Here are 7 more ideas 👉

Simon Says – this classic game involves one player being “Simon” and giving commands such as “Simon says touch your nose” while the other players follow the instructions. If Simon says something without starting with “Simon says,” then players shouldn’t follow the command. Another version of this game I like is Yogi Says, which invites children to come up with ONE yoga pose for other children to follow. For example, Yogi says, touch your toes; Yogi says – do a tree pose etc.

Red Light, Green Light – this game involves one player being the “traffic light” and facing away from the other players. When the traffic light says “green light,” the players move toward the traffic light. When the traffic light says “red light,” the players must freeze. The first player to reach the traffic light wins.

Duck, Duck, Goose – this game involves children sitting in a circle while one child walks around tapping each player’s head, saying “duck, duck, duck,” and then finally saying “goose.” The child who was tapped as the “goose” must stand up and chase the “tapper” around the circle.

Animal Walks – have the children imitate different animal walks, such as a bear, elephant, or crab. The children can walk around the room or follow a designated path. I use special “move like animal” cards for that.

Freeze Dance – play music and have the kids dance until the music stops, at which point they must freeze. Repeat until everyone has had a chance to dance.

“The Floor is Lava” is a popular game that can be played indoors or outdoors. The objective of the game is to get from one end of the play area to the other without touching the “lava” (the floor).

Here’s how to play:

Choose a play area: This can be a room in your house, a section of your backyard, or any other designated space.

Declare the floor as lava: All players must agree that the floor is now “lava” and that they cannot touch it.

Create obstacles: Players must use furniture, cushions, or other objects to create a path or obstacle course that they can use to get from one end of the play area to the other without touching the floor.

Start playing: Players must use the obstacles to get from one end of the play area to the other without touching the floor. If a player touches the floor, they are out of the game. The last player remaining is the winner.

“Fruit Salad” is a fun and active game that can be played with children of all ages. Here’s how to play:

Choose your fruits: Before playing, decide on a list of fruits that you want to use. This can include real fruits or fruits made out of paper, foam, or fabric.

Create a basket: This can be a real basket or a designated area on the floor where the fruits will be placed.

Start the game: One player is chosen to be “it” and starts the game by calling out the name of a fruit. All other players must then run to the basket and try to find the matching fruit.

Collect the fruit: The first player to find the matching fruit must pick it up and return to the starting point. They then place the fruit in a separate area, such as a basket or a designated spot on the floor.

Repeat: The player who collected the fruit becomes “it” and starts the game by calling out the name of a different fruit. The game continues until all of the fruits have been collected.

What are your favourite games to play during circle time or outdoor play with children?