|
- Blue links connect
to places you can buy the resource
- Assume
none of these games are the kind with batteries.
Batteries cost a lot, are bad for the environment, kids never turn stuff off, and
rarely do they add to a
game's fun.
- For
pretend games, don't be surprised if kids play the same game over and
over. If you watch carefully, you will notice they are building on the
game of the day before, building an ever more complex pretend world
making more neural connections in their brains. Let them be.
- Any
game for individual kids
can be adapted to groups of kids by making it a race.
- The
Front Porch only works
with kids in 1st grade and up. Some activities may be suitable for
younger, but we are not knowledgeable in that age group.
- We
generally don't get the
"Jr." version of any game. Kids catch on quickly to games and think a
Jr.
version is too temporary to spend our precious few resources
on.
- These
are ingredients for a happy childhood. These games have stood the test
of time. Mix these with people who love them, a good education and
basic needs met, and there is a very good possibility you
will
have a very happy adult!
- We
get the kids to play educational games during homework time. When they
don't have homework, they can only choose educational games to play.
They go over best when an older teen is in charge of the game. Just be
sure the teen really knows how to play it well.
- Games
with an asterisk * cost no money for kids to play.
- No
one pays us for any of this - to put this website up or to pick these
games. If you find it useful, be sure to donate to the Front
Porch.
- Now,
GO PLAY!
Ball
Playground Games
Spud |
2nd
grade
and up |
Kids
stand
in a circle. One throws up a kickball or a drug store ball (one that
will not hurt when it hits) and calls out another's name. All
the kids run and scatter. When the kid catches the ball, they yell
stop.
The other kids have to stop running. The kid who has the ball
tries to hit the closest kid with the ball. If the kid they aim at gets
hit, the hit kid gets the letter "S" (of S-P-U-D). If the kid they aim
at catches the ball or doesn't get hit, the kids who throws the ball
gets the letter "S". Then all the kids go in a circle again
and
the kid whose name was called the last time throws up the ball and it
starts all over. As the kids get the whole word SPUD spelled out, they
are out of the game. For a longer game, pick a longer word. |
Top
Blindfold
Games
Dog
and the Bone* |
2nd
grade and up |
Kids
sit in a circle. One blindfolded kid is the dog with a bone (any
object) next to them. The other kids have to steal the bone without the
dog hearing. If the dog can figure out who it was, they have to be able
to point at the right person. |
Fang* |
3rd
grade and up |
This
is a Native American game. One kid, the snake, is blindfolded
and holds a rolled up newspaper (the fang). The other kids stand far
away from the snake. One at a time each has one chance to touch the
snake on the head. The snake has one chance to use their fang. |
Top
Brain
Games
These
are not necessarily only for the "gifted". There are some kids who
just love these puzzles. You might just discover that all your kids are
"gifted"... |
Mensa 75
Riddles and Conundrums |
6th
grade and up |
This
is a set of cards with problems. Great for a group of kids to
solve together. |
Shape
By Shape
|
3rd
grade and up |
Individual kids
have to make a set of shapes match a picture. There are two levels of
play - one that shows which pieces go where and one that shows just an
outline. |
ThinkFun
Square By Square |
3rd
grade and up |
Individual
kids have to make a set of shapes match a
picture. There are two levels
of play - one that shows which pieces go where and one that shows just
an outline. This one just uses squares. |
Tangrams |
3rd
grade and up |
Individual
kids have to make a set of shapes match a
picture. There are two levels
of play - one that shows which pieces go where and one that shows just
an outline. |
Top
Building
LEGO
Ultimate Building Set - 405 Pieces |
1st
grade and up |
Classic.
Don't get the sets that make something particular. Just get the pieces.
This will encourage their creativity, even though they will not thank
you at first. |
Knex
Value Tub 400 pieces |
2nd
grade and up |
Never
as popular as lego. Its a good idea to sit down and show them how all
the pieces fit together. |
Motors |
3rd
grade and up |
We've
had mixed results with these. Some kids don't build anything and just
want to put the motor on anything, and some kids have been brilliant.
Its a toss up. And the motors are not remote - they are attached, so
its like walking a dog. Lego makes some and K'nex does too. |
Clock
Puzzle Clock |
5th
grade and up |
This
is complicated. Something for kids who have built things before and can
follow an exploded view drawing. Challenging, but good. Make
it a
race with two. |
Mousetrap |
4th
grade and up |
This
is in the building section because 1/2 the time you spend playing the
game is the building, but kids love it - as long as they have help the
first time figuring it out. |
Sandbox |
1st
grade and up |
Lifting
the bags of sand is AWFUL! So get a cover that secures on top. Put it
somewhere shady. This can entertain for HOURS. Add some old
pots
or sifters and toys that stay in the sandbox. |
Boxes* |
1st
grade and up |
The
refrigerator box, the stove box...all golden garbage. Ask
them
where they want a window or what other building materials they need.
Boxes are now underestimated by adults and unimagined by
kids,
which is sad. |
Hammer,
Wood and Nails |
5th
grade and up |
If
parents only knew how many kids are desperate to build...a hammer, some
easy to nail wood, nails, and a little instruction and they are SO
happy |
Top
Dancing/Singing
Couples
Dancing* |
5th
grade and up |
Hygiene
class first! Then this essential form of playing helps young men and
women learn to respect each other. Just teaching them to hold hands and
work together to make the box step is a life lesson. |
Karaoke |
All |
Just
let them sing. The best is when a teenager will emcee for the younger
kids to sing. |
Top
Deduction
Battleship |
middle
School |
Old
favorite. Great for learning to strategize and deduce. This also
teaches coordinates on a graph. |
Clue |
middle
school |
You'd
be surprised how many kids cannot understand how to look for the
missing fact. Mind opening game for some kids. And still just as
fun. |
Spy
Alley |
4th to 8th grade |
A
new classic. Kids can play this one over and over. Its a lot like clue.
Kids have to collect a disguise etc. before the other kids and return
to their embassy without anyone guessing which spy they are. We play
that kids can guess anyone who is on the part of board that is the
alley for a quicker game. |
Mastermind |
middle
school and up |
This
is a high level of deduction game for the inspired kid. They have to
guess the color and order of the pegs. They have only a few chances to
guess it correctly basing each new guess on the responses of
the
other person who set the original pattern. |
Top
Following Directions
Mind
Your Manners Game |
kindergarteners
can play this if adults read the cards. Never too soon to learn basic
manners. |
Kids
have to count and go backwards or forwards like the card says. |
Snap
Clap and Slap Card Game |
3rd
grade and up |
Kids
have to clap, snap or slap like the card says. |
Chutes
and Ladders |
2nd
grade and up |
Counting
and following the directions of a chute or a ladder. |
Trouble
Board Game |
1st
grade and up |
The
best game to learn how to count board game spaces. |
Candyland |
1st
grade and up |
Learning
colors and counting |
Twister |
As
soon as they are old enough to be big enough to play and reach the dots |
Learning
colors and right and left |
Uno
|
2nd
grade and up |
Learning
colors and numbers |
Shanuco |
3rd
grade and up |
Learning
shapes, colors and numbers. Like Uno with another layer. |
Playing
Cards Crazy Eights |
3rd
grade and up |
This
is the ancestor to Uno. |
Simon Says* |
1st grade and up |
A leader tells the kids what to do. If the leader
says "simon says" the kids should do it. if the leader doesnt say
"simon says", the kids should not do it and the kids that did
follow are out. |
Top
General
Yo-yos |
4th
grade and up |
Always
a hit. Don't get a super-cheap one. |
Metal
Jacks & Ball
|
4th
grade and up |
This
is best introduced to bored kids. Some kids love them, some don't.
Never get the plastic ones. They are awful! |
Marbles |
2nd
grade and up (old enough to fit the shooter in their hand) |
This
one surprised us. Kids will still love the simplest marble game. Draw a
circle in chalk on the sidewalk. Put all the marbles in the circle. And
kids have to knock as many marbles out of the circle line as they can,
using proper marble shooting form and staying behind the line. These
are always at the dollar store. Be sure they have the shooter in the
bag. |
Rock
'Em Sock 'Em ROBOTS Game |
1st
grade and up |
With
all the fighting video games on earth, you'd think these
antiques would be out of style. Nope. They LOVE these. |
SKIP
BO Card Game |
5th
grade and up |
This
is like a complicated Uno for kids who like it, but have
played it a million times. Nice for camping, long hot summer
days, and rainy days. |
Top
Geography
Games
Atlas
Adventure |
Ten and up |
In
this game kids each build their own puzzle by winning pieces to a map
of the world. The questions are hard, but they can guess. The trick is
for the same kids to play this several times so they remember the
answers. Kids who think they are supposed to know the answers
will be frustrated. Kids who can let go and just guess do
better. |
Wooden
US Puzzle/World Puzzles |
K-5th
or 6th grade |
We don't know
why they love the big wooden
puzzles but they do, well into 5th or 6th grade. |
Scrambled
States |
3rd
grade and up |
No better way
to learn states and capitals. Kids
race to find capitals, mottoes, and to find the
states
relative to each other. Brilliant. Any age of person who wants to learn
their states and capitals. The winner of our Golden Porch Award. |
Latitude and Longitude |
4th
grade and up |
Make
up a list of places, note their latitude and longitude. Give teams
atlases and the list of latitude and longitude with blanks next to
them. Explain latitude and longitude and that they are racing
around the world, first team to identify all the places is the winner.
|
Top
Grammar
Games
There
is no way to disguise grammar. Kids always know. We use the word "game"
here loosely. |
Mad
Libs |
Middle
School |
They
have to know what the parts of speech are in order to fill in the
blanks to make funny sentences. Make sure they see the sheet in there
that explains parts of speech and give it to the kid who is coming up
with the
words. |
Go
to Press
|
Middle
to High School |
This
is a Clue-esque game. It is not super hard so it is fairly enjoyable
for kids, but they are still happy when educational game time is over. |
Top
Group
Games
Family
Feud |
Middle School and Up |
Super Fun. Team
Building |
Pictionary
|
Only for kids who have a similar drawing ability
and who like to draw. |
We think that with some group of kids out there,
this well designed
game could be fun. But we've only ever seen it turn into fights. :( |
Spoons (regular playing cards and spoons from the
kitchen) |
As soon as a kid can
understand they have to match everything in their hand. If
they
cannot, DO NOT let them play - they will hold onto cards other kids
need and then the other kids will hate them (temporarily). |
This game is the musical
chairs of card games. Have one less spoon than there are
kids. Deal four cards to each kid. The dealer passes the cards around
one at a time , kids look and see if it will help them get 4 of a kind.
If they don't, they pass it on. When someone gets 4 of a kind they grab
a spoon. Whoever didn't get a spoon is out. Play continues, taking one
spoon away, until there is just one spoon and one winner. |
Pit
Card Game |
As soon as a kid can understand they
have to match everything in
their hand. If they cannot, DO NOT let them play - they will hold onto
cards other kids need and then the other kids will hate them
(temporarily). |
This fast paced, yelling, insane, old
card game teaches
about the
commodities market to kids. Great with 8 or 9 kids. One of the best
games ever invented. |
Top
Jump
Rope
The
Jump Rope |
Invest
in a good one. Ones from the dollar store or that seem too cheap often
stick to the cement when they are twirled. A waste of money and the
earth's resources. Make a rule that it is not to be used for tug of
war. You can also get that rope they sell at the hardware store that
looks just like jumprope, but it comes in a big bundle. Kids
like the ones with the beads on them but those also hurt when they hit
- get those for experienced jumpers.
|
Double
Dutch |
Find
someone to teach this jump rope method for twirling two jump ropes at
once. It is a great challenge for kids who are already experts at one
rope. |
Jump
the Rope Jingles |
Many
kids do not know jump rope jingles anymore. Get this book or another.
Ask older kids in your neighborhood if they know any. Don't let this
fine tradition die off. Find ones that are boy friendly because they
like to
jump too. If they are reluctant, see if they will try tricks. |
Chinese
Jumprope |
Kids still love this game. The
instructions are on the back of the packet - don't lose it!
|
Top
Languages/Cultures
Lingo |
1st
grade and up |
This
is bingo in a bunch of different languages with the bingo cards being
pictures of food. The down side is that the
caller needs to speak the languages they are calling in. The up side is
that if young kids play this game about 3 times in the same language in
a row, they know those words in a different language. We are unable to
locate the great UNICEF Lingo listed on the left, but found an ok
substitute - it is only in a single language. :( French,
Spanish Bingo |
See
It and Sign It Game-Intro to ASL |
1st
grade and up |
This
is a bingo game using sign language. It has two
levels: beginners and advanced. Kids need to use the
DVD or
the cards to
learn the signs basically before starting, but it doesn't take
long. |
Passport
To Culture |
8th
grade and up |
This
is your basic, pick up a card and ask a question. No one knows these
answers about cultures all over the earth, so it can frustrate some
kids. Curious kids enjoy the guessing. |
Top
Life
Choices
Game
of Life |
4th
grade and up |
We
have yet to find a better game to make kids think about if they want to
have kids, what insurance is, what happens when you gamble, if you want
to go to college etc. |
Careers |
5th
grade and up |
This
game still interests kids. They follow career paths. |
Top
Math
Games
Double
6 Dominoes |
As
soon as they can count up to 6 |
Get
the ones that are not
in color so kids will have to count the dots, not identify by
color. |
Bingo |
As
soon as they are learning double digit numbers |
Yes, just regular
bingo helps them learn to identify numbers. |
Make
7 |
As
soon as they learn to add |
This is
like connect
4, only the pieces are numbers that have to add up to 7. |
Math
War Addition & Subtraction |
As
soon as they learn addition and subtraction |
A card game kids
play like war but the cards pictures to count on them |
Subtraction 0-12 Math Card Game |
As
soon as they learn subtraction |
Kids
can count the objects on the cards to learn what subtraction is. |
Multiplication
Bingo |
As
soon as they start to learn their multiplication tables |
Play it and give them a cheat sheet. |
Snap
It Up Math Card Game, Multiplication |
Middle
School |
Play this game once they
know most of their multiplication tables to review and cement them in
their heads. |
Fractions
Bingo |
First
grade (yes, they can count up the pieces) |
The easiest way to learn fractions. Explain how a
whole is cut
into pieces then give them plenty of time to count the pieces up on the
bingo sheets. |
Maya
Madness Game |
As
soon as they are introduced to negative numbers in school. |
A great way to practice using negative
numbers. It
takes a
little while to go through the directions, but it's not a complicated
game and its fun. |
Uno
|
1st
grade |
Help
children learn to recognize and match numbers-especially when they are
with older kids, trying to keep up. |
Odd
or Even* |
1st grade and up |
Each child gets an
envelope with 20 beans in it. Kids can hold as many in their closed
hand as they want. The other kids guess if there are an odd or even
number of beans there. If they are right, they get them. If they are
wrong, the kid holding the beans keeps them. Put a time limit on this
game. Kids just roam around the room asking each other. Whoever has the
most beans at the end is the winner. To help kids who don't know their
odds from evens, post a list showing which numbers are even and which
are odd. |
Top
Memory/Observation/Matching
Stare!
Junior |
Inspired
4th graders and up |
Kids
stare at a picture then stop looking at it and answer questions. The
Jr. version is hard enough for adults. |
Scan
Card Game |
4th
grade and up |
This
challenging visual game has four different matches on each card. Kids
have to match one of the four to the other cards laying out. |
Old
Bachelor |
1st
grade and up |
This
game is a take off on Old Maid. Kids pick cards from each other's hands
and make matches. Whoever is left with the old bachelor is the loser.
It's good for the kids to play this and Old Maid - gender balance.
|
Hocus
Focus Card Game |
3rd grade and up |
This
is a matching game that's harder than just memory because just a part
of the picture changes. |
Top
Money
Games
Pit
Card Game |
As soon as a kid can understand they
have to match everything in
their hand. If they cannot, DO NOT let them play - they will hold onto
cards other kids need and then the other kids will hate them
(temporarily). |
This fast paced, yelling, insane, old card
game teaches
about the
commodities market to kids. Great with 8 or 9 kids. One of the best
games ever invented. |
Monopoly |
3rd grade and up |
The
classic game to learn about real
estate and counting money. Never buy the one where they don't
count the money. The essential value of monopoly is to learn to count -
the numbers on the dice, the money you have etc. If you want dumb kids
who won't ever be able to manage their own money, get the credit card
one. |
Shopping
Spree |
1st grade and up |
This game they go around the board collecting one
thing from
each store and the winner is whoever finishes shopping first. Fabulous
for teaching about money and making change. |
Stock
Market Tycoon |
Middle School and up |
This
is an excellent game to learn about the stock market. It
takes a
little while to explain the game, but once they get it, the game isn't
so complicated. Kids buy stock and then the stocks go up or down as the
game goes on. |
The
Price is Right Game - New 2nd Edition |
About 8 years old and up. |
This game is hard to set up, but kids learn the
relative prices of everything. This is a good life skill to have.
An adult needs to give a lot of help for this one. |
Store* |
K-5th
grade |
A
cash register (if you have one), play money, a bunch of old stuff, and
tape/marker to
price it all. Hours and hours of fun. |
Restaurant* |
k
- 5th grade |
Menu
(ones they make on paper or on a posterboard), old plates, food
(invisible, made from play doh, from nature, or plastic), cash register
and play money. |
Top
Nature
Tree
Climbing* |
All |
Find
one to start with that has a split down low so kids can get an idea of
how to hold on and pull themselves up. There was actually a kid who
almost lived in the tree in front of the Porch. Some kids NEED to
climb. Let them. |
Bug
Hunting* |
All |
Get
a jar with a metal lid. Put holes in the top with hammer and nails.
Keep one by each door in the house. Teach the kids to let them go. |
Digging |
All |
Just
give them boundaries of where they can dig and let them. Kids with ADD
seem to gravitate toward this. |
Jump
in the Leaves* |
All |
Rake
the leaves into a pile and jump in them. Be sure they are dressed to
play. |
Sledding |
All |
Let
the kids build their own snow hill. Then bring out a pitcher of water
pour it on the hill on a very cold day. Fast, good stuff. |
Follow
the Leader in the Snow* |
All |
When
the snow is deep, play follow the leader in the steps you make in the
snow. |
Building
with snow* |
All |
Keep
some stronger buckets and recycled tubs for snow building. If you are
with them, let them boss you. You will be surprised what they build. |
Sandcastles* |
All |
The summer version of snow
building. Keep some stronger buckets and recycled tubs
for building. See if you need to show them the correct
consistency of sand/water mixture so they don't get
frustrated.
|
Top
Pretend
Games
Dress Up |
Just
put these out. Kids usually just go to it. If they don't, put some on
yourself as an example. Play runway, make a movie, do a play, make a
music video. Adults can be the monster in the movie, the emcee for the
fashion show. So fun! |
Costumes |
1st
and up |
Older
kids will get in them if you can get some of the cool older
kids to wear them. Get them on sale after Halloween. |
Fabric |
1st
and up |
From
the discount bin or a place that resells industrial materials (in the
Detroit area Arts
and Scraps) Be sure to have some belts in there, safety pins
for older kids, and other belt/attaching type accessories. |
Old
clothes* |
1st
and up |
From
a thrift store - a little washing and voila, hours of fun. |
Pretend
Places |
Bike
Freeway |
As
soon as they can ride a bike |
Some
chalk and bikes. Draw a line down the middle of a sidewalk and you have
a road. A more elaborate game could be with a pad of paper and a pencil
for one kid to give out tickets. Kids will take it from there. |
Restaurant* |
1st
grade and up |
A
cash register, play money, a bunch of old stuff, and tape/marker to
price it all. Hours and hours of fun. |
Store* |
1st
grade and up |
Menu
(ones they make on paper or on a posterboard), old plates, food
(invisible, made from play doh, from nature, or plastic), cash register
and play money. |
Tea
Party* |
1st
and up |
Some
old cups and a piece of fabric to sit on. You can make it more
elaborate with some real beverage and snacks, but for kids to be able
to recreate it without adult help, less is more. Kids value the time
adults spend sitting with them and the chance to direct the tea party.
Grown ups should do what they tell you to do. It's their time. |
Pretending
while entertaining |
Puppet
Shows |
1st
and up |
Socks
and a table flipped on its side will do. Or add puppets made from paper
bags. Older kids who are hams are a surprising addition to puppet show.
Invite them. |
Movie
Making |
1st
and up |
Video
cameras are magic for kids, especially ones who are reluctant to
imagine. They will be hooked the first time they see the playback. The
monster movie is the easiest way to start movie making. Only let
responsible kids hold the camera (our limit is 13 and up). |
Top
Science
Games
Skeletons
in the Closet Game |
middle
school and up |
Kids
spin a spinner and answer questions about the bones in the body. Not
the most fun game (kids never picked this for free time), but the least
painful way to learn the bones of the body. They really do learn them
after playing it a couple times. |
Bird
Bingo |
3rd
grade and up |
Maximum
learning happens when the caller reads the back of the card explaining
about the birds and asking what the kids know about the birds. |
Bingo
Bug |
3rd
grade and up |
Maximum
learning happens when the caller reads the back of the card explaining
about the bugs and what the kids know about the bugs. |
Gemstones
Playing Cards |
5th
grade and up |
This
takes some prep work, but we take these to the local natural history
museum, break up into teams and treasure hunt for the gems on the
cards. A riot and the kids read every display card this way. Sneaky! |
Fingerprint
Kit
|
5th
grade and up |
This shows kids how to take fingerprints and observe them. A great kit.
Turn it into a game by having them figure out whose fingerprint is on
something. |
Mummy
Rummy |
middle
school and up |
This
is a hard game for some kids to get. It is a card game where kids have
to match three pieces of ancient objects. This is a hate or love game
for kids. |
Scientific
Explorer's Mystery Detective CSI for Kids Science Kit |
4th grade and up |
This
game is GREAT. It includes science experiments to do to find out who
did it. Kids learn about DNA matching, fingerprints, acids/bases. |
The
Way Things Work Game |
middle
school and up |
This
game is your basic - pull a card and answer a question. It has a few
gizmos with it, but overall the kids weren't fond of it. However they
were more fond of this than a science worksheet. |
Top
Strategy
Games
Some
kids really HATE strategy games. You may notice that they will hate
these games and you can see the pattern. We aren't sure why they hate
them, but you may want to try games from another category for those
kids. |
Coloraddo |
4th grade and up |
A
great game where kids put down cards that have squares of color on
them. They have to figure out how to place each square down to connect
to other squares of the same colors in a row. An undiscovered classic. |
Blokus |
4th
grade and up |
For
four kids - no less. It is no fun unless all 4 kids play.
Kids
put down plastic pieces touching corners only. It is challenging enough
to keep their interest. |
Travel
Blokus |
4th
grade and up |
For
two kids. Same game as above. |
Ceega |
5th
grade and up |
This
game is from ancient Egypt. You put two marbles on either side of the
other person's to flip them. It looks like a dumb game...until you play
it. Its hard to win. We cannot find this game for sale, but you can
find instructions to play it online. |
Chess |
3rd
grade and up |
Once
you explain what each piece does and they play it twice, most kids can
beat the average adult. |
Chess Puzzles
Book |
5th
grade and up |
For
kids who love chess, this book challenges them. |
Chinese
Checkers
& Checkerboard ( Hardboard ) |
3rd
grade and up |
Teach
kids the strategy of setting up jumps and help them learn to jump
following the lines on the board. This is a great game because when you
jump the other guys, you don't take them, so its less competitive than
most games. Never get the one that is cardboard with the pegs. They
always come loose. |
Battleship |
4th
grade and up |
Old
favorite. Great for learning to strategize and deduce. This also
teaches coordinates on a graph. |
Ravensburger
Labyrinth |
4th
grade and up |
Kids
slide a card onto the board to push a card at the other end
off
and rearrange this maze in order to get the treasure they seek. This
game takes a long time and is a solid challenge. Great for a rainy day
for kids with
patience. |
Othello |
4th
grade and up |
This
is like Ceega, but a little simpler. Kids put down pieces, trying to
get one of their guys on each side of the other guy's pieces to flip it
to their color. |
Quoridor
classic |
5th grade and up.
|
This
magnificently simple game has offense and defense. It looks stupid when
you pull it out of the box - expect some eye rolls. Kids can
choose to move their guy forward toward the last line on the board on
the other side, or put up a piece of a wall to block the other guy.
Great to make them think. |
Dominoes |
4th
grade and up |
Regular
dominoes and Mexican train can fill up many summer days. |
Tri-Ominos |
5th
grade and up |
This
is for the more inspired strategy-minded kid. Its dominoes, but you
have to match more than one side of the domino. |
Deluxe
Backgammon Case |
none |
We
have never met a child who liked this game. We aren't sure why
because they love its ancient ancestor....mancala |
Two-Person
Mancala
|
3rd
grade and up |
Kids
race around the board to get their pieces home. They love it, but
beware - its a game where cheater kids take liberty. |
Four-Player
Mancala |
3rd
grade and up |
This is the same as mancala
for two, only it takes a very long time. Another rainy day game. Not
for the impatient kids. |
Connect
Four |
2nd
grade and up |
Vertical
checkers where kids need to get four in a row and block the other
kids. |
Checkers |
1st
grade and up |
Be sure kids have their own
rules straightened out before playing. Some
kids play that kings can jump across a whole row etc. |
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Strategy Games:
Meaner
Sorry |
2nd
grade |
The
classic mean game, where kids can send each other back to start as they
race around the board. They love this game, but we aren't so sure its
good for their spirits. |
Parcheesi
Royal Edition |
2nd
grade |
This
is the ancient Indian ancestor to Sorry. Kids can block each other from
continuing around the board AND send them back. |
Stay
Alive |
2nd
grade |
In
this game, kids hope that their marble is the last one left on the
board as they pull levers sinking the other kids. The game lasts 5
minutes and they will play it one million times. |
Trouble
Board Game |
1st
grade |
This
is like a baby Sorry. Kids race around the board and can send each
other home. |
Aggravation |
2nd
grade |
This
is a lot like Sorry, only with marbles and a brilliant way to
jump across the board in a few spots. |
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Tag
Sardines* |
2nd
grade and up |
This
is hide and go seek, but opposite. One person hides and everyone else
seeks them. The last person to find the hider is it. |
Ghost
in the Graveyard* |
2nd
grade and up |
This
is hide and go seek, but only one person is the hider. When a seeker
finds the hider, they yell ghost in the graveyard and everyone has to
run to the safe place before the hider catches one of them. |
Blob* |
2nd
grade and up |
This
is tag, but when a kid is tagged, they are then it also. The game
continues until everyone is tagged except one person, the winner. |
Frozen
Tag* |
2nd
grade and up |
This
is tag, only when a kid is tagged, they have to stay where they were
when they were tagged and in the same position. They can only move when
another kid tags them. |
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Walking/Chase
Games
Mr.
Fox* |
2nd
grade and up |
One
kid (the fox) stands with their back to the other kids who are about 20
feet back from them. They yell, "What time is it Mr. Fox." The Fox
yells back, for example, "2 o'clock". And they all take 2 steps toward
Mr. Fox. They take turns asking and moving until they fox thinks they
are close enough to catch. When the fox thinks so, s/he responds
"midnight!" when asked for the time. The fox turns and chases
everyone back to the line they started at. Whoever then fox catches is
then the next fox. |
Cats
in the Corner* |
2nd
grade and up |
Four
kids stand in each corner of a large sidewalk square. One kid stands in
the middle. Kids in the corners switch places while the kid in the
middle tries to tag them. This is one of the oldest tag games and most
fun. |
Top
Word
Games
$10,000
Pyramid Home Game |
Middle to high school |
Expands
their vocabulary. Make them stick with one card until they have used
all the words up. Provide dictionaries. |
Library
Race* |
4th
grade and up |
This
game forces children to learn where different kinds of books are
located. Its like a tour of the library. Ask the librarian if you can
play this game first because it makes a giant stack of books to put
away. The adult goes around ahead of time and makes up
questions
they have to find the name of the book they found the answer to and the
place they found it. An example of a question is "Peru is a
county
in South America. Name one animal that lives there." |
Password |
Middle to high school |
Expands their vocabulary. Make them
stick
with one card until they have used all the words up. Provide
dictionaries. |
Wheel
of Fortune |
5th
grade and up, but younger kids like to pretend play it |
Kids
can't stop playing this game. Sometimes the words are too hard for them
to guess so try to help them pick which words they put up. |
Wordfinds |
All
|
Most
kids like these. |
Mad
Libs |
4th
grade and up |
Great
to get them to read and be creative. |
Scrabble
Crossword Game |
5th
grade and up |
Some
kids HATE this game and some LOVE it. Its always a gamble. Be sure kids
of equal vocabulary are playing together. |
Boggle |
5th grade and up |
Be
sure kids understand how to connect the
letters. |
Top
Last updated
12/20/09
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