually puts together a few indoor games that can be played in a short period of time. When recess begins, you can do a quick vote to see which game the children would prefer to play. Winners may be rewarded with small prizes, or given other rewards like the ability to choose the next game. The games can also simply be played for fun and laughs.
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Charades
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Create a list of charades and write each one on a separate index card or piece of paper. The easiest charades for younger children are actions such as walking, talking, swimming, singing and jumping. You can also include animals, objects and people. Choose a student to be the scorekeeper and allow him to make a mark on the chalkboard each time a team scores a point. Separate the students into two teams. Choose a student and have him stand in front of the class. Hand him a card and give him 30 seconds to act on the charade. While he is acting, the members of his team are allowed to shout out guesses. If someone gets the answer correct before the time runs out, that team gets a point. Have the teams take turns either until time runs out or until a team reaches a predesignated winning score.
Letter Game
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Have the kids sit in a circle either on the carpet or by rearranging their chairs. Begin game play by choosing one student and asking her to say a random word. Moving clockwise, each student has 5 seconds to say a word that begins with the same letter (you're the timekeeper). If a student doesn't come up with a correct word in time, he must remove himself from the circle. The last student sitting wins. For older students, you can put a twist on the game by requiring the students to come up with a word that begins with the last letter of the previous word. For example, if the first student says, "Dog," the second student could say, "Great" and the third student could say, "Tree." Another option is requiring the students to stick to a certain category, such as animals or foods.
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Which One Is a Lie?
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In this game, students hear three statements and attempt to determine which is not true. The teacher can go first so the students know what to expect. The person who is "it" goes up to the front of the classroom and makes three statements, one of which she made up. She can say things like, "I had pancakes for breakfast," "My middle name is Jane" and "I play soccer." Students will raise their hands and make a guess at which statement is the untrue one. You can choose to play simply for fun and laughs, or you can reward correct answers with a small prize or piece of candy.
Talent Show
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Allow students to volunteer to go in front of the class and show their hidden talents. Give them exactly 1 minute to do anything they want, like dancing, singing, telling jokes or drawing on the chalkboard. Allow students to come up in pairs or groups if they want to; it's all about having fun. After each performance, write the students' names on the chalkboard. At the end of the talent show, you can have the class vote on their favorite act. The winner can receive a small prize.
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References
- Photo Credit happy kids image by Marzanna Syncerz from Fotolia.com
